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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers James 4:1–10. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The former chapter speaks of envying one another, as the great spring of strifes and contentions; this chapter speaks of a lust after worldly things, and a setting too great a value upon worldly pleasures and friendships, as that which carried their divisions to a shameful height.
I.The apostle here reproves the Jewish Christians for their wars, and for their lusts as the cause of them:
Whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members, Jam 4:1. The Jews were a very seditious people, and had therefore frequent wars with the Romans; and they were a very quarrelsome divided people, often fighting among themselves; and many of those corrupt Christians against whose errors and vices this epistle was written seem to have fallen in with the common quarrels. Hereupon, our apostle informs them that the origin of their wars and fightings was not (as they pretended) a true zeal for their country, and for the honour of God, but that their prevailing lusts were the cause of all. Observe hence, What is sheltered and shrouded under a specious pretence of zeal for God and religion often comes from men's pride, malice, covetousness, ambition, and revenge. The Jews had many struggles with the Roman power before they ere entirely destroyed. They often unnecessarily embroiled themselves, and then fell into parties and factions about the different methods of managing their wars with their common enemies; and hence it came to pass that, when their cause might be supposed good, yet their engaging in it and their management of it came from a bad principle. Their worldly and fleshly lusts raised and managed their wars and fightings; but one would think here is enough said to subdue those lusts; for,
1.They make a war within as well as fightings without. Impetuous passions and desires first war in their members, and then raise feuds in their nation. There is war between conscience and corruption, and there is war also between one corruption and another, and from these contentions in themselves arose their quarrels with each other. Apply this to private cases, and may we not then say of fightings and strifes among relations and neighbours they come from those lusts which war in the members? From lust of power and dominion, lust of pleasure, or lust of riches, from some one or more of these lusts arise all the broils and contentions that are in the world; and, since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is therefore the right method for the cure of contention to lay the axe to the root, and mortify those lusts that war in the members.
2.It should kill these lusts to think of their disappointment: "You lust, and have not; you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain, Jam 4:2. You covet great things for yourselves, and you think to obtain them by your victories over the Romans or by suppressing this and the other party among yourselves. You think you shall secure great pleasures and happiness to yourselves, by overthrowing every thing which thwarts your eager wishes; but, alas! you are losing your labour and your blood, while you kill one another with such views as these." Inordinate desires are either totally disappointed, or they are not to be appeased and satisfied by obtaining the things desired. The words here rendered cannot obtain signify cannot gain the happiness sought after. Note hence, Worldly and fleshly lusts are the distemper which will not allow of contentment or satisfaction in the mind.
3.Sinful desires and affections generally exclude prayer, and the working of our desires towards God: "You fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. You fight, and do not succeed, because you do not pray you do not consult God in your undertakings, whether he will allow of them or not; and you do not commit your way to him, and make known your requests to him, but follow your own corrupt views and inclinations: therefore you meet with continual disappointments;" or else. 4. "Your lusts spoil your prayers, and make them an abomination to God, whenever you put them up to him, v. 3. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts." As if it had been said, "Though perhaps you may sometimes pray for success against your enemies, yet it is not your aim to improve the advantages you gain, so as to promote true piety and religion either in yourselves or others; but pride, vanity, luxury, and sensuality, are what you would serve by your successes, and by your very prayers. You want to live in great power and plenty, in voluptuousness and a sensual prosperity; and thus you disgrace devotion and dishonour God by such gross and base ends; and therefore your prayers are rejected." Let us learn hence, in the management of all our worldly affairs, and in our prayers to God for success in them, to see that our ends be right. When men follow their worldly business (suppose them tradesmen or husbandmen), and ask of God prosperity, but do not receive what they ask for, it is because they ask with wrong aims and intentions. They ask God to give them success in their callings or undertakings; not that they may glorify their heavenly Father and do good with what they have, but that they may consume it upon their lusts - that they may be enabled to eat better meat, and drink better drink, and wear better clothes, and so gratify their pride, vanity, and voluptuousness. But, if we thus seek the things of this world, it is just in God to deny them; whereas, if we seek any thing that we may serve God with it, we may expect he will either give us what we seek or give us hearts to be content without it, and give opportunities of serving and glorifying him some other way. Let us remember this, that when we speed not in our prayers it is because we ask amiss; either we do not ask for right ends or not in a right manner, not with faith or not with fervency: unbelieving and cold desires beg denials; and this we may be sure of, that, when our prayers are rather the language of our lusts than of our graces, they will return empty.
