James 1:19-27

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he will be blessed in what he does. If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

— ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭27‬‬

 I love James, and I know so many people do because of its practicality. Although, we still need to understand its historical and social context. Several of its passages can still be easily understood and there are still some very difficult passages, like ch 5. 

The one major theme is works supporting one’s faith, especially in the face of famine and persecution ransacking the early church. Helping others would be a visible sign of inner faith. 

I’m sure v. 19 finds a better home in this context as well. But it also applies in nearly every human situation. Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger/wrath. We could probably spend all day reflecting on these implications. Send a lifetime trying to live it out. 

God’s righteousness in v. 20 is debated. Could be a characteristic of God, or that which comes from God, a moral standard, or something eschatological. I’ll leave it to scholars to sort out those details and come to a conclusion later.

Message implanted probably goes back to Jeremiah 31 when law is written on the hearts. External law does no good except points out our failures and shows us our imperfections. Law on hearts allows us to live in light of love.

We cannot just receive the law. We have to live it out. This is the whole message of James. Saying to have faith and not doing anything about it is not only pointless, it’s hypocrisy. It’s deceitful. 

A mirror has a purpose. To show us imperfections so that we can (hopefully) fix them. Not the time for a self esteem lesson. Comb your hair. The point is not to look at the mirror more. The point is to allow the looking to prompt a response. Mirror= internal law. It must move to external actions.

He then gives two examples. Use of the tongue and helping those in need. Tongue will be revisited in ch 3. Have to control speech (see v. 19)—perhaps just not talk if we can’t.

And then help the most needy in society, in 1st century (and still mostly in 21st) it’s the orphans and widows. These would have little status, support system, money, etc. Not exactly outcasts, but in middle of famine, there would be little hope. To say we have faith in 1st century context and ignore them is just silly. 

Not sure if the unstaining is related to the care for others or if it’s separate. “And” can sometimes have a result affect. Need to do more research here. Since he does mention “filth” and “excess” previously, he could just be talking about moral living. 

In either case, the point here is that claiming faith and not showing works toward others doesn’t add up. He’ll dig deeper into this in chapter 2.