Learned men have spent much time in striving to reconcile these two writers, and to show that St. Paul and St. James perfectly accord; one teaching the pure doctrine, the other guarding men against the abuse of it. Mr. Wesley sums the whole up in the following words, with his usual accuracy and precision: "From James 1:22 ; the apostle has been enforcing Christian practice. He now applies to those who neglect this under the pretense of faith. St. Paul had taught that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law. This some already began to wrest to their own destruction. Wherefore St. James, purposely repeating, James 1:21 , James 1:23 , James 1:25 , the same phrases, testimonies, and examples which St. Paul had used, Romans 4:3 ; [and the author of] Hebrews 11:17 , Hebrews 11:31 , refutes not the doctrine of St. Paul, [and of Hebrews] but the error of those who abused it. (Clarke) [The author of Hebrews is disputed. The notes added for clarity.]
v 2:14
It seems at first sight to be a careful exposition of St. James’s views as to the nature and value of faith and its relation to conduct. But a little attention will prove to us that throughout the passage St. James is as practical in his aim as in any part of the letter, and that whatever doctrinal teaching there may be in the passage is there because the practical purpose of the writer could not be fulfilled without involving doctrine, and not at all because the writer’s object is to expound or defend an article of the Christian faith. He has agenda rather than credenda in his mind. An orthodox creed is assumed throughout. What needs to be produced is not right belief, but right action. (EBC)
Can faith save him? This is the same as though he had said, that we do not attain salvation by a frigid and bare knowledge of God, which all confess to be most true; for salvation comes to us by faith for this reason, because it joins us to God. And this comes not in any other way than by being united to the body of Christ, so that, living through his Spirit, we are also governed by him. There is no such thing as this in the dead image of faith. There is then no wonder that James denies that salvation is connected with it. (113) (Calvin)
This statement seems to contradict Paul’s affirmation that works are not a condition for salvation (e.g., Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 11:6; et al.). However Paul and James were talking about different aspects of salvation. This is clear from James’ earlier assertion that his Christian readers (1:18) would be able to save their “souls” (better “lives”) if they obeyed God’s Word (1:21). (Constable)
“As someone has said, ‘Paul and James do not stand face to face, fighting against each other, but they stand back to back, fighting opposite foes.’”[157] (McGee, 5:649 as quoted in Constable)
Jesus also gave similar warnings: that if His disciples did not continue to follow Him they could lose their “souls” (i.e., lives; cf. Matt. 16:24-26; Mark 3:4; 8:34-37; Luke 9:23-25). He used the same Greek word that James did to describe one’s whole person or life (i.e., psyche). The translation “life” for “soul” may mislead us, however, into concluding that only the physical life is in view whenever we read this word (psyche). Rather it is the total person that psyche describes, not just our physical life or our eternal life (cf. 1 Pet. 1:9). Any aspect of our life may be in view, and the context will help us determine what it is. (Constable)
“We are not saved by deeds; we are saved for deeds; these are the twin truths of the Christian life. And Paul’s whole emphasis is on the first truth, and James’s whole emphasis is on the second truth.”[158] (Barclay as quoted from Constable)
In verse 14 James returned to his thought in 1:21-22 about saving one’s life from death. His point here was that faith is no substitute for obedience. Orthodox faith without good works cannot protect the Christian from sin’s deadly consequences in this life (i.e., a deadening of fellowship with God at least, and at most physical death; cf. 5:20; 1 John 5:16). That faith cannot save him from God’s discipline of him as a believer. Good works in addition to faith are necessary for that kind of deliverance (salvation). (Constable)
“It would be difficult to find a concept which is richer and more varied in meaning than the biblical concept of salvation. The breadth of salvation is so sweeping and its intended aim so magnificent that in many contexts the words used defy precise definition. Yet these difficulties have not thwarted numerous interpreters from assuming, often without any contextual justification, that the words used invariably mean ‘deliverance from hell’ or ‘go to heaven when you die.’ It may come as a surprise to many that this usage of ‘salvation’ (Gk. soteria) would have been the least likely meaning to come to the mind of a reader of the Bible in the first century. Indeed, in 812 usages of the various Hebrew words translated ‘to save’ or ‘salvation’ in the Old Testament, only 58 (7.1 percent) refer to eternal salvation.”[159] (Dillow as quoted from Constable)
2:17
In this affectionate pastoral St. James passes in review the defects which he knows to exist in his readers. They have their good points, but these are sadly marred by corresponding deficiencies. They are swift to hear, but also swift to speak and slow to act. They believe in Jesus Christ; but they dishonor Him by dishonoring His poor, while they profess to keep the law of charity by honoring the rich. They are Orthodox in a Monotheistic creed; but they rest content with that, and their orthodoxy is as barren as a dead tree. It is with this last defect that St. James is dealing in the passage before us. And as so often, {James 1:12; James 1:19; James 2:1; James 3:1; James 3:13; James 4:1; James 4:13; James 5:1; James 5:7; James 5:13} he clearly states his main point first, and then proceeds to enforce and elucidate it. (EBC)
“It has not usually been considered too deeply why James chose the term ‘dead’ to describe a faith that is not working. But the moment we relate this to the controlling theme of ‘saving the life,’ everything becomes plain. The issue that concerns James is an issue of life or death. (He is not discussing salvation from hell!) The truth which he has in mind is that of Proverbs: ‘Righteousness tendeth to life … he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.’ [Prov. 11:19; cf. Prov. 10:27; 12:28; 13:14; 19:16] Can a dead faith save the Christian from death? The question answers itself. The choice of the adjective ‘dead’ is perfectly suited to James’ argument.”[162] (Hodges as quoted in Constable)
NOTE: Please see the following web-page for most of the works cited: https://insidecrosspoint.org/sermons/2022/july/bibliography.html. Most works cited on that web-page correspond to the verses they are are grouped or outlined with, or in the case of general references (e.g., author information, book background information, etc.), one would usually find citation material with the Bible books the citations are associated with.
Scripture quotations [unless otherwise noted] are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.