Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of James 2:22
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works ? ] Better, perhaps, not as a question, Thou seest that Attention is called, not as the English “how” suggests, to the manner of co-operation, but only to the fact. The tense of the verb emphasises the continued co-operation of Abraham’s faith with his works. The one was all along working together with the other. What St James presses is, not that works can justify without faith, but that faith cannot justify unless it includes “the promise and the potency” of the life that shews itself in acts.
by works was faith made perfect? ] Here the tense is changed to that which denotes completion in a single act. It was “by works” (i. e. out of, as from the originating cause) that faith was brought to its completion. The interpretation which sees in the words nothing more than that faith was shewn to be perfect, must be rejected as one of the afterthoughts of controversy. It may be added, however, as pointing to the true reconciliation of St James and St Paul, that the very form of the statement implies that the faith existed prior to the works by which it was made perfect.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Seest thou – Margin, Thou seest. Either rendering is correct, and the sense is the same. The apostle means to say that this was so plain that they could not but see it.
How faith wrought with his works – sunergei. Cooperated with. The meaning of the word is, to work together with anyone; to co operate, 1Co 16:16; 2Co 6:1; then to aid, or help, Mar 16:20; to contribute to the production of any result, where two or more persons or agents are united. Compare Rom 8:28. The idea here is, that the result in the case of Abraham, that is, his salvation, or his religion, was secured, not by one of these things alone, but that both contributed to it. The result which was reached, to wit, his acceptance with God, could not have been obtained by either one of them separately, but both, in some sense, entered into it. The apostle does not say that, in regard to the merit which justifies, they came in for an equal share, for he makes no affirmation on that point; he does not deny that in the sight of God, who foresees and knows all things, he was regarded as a justified man the moment he believed, but he looks at the result as it was, at Abraham as he appeared under the trial of his faith, and says that in that result there was to be seen the co-operation of faith and good works. Both contributed to the end, as they do now in all cases where there is true religion.
(By the somewhat unhappy term merit, the author clearly means nothing more than principle, as is obvious from his acute and evangelical comment on the verse; as well as from the admirable reconciliation of Paul and James below.)
And by works was faith made perfect – Made complete, finished, or entire. It was so carried out as to show its legitimate and fair results. This does not mean that the faith in itself was defective before this, and that the defect was remedied by good works; or that there is any deficiency in what the right kind of faith can do in the matter of justification, which is to be helped out by good works; but that there was that kind of completion which a thing has when it is fully developed, or is fairly carried out.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. Seest thou how faith wrought] Here is a proof that faith cannot exist without being active in works of righteousness. His faith in God would have been of no avail to him, had it not been manifested by works; for by works – by his obedience to the commands of God, his faith was made perfect – it dictated obedience, he obeyed; and thus faith , had its consummation. Even true faith will soon die, if its possessor do not live in the spirit of obedience.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works? He doth not say, works wrought with his faith, as he should have said, if he had intended their concurrence in justification; but
faith wrought with his works, i.e. his faith was not idle, but effectual in producing good works, it being the office and business of faith to respect Christ for sanctification, as well as righteousness, Act 26:18.
And by works was faith made perfect; either:
1. Faith by producing good works is itself encouraged, heightened, improved; and so not made perfect by any communication of the perfection of works to it, but by being stirred up and exercised as to the internal strength and power of it. Or rather:
2. Faith is made perfect by works declaratively, inasmuch as works evidence and manifest the perfection and strength of faith.
Faith is the cause, and works are the effects; but the cause is not perfected by the effect, only its perfection is demonstrated by it, as good fruit doth not make a tree good, but show that it is so. See 2Co 12:9.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. Or, “thou seest.”
howrather, “that.”In the two clauses which follow, emphasize “faith” in theformer, and “works” in the latter, to see the sense[BENGEL].
faith wrought with hisworksfor it was by faith he offered his son. Literally,”was working (at the time) with his works.”
