James 5:11

Endure (ὑπομένοντας) Present participle. But the later texts read ὑπομείναντας, the aorist participle, which endured; referring to the prophets in the past ages. So Rev. On endured and patience, see on James 5:7. The end of the Lord (τὸ τέλος κυρίου) A peculiar expression. The happy conclusion to which God brought Job's trials. Very pitiful and of tender mercy (πολυσπλαγχνός καὶ οἰκτίρμων) The former adjective only here in New Testament; the latter here and Luke 6:36. Rev., full of pity and merciful. Πολυσπλαγχνός is from πολύς, much, and σπλάγχνα, the nobler entrails, used like our heart, as the seat of the emotions Hence the term bowels in the A. V. (Philippians 1:8; Colossians 3:12, etc.). Compare εὔσπλαγχνοι, tender-hearted, Ephesians 4:32. The distinction between this and οἰκτίρμων, merciful, seems to be that the former denotes the general quality of compassion, while the latter emphasizes the sympathy called out by special cases, being the feeling which is moved to pain at another's suffering.

Jam 5:11 . Ἰδοὺ ) See App. Crit. on the passage.— τοὺς ὑπομείναντας , those who have endured ) in preference to those who have lived luxuriously. The Alexandrian Codex and Euthalius give weight to those which read ὑπομείναντας .[73]— ὑπομονὴν , endurance, patience ) James returns to the subject with which he began: comp. ch. Jam 1:3 , note. חקוה , Septuagint, ὙΠΟΜΟΝῊ , in Job 14:19 . It here marks constancy attaining to the desired object.— ΤῸ ΤΈΛΟς ΚΥΡΊΟΥ ) the end , which the Lord gave to Job.— ΕἼΔΕΤΕ , ye have seen ) There is the same use of the word, with respect to a transaction long ago past, Hebrews 3:19 . Patience and its end are in consonance, ch. Jam 1:4 ; Matthew 24:13 . James is not silent respecting the end of the patience of Job.— ὅτι , [“that”] since ) This depends upon the words immediately preceding. It is a continued sentence. Patience is twice mentioned, and the Lord is twice mentioned. Sir 2:11 , ΟἸΚΤΊΡΜΩΝ ΚΑῚ ἘΛΕΉΜΩΝ, ΜΑΚΡΌΘΥΜΟς ΚΑῚ ΠΟΛΥΈΛΕΟς , full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering and very pitiful .— πολύσπλαγχνος , very pitiful ) He does not lay upon the patient more than he is able to bear.— οἰκτίρμων ) He mercifully gives a happy issue . The figure Chiasmus: οἰκτίρμων , from εἴκω , to yield , denotes a tender affection even without respect to calamity or misery, as David says to the Lord, ארחמך , Psalm 18:2 . [73] AB Vulg. and both Syr. Versions read ὑπομείναντας . So Lachm. rightly Rec. Text, with Memph. and Theb.

11. count them happy—(Mt 5:10). which endure—The oldest authorities read, "which have endured," which suits the sense better than English Version: "Those who in past days, like the prophets and Job, have endured trials." Such, not those who "have lived in pleasure and been wanton on the earth" (Jas 5:5), are "happy." patience—rather, "endurance," answering to "endure": the Greek words similarly corresponding. Distinct from the Greek word for "patience" Jas 5:10. The same word ought to be translated, "endurance," Jas 1:3. He here reverts to the subject which he began with. Job—This passage shows the history of him is concerning a real, not an imaginary person; otherwise his case could not be quoted as an example at all. Though he showed much of impatience, yet he always returned to this, that he committed himself wholly to God, and at last showed a perfect spirit of enduring submission. and have seen—(with the eyes of your mind). Alford translates from the old and genuine reading, "see also," &c. The old reading is, however, capable of being translated as English Version. the end of the Lord—the end which the Lord gave. If Job had much to "endure," remember also Job's happy "end." Hence, learn, though much tried, to "endure to the end." that—Alford and others translate, "inasmuch as," "for." pitiful … of tender mercy—The former refers to the "feeling"; the latter, to the act.

