Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of James 1:11
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
11. For the sun is no sooner risen but it withereth ] Better, for the sun arose and withered. The Greek has nothing that answers to “no sooner,” and the verbs are throughout in the past tense as in a narrative. It is as though St James were using the form not of a similitude, but of a parable, apparently not without a reminiscence of some features of the Parable of the Sower (Mat 13:6) and of the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 6:30).
with a burning heat ] Better, with the scorching heat, probably the Simoom, or hot wind that blows from the desert in the early morning, as in Luk 12:55. The whole description comes, as above, from Isa 40:6. Comp. also Jon 4:8.
falleth perisheth ] Better, as continuing the narrative, fell perished.
fade away ] Better, perhaps, as expressing the force of the Greek passive, be blighted. The Greek verb is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, but meets us in the Wisd. of Son 2:8, in a passage which may well have been present to the mind of the writer. An adjective derived from it is found in the “crown that fadeth not away,” literally, the amaranthine crown, of 1Pe 5:4. See also 1Pe 1:4. The idea of the “fading” of earthly riches, the “unfading” character of heavenly, was another thought common to the two writers.
the grace of the fashion of it ] Better, the goodliness of its form, literally, of its face. The first substantive is not found elsewhere in the New Testament.
in his ways ] Literally, in his goings or journeyings, as in Luk 13:22, perhaps with a special reference to the restlessness in trading which shewed itself in the money-making Jews of Palestine. “Going” and “getting” ( poreuomai and emporeuomai) made up the sum total of their ideal of life. Comp. chap. Jas 4:13. A various reading gives “in his gettings ” here, as a possible meaning, but the balance of evidence is in favour of “goings.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat – Isaiah Isa 40:7 employs the word wind, referring to a burning wind that dries up the flowers. It is probable that the apostle also refers not so much to the sun itself, as to the hot and fiery wind called the simoom, which often rises with the sun, and which consumes the green herbage of the fields. So Rosenmuller and Bloomfield interpret it.
It withereth the grass – Isa 40:7. It withereth the stalk, or that which, when dried, produces hay or fodder – the word here used being commonly employed in the latter sense. The meaning is, that the effect of the hot wind is to wither the stalk or spire which supports the flower, and when that is dried up, the flower itself falls. This idea will give increased beauty and appropriateness to the figure – that man himself is blasted and withered, and then that all the external splendor which encircled him falls to the ground, like a flower whose support is gone.
And the grace of the fashion of it perisheth – Its beauty disappears.
So shall the rich man fade away in his ways – That is, his splendor, and all on which he prideth himself, shall vanish. The phrase in his ways, according to Rosenmuller, refers to his counsels, his plans, his purposes; and the meaning is, that the rich man, with all by which he is known, shall vanish. A mans ways, that is, his mode of life, or those things by which he appears before the world, may have somewhat the same relation to him which the flower has to the stalk on which it grows, and by which it is sustained. The idea of James seems to be, that as it was indisputable that the rich man must soon disappear, with all that he had of pomp and splendor in the view of the world, it was well for him to be reminded of it by every change of condition; and that he should therefore rejoice in the providential dispensation by which his property would be taken away, and by which the reality of his religion would be tested. We should rejoice in anything by which it can be shown whether we are prepared for heaven or not.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. For the sun is no sooner risen] We need not pursue this metaphor, as St. James’ meaning is sufficiently clear: All human things are transitory; rise and fall, or increase and decay, belong to all the productions of the earth, and to all its inhabitants. This is unavoidable, for in many cases the very cause of their growth becomes the cause of their decay and destruction. The sun by its genial heat nourishes and supports all plants and animals; but when it arises with a burning heat, the atmosphere not being tempered with a sufficiency of moist vapours, the juices are exhaled from the plants; the earth, for lack of moisture, cannot afford a sufficient supply; vegetation becomes checked; and the plants soon wither and die. Earthly possessions are subject to similar mutations. God gives and resumes them at his pleasure, and for reasons which he seldom explains to man. He shows them to be uncertain, that they may never become an object of confidence to his followers, and that they may put their whole trust in God. If for righteousness’ sake any of those who were in affluence suffer loss, or spoiling of their goods, they should consider that, while they have gained that of infinite worth, they have lost what is but of little value, and which in the nature of things they must soon part with, though they should suffer nothing on account of religion.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
With a burning heat; or, the scorching east wind, which in those countries was wont to rise with the sun, Jon 4:8.