by works was faith madeperfectnot was vivified, but attained its fullyconsummated development, and is shown to be real. So “mystrength is made perfect in weakness,” that is, exertsitself most perfectly, shows how great it is [CAMERON]:so 1Jn 4:17; Heb 2:10;Heb 5:9. The germ really, fromthe first, contains in it the full-grown tree, but its perfection isnot attained till it is matured fully. So Jas1:4, “Let patience have her perfect work,” thatis, have its full effect by showing the most perfect degree ofendurance, “that ye may be perfect,” that is, fullydeveloped in the exhibition of the Christian character.ALFORD explains, “Receivedits realization, was entirely exemplified and filled up.” SoPaul, Php 2:12, “Work outyour own salvation”: the salvation was already in germ theirs intheir free justification through faith. It needed to be worked outstill to fully developed perfection in their life.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works,…. Not to justify him before God; for neither faith nor works are ever said in Scripture to justify any man; but his faith being of the right kind, a faith which works by love, it put him upon doing this work, and many others; for this was done in faith, Heb 11:17 as all good works are, which are properly such; and where there is true faith, it will influence and engage a man to do good works, as it did Abraham.
And by works was faith made perfect? not with an absolute perfection; for though Abraham’s faith was very great, yet there were things lacking in it, and he had his fits and times of unbelief; and had he lived till now, his faith, in this sense, would not have been perfect; and he would have had reason to have used the apostle’s petition, Lu 17:5 much less would it have been made thus perfect by works; but the sense is, that hereby his faith was declared to be sincere, unfeigned, true, and genuine; just as love is said to be perfected, 1Jo 4:17.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Thou seest (). Obvious enough with any eyes to see. This may be a question, seest thou?
Wrought with (). Imperfect active of , old verb for which see Ro 8:28. Followed by associative-instrumental case . Faith cooperated with the deed of offering up Isaac.
Was made perfect (). First aorist passive indicative of , to carry to the end, to complete like love in 1Jo 4:18. See Jas 1:4 for .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Wrought with his works [ ] . There is a play on the words in the Greek : worked with his works.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) Can you not see (Gr. Blepeis), at a glance, James asks, that what Abraham wrought with works reached its purpose in influencing others? Faith is (Gr. eteleiothe) made or formed into maturity -through practice of obedient acts toward God. Faith, like love, may grow and be cultivated, and as it is, is more useful for the service of God and one’s fellow man, 2Th 1:3-5.
2) When Abraham by faith offered his son Isaac upon the altar, he testified of his faith in and knowledge of the coming resurrection from the dead, Heb 11:17-19.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
22 By works was faith made perfect (119) By this he again shews, that the question here is not respecting the cause of our salvation, but whether works necessarily accompany faith; for in this sense it is said to have been perfected by works, because it was not idle. It is said to have been perfected by works, not because it received thence its own perfection, but because it was thus proved to be true. For the futile distinction which the Sophists draw from these words, between formed and unformed faith, needs no labored refutation; for the faith of Abram was formed and therefore perfected before he sacrificed his son. And this work was not as it were the finishing, or last work. Formerly things afterwards followed by which Abraham proved the increase of his faith. Hence this was not the perfection of his faith, nor did it then for the first time put on its form. James then understood no other thing, than that the integrity of his faith then appeared, because it brought forth that remarkable fruit of obedience.
(119) The previous sentence is hardly intelligible in our version or in Calvin’s. “Seest thou how faith wrought (co-operated, by C.) with his works?” The verb is συνεργέω, which means properly to work together, to co-operate; and it means also, as the effect of co-operating, to aid, to help. “Seest thou how faith aided him in his works?” Schleusner gives this paraphrase, “Thou sees that Abraham was aided by his faith to do his remarkable works.” Beza’s version is, “Thou seest that faith was the assistant ( administer) of his works.” Some give the idea of combining to co-operating, “Thou seest that faith co-operated with his works,” that is, in justification. It has been said, that if this combination had been intended, it ought to have been said that works co-operated with his faith, as faith, according to the testimony of scripture and the nature of things, is the primary and the principal thing, and as there can be no good works without faith. But the first explanation is the most consonant with the words and with the drift of the passage.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(22) Seest thou how . . .?Better taken simply, and not as a question, Thou seest how, &c.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Faith wrought works As remarked in our notes on the passages referred to in our last note, Abraham was a believer years before the offering of Isaac, and justified. That act of self-surrendering faith by which a man enters into reconciliation with God was performed years before. Yet every signal external act of faith was a renewal of the first. Abraham’s justification came, as Paul says, from his faith alone. Yet the faith which alone justifies is never really alone: it ever combines with works.
