7 Go on waiting calmly, my brothers, till the coming of the Lord, like the farmer waiting for the good fruit of the earth till the early and late rains have come.
Then I will send rain on your land at the right time, the early rains and the late rains, so that you may get in your grain and your wine and your oil.
Be glad, then, you children of Zion, and have joy in the Lord your God: for he gives you food in full measure, making the rain come down for you, the early and the late rain as at the first.
And let us not get tired of well-doing; for at the right time we will get in the grain, if we do not give way to weariness.
For what is our hope or joy or crown of glory? Are not even you, before our Lord Jesus, at his coming?
For we through the Spirit by faith are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
Saying, Where is the hope of his coming? From the death of the fathers till now everything has gone on as it was from the making of the world.
For this reason, as we are circled by so great a cloud of witnesses, putting off every weight, and the sin into which we come so readily, let us keep on running in the way which is marked out for us, Having our eyes fixed on Jesus, the guide and end of our faith, who went through the pains of the cross, not caring for the shame, because of the joy which was before him, and who has now taken his place at the right hand of God's seat of power. Give thought to him who has undergone so much of the hate of sinners against himself, so that you may not be tired and feeble of purpose.
And so, when he had been waiting calmly for a long time, God's word to him was put into effect.
Having ever in mind your work of faith and acts of love and the strength of your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father;
And let us have knowledge, let us go after the knowledge of the Lord; his going out is certain as the dawn, his decisions go out like the light; he will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.
So that having every grace you are living in the hope of the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Now those things which were put down in writing before our time were for our learning, so that through quiet waiting and through the comfort of the holy Writings we might have hope.
To those who go on with good works in the hope of glory and honour and salvation from death, he will give eternal life:
And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory.
And those in the good earth are those who, having given ear to the word, keep it with a good and true heart, and in quiet strength give fruit.
Be ready then; for at a time which you have no thought of the Son of man will come.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on James 5
Commentary on James 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
In this chapter the apostle denounces the judgments of God upon those rich men who oppress the poor, showing them how great their sin and folly are in the sight of God, and how grievous the punishments would be which should fall upon themselves (v. 1-6). Hereupon, all the faithful are exhorted to patience under their trials and sufferings (v. 7-11). The sin of swearing is cautioned against (v. 12). We are directed how to act, both under affliction and in prosperity (v. 13). Prayer for the sick, and anointing with oil, are prescribed (v. 14, 15). Christians are directed to acknowledge their faults one to another, and to pray one for another, and the efficacy of prayer is proved (v. 16-18). And, lastly, it is recommended to us to do what we can for bringing back those that stray from the ways of truth (v. 19-20).
Jam 5:1-11
The apostle is here addressing first sinners and then saints.
Jam 5:12-20
This epistle now drawing to a close, the penman goes off very quickly from one thing to another: hence it is that matters so very different are insisted on in these few verses.