Tiago 5
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
Tiago 5
Vernon McGee has a simple classification for sarx writing that "it can be used in three different ways. It can speak of the body, the physical body that we have, the meat that is on the bones. It can speak of weakness, meaning that which is psychological. It can also mean that corrupt nature which you and I have, that fallen nature. That is the spiritual meaning. So this word can be used in a physical sense, in a psychological sense, and in a spiritual sense. Paul uses the word flesh in all three senses but more frequently in the sense of the old Adamic, fallen nature. (Thru the Bible Commentary) Jesus frequently warned of the dangers of wealth as in Luke 12 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard (both are present imperative calling for a lifestyle!) against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19‘ And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Lk 12:15-21+) TREASURE HOARDERS REAP A HORRIBLE HARVEST! It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure - The key time phrase is the last days and is discussed below. It is an eschatological (prophetic) phrase and it will terminate with the return of Christ. And if He is not one's Treasure, then all they have stored up forever will perish. Stated another way, all treasure outside of Jesus Christ is empty, vain, worthless and will vanish forever when He returns! The proverb is true that "For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens." (Pr 23:5) But sadly not toward the eternal Heaven! THOUGHTS - "Riches, like dust, slip through our fingers even when we hold them fast." Matthew Henry Man takes great pains to heap up riches, and they are like heaps of manure in the furrows of the field, good for nothing unless they be spread. Matthew Henry There is a burden of care in getting riches, fear in keeping them, temptation in using them, guilt in abusing them, sorrow in losing them, and a burden of account at last to be given concerning them. Matthew Henry Death is the final mockery of materialism. We brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out. If a man has lived to accumulate good, how indescribably tragic his dying! Herbert M. Carson There is not a vice which more effectually contracts and deadens the feelings, which more completely makes a man’s affections centre in himself and excludes all others from partaking in them, than the desire of accumulating possessions. Thomas Manton Materialism, open or disguised, is the logical result of thinking that above and beyond this world there is nothing else. Stephen Olford If your treasure is on earth, you are going from it; if it is in heaven, you are going to it. Anon. No amount of riches can atone for poverty of character. Anon. In the day of prosperity we have many refuges to resort to; in the day of adversity, only one. Horatius Bonar We can stand affliction better than we can stand prosperity, for in prosperity we forget God. D. L. Moody It is hard to carry a full cup without a spill. C. H. Spurgeon Make as much as you can, safe as much and give as much as you can. John Wesley Earthly goods are given to be used. Hoarding is idolatry. Dietrich Bonhoeffer We give Thee but Thine own, Whate'er the gift may be: All that we have Is Thine AIone, A trust, O Lord, from Thee. M&y we Thy bounties thus As stewards true receive, And gladly, as Thou blessest us, To Thee our first-fruits give. Wiersbe on last days - The last days" indicates that James believed that the coming of the Lord was near (see James 5:8-9)...We must "buy up the opportunity" (Eph. 5:16, literal translation) and work while it is day (John 9:4)....It is good to have the things that money can buy, provided you also have the things that money cannot buy. What good is a $500,000 house if there is no home? Or a million-dollar diamond ring if there is no love? James did not condemn riches or rich people; he condemned the wrong use of riches, and rich people who use their wealth as a weapon and not as a tool with which to build.It is possible to be "poor in this world" (James 2:5) and yet rich in the next world. It is also possible to be "rich in this world" (1 Tim. 6:17) and poor in the next world. The return of Jesus Christ will make some people poor and others rich, depending on the spiritual condition of their hearts. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. 6:21). What we keep, we lose. What we give to God, we keep, and He adds interest to it (Bible Exposition Commentary) ILLUSTRATION - A famous preacher, known for his long sermons, was asked to give the annual "charity sermon" for the poor. It was suggested that if he preached too long, the congregation might not give as much as they should. The preacher read his text from Proverbs 19:17—"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again." His sermon indeed was brief: "If you like the terms, then put down your money." Yes, money talks. What will it say to you at the last judgment? (Wiersbe) Lehmann Strauss on last days - The last days are days of crisis during which we should be giving thought as to how much we can give to the work of the Lord and in helping others, not how much we can hold for ourselves. The latter is folly indeed. One blast from God and the sum total of our possessions would be gone. Oh, beloved, do you want to be separated from your possessions? Do you want to see them perish without any benefit? I trust not. God does not give us His precious metals to rust nor garments to be motheaten but as a means of assisting others in need. (James, Your Brother: Studies in the Epistle of James) Steven
Tiago 5
Vernon McGee - In other words, my friend, when you say you are going to promise something, it ought to be as if you were in a courtroom and had taken an oath to tell the truth. All your conversation ought to be like that. I can remember when my dad went to the bank one year to borrow money to get his cotton gin started. The banker was busy and said to my dad, "Go ahead and take the money." My dad said, "But I haven't signed the note." I never shall forget what the banker said, "If you say you will repay it, that is just as good as if you have signed a note. So come in later and sign up." May I say to you, a man's word ought to be just that good. Some people, even if they take an oath on a stack of Bibles, do not honor their word. (Thru The Bible) So that you may not fall under judgment - This is the purpose of striving to maintain truthfulness in our speech. The ESV has a strong rendering "so that you may not fall under condemnation." So what does this judgment mean? In essence by commanding no oath taking James is saying our speech should be truthful. While all believers fail from time to time in speaking truthfully, that is not the habit of our life. On the other hand if a person is habitually untruthful, he is habitually lying. It would seem that John's statement in Revelation is then relevant to this latter individual. "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Rev 21:8+, cf "swear falsely" in Mal 3:5, Zech 5:4) That would appear to be one possible interpretation of fall under judgment/condemnation. Many sermons and commentaries actually avoid making a statement on the meaning of fall under judgment (ESV Study Bible, Warren Wiersbe, J Vernon McGee, Pillar NT Commentary, Life Application Commentary). There seem to be two camps - (1) A believer will be disciplined or chastened by the Lord now and suffer loss of rewards at the Bema Seat and (2) A professed believer will end up with eternal punishment. Here are some responses regarding the meaning of fall under judgment: Expositor's Bible Commentary - In the careless use of oaths a person is in danger of taking God's name in vain, for which he will come under judgment (cf. Exod 20:7). (ED: WHAT KIND OF JUDGMENT?) Grant Richison - We invite God’s judgment to ourselves if we behave contrary to straightforward speech. The believer will fall into divine chastening if he brings God into a false oath. Ex. 20:7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” The following passage shows how the believer falls into divine discipline: Death, James 5:14-15. Loss of health, James 5:16 Steven