II.We have fair warning to avoid all criminal friendships with this world:
You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Jam 4:4. Worldly people are here called adulterers and adulteresses, because of their perfidiousness of God, while they give their best affections to the world. Covetousness is elsewhere called idolatry, and it is here called adultery; it is a forsaking of him to whom we are devoted and espoused, to cleave to other things; there is this brand put upon worldly-mindedness - that it is enmity to God. A man may have a competent portion of the good things of this life, and yet may keep himself in the love of God; but he who sets his heart upon the world, who places his happiness in it, and will conform himself to it, and do any thing rather than lose its friendship, he is an enemy to God; it is constructive treason and rebellion against God to set the world upon his throne in our hearts. Whosoever therefore is the friend of the world is the enemy of God. He who will act upon this principle, to keep the smiles of the world, and to have its continual friendship, cannot but show himself, in spirit, and in his actions too, an enemy to God. You cannot serve God and mammon, Mat 6:24. Hence arise wars and fightings, even from this adulterous idolatrous love of the world, and serving of it; for what peace can there be among men, so long as there is enmity towards God? or who can fight against God, and prosper? "Think seriously with yourselves what the spirit of the world is, and you will find that you cannot suit yourselves to it as friends, but it must occasion your being envious, and full of evil inclinations, as the generality of the world are. Do you think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?" Jam 4:5. The account given in the holy scriptures of the hearts of men by nature is that their imagination is evil, only evil, and that continually, Gen 6:5. Natural corruption principally shows itself by envying, and there is a continual propensity to this. The spirit which naturally dwells in man is always producing one evil imagination or another, always emulating such as we see and converse with and seeking those things which are possessed and enjoyed by them. Now this way of the world, affecting pomp and pleasure, and falling into strifes and quarrels for the sake of these things, is the certain consequence of being friends to the world; for there is no friendship without a oneness of spirit, and therefore Christians, to avoid contentions, must avoid the friendship of the world, and must show that they are actuated by nobler principles and that a nobler spirit dwells in them; for, if we belong to God, he gives more grace than to live and act as the generality of the world do. The spirit of the world teaches men to be churls; God teaches them to be bountiful. The spirit of the world teaches us to lay up, or lay out, for ourselves, and according to our own fancies; God teaches us to be willing to communicate to the necessities and to the comfort of others, and so as to do good to all about us, according to our ability. The grace of God is contrary to the spirit of the world, and therefore the friendship of the world is to be avoided, if we pretend to be friends of God yea, the grace of God will correct and cure the spirit that naturally dwells in us; where he giveth grace, he giveth another spirit than that of the world.
III.We are taught to observe the difference God makes between pride and humility.
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble, Jam 4:6. This is represented as the language of scripture in the Old Testament; for so it is declared in the book of Psalms that God will save the afflicted people (if their spirits be suited to their condition), but will bring down high looks (Psa 18:27); and in the book of Proverbs it is said, He scorneth the scorners, and giveth grace unto the lowly, Pro 3:34. Two things are here to be observed: - 1. The disgrace cast upon the proud: God resists them; the original word, antitassetai, signifies, God's setting himself as in battle array against them; and can there be a greater disgrace than for God to proclaim a man a rebel, an enemy, a traitor to his crown and dignity, and to proceed against him as such? The proud resists God; in his understanding he resists the truths of God; in his will he resists the truths of God; in his will he resists the laws of God; in his passions he resists the providence of God; and therefore no wonder that God sets himself against the proud. Let proud spirits hear this and tremble - God resists them. Who can describe the wretched state of those who make God their enemy? He will certainly fill with same (sooner or later) the faces of such as have filled their hearts with pride. We should therefore resist pride in our hearts, if we would not have God to resist us. 2. The honour and help God gives to the humble. Grace, as opposed to disgrace, is honour; this God gives to the humble; and, where God gives grace to be humble, there he will give all other graces, and, as in the beginning of this sixth verse, he will give more grace. Wherever God gives true grace, he will give more; for to him that hath, and useth what he hath aright, more shall be given. He will especially give more grace to the humble, because they see their need of it, will pray for it and be thankful for it; and such shall have it. For this reason,
IV.We are taught to submit ourselves entirely to God:
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you, Jam 4:7. Christians should forsake the friendship of the world, and watch against that envy and pride which they see prevailing in natural men, and should by grace learn to glory in their submissions to God. "Submit yourselves to him as subjects to their prince, in duty, and as one friend to another, in love and interest. Submit your understandings to the truths of God; submit your wills to the will of God, the will of his precept, the will of his providence." We are subjects, and as such must be submissive; not only through fear, but through love; not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. "Submit yourselves to God, as considering how many ways you are bound to this, and as considering what advantage you will gain by it; for God will not hurt you by his dominion over you, but will do you good." Now, as this subjection and submission to God are what the devil most industriously strives to hinder, so we ought with great care and steadiness to resist his suggestions. If he would represent a tame yielding to the will and providence of God as what will bring calamities, and expose to contempt and misery, we must resist these suggestions of fear. If he would represent submission to God as a hindrance to our outward ease, or worldly preferments, we must resist these suggestions of pride and sloth. If he would tempt us to lay any of our miseries, and crosses, and afflictions, to the charge of Providence, so that we might avoid them by following his directions instead of God's, we must resist these provocations to anger, not fretting ourselves in any wise to do evil. "Let not the devil, in these or the like attempts, prevail upon you; but resist him and he will flee from you." If we basely yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us; but if we put on the whole armour of God, and stand it out against him, he will be gone from us. Resolution shuts and bolts the door against temptation.
