Tiago 4
John Wesley · Citado em PreceptAustin
Tiago 4
Wesley has an interesting comment "Realizing the future is uncertain not only teaches us trust in God, it helps us to properly value the present. To be obsessed with future plans may work our failure to appreciate present blessings or our evasion of present duties." Hiebert says that James is rebuking his reader's self-sufficient attitude, first by describing their attitude in James 4:13 and then exposing their arrogant presumption in James 4:14. (Hiebert's Commentaries – James) It is so easy to see our daily business as something God is not interested in, thinking falsely that He is only interested in the supernatural. What we miss is that it is all sacred to God and for a believer there should be no distinction between secular and sacred. As someone has said "Truly, in the view of St. James, no gulf separates the divine from the human, the transcendent from the terrestrial, the spiritual from the practical.” THOUGHT - PRACTICAL ATHEISM - If we fail to recognize the divine element in the human, our prosperous humanity will be calamitous. To leave God out of our common human affairs intentionally is sometimes worse than belligerent atheism. Practical atheism, as we could very well characterize the life attitude of the merchant spoken of by James, is unfortunately far more common than reasoned unbelief, and we may well wonder what the judgment of God will be upon this practical atheism which plagues the Christianity of the twentieth century just as it has apparently plagued the Christian Church throughout the ages. (Zodhiates) Are you (am I) guilty of practicing "practical atheism?" Engage in business (1710)(emporeuomai from en = in + poreúomai = to go, to trade from poros = a passing) literally means to go in, then to travel about and so to travel about as a merchant or trader on a large scale. It means to do business or to trade involving either buying and/or selling. The KJV translates it to "make merchandise". Emporeuomai was used in secular Greek both in the sense of travel and of traveling for business reasons. In the only other NT use in 2 Peter 2:3+, the verb is used in a negative sense to refer to doing business by "misrepresenting the merchandise" so to speak, the figurative use in Peter picturing the deceiving of others for one's own personal advantage. Hiebert comments that emporeuomai in 2 Peter 2:3 "denotes deceptive exploitation. This significance is eloquent testimony to the cheating that too often attended ancient trade, but James's words do not imply this evil. James is not charging them with immoral activities but rather with presumption." Hiebert on make a profit - It pictures vividly these industrious and ambitious small businessmen who were constantly alert and eager to move to areas where business was most profitable. James is not condemning such trade or the acquiring of profits from legitimate trade. But clearly their hearts lay in their ability to reap rich profits, which was required as the mark of true success. For James, the fatal defect in their planning is their presumptuous self-centeredness, resulting in the effective exclusion of God from the practical affairs of their daily lives. They were guilty of living a life of practical atheism." (Hiebert's Commentaries – James) Make a profit (2770)(kerdaino from kerdos = gain) means literally to procure an advantage or profit, to acquire by effort or investment as in this passage in James (and as in the parable of the talents Mt 25:16,17, 20, 22). The root word kerdos means gain but also describes the desire of gain, the love of gain. In other words, the passion of these businessmen was for profit! Making a profit was their goal (even their "god"), not glorifying God! Beloved believer, if this describes you, James would suggest you take a personal inventory of your heart -- is it set on the things of this world or on God Who is out of this world? Profit making is not sinful in itself, but when it becomes our passion, it has become our "master" and it is sinful. Jesus uses kerdaino asking "For what will it profit a man if he gains (kerdaino) the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mt 16:26) While the use of kerdaino in James is not an identical context, it is similar for James is also portraying the evanescent nature of temporal gains in business in light of our uncertain and evanescent nature (James 4:14)! Solomon (who was one of the richest men in history) warned "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity." (Eccl 5:10) Zodhiates writes "If we put God first in our business, He will surely take care of the profit-making. If we leave God out and make Him secondary in our business life, even the profit that we realize may bring us misery and unhappiness. After all, profit should neither be the motivating power nor the ultimate goal of life, for profit in its last analysis is only a means to an end and not the end itself. Great profits will not make a man happy, because profit-making without God may make others unhappy and bring sorrow to the heart of God in whom the Christian businessman professes faith. Oh, for merchants whose primary goal is not the accumulation of wealth for selfish purposes, but the glory of God and the service of humanity! If our primary aim is profit, we may even rationalize ourselves into some business which Christ could not sanction; while if it is first the glory of God, then the service of humanity, and finally the satisfaction of our personal needs, we would only engage in business which Christ would not hesitate to engage in if He were down here. Let the Christian businessman watch the motivation of his trading and its goal, for what will the profit profit him if it brings him unhappiness and heaviness of heart and scruple of conscience?" ((Borrow Faith, Love, and Hope: An Exegetical Commentary on James) James' description reminds us of Jesus' parable of the rich man in Luke 12 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.” (Luke 12:16-21+) Beloved, we can't see ahead for even one day. God's reply to the farmer's boasting was he would die that night. God has a way of disposing our proposals. Because we have no guarantee of tomorrow, we need to make each day count for Christ. If you have never asked Christ to be your Savior and trusted Him to take you to Heaven, you need to make that decision now. If you are a Christian, then serve the Lord each day and do the will of God in your life. Never make plans without consulting the Lord. There is nothing wrong in planning for tomorrow as long as you get direction from the Lord. The ant prepares for tomorrow and is considered wise. Proverbs 6:6-8 Matthew 16:26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 6:34+ “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. GOD'S WILL AND OUR PLANS It is good to have goals, but goals can disappoint us if we leave God out of them. There is