Faith made perfect Had Abraham died at the instant of his first justification he would have been completely justified by faith alone. But his faith would have wanted its proper counterpart in actual works, and so have been in a sense imperfect. Yet it was saving in its quality, being of such a nature and power as would generate works but for the cessation of life. In other words, it was such a self-surrender to, trust in, and oneness of heart and spirit with, God, as would have poured forth works in accord with God’s will. Or, to vary the statement, on condition of such self-surrendering faith a full flow of the divine Spirit is poured into the heart, inspiring a life and course of action accordant with the divine will. When, then, this internal faith is answered to by the correspondent act and course of life, it becomes completed, made perfect.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘You see that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect (brought to completeness).’
And not only did his works reveal that he really was righteous through faith, something that had been accounted to him long before, but it also made his faith grow stronger and more mature. His faith became complete. The more his faith was active, the more it grew. And the more he obeyed God the more his faith grew. Many a person asks, ‘how can I increase my faith?’. And God’s answer is, ‘Go out and witness for Me, and live for Me, and your faith will grow. But if you sit at home doing nothing your faith will die.’ Indeed sitting at home will reveal that it has really been dead all the time. It will be seen that it could not even stir a person out of his chair (or out of his comfortable prayer meeting. How often we pray, ‘Lord bring them in’, and God replies, ‘Go out and show how much you love them by what you do for them that no one else would do. Then they will come in. That is what will prove to them that you really believe’).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jam 2:22. By works was faith made perfect? Faith is not perfect, without producing good works, wherever there is an opportunity for it, after men have believed: but, in such an instance as that of the thief upon the cross, there is no opportunity for manifesting the truth of faith by a pious holy life; because he died so soon after he first believed. However, such instances are very rare, and not like the case of Christians in general.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jas 2:22 . The direct inference from the preceding. Since the necessity of faith to the attainment of salvation was not contested by those with whom James disputed, but only the necessity of works ; and since James (Jas 2:21 ) had adduced the example of Abraham to prove that only a faith which is not and profits: in this verse it can only be intended to represent how important to Abraham were his works , but not how important to him was his faith. This thought is thus clearly and evidently expressed in the second hemistich: . . . On the other hand, the first hemistich: , has been generally understood by expositors as if the necessity of faith was intended to be brought forward. In this meaning Bengel says: duo commata, quorum in priore, si illud, fides , in altero opcribus cum accentu pronunciaveris, sententia liquido percipitur, qua exprimitur, quid utravis pars alteri conferat. According to this, James would have expressed in the first hemistich, that faith was not wanting to Abraham, that rather it was this from which his works sprung, that accordingly Abraham was justified , because they were works of faith. The same explanation is given by Erasmus, Tremellus, Beza, Baumgarten, Gebser, Pott, Kern, and others; also by Hofmann and Wiesinger. But the context is against it, as this thought does not follow as a consequence from Jas 2:21 . Those expositors have accordingly understood the passage more correctly who find in the words in question the meaning that the of Abraham was not dead but operative; Estius: operosa fuit, non otiosa, non mortua (so Calvin, Laurentius, Hornejus, and others), although their interpretation is inaccurate in particulars.
] If is taken in its strictly literal sense: “to be a , to labour or to work along with” (1Co 16:16 ; 2Co 6:1 ), and is translated: “faith wrought with his works,” the idea of James (according to the usage of the word in this meaning) would be, that whilst works wrought, faith participated in their work. [147] But this thought does not correspond with the context, and is, moreover, not in itself to be vindicated, since faith and works are not two principles working along with one another.