So also shall the rich man fade away; either shall is here put for may, the future tense for the potential mood; and then the apostle doth not so much declare what always certainly stall be, as what easily may be, and frequently is, the prosperity of rich men not being always of so short continuance. Or, shall may be taken properly, as we read it; and then his is a general proposition, showing the mutable nature and short continuance of rich men and their riches, whose longest life is but short, and death, when it comes, strips them of their enjoyments: and though this frailty be common to all, yet he speaks of the rich especially, because they are so apt to hear themselves high upon their wealth, and put confidence in it, 1Ti 6:17.
In his ways; either in his journeyings and travels for his riches, or rather in his counsels, purposes, actions, Psa 146:4.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
11. Taken from Isa40:6-8.
heatrather, “thehot wind” from the (east or) south, which scorches vegetation(Lu 12:55). The “burningheat” of the sun is not at its rising, but rather atnoon; whereas the scorching Kadim wind is often at sunrise(Jon 4:8) [MIDDLETON,The Doctrine of the Greek Article]. Mt20:12 uses the Greek word for “heat.” Isa40:7, “bloweth upon it,” seems to answer to “thehot wind” here.
grace of the fashionthatis of the external appearance.
in his waysreferringto the burdensome extent of the rich man’s devices [BENGEL].Compare “his ways,” that is, his course of life, Jas1:8.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat,…. As it is about the middle of the day, when it shines in its full strength, and its heat is very great and scorching, especially in the summer season, and in hot climates:
but it withereth the grass; strikes it with heat, causes it to shrivel, and dries it up;
and the flower thereof falleth; drops off from it to the ground:
and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth; its form and colour, its glory and beauty, which were pleasant to the eye, are lost, and no more to be recovered. This shows, that earthly riches, like the flower of the field, have an outward show and glory in them, which attract the mind, and fix an attention to them for a while; they are gay and glittering, and look lovely, are pleasant to behold, and desirable to enjoy; but when the sun of persecution, or any other outward calamity arises, they are quickly destroyed, and are no more.
So also shall the rich man fade away in his ways; riches are uncertain things now, they often make themselves wings and flee away; they are things that are not, that are not solid and substantial they are a vain show; they sometimes fade away in a man’s lifetime, before he dies; and he fades away, and comes to decay, amidst all the ways and means, designs and schemes, he forms and pursues, and all the actions and business he does; and if not, when he fades away, and dies amidst all his riches, his glory does not descend after him, but falls off from him, as the flower of the field before the heat of the sun.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ariseth (). Gnomic or timeless aorist active indicative of the old compound , used here of plants (cf. in Php 4:10), often of the sun (Mt 13:6).
With the scorching wind ( ). Associative instrumental case with . In the LXX this late word (from ) is usually the sirocco, the dry east wind from the desert (Job 1:19). In Matt 20:12; Luke 12:55 it is the burning heat of the sun. Either makes sense here.
Withereth (). Another gnomic aorist active indicative (Robertson, Grammar, p. 837) of , old verb (from , dry or withered, Mt 12:10), to dry up. Grass and flowers are often used to picture the transitoriness of human life.
Falleth (). Another gnomic aorist (second aorist active indicative) of to fall out (off).
The grace ( ). Old word (from well-looking, not in the N.T.), only here in N.T. Goodly appearance, beauty.