We count them happy which endure; we ourselves count them happy that endure, and therefore should be patient, and not count ourselves miserable if we endure too. Which endure; viz. patiently and constantly, Matthew 5:10,11 . Ye have heard of the patience of Job; for which he was as eminent as for his sufferings; and though some signs of impatience be showed, yet his patience and submission to God being prevalent, and most remarkable to him, that only is taken notice of, and his failings overlooked. And have seen the end of the Lord: Job’s patience is heard of, but God’s end seen: seeing being a clearer way of perception than hearing, is put in this latter clause, because God’s bounty and recompence was more evident than Job’s patience. The end of the Lord; the good issue God gave to all Job’s sufferings, in restoring him to his former state, and doubling his prosperity. That the Lord is very pitiful; full of bowels, Greek; the bowels being the seat of compassion, (in which we feel a stirring when strong affections are working in us), are frequently put to signify the most tender and movable affections, such as mothers have toward their children, Genesis 43:30 1 Kings 3:26 Isaiah 43:15 Colossians 3:12 : this seems to note the affection itself, or God’s readiness to show mercy, Luke 1:78 . And of tender mercy: this may imply acts of mercy suitable to a merciful nature, the former mercy within, and this mercy breaking out.

Verse 11. - Behold, we count them happy. Μακαρίζειν : only here and Luke 1:48 (comp. James 1:12 , "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation;" Daniel 12:12 , "Blessed is he that waiteth"). Which endure ; rather, which endured , reading ὑπομείναντας , with א , A, B, Syriac, Latt. ( quisustinuerunt ) . Ye have heard of the patience of Job. A book very rarely referred to in the New Testament; only here and in 1 Corinthians 3:19 , where Job 5:13 is quoted. And have seen the end of the Lord . Ἴδετε ("see") is found in A, B, L, but εἴδετε of the Received Text has the support of א , B, K, Vulgate ( ridistis ), and is now generally adopted. The "end of the Lord ( τὸ τέλος Κυρίου )" cannot possibly be interpreted of the death and resurrection of our Savior. The whole context is against this, and Κυρίου would certainly require the article. The Syriac Version rightly interprets the clause, "the end which the Lord wrought for him." It dearly refers to the end which God brought about in the case of Job, whose "latter end the Lord blessed more than his beginning" ( Job 42:12 ; cf. Winer, 'Grammar of New Testament Greek,' p. 309). That the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy, Πολύσπλαχνος : here only; never in the LXX, but equivalent to Hebrew רַב חֶסֶד ; cf. Psalm 103 . (102.), 8; 111. (110.), 4, which may have suggested the phrase to St.

(11) We count them happy which endure. —Rather read it, we count them blessed which endure ; or, as some critics would have it, endured. (See Matthew 5:11 , and 1Peter 2:19 .) The heathen philosopher Solon called no one “happy” upon earth; but, with the mystery of pain around him, cried sadly, “Look to the end.” And the sated and weary soul of Solomon had no better thought than to praise “the dead which are already dead, more than the living” ( Ecclesiastes 4:2 ). How different the teaching of St. James, himself taught by the example of the suffering Christ: verily, “he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than” the greatest and the wisest who know not of its light and peace ( Matthew 11:11 ). The patience of Job.—The earliest notions current in the world were, doubtless, that on the whole prosperity came to those who lived morally and physically well, while adversity in body or mind followed closely on the wicked and improvident. It is easy to see how these opinions, even among the happier races who had not wandered far from God, gradually hardened into stern rules of judgment, by which each man saw in the chances and calamities of life an immediate effort of an avenging Deity.

This was ages before a pious Asaph (Psalms 73) could reflect on the contradiction of experience in this matter, and be troubled at the “prosperity” of the wicked; or before the wise king could notice (Ecclesiastes 7:15; Ecclesiastes 8:14) the just man perishing “in his righteousness,” and the unjust prolonging “his days in wickedness”; “the fishes taken in an evil net,” and “the birds caught in the snare” (Ecclesiastes 9:12). It was ages earlier still than the presence of that Wiser than Solomon, who spoke of the hapless “eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell”—“Think ye that they were sinners above all?” (Luke 13:4-5). Job’s friends were so certain of his misdeeds, that they would not hear his self-defence; if God tried his endurance, man surely afflicted his patience. We can hear the three in council against him, becoming more zealous as they believe themselves the defenders of God’s justice. (See Job 4-22) They are shocked at Job’s obstinacy, and annoyed into vehement accusation against him, because he will “hold fast” to his “integrity.” It is a damning proof to them of his guilt. Not only had he been wicked, but now actually he is impious and rebellious; such conduct is not to be borne. “Is not thy wickedness great?” says Eliphaz (Job 22:5).