V.We are directed how to act towards God, in our becoming submissive to him, Jam 4:8-10.
1. Draw nigh to God. The heart that has rebelled must be brought to the foot of God; the spirit that was distant and estranged from a life of communion and converse with God must become acquainted with him: "Draw nigh to God, in his worship and institutions, and in every duty he requires of you." 2. Cleanse your hands. He who comes unto God must have clean hands. Paul therefore directs to lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting (Ti1 2:8), hands free from blood, and bribes, and every thing that is unjust or cruel, and free from every defilement of sin: he is not subject to God who is a servant of sin. The hands must be cleansed by faith, repentance, and reformation, or it will be in vain for us to draw nigh to God in prayer, or in any of the exercises of devotion. 3. The hearts of the double-minded must be purified. Those who halt between God and the world are here meant by the double-minded. To purify the heart is to be sincere, and to act upon this single aim and principle, rather to please God than to seek after any thing in this world: hypocrisy is heart-impurity; but those who submit themselves to God aright will purify their hearts as well as cleanse their hands. 4. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. "What afflictions God sends take them as he would have you, and by duly sensible of them. Be afflicted when afflictions are sent upon you, and do not despise them; or be afflicted in your sympathies with those who are so, and in laying to heart the calamities of the church of God. Mourn and weep for your own sins and the sins of others; times of contention and division are times to mourn in, and the sins that occasion wars and fightings should be mourned for. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness." This may be taken either as a prediction of sorrow or a prescription of seriousness. Let men think to set grief at defiance, yet God can bring it upon them; none laugh so heartily but he can turn their laughter into mourning; and this the unconcerned Christians James wrote to are threatened should be their case. They are therefore directed, before things come to the worst, to lay aside their vain mirth and their sensual pleasures, that they might indulge godly sorrow and penitential tears. 5. "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord. Let the inward acts of the would be suitable to all those outward expressions of grief, affliction, and sorrow, before mentioned." Humility of spirit is here required, as in the sight of him who looks principally at the spirits of men. "Let there be a thorough humiliation in bewailing every thing that is evil; let there be great humility in doing that which is good: Humble yourselves."
VI.We have great encouragement to act thus towards God:
He will draw nigh to those that draw nigh to him (Jam 4:8), and he will lift up those who humble themselves in his sight, Jam 4:10. Those that draw nigh to God in a way of duty shall find God drawing nigh to them in a way of mercy. Draw nigh to him in faith, and trust, and obedience, and he will draw nigh to you for your deliverance. If there be not a close communion between God and us, it is our fault, and not his. He shall lift up the humble. Thus much our Lord himself declared, He that shall humble himself shall be exalted, Mat 23:12. If we be truly penitent and humble under the marks of God's displeasure, we shall in a little time know the advantages of his favour; he will lift us up out of trouble, or he will lift us up in our spirits and comforts under trouble; he will lift us up to honour and safety in the world, or he will lift us up in our way to heaven, so as to raise our hearts and affections above the world. God will revive the spirit of the humble (Isa 57:15), He will hear the desire of the humble (Psa 10:17), and he will at last life them up to glory. Before honour is humility. The highest honour in heaven will be the reward of the greatest humility on earth.