Of the fashion of it ( ). “Of the face of it.” The flower is pictured as having a “face,” like a rose or lily.
Perisheth (). Another gnomic aorist (second aorist middle indicative of , to destroy, but intransitive here, to perish). The beautiful rose is pitiful when withered.
Shall fade away (). Future passive indicative of , old verb, to extinguish a flame, a light. Used of roses in Wisdom 2:8.
Goings (). Old word from to journey, in N.T. only here and Lu 13:22 (of Christ’s journey toward Jerusalem). The rich man’s travels will come to “journey’s end.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
For the sun is no sooner risen, etc. [ ] . By the use of the aorist tense James graphically throws his illustration into the narrative form : “For the sun arose – and withered,” etc.
With a burning heat [ ] . Rev., with the scorching wind. The article denotes something familiar; and the reference may be to the scorching east – wind (Job 1:19, Sept.; Eze 17:10), which withers vegetation. Some of the best authorities, however, prefer the rendering of the A. V.
Falleth [] . Aorist tense. Lit., fell off.
The grace of the fashion [ ] . Lit., the beauty of its face or appearance. Eujprepeia only here in New Testament.
Fade away [] . See on 1Pe 1:4.
Ways [] . Rev., goings. Only here and Luk 13:22. His goings to and fro in acquiring riches.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) James is replete with his use of illustrations from natural experiences of life, using more examples per chapter than any other writer in the New Testament, other than Jesus.
2) He describes the sun as having completed a risen act “no sooner is risen than the (Gr. kausoni) ‘scorching, burning’ heat of it begins to wither the grass and the petal of the flower with its appearance of beauty begins to fade.”
3) Abruptly James asserts (Gr. houtos) “just like this,” the plutocratic one exists and is careless in insecure ways and his works rendered carelessly with plutocratic riches soon fade and are extinguished, as if tried by fire. Psa 1:4.
4) James indicates that the testing of life is designed to, call men to prepare to meet God. The trial of life’s works are to be by the Word of the Lord and by fire.
5) The Word teaches that salvation comes by faith in Jesus Christ (Act 16:31; 1Jn 5:1). It also teaches that services rendered to the Lord, after salvation, rendered by faith, according to the will of God expressed in the Word, shall be richly rewarded, 1Co 3:11-15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Though the received reading is ἐν ταῖς πορείαις, yet I agree with Erasmus, and read the last word, πορίαις, without the diphthong “in his riches,” or, with his riches; and the latter I prefer. (104)
(104) The received text is regarded as the best reading; the other is found in very few copies.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) For the sun is no sooner risen . . .Translate, the sun arose with the burning heat, and dried up the grass; and the flower thereof fell away, and the grace of its fashion perished. The grace, the loveliness, the delicacy of its form and featureliterally, of its facewithered and died away. Often must the Apostle have seen such an effect of the fiery-Eastern sun, scorching with its pitiless glare the rich verdure of the wilderness; and in his ear, perchance, was the cry of Isaiah (Isa. 40:6-8):
All flesh is grass:
And all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.
The grass withereth;
The flower fadeth;
Because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it:
Surely the people is grass.
The grass withereth;
The flower fadeth;
But the Word of our God shall stand for ever.
