Verses James 5:1-6 could be considered a parenthetical section, and it might have been addressed, in light of its contents, to the rich class in general among the Jews, since James considered the recipients of his Epistle to be the twelve tribes of the Jews (James 1:1). See note James 1:1³ and note James 2:2¹.

Or, imploring.

As in Rom. 9:29, this is equivalent to the divine title in Hebrew, Jehovah-Sabaoth (Jehovah of hosts, Jehovah of armies — 1 Sam. 1:3). Such a title bears a Jewish character.

I.e., satiated their gluttonous desire in indulgence, even in a day of slaughter (Jer. 12:3), i.e., in a day of judgment, when they were to be slaughtered like animals by God's judgment. This implies that they were in a stupor, unaware of their coming miseries, their miserable destiny (v. 1).

The collective singular, with the article used to indicate the class. It does not refer directly to any individual but portrays the death of the Lord Jesus, who is the Righteous (Acts 7:52; 3:14).

See note James 5:10².

The Greek word means presence (see note Matt. 24:3^3d).

See note James 5:10². While we are awaiting with long-suffering the Lord's coming, He, as the real Farmer (Matt. 13:3), is awaiting with patience our maturity in life as the firstfruits and harvest of His field (Rev. 14:4, 14-15). Our maturing in life can shorten the period of our long-suffering and His patience.

See note James 5:7^2b.

Lit., groan.

The Lord will come back not only as the Bridegroom to meet the bride (Matt. 25:1, 6; Rev. 19:7-8) but also as the Judge to judge all peoples, judging first His believers at His judgment seat (1 Cor. 4:4-5; 2 Cor. 5:10). We need to pursue maturity in life in order to meet the Lord and be prepared to be judged by Him.

This is a further development of vv. 7-8, which concern the suffering and long-suffering of the faithful believers.

The Greek word — in noun form here and in Heb. 6:12; Rom. 2:4; 2 Tim. 4:2; 1 Pet. 3:20, and in verb form in vv. 7-8 — connotes patience toward persons, such as the patience the prophets had toward those who persecuted them.

Speaking in the name of the Lord indicates that the prophets were one with the Lord. Hence, their suffering and long-suffering were with the Lord and for the Lord. The faithful believers' suffering and long-suffering should be the same.

The Greek word — in verb form here and in noun form in Rom. 5:3 and 2 Cor. 1:6 — connotes patience toward things, such as the patience that Job had toward the things that afflicted him.

Lit., before.

We should not swear, because we are nothing, and nothing is under our control or up to us (Matt. 5:34-36). Swearing displays the acting of our self-will and our forgetting of God. But to let our yes be yes and our no be no is to act according to our divine nature, in the consciousness of the presence of God, denying our self-will and sinful nature.

See note Matt. 5:37^1a.

Our being genuinely faithful and sincere in our words according to the divine nature, of which we partake, will keep us from God's judgment (cf. Matt. 12:36).

Praying brings us the strength of the Lord to endure suffering, and singing praise keeps us in the joy of the Lord.

The Greek word means primarily play on a stringed instrument, and thence, make melody. Hence, it denotes to sing a hymn, to sing praise. Whether we pray or sing praise, we contact God. In any environment and under any circumstance, humble or exalted, grievous or joyful, we need to contact the Lord.

Ill because of weakness. Weakness leads to illness (1 Cor. 11:30), and illness causes more weakness.

To call the elders of the church to pray regarding one's illness implies
1) that there is no problem between the calling one and the church, represented by the elders;
2) that a normal relationship has been restored between the calling one and the church, if the illness is due to the calling one's having offended the church (cf. 1 Cor. 11:29-32);
3) that the sick one and the elders have thoroughly confessed to one another their sins (v. 16).
The barriers in the church must be cleared away before the elders can represent the church in praying for the sick ones.

Two Greek words are translated anoint: aleipho, the word used here and in John 12:3, is the common term used for applying oil; chrio means to anoint officially for office, as a priest (Acts 10:38), king (Heb. 1:9), or prophet (Luke 4:18). Chrio, related to Christos (Christ), is used for the anointing of the Son by the Father (Acts 10:38). To anoint with oil signifies to impart the Spirit of life, who has been poured upon the Body of Christ as the anointing oil (Psa. 133:2), to the sick member of the Body through the elders as representatives of the church, for the healing of the sick one (cf. 1 John 5:16 and notes 3 and 4).

In the name of the Lord signifies oneness with the Lord. The elders do not do the anointing alone; rather, by being one with the Lord, they represent both the Body and the Head to do the anointing.

Not the usual form of the word for prayer. It is translated vow in Acts 18:18 and Acts 21:23.

Or, weary.

The committing of sins is often the cause of illness (John 5:14). In such cases forgiveness is always the cause of healing (Matt. 9:2, 5-7; Mark 2:5).

Or, is very effective.

Lit., prayed in prayer. This indicates that a prayer from the Lord was given to Elijah, in which he prayed. He did not pray in his feeling, thought, intention, or mood, or in any kind of motivation, arising from circumstances or situations, to fulfill his own purpose. He prayed in the prayer given to him by the Lord for the accomplishing of His will.

This may imply that the ill one in v. 14 had been led astray from the truth and needed to be turned back.

According to the context of these two verses, this is not an unbelieving sinner but a believing brother who has been led astray from the truth and is turned back from his error to the truth. Hence, the salvation of his soul does not refer to the eternal salvation of the person but to the dispensational salvation of his soul from the suffering of physical death under God's discipline. James may also have considered all the virtues covered in vv. 7-20 to be aspects of practical Christian perfection.

See note James 1:21², note 1 Pet. 1:5⁵, and note Heb. 10:39^3a.

Not eternal perdition but dispensational discipline by physical death (see note 1 John 5:16⁵). From death here should equal raise...up in v. 15.

This is an Old Testament expression (Psa. 32:1; 85:2; Prov. 10:12) used by James to indicate that turning an erring brother back is to cover his sins so that he is not condemned. Cover...sins here should equal sins...forgiven in v. 15, as in Psa. 32:1; 85:2.

Sins committed by the sinning brother, which brought forth death to him (James 1:15).