Kern, with whom de Wette coincides, takes as the dative of reference, and explains it: “faith wrought to his works, i.e. was the operative principle for the production of works.” This gives, indeed, a suitable enough thought, but linguistic usage is against the explanation; besides, it is not the case that “ has only a vague reference, or, to speak more correctly, no reference at all” (Hofmann). On this account other interpreters, as Hofmann, Wiesinger, Brckner, also Philippi, correctly take here in the meaning of: to help (Rom 8:28 ; 1Ma 12:1 ). The support which faith gave to works is to be found in this, that as it operates to their production, so also to their accomplishment in correspondence with the will of God. [148] By this explanation a special emphasis is placed on the expression , it being thereby brought prominently forward that the faith of Abraham was not ( – ), but exercised an activity, namely, the activity mentioned as helpful to works. Against Lange’s explanation: “faith manifested itself operatively at one with the works,” besides not being linguistically justified, Brckner rightly remarks that here the discourse is not concerning a co-operation of these two points.
The second hemistich is not in antithesis with the first, but constitutes its complement; whilst the faith of Abraham aided his works, faith itself received by works its completion.
] is by many interpreters understood as declarative; Gomarus: fides est causa, opera effectus; causa autem non perficitur a suo effectu, sed perfecta declaratur , ut fructus boni arborem bonam non efficiunt , sed indicant. The same explanation is adopted by Calvin, Laurentius, Baumgarten, Gebser, Bengel, Philippi, [149] and others. Also Wiesinger indicates the same meaning with the remark: “faith could not be proved complete if it were not already so in itself, for the complete work presupposes the complete faith;” but does not signify to be proved , but to be completed. [150] Certainly the meaning of James cannot be, that faith hitherto incomplete was completed by works, as something which was externally added to faith, since faith is the impulse to the works; but as little is it his meaning, that faith is already complete ( ) before works, and is by works only proved or demonstrated to be so; but faith and works are in his view so closely connected, that faith only when it produces works or by works ( ) becomes ever more completely that which it should be according to its nature and destination, and in so far only by works attains to its completion; for as the power of love grows and is completed by the practice of works of love, so does faith grow and is completed by the practice of works in which it manifests itself. [151] Thus was Abraham’s faith only completed when he stood the severest test, and brought his son as an offering upon the altar. [152]
[147] In the first edition of this commentary it is said: “Faith was the of his works that is, it operated not by itself, but with his works. James will here make prominent that with Abraham both were combined, the emphasis, however, according to the context, being placed on .” This explanation, which has found favour with von Oettingen and Rauch, is, however, not tenable, as, on the one hand, linguistic usage is against it, and, on the other hand, it was not insisted on by James that the faith of Abraham wrought not alone, but that it was no inactive (inoperative) faith.
[148] The explanation of Hofmann (with whom Wiesinger and Brckner coincide): “that his action would not have been what is represented in an act of willing obedience, unless faith had assisted to its performance,” has this against it, that the principal thought would not thereby be expressed, but must be added. Philippi correctly: Abraham’s faith was no inert faith, but was helpful to his works, namely, to their production and accomplishment, i.e. it assisted him to the performance of good works.
[149] Philippi incorrectly appeals for this meaning to 1Jn 2:5 , and to in Luk 6:35 .
[150] Also Hofmann’s explanation: “The of his faith consisted not in this, that it attained from incompleteness to completeness, but in this, that by the action, in which it proved itself, it attained to its complete formation to its historical accomplishment,” cannot be reckoned as appropriate, because never means “to be completely formed,” if by this expression a becoming complete is not intended. Lange agrees with the above remark, only he introduces something strange when he says: “Abraham by his faith-offering attained typically and ideally the , which the Jewish Christians were to attain by the full proof of Christian brotherly love out of faith, and which with them all Israel was to attain.”
[151] Luther (in his introduction to First Peter, published by Irmischer, vol. lxx. p. 223 f.) says of the fruits of faith: “Although they belong to our neighbour, that he may be profited thereby, yet the fruit is not external faith becomes stronger thereby. It is an entirely different strength than that of the body, for this decays and is consumed; but this spiritual strength, the more one uses and exercises it, the stronger it becomes; it decays when one does not exercise it.” See also the appropriate remarks of Hengstenberg ( Evang. Kirchenz. 1866, p. 1124 ff.).