So also (or, thus) shall the rich man fade away (or, wither) in his ways.Not the rich brother, observe, is to fade thus, though his wealth will so pass away. The warning is rather (as in Mar. 10:24) for them that trust in riches. Even the mammon of unrighteousness, well used, will make for us friends that may receive us into everlasting habitations (Luk. 16:9). And he who, out of the possessions wherewith God has blessed him, deviseth liberal things, by liberal things shall stand (Isa. 32:8). There seems, moreover, looking closely at the text, a special fitness in its exact words: for they mean that the rich shall perish in their journeyings for the sake of gain; and to no people could the rebuke apply more sharply than to the Jews, the lenders unto many nations (Deu. 15:6), the merchants and bankers of the world. Nor can the sword of the Spirit, unsheathed from this Word of God (Eph. 6:17), be without an edge for those of us in these latter times who err in the former ways.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Now and then the rich man found this glorious lowliness and became a Christian; but the rich of St. James’s day and locality was generally a persecutor, (Jas 2:5,) and an oppressor, (note on Jas 5:1-6.) Hence in this verse, with a vividness akin to the last quoted passage, St. James paints the evanescence of the proud and oppressive millionaire. The imagery is borrowed mostly from Isa 40:6-8, where the fading character of our earthly humanity is described. Is The Greek has all the verbs in this verse in the past tense, so as to make the description in fact a pictorial narrative. The sun no sooner rose withered fell perished.
Burning heat The Greek word for burning heat, , (from , to burn,) often in the Septuagint designates the east wind, which, sweeping over the burning sands, brings a heat terribly scorching to all vegetation. Here it designates simply the burning power of the tropical or semi-tropical sun.
The grass Pasturage, including all herbage, especially that supplying food for animals.
The flower The bloom, the flourish.
Grace Becomingness.
Fashion Literally, face, aspect. Translate, the becomingness of its aspect.
Fade Literally, wither; a word applicable to a flower, transferable to dying man.
Ways Modes, plans, and purposes of life. It is to be noted that St. James here describes, not the vanishing of the riches from the man, but the vanishing of the man from his riches. Human wealth survives its possessor. Human things are often more permanent than human beings. Happy the rich man who passes from an earthly to a heavenly patrimony. He makes, perhaps, the best of both worlds. Such a man is described in the next verse.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jam 1:11. For the sun is no sooner risen, &c. For the sun ariseth with burning heat; it withereth the grass; the flower thereof falleth; and all the beauty of its colour perisheth: Even so shall the rich man fade away in his course; ; in all the projects and pursuits in which he has been immersed.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jas 1:11 . A further expansion of the image. The aorists , , etc., do not precisely stand for the present (Grotius, Piscator, Hottinger, and others), but represent the occurrence in a concrete manner as a fact which has taken place, by which the description gains in vividness (comp. Isa 40:7 ), which is still more vividly portrayed by the simple succession of finite verbs. See Winer, p. 248 [E. T. 346, 347] and p. 417 [E. T. 590]; A. Buttmann, p. 175. It is only confusing to convert into or .
By the word is often in the LXX. (comp. besides Eze 17:10 ; Eze 19:12 , Hos 13:15 : Jer 18:17 ; Jon 4:8 ; where or is added, particularly Job 27:21 ; Hos 12:1 ) meant the hot east wind ( ), which, blowing over the steppes of Arabia, is very dry and scorching to vegetation (see Winer’s Reallexicon: word, Wind); here, however, as in Isa 49:10 ( closely united with ), Sir 18:16 (comp. also Sir 43:3 , where it is said of the sun: ), Mat 20:12 , Luk 12:55 , it has the meaning “heat, burning” (against Grotius, Pott, Hottinger, Kern, Schneckenburger, Winer, Wahl, Lange, Bouman, and others), as the parching effect is attributed not to the as something different from the sun, but to the sun itself. [59] It is arbitrary to explain it as if it were written: , , ; as Gebser says: “the burning wind rising with the sun is the image.” Laurentius incorrectly understands by the sun “Christ,” and by the rising of the sun “the day of the Lord;” thus the whole is an image of the judgment destroying the rich, yet so that the individual parts are to be retained in their appropriate meaning. [60]
. . . ] The same expressions in Isa 40:7 .
, i.e. not simply the withering (Isa 28:1 ; Isa 28:4 , LXX.), but the actual falling off of the flower, is a consequence of the blighting of the plant.
] the opposite of is used in the classics chiefly of external appearance; in the N. T. it is an . .