Historical interpretation
Six Centuries of Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
The person who repents after sinning is worthy of blessings, not of mourning, as he returns to the company of the righteous. First, confess your sins that you may be justified, for if someone is not ashamed of his sin he is miserable, not so much because he fell from grace but because he has remained in his fallen state. And if it is a wicked thing not to repent after sinning, what punishment will someone deserve who sins as a matter of course? If a person overcome with the need to repent is unclean, what forgiveness will there be for someone who suffers because he remains in his sins?
A hermit said, ‘If anyone says “Forgive me”, and humbles himself, he burns up the demons that tempt him.’
Flee laughter as a sin and change temporal joy into mourning so that you may be blessed, for those who mourn are blessed and shall be comforted.
Be miserable, mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. Do not, He says, love to become wealthy and rejoice in this world, but being mindful of the sins you have committed, rather aim that through the brief miseries, poverty and transient lamentation of this life you may reach the eternal joys of the heavenly kingdom, so that you do not, for the temporary joy of wealth which you have acquired through unjust labor, perpetually beg, mourn, and pay the penalties in torment.
Be subject therefore to God, but resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Approach God, and he will approach you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners: and purify your hearts, you double minded. Be miserable, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned into mourning: and joy, into sorrow. Be humbled in the sight of our Lord, and he will exalt you.
"purify your hearts, you double minded." 'Double of mind' refers to those who do not wish to live in a certain way but are driven and carried away by the wickedness of men. For they do not dwell in the house under the Lord in one way. Moreover, that the soul is also called life will be sufficiently taught to us in Job. "Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life." (Job 2:4)
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Summary
James 4:9 issues a profound and urgent call for radical repentance and genuine contrition, directly following James's stern rebuke against worldliness and spiritual pride. It demands a complete and visible transformation of one's inner disposition, shifting from the superficial joys and self-indulgence of a worldly life to a deep, heartfelt sorrow over sin and a humble recognition of one's spiritual bankruptcy before God. This verse is not a call to despair, but an essential prerequisite for experiencing God's grace and true spiritual elevation.
CONTEXT
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
From the root meaning "wretched," this verb translates to "be afflicted" or "realize one's own misery." In this imperative context, it's not merely a passive state but an active, intentional self-abasement. It implies a deep, internal recognition of one's spiritual poverty and the wretchedness of a life lived in opposition to God, leading to a deliberate embrace of distress over sin.
Meaning "to grieve" or "to mourn," this word denotes a deep, lamenting sorrow, often associated with mourning for the dead. It signifies a profound emotional and spiritual lamentation over one's sinful condition and the offense it causes to God. It goes beyond mere regret, indicating a heartfelt, sorrowful engagement with the reality of one's sin.
This noun means "laughter," specifically laughter as a mark of gratification or pleasure. In James 4:9, it represents the superficial, worldly joy and lightheartedness that characterizes a life unconcerned with spiritual realities or unrepentant sin. The command is to turn away from this shallow, self-satisfied mirth.
Derived from a word meaning "downcast in look," this noun translates to "heaviness" or "sadness." It describes a demureness or dejection that, in this context, represents the soberness and gravity of true repentance. It contrasts sharply with "joy" (chará), indicating a profound shift from worldly elation to a serious, contrite disposition before God.
Verse Breakdown
"Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:"
This tripartite command uses three strong imperatives, intensifying the call for a radical and visible expression of sorrow. "Be afflicted" (talaipōréō) implies a deep internal recognition of one's wretchedness and a willingness to embrace distress over sin. "Mourn" (penthéō) suggests a profound, lamenting grief, akin to mourning a death, signifying the death of one's old, worldly self. "Weep" (klaíō) refers to the outward shedding of tears, a physical manifestation of this deep internal sorrow. Together, these commands demand a comprehensive response of the whole person – mind, emotion, and body – to the gravity of sin.
"let your laughter be turned to mourning,"
This clause introduces a stark contrast, demanding a reversal of one's primary emotional orientation. "Laughter" (gélōs) here symbolizes the superficial, worldly joy and complacency that characterizes a life alienated from God. This worldly mirth is to be actively "turned" (metastréphō), or transmuted, into "mourning" (pénthos), which is grief or sorrow. This is not a call to perpetual sadness, but to prioritize spiritual grief over the fleeting pleasures of the world, recognizing the seriousness of sin.
"and [your] joy to heaviness."
This phrase reinforces the preceding command through synonymous parallelism, further emphasizing the required transformation. "Joy" (chará) refers to a calm delight or cheerfulness, often associated with worldly satisfaction. This joy is to be transformed "to heaviness" (katḗpheia), which signifies a demureness, dejection, or sadness. This "heaviness" is the sober, contrite spirit that results from a profound awareness of sin and a humble submission to God, replacing the lightheartedness of a worldly existence.
