Augustine of Hippo — Commentary on Scripture

James 2:13

He who judges without mercy will be judged without mercy. And in this sense only is the “same measure” to be understood, that the mercy which he did not show will not be shown to him, and that the judgment which he makes will be eternal, even though the thing judged cannot be eternal.

LETTER 102.4

James 2:14

In order to help them, God has put fear in the hearts of believers, lest they think that they might be saved by faith alone, even if they continue to practice these evils.

On Continence 14.13

James 2:17

I do not understand why the Lord said, “If you want to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments,” and then mentioned the commandments relating to good behavior, if one is able to enter into eternal life without observing them.

ON FAITH AND WORKS 15.25

James 2:19

Will the devils see God? Those who are pure of heart will see him, and who would say that the devils are pure of heart? Nevertheless, they believe and tremble.

COMMENTARY ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 53.10

James 2:19

Those who believe and act according to true faith do live and are not dead, but those who do not believe, or else who believe like the demons, trembling but living evilly, proclaiming the Son of God but not having love, must rather be accounted dead.

TRACTATES 22.7.2

James 2:20

Holy Scripture should be interpreted in a way which is in complete agreement with those who understood it and not in a way which seems to be inconsistent to those who are least familiar with it. Paul said that a man is justified through faith without the works of the law, but not without those works of which James speaks.

ON THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 13

James 2:23

That Abraham believed God deep in his heart is a matter of faith alone, but that he took his son to sacrifice him … is not just a great act of faith but a great work as well.

SERMONS 2.9

James 3:2

Who then would ever dare to call himself perfect?

SERMONS 23

James 3:3

Note that the comparison is taken from the beasts which we are able to tame. The horse does not tame itself, nor does a man do so. A man is needed in order to tame a horse, and in the same way, God is needed in order to tame a man.

COMMENTARY ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT 55.2

James 3:8

I do not believe that this passage can bear the interpretation which Pelagius wants to put on it. He says that this is stated as a reproach, as if one were to say: “Is no one therefore able to control his tongue?” As if it were easier to tame the tongue than to tame wild beasts. But I do not believe that this is the meaning. If James had wanted to say that, he would have done so, but instead he was determined to show what a great evil a man’s tongue can be, so great that it cannot be tamed by anyone, even though that is not true of wild beasts. He said this not in order that we should tolerate this evil but in order that we should ask for divine grace to tame our tongue.

ON NATURE AND GRACE 15 (16)

James 3:17

This is the wisdom which tames the tongue, descending from above, not springing from the human heart. Would anyone dare to snatch it away from the grace of God and, with overweening pride, place it in the power of man?

ON NATURE AND GRACE 16 (17)

James 4:3

If someone intends to misuse what he receives, he will not receive it. Instead, God will pity him.

TRACTATES 73.1

James 4:4

It was because of these enmities toward God that not even his only-begotten Son was spared.

TRACTATES 101.2

James 4:6

Give me someone professing perpetual continence, who is free from all vices and blemishes of conduct. For her I fear pride—I dread the swelling of self-conceit from so great a blessing. The more there is in her which she is satisfied with, the more I fear that in pleasing herself she will displease the one who resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

On Holy Virginity 34

James 4:14

Restoring health for a time to a man’s body amounts to no more than extending his breath for a little while longer. Therefore it should not be considered of great importance, because it is temporal, not eternal.

SERMONS 124.1

James 4:17

Does the one who does not know how to do good and does not do it commit a sin? He certainly does, but the one who knows what is good and does not do it sins more grievously.

ADULTEROUS MARRIAGES 9

James 5:11

James means: “Bear your temporal misfortunes as Job did, but do not hope for temporal goods as a reward for your patience, such as were returned to him double. Rather hope for the eternal goods which the Lord went before us to secure.”

LETTERS 140.10

James 5:16

The Lord himself sets an example for us in this also. For if he who neither has, nor had, nor will have any sin prays for our sins, how much more ought we to pray for each other’s sins! And if he for whom we have nothing to forgive forgives us, how much more should we forgive one another, knowing that we cannot live on earth without sinning!

TRACTATES 58.2

James 5:16

Everyone claims this consideration from others whenever possible, for what each of us would punish if it occurred in our house, we want to leave unpunished in someone else’s house. For if we are called to a friend’s house and find him about to punish someone over whom he has power, it is considered most inhumane for us not to intervene.

LETTERS 153