no point in making plans as though God does not exist because the future is in his hands. The beginning of good planning is to ask: "What would I like to be doing ten years from now? One year from now? Tomorrow? How will I react if God steps in and rearranges my plans?" We can plan ahead, but we must hold on to our plans loosely. If we put God's desires at the center of our planning, he will never disappoint us. (Borrow Life Application Bible Commentary – James) Henry Jacobsen - This is sinning through side-stepping of God. It is practical atheism to be planning without taking God into consideration. If we continue to shut God out of our lives, we commit sin. James 4:13-17 GOD WILL GUIDE YOU - Theodore Epp We do not need to be in a state of unrest about the future. Some worry needlessly and wonder, "Why doesn't God let me know what He has in mind for me in the future?" Some young people may be thinking about the mission field and wondering what God's will is for them five or ten years from now. It is important, however, that we recognize that God knows everything about the future, even if we do not, so the important thing is to trust Him today with our lives and leave the future to Him. If God is calling you today into some particular ministry, then obey Him, even though you do not know what the future holds. As we are sensitive to God, we can expect Him to guide us. Psalm 32:8 says, "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." I'm so glad He guides us with His eye because He can see far beyond anything we can see. Because God knows the future completely, He will never be too late in telling us exactly what we need to know. Some things we need to plan for in the distant future, but most things are achieved simply by walking by faith today. As we trust God to give us wisdom for today's decisions, He will lead us a step at a time into what He wants us to be doing in the future. "The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way" (Ps. 25:9). Source: Irving Jensen - James: Self Study Guide James 4:14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Amplified Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air]. NET James 4:14 You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes. GNT James 4:14 οἵτινες οὐκ ἐπίστασθε τὸ τῆς αὔριον ποία ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν· ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστε ἡ πρὸς ὀλίγον φαινομένη, ἔπειτα καὶ ἀφανιζομένη. NLT James 4:14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog-- it's here a little while, then it's gone. KJV James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. ESV James 4:14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ASV James 4:14 whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. CSB James 4:14 You don't even know what tomorrow will bring-- what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes. NIV James 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. NKJ James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. NRS James 4:14 Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. YLT James 4:14 who do not know the thing of the morrow; for what is your life? for it is a vapour that is appearing for a little, and then is vanishing; NAB James 4:14 you have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears. NJB James 4:14 You never know what will happen tomorrow: you are no more than a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears. GWN James 4:14 You don't know what will happen tomorrow. What is life? You are a mist that is seen for a moment and then disappears. BBE James 4:14 When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while Jas 1:10 Job 7:6,7 9:25,26 14:1,2 Ps 39:5 89:47 90:5-7 102:3 Isa 38:12 1Pe 1:24 4:7 1Jn 2:17 James 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries UNCERTAINTY AND FLEETING FRAGILITY OF LIFE Our life -- a vapor, a puff of smoke, a cloud of dust, a shadow, a breath, a blade of grass, a cloud, a flower, etc (see metaphors below), here today, gone tomorrow. Our time on earth is a short time! Only God knows how many grains of sand so to speak remain in the hourglass of our lives! But you can be sure of this, that as your read this note, grains of sand are continuing to drop through the hourglass and one day it will be empty, perhaps sooner than you think. Upshot? Redeem the Time beloved! See discussion of redeem the time below. In this passage James give 2 reasons that it so foolish to leave God out of one's plans for their life - (1) Uncertainty about what the future holds and (2) the brevity of life. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow - A good "commentary" on this statement is Proverbs 27:1 which says "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." Amen to that proverb! Indeed, tomorrow is not certain! James says in essence the one certainty in our life is that it is uncertain. Tomorrow cannot be found on God's calendar. Tomorrow is the road t hat leads to the town called Never. Tomorrow-is the locked door that shuts people out of Heaven. Tomorrow is the nursemaid of perdition. Tomorrow is Satan's word. Those who expect to repent tomorrow usually die today. Don't count on tomorrow. 2 Corinthians 6:2 He says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”– For the unbeliever, today is the day you need to believe in Jesus. You may not have tomorrow! For the believer, today is the day you need to surrender in brokenness and humility to His purpose and plan for your life. Yesterday is a canceled check, gone forever. Tomorrow is a promissory note, it might never be redeemed. Today is cash in hand, spend it wisely! The ESV (NET, et al) have a different translation than the NAS - Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." One of the greatest questions ever asked is that by James "What is life?" The Greek adjective poios (= a qualitative interrogative - of what character) is more literally read "What kind of life?" Or "Of what nature is your life?" He is going to tell us with the metaphor "vapor" that it is a swift life, a transitory life. James is not asking about the origin of life, but is referring specifically to the span of our conscious existence on earth. So James is not worried about how we got here, but is more interested in what we do while we are here! Solomon writes "If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?" (Eccl 8:7)
Tiago 4
Wesley wrote "Redeem the time. Catch the golden moments as they fly." May the Spirit (Eph 5:18) enable us to live wisely (Eph 5:15) and catch the golden moments as they fly by (Eph 5:16)! Amen. The word TIME (Gk = kairos) is better translated OPPORTUNITY and refers to a fixed and definite period of time during which something can be accomplished that cannot be accomplished after the time has passed. The idea of kairos is not "clock time" (Gk - chronos) but what one writer refers to as "kingdom opportunities."