[152] When it is objected against this explanation, that faith must already have been perfect in order to produce the perfect work, it is to be observed, that it is in the nature of living faith always to be becoming stronger, in and with the production of works, and thus to perfect itself in its nature more and more. Brckner, indeed, grants that the practice of works has a strengthening reflex efficacy on faith, but observes that by this cannot be meant that faith was not before already sufficient to justify Abraham. But to this it is to be observed, that James does not derive the justification (meant by him) of Abraham from his faith preceding works, but from his faith made perfect by works.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Ver. 22. Wrought with his works ] Or, was a help to his works, and was her own midwife to bring them forth of herself into the open light, Heb 11:17 .
Was faith made perfect ] That is, declared to be operative and effectual.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22 .] Thou seest (better not a question: in which case the of Jam 2:23 does not follow so naturally as when we couple the direct verb with the direct verb ) that (not, “ how ,” as E.V.: it is not the manner in which, nor even “how” in the sense of ‘ how that ,’ which is meant. The assertion is, that the inference is indubitable, that the fact was as stated) faith (the art. is abstract here, not possessive, as being expressed below shews) wrought (at the time, ‘was working,’ imperf.) with his works ( again categorical, the work in the example being but one), and by ( out of , as the ground and source) works (again categorical; the general proposition proved by the particular case. Doubtless this second time it might be ‘by his works, his faith,’ &c.: but the other is more like St. James, who is singularly given to introduce abstract propositions as applicable to particular cases) faith (see above) was made complete (in one act, once for all: not imperf. as , but aor.: not, as again many Commentators, even Bengel and De Wette, and so Calvin, “quod vera esse inde comprobetur;” an impossible meaning, and very far from the context of the Apostle’s argument; which is, that faith is developed and brought to perfection by obedience: see below on Jas 2:26 . And hence also is it evident, how faith . By the Apostle’s own comparison, Jas 2:26 , faith is the body, obedience the spirit: faith without obedience is dead, until obedience, the spirit, sets faith in motion: then faith, like the limbs of the body, moves with and works with the acts of obedience. Which is prior in time, which the ground of the other, is a point not touched by St. James at all. Pool collects well in his Synops. ad loc., the opinions of others: “Opera autem fidem perficiunt ratione operationis et consummationis, quum per opera fides ad maturitatem pervenit, quomodo arbor perfecta sit quum ita excrevit ut fructum ferat, Num 17:8 ; et peccatum perficitur, Jac. Jas 1:15 , quum in habitum evasit Fides tum demum consummata redditur, postquam bonos fructus protulit.” But when he goes on to say, “Fides est causa: opera, effectus. Causa autem non perficitur a suo effectu, sed perfecta declaratur: ut fructus boni arborem bonum non efficiunt, sed indicant,” he is travelling out of the record, and giving meanings unknown to this passage):
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Jas 2:22 . : as these words are the deduction drawn from what precedes, it is better to take them in the form of a statement, and not as interrogative. : this implies a certain modification, with regard to , of the earlier position taken up by the writer, for in Jas 2:21 he says: “Was not Abraham our father justified by works?” no mention being made of faith; while here faith is accorded an equal place with works; cf. Gal 5:6 , , concerning which words Lightfoot says that they “bridge over the gulf which seems to separate the language of St. Paul and St. James. Both assert a principle of practical energy, as opposed to a barren, inactive theory”. On see Test. of the Twelve Patriarchs , Gad. iv. 7, “But the spirit of love worketh together with the law of God ” (Charles). : it is obvious that “faith” is used here in the highest sense, not merely as an attitude of mind, but as a God-given possession. It must, however, be further remarked that if the Judaism of the Jewish-Christian writer of this part of the Epistle had been somewhat less strong, the words under consideration would probably have been put a little differently; for according to the purely Christian idea of faith, works, while being an indispensable proof of its existence, could not be said to perfect it, any more than the preaching of the faith could be said to perfect the preacher’s belief; though works are the result and outcome of faith, they belong, nevertheless, to a different category.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Seest. App-133.