= , Psa 104:30 ; comp. Luk 12:56 ; Mat 16:3 : species externa. refers, not as the first , to , but , on which the emphasis rests (comp. Jas 1:10 , de Wette, Wiesinger, Bouman). [61]
] thus quickly, thus entirely (Wiesinger); is not purely superfluous (Wiesinger), but, referring back to the image, heightens the comparison.
] It is to be observed that here also and not is the subject. , in the N. T. an . ., is found in the LXX. as the translation of , Job 15:30 ; in the same meaning in the Wisdom of Solomon Jas 2:8 . The figurative expression is explained by what goes before.
] not “on his journeys” (Laurentius, Piscator, Herder), also not “on his journeyings of fortune” (Lange); but = , Jas 1:8 (comp. Pro 2:8 , LXX.). The prominent idea is that the rich man, overtaken by judgment, perishes in the midst of his doings and pursuits, as the flower in the midst of its blossoming falleth a victim to the scorching heat of the sun. Luther’s translation: “in his possession,” is explained from the false reading . See critical notes.
[59] Neither the article before , nor the observation that “with the rising of the sun and the development of its heat the vegetation is not forthwith imperilled,” forms a valid reason against this explanation (against Lange).
[60] That “with the sun of a finished revelation was developing the hot wind of the law, which scorched the glory of Israel” (Lange), is a remark which is here the more inappropriate, as according to it the sun and the hot wind are indicated as two different powers opposed to each other.
[61] Lange, on the other hand, observes “that a fallen flower is still to lose its beauty” cannot be imagined; but is it then to be imagined that the grass when it is withered and the flower has fallen from it is still to lose its beauty?
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
Ver. 11. Shall the rich man fade ] Perish eternally, if he trust in uncertain riches, and not in the living God. See Jas 5:1 . Thus that sapless fellow Nabal faded, when his heart died within him, nor could his riches any more relieve him than they did that rich and wretched cardinal, Henry Beaufort, Chancellor of England in the reign of Henry VI, who murmured at death, that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time. Fie (quoth he), will not death be hired? Will money do nothing? No; money here bears no mastery. (Acts and Mon.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
11 .] For (justification of ) the sun arose (it is given in the form of a tale, a narration of what happened and ever does happen: see Isa 40:7 , from which the whole is adapted) with the heat (or, the hot east wind, the : this interpretation seems approved by ref. Jonah, , ( . ) (- [4] ): see Winer, Realw. art. “Wind.” But in ref. Matt. and Isa 49:10 , is evidently only heat : and considering, 1. the relation between that Gospel and St. James , , , 2. that the LXX, when the Kadim is intended, almost always add or , I prefer the other meaning, the arid scorching which accompanies the increasing power of the sun), and dried up the grass, and the flower thereof fell away (all from Isaiah), and the beauty of its appearance (so in reff., the external appearance of any thing) perished: thus also shall the rich man (the same as was spoken of Jas 1:10 ; not , but the himself) wither (reff.: the verb continues the similitude) in his ways (cf. ref. Psalm and Pro 2:8 . Luther’s translation, in seiner Habe, rests on the reading ).