Literary Devices
James 4:9 powerfully employs Imperative Mood through its direct commands ("Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep"), underscoring the non-negotiable nature of the required repentance. The verse is structured around striking Antithetical Parallelism, juxtaposing "laughter" with "mourning" and "joy" with "heaviness." This stark contrast highlights the radical shift in disposition demanded by God, emphasizing that worldly merriment is incompatible with true spiritual health and repentance. The use of Tricolon in "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep" builds intensity and emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the required emotional and spiritual response. Furthermore, Metonymy is present, where "laughter" and "joy" stand in for a lifestyle characterized by worldly pleasure and spiritual complacency, while "mourning" and "heaviness" represent a life of genuine contrition and humble submission to God.
Theological and Thematic Connections
James 4:9 resonates deeply with the biblical understanding of repentance as a radical turning (metanoia) from sin to God. It underscores that true repentance is not merely a mental acknowledgment of wrongdoing but involves a profound emotional and spiritual reorientation. This divine call for affliction, mourning, and weeping over sin aligns with the prophetic tradition of lament and contrition as necessary precursors to divine restoration. It teaches that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and that genuine humility often manifests as a sorrowful recognition of one's sinfulness. This godly sorrow, unlike worldly regret, leads to life and reconciliation with God, paving the way for the true and lasting joy that only comes from being in right relationship with Him. The verse thus serves as a theological bridge, connecting the recognition of one's spiritual adultery (James 4:4) to the promise of divine exaltation for the humble (James 4:10).
Reflection and Application
For believers today, James 4:9 serves as a crucial and challenging reminder that genuine spiritual transformation often begins not with superficial positivity, but with a profound recognition of our sinfulness and a willingness to grieve over it. It compels us to honestly examine the sources of our "laughter" and "joy" – are they rooted in worldly pursuits, fleeting pleasures, or a complacent spirit, or do they flow from a deep, abiding relationship with God and a conscience clear of unconfessed sin? If our hearts are complacent, self-satisfied, or aligned with the transient values of the world, this verse calls us to adopt a posture of deep humility and sorrow. This is an invitation to abandon the superficiality that often characterizes modern life and embrace the profound, transforming work of God's grace. It's a call to allow God to cultivate true repentance within us, leading not to despair, but to the authentic and lasting joy that comes from being truly right with Him and experiencing His uplifting presence.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does James 4:9 advocate for a life of constant sadness or the suppression of all joy?
No, James 4:9 does not advocate for a life of perpetual sadness or the suppression of all joy. Instead, it is a specific call to radical repentance and spiritual reorientation for those who have been living in spiritual adultery with the world, as described in James 4:4. The "laughter" and "joy" James refers to here are those born of worldly pursuits, complacency, and a lack of awareness of one's sin and God's holiness. This kind of mirth is superficial and ultimately leads away from God. The "mourning" and "heaviness" are expressions of "godly sorrow" (2 Corinthians 7:10), which is a necessary and healthy response to sin. This sorrow is not an end in itself but a pathway to genuine humility, reconciliation with God, and ultimately, a deeper, more profound, and lasting joy that comes from being in right relationship with Him. It's a temporary, intense spiritual exercise designed to break the hold of worldliness and usher in true spiritual life and joy.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
James 4:9, with its stark call to affliction, mourning, and weeping over sin, finds its ultimate fulfillment and enabling power in Jesus Christ. While the command is directed at believers to repent of their worldliness, Christ Himself embodies the perfect response to sin and offers the means for this transformation. He is the one who "was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3), bearing the ultimate "heaviness" of humanity's sin on the cross, so that our "mourning" could ultimately be turned into eternal "joy." His suffering and sacrifice provide the very ground for our repentance; it is because He bore the weight of our sin that we can genuinely grieve over it, knowing there is forgiveness and restoration. Furthermore, Jesus taught that "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4), promising that the sorrow over sin, when brought to Him, will be transformed into divine comfort and true joy. He assures His disciples that though they may have "sorrow now... your sorrow shall be turned into joy" (John 16:20). Thus, the radical repentance demanded by James is not a self-generated act of despair, but a Spirit-empowered response to the grace offered through Christ, who both exemplifies true sorrow for sin and provides the path to everlasting spiritual gladness, lifting us up as we humble ourselves before Him (James 4:10).