wrought with. Greek. sunergeo. See Rom 8:28.
made perfect. App-125.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22.] Thou seest (better not a question: in which case the of Jam 2:23 does not follow so naturally as when we couple the direct verb with the direct verb ) that (not, how, as E.V.: it is not the manner in which, nor even how in the sense of how that, which is meant. The assertion is, that the inference is indubitable, that the fact was as stated) faith (the art. is abstract here, not possessive, as being expressed below shews) wrought (at the time, was working, imperf.) with his works ( again categorical, the work in the example being but one), and by (out of, as the ground and source) works (again categorical; the general proposition proved by the particular case. Doubtless this second time it might be by his works, his faith, &c.: but the other is more like St. James, who is singularly given to introduce abstract propositions as applicable to particular cases) faith (see above) was made complete (in one act, once for all: not imperf. as , but aor.: not, as again many Commentators, even Bengel and De Wette, and so Calvin, quod vera esse inde comprobetur; an impossible meaning, and very far from the context of the Apostles argument; which is, that faith is developed and brought to perfection by obedience: see below on Jam 2:26. And hence also is it evident, how faith . By the Apostles own comparison, Jam 2:26, faith is the body, obedience the spirit: faith without obedience is dead, until obedience, the spirit, sets faith in motion: then faith, like the limbs of the body, moves with and works with the acts of obedience. Which is prior in time, which the ground of the other, is a point not touched by St. James at all. Pool collects well in his Synops. ad loc., the opinions of others: Opera autem fidem perficiunt ratione operationis et consummationis, quum per opera fides ad maturitatem pervenit, quomodo arbor perfecta sit quum ita excrevit ut fructum ferat, Num 17:8; et peccatum perficitur, Jac. Jam 1:15, quum in habitum evasit Fides tum demum consummata redditur, postquam bonos fructus protulit. But when he goes on to say, Fides est causa: opera, effectus. Causa autem non perficitur a suo effectu, sed perfecta declaratur: ut fructus boni arborem bonum non efficiunt, sed indicant, he is travelling out of the record, and giving meanings unknown to this passage):
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Jam 2:22. , that) Here are two clauses; and if emphasis is laid on the word faith in the former clause, and on works in the latter, the sense will be plainly seen, by which the bearing of the one part upon the other is clearly expressed.- , faith) It was by faith that Abraham offered his son, Heb 11:17.-, wrought with) Therefore faith has one kind of efficacy and operation (), works another: and indeed faith before works and with them. Works do not give life to faith; but faith produces works, and works make perfect faith.-, was made perfect) He does not say, was made alive. That which faith derives from works is not its reality and truth, for it has a true existence before works, but its perfection and its attaining to the Divine friendship; Jam 2:23. Comp. Joh 15:10. The vigour of faith, which produces works, is increased, excited, and strengthened by the very act of producing them, just as the natural heat of the body is promoted by the exercise which it first stimulates. See 1Jn 3:22. Abraham returned from that sacrifice much more perfect in faith than he had gone to it. The same word, , is used by Alexander Aphrodisiensis, in his 2d Book, respecting the soul, Chapter III., , when he describes the intellect as increased by the knowledge of things situated beyond [external to] itself. Faith itself is made perfect, that is, is shown to be true, by works.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
perfect
(See Scofield “Mat 5:48”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Seest thou: or, Thou seest
faith: Jam 2:18, Gal 5:6, Heb 11:17-19
faith made: 1Jo 2:5, 1Jo 4:17, 1Jo 4:18
Reciprocal: Gen 22:12 – now Deu 4:9 – keep thy soul Joh 8:39 – If Rom 2:10 – to every Jam 2:24 – General Jam 2:25 – justified
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jas 2:22. The word perfect means complete, and thus the works of Abraham completed or rounded out the character which was founded upon his faith.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jas 2:22. Seest thou how, or, more correctly, thou seest that, faith wrought, cooperated, with his works. This cannot mean that works cooperated with his faith in the matter of his justification before God, as if God did not know that he had living faith until it showed itself by works. But the evident meaning is that the offering of Isaac proved that the faith of Abraham was not a dead, but a living and active faith, and thus was a verification of Abrahams justification. It was faith that enabled him to perform this work.