[4] The CODEX SINAITICUS. Procured by Tischendorf, in 1859, from the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai. The Codex Frederico-Augustanus (now at Leipsic), obtained in 1844 from the same monastery, is a portion of the same copy of the Greek Bible, the 148 leaves of which, containing the entire New Testament, the Ep. of Barnabas, parts of Hermas, and 199 more leaves of the Septuagint, have now been edited by the discoverer. A magnificent edition prepared at the expense of the Emperor of Russia appeared in January, 1863, and a smaller edition containing the N.T. &c., has been published by Dr. Tischendorf. The MS. has four columns on a page, and has been altered by several different correctors, one or more of whom Tischendorf considers to have lived in the sixth century. The work of the original scribe has been examined, not only by Tischendorf, but by Tregelles and other competent judges, and is by them assigned to the fourth century . The internal character of the text agrees with the external, as the student may judge for himself from the readings given in the digest. The principal correctors as distinguished by Tischendorf are: A, of the same age with the MS. itself, probably the corrector who revised the book, before it left the hands of the scribe, denoted therefore by us -corr 1 ; B (cited as 2 ), who in the first page of Matt. began inserting breathings, accents, &c., but did not carry out his design, and touched only a few later passages; C a (cited as 3a ) has corrected very largely throughout the book. Wherever in our digest a reading is cited as found in 1 , it is to be understood, if no further statement is given, that C a altered it to that which is found in our text; C b (cited as 3b ) lived about the same time as C a , i.e. some centuries later than the original scribe. These are all that we need notice here 6 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Jas 1:11 . : the “gnomic” aorist, i.e. , expressive of what always happens; it gives a “more vivid statement of general truths, by employing a distinct case or several distinct cases in the past to represent (as it were) all possible cases, and implying that what has occurred is likely to occur again under similar circumstances” (Moulton, p. 135, quoting Goodwin); he adds, “the gnomic aorist need not have been denied by Winer for Jas 1:11 and 1Pe 1:24 ”. The R.V. gives the present, in accordance with the English idiom, but clearly the Greek way is the more exact; the same applies to Hebrew, though this particular verb does not occur in the corresponding passage in either the Septuagint or the Massoretic text; an example may, however, be seen in Nah 3:17 . , , (see R.V.). : the east wind which came from the Syrian desert, it was a hot wind which parched the vegetation and blighted the foliage of the trees; the Hebrew name “the wind of the east,” or simply , expresses the quarter whence it comes, the Greek , “burner,” describes its character, see Hos 13:15 ; Eze 17:10 ; it became especially dangerous when it developed into a storm, on account of its great violence, see Isa 27:8 ; Jer 18:17 ; Eze 27:26 . : the equivalent Hebrew word is , which like the cognate root in other Semitic languages, contains the idea of dying, cf. Isa 24:4 ; Isa 26:19 . : pleonastic; . is used mostly in reference to persons, e.g. , in Sir. it occurs twenty-eight times, and only in two instances to things other than persons, viz. , Sir 38:8 , [Hebrew marg., however reads ]. Sir 40:6 [Hebrew text, however, ]. does not occur elsewhere in the N.T.; see Sir 47:10 , its only occurrence in that book. : see above Jas 1:8 . : only here in N.T.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
is no sooner risen. Literally rose.
a = the.
burning heat. Greek. kauson. Only here; Mat 20:12. Luk 12:55.
but, &c. = and withered.
falleth = fell. Same word in Rom 9:6.
grace. App-184.
fashion. Literally presence or face (Jam 1:23).
perisheth = perished. Greek. apollumi. See Rom 14:15.
also shall, &c. = shall the rich man also.
fade away. Greek. maraino. Only here.
ways. Greek. poreia. Only here and Luk 13:22. Not the same word as in Jam 1:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
11.] For (justification of ) the sun arose (it is given in the form of a tale, a narration of what happened and ever does happen: see Isa 40:7, from which the whole is adapted) with the heat (or, the hot east wind, the : this interpretation seems approved by ref. Jonah, , ( . ) (- [4]): see Winer, Realw. art. Wind. But in ref. Matt. and Isa 49:10, is evidently only heat: and considering, 1. the relation between that Gospel and St. James , , , 2. that the LXX, when the Kadim is intended, almost always add or , I prefer the other meaning, the arid scorching which accompanies the increasing power of the sun), and dried up the grass, and the flower thereof fell away (all from Isaiah), and the beauty of its appearance (so in reff., the external appearance of any thing) perished: thus also shall the rich man (the same as was spoken of Jam 1:10; not , but the himself) wither (reff.: the verb continues the similitude) in his ways (cf. ref. Psalm and Pro 2:8. Luthers translation, in seiner Habe, rests on the reading ).