and by works was faith made perfect, fully realized, completed; not proved or verified, but perfected. Faith is only perfected when it is embodied or realized in good works. As love is perfected by the practice of works of benevolence, so faith is perfected by the practice of those works which are appropriate to it. By works faith attains its legitimate development or completion. Faith creates works; works perfect faith (Stier).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Abraham’s Justification
The quote in Jas 2:23 comes form Gen 16:6 . Abraham was 75 years old when he first received the blessings promise ( Gen 12:1-4 ). He had no children, yet he had faith that God could work what he promised. God counted that faith for righteousness. It should be observed that Abraham’s faith did not fully mature until he offered up Isaac, as noted above. His faithfulness caused God to call him his friend. We, thus, are brought by James to the inescapable conclusion that faith only will not save. Instead, it is a working faith which saves ( Jas 2:24 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Jas 2:22. Seest thou Or thou seest then, in this instance; how faith wrought together with his works And animated him to great zeal and self-denial in them. Therefore faith has one energy and operation, works another. And the energy and operation of faith are before works, and together with them. Works do not give life to faith, but faith begets works, and then is completed by them. And by works was faith made perfect The command to offer Isaac for a burnt-offering, (Gen 22:2,) appearing directly contrary to the promise, (Gen 21:12,) In Isaac shall thy seed be called, Abrahams faith was thereby put to the severest trial. Yet it was not staggered by the seeming contrariety of the divine revelation: Abraham reasoned with himself, (Heb 11:19,) that God was able to raise Isaac even from the dead; and firmly believing that he would actually do so, he therefore set himself to obey the divine command without the least gain-saying. James therefore had good reason to say that Abrahams faith co-operated with his works in procuring him the promises confirmed with an oath, because it was his faith in God which enabled him to perform the difficult works, requisite to the offering of Isaac as a burnt- offering. He had equally good reason to say, by works his faith was perfected, or rendered complete; because, if, when tried, he had refused to obey, his would not have been a complete faith. In this passage, therefore, 1st, James hath declared that faith and works are inseparably connected, as cause and effect, and that good works must flow from faith as their principle. 2d, He here fixes the sense wherein he uses the word justified; so that no shadow of contradiction remains between his assertion and St. Pauls. Abraham returned from that sacrifice perfected in faith, and far higher in the favour of God. Faith hath not its existence from works; for it is before them; but its perfection. That vigour of faith which begets works is then excited and increased thereby: as the natural heat of the body begets motion, whereby itself is then excited and increased: see 1Jn 3:22.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 22
Made perfect; shown to be perfect, that is, honest and sincere.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
This seems to support that which has been said, that works do not complete salvation, but rather complete the faith that provides salvation.
This, by the way gives a wrinkle for the Calvinist. They state that faith is the gift of God that allows us salvation. If that were true why would faith, given by God, need perfecting by works – couldn’t God give a perfect faith – certainly He could and would have if that were the way of things.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
2:22 Seest thou how faith {l} wrought with his works, and by works was faith made {m} perfect?
(l) Was effectual and fruitful with good works.
(m) That the faith was declared to be a true faith, through works.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Abraham’s faith was "perfected" by his works in the sense that his works made his faith stronger. This is another way of expressing the same idea that James stated in Jas 1:2-4. Maturity comes as we persevere in the will of God when we encounter trials. When God spared Isaac’s life, Abraham’s faith doubtless became much stronger than it had been.
"The faith which justifies . . . can have an active and vital role in the life of the obedient believer. As with Abraham, it can be the dynamic for superb acts of obedience. In the process, faith itself can be ’perfected.’ The Greek word suggests development and motivation. Faith is thus nourished and strengthened by works." [Note: Hodges, The Gospel . . ., pp. 29-30.]
The singular "you" in this verse in the Greek text indicates that James was still addressing his objector.