[4] The CODEX SINAITICUS. Procured by Tischendorf, in 1859, from the Monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai. The Codex Frederico-Augustanus (now at Leipsic), obtained in 1844 from the same monastery, is a portion of the same copy of the Greek Bible, the 148 leaves of which, containing the entire New Testament, the Ep. of Barnabas, parts of Hermas, and 199 more leaves of the Septuagint, have now been edited by the discoverer. A magnificent edition prepared at the expense of the Emperor of Russia appeared in January, 1863, and a smaller edition containing the N.T. &c., has been published by Dr. Tischendorf. The MS. has four columns on a page, and has been altered by several different correctors, one or more of whom Tischendorf considers to have lived in the sixth century. The work of the original scribe has been examined, not only by Tischendorf, but by Tregelles and other competent judges, and is by them assigned to the fourth century. The internal character of the text agrees with the external, as the student may judge for himself from the readings given in the digest. The principal correctors as distinguished by Tischendorf are:-A, of the same age with the MS. itself, probably the corrector who revised the book, before it left the hands of the scribe, denoted therefore by us -corr1; B (cited as 2), who in the first page of Matt. began inserting breathings, accents, &c., but did not carry out his design, and touched only a few later passages; Ca (cited as 3a) has corrected very largely throughout the book. Wherever in our digest a reading is cited as found in 1, it is to be understood, if no further statement is given, that Ca altered it to that which is found in our text; Cb (cited as 3b) lived about the same time as Ca, i.e. some centuries later than the original scribe. These are all that we need notice here6.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Jam 1:11. -, the sun is risen-it perisheth) Here are four circumstances (turning points): the first is the cause of the second, the third of the fourth.-) the mid-day heat and parching wind, which follows the rising of the sun. A gradation.- , the comeliness) which is in the flower.-, his goings) In other places , abundance of resources [success in ones ways or goings], is attributed to the rich; but the apostle uses the simple word, and that too in the plural number, on account of the burdensome greatness (extent) of his undertakings. , a journey, from , I go, as from . I attribute no weight to the reading .[8]-, shall fade away) in death.
[8] It was necessary to bring forward this reading in the Appar. p. 728, because Mill speaks obscurely respecting some Manuscripts which have this reading, and is silent respecting Estius quoting Gaignus.
A reads . But the weight of authorities is for ; Vulg. itineribus-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
risen: Isa 49:10, Jon 4:7, Jon 4:8, Mat 13:6, Mar 4:6
so: Jam 5:1-7, Job 21:24-30, Psa 37:35, Psa 37:36, Psa 49:6-14, Psa 73:18-20, Ecc 5:15, Isa 28:1, Isa 28:4, Isa 40:7, Isa 40:8, Luk 12:16-21, Luk 16:19-25, 1Co 7:31, 1Pe 1:4, 1Pe 5:4
Reciprocal: 2Sa 22:46 – fade away 2Ki 19:26 – they were Job 4:21 – excellency Job 7:6 – swifter Job 8:12 – General Job 14:2 – like Job 15:29 – neither shall Job 24:24 – are exalted Psa 18:45 – strangers Psa 37:2 – General Psa 49:12 – in honour Psa 90:5 – morning Psa 92:7 – wicked Psa 103:15 – his days Pro 31:30 – Favour Isa 37:27 – as the grass of Isa 40:6 – All flesh Isa 51:12 – man which Isa 64:6 – we all Jer 8:13 – the leaf Eze 28:6 – Because Mat 6:30 – clothe Mat 21:20 – How Luk 12:27 – the lilies Luk 16:22 – the rich Luk 16:26 – between Luk 19:8 – Behold Joh 6:27 – the meat Act 25:23 – with 1Pe 1:24 – all flesh 1Jo 2:17 – the world Rev 7:16 – the sun Rev 8:7 – the third
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jas 1:11. As the sun overcomes the beauty and show of the blossoms, so the test of time will finally nut an end to the vanity of riches. Ways means purposes or schemes that a man has that have the accumulation of wealth as their chief motive. This does not condemn the lawful production of property that is intended to be used for doing good. (See Eph 4:28.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jas 1:11. For the sun is no sooner risen. In the original the words are in the lively style of a narrative: For the sun arose.
with a burning heat. The word here rendered burning heat is often used in the Septuagint to denote the hot east wind: and hence many suppose that the simoom or the sirocco is meant, which, blowing from the hot sands of Arabia, burns up all vegetation. But it is better to refer it to the heat of the sun, which in Palestine is very scorching: hence, for the sun arose with its heat.
but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: or rather, and it withered the grass, and the flower thereof fell, and the loveliness of its form perished: it converted the rich and luxuriant field into an arid waste.
so also shall the rich man: not the rich brother, that is the Christian, but the rich man generally: St. James is here speaking of the transient nature of the earthly riches. He who trusts in earthly riches shall fade away like the flower of the field.
fade away in his ways: in his goings, when actively engaged in his worldly pursuits or pleasures. Death snatches us away from the objects of worldly ambition.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 11
Fade away in his ways; pass away from his position of worldly greatness and elevation. The meaning is, that, since his wealth, with all that pertains to it, is so fleeting and transitory, he should not dwell upon the possession of it with feelings of satisfaction and pride, but rejoice only in the possession of the humble and lowly graces of the Christian spirit.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
Here in Oregon the winter and spring are normally quite wet so the grass is lush and green and fast growing. When that summer sun starts to shine, you had better be getting the watering gear out lest you miss that very small window in which you must wet things down. If you wait a day or two that grass will be on its travel between green and brown and the picture is not very pretty. So, the rich man will dry up and wither away.
I am told that in Israel there is a wind that blows from the desert that can wither grass within an hour. A hot high wind can do real damage as does death to a rich person. It seems that this death is related to the rich that are not humbled in salvation, though it is rather true of all of us. It is not a pleasant thing to contemplate your own demise, but you really need to understand the coming death that awaits us all. The young seldom consider it, the middle aged often dwell on it, and the old face it. If you are a believer, the prospect is much easier to handle because we know there is something far better coming, while the lost person knows nothing of their impending demise, or have been taught things that will give them false hope.
Here I am at the end of this life and I have nothing unusually wise or profound to relate to you except that you are all going to get here also – there is nothing that can hold it back, except the rapture of course.
The only thing that has come to my mind in recent years is the fact that it isn’t really “death” but a transition from this life to the next. It is an instant process and we will be far better off. Actually as I have considered it all over the years, the only part of death that bothers me is all the pain and trouble that oft times precedes it.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his {k} ways.
(k) Whatever he purposes in his mind or does.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The flower of the grass refers to its stage of green, lush growth when it is at the peak of its vitality. Soon it withers and turns brown in the Middle East (cf. Mat 6:30). Likewise the rich man may fade quickly (cf. Jas 4:13).
"Speaking of his friend, a poor Christian, a wealthy unbeliever remarked, ’When I die, I shall leave my riches. When he dies he will go to his.’" [Note: Adamson, p. 66.]
Our trials as well as our triumphs on the earth are only temporary. This fact should help us endure our trials and not become self-confident in our triumphs.
"James seems to be indicating that trials erase any superficial distinctions that may be thought to separate the rich brother from the poor one." [Note: Burdick, p. 169.]
This introduction to the book (Jas 1:2-11) is in balance with the conclusion (Jas 5:7-20). Both sections talk about the need for patience (Jas 1:2-4; Jas 5:7-12) and prayer (Jas 1:5-8; Jas 5:13-18), and both end with an emphasis on all the contrasting circumstances of life (Jas 1:9-11; Jas 5:19-20). [Note: Motyer, p. 12.]