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英文原文
In this chapter the apostle denounces the judgments of God upon those rich men who oppress the poor, showing them how great their sin and folly are in the sight of God, and how grievous the punishments would be which should fall upon themselves, Jam 5:1-6. Hereupon, all the faithful are exhorted to patience under their trials and sufferings, Jam 5:7-11. The sin of swearing is cautioned against, Jam 5:12. We are directed how to act, both under affliction and in prosperity, Jam 5:13. Prayer for the sick, and anointing with oil, are prescribed, Jam 5:14,15. Christians are directed to acknowledge their faults one to another, and to pray one for another, and the efficacy of prayer is proved, Jam 5:16-18. And, lastly, it is recommended to us to do what we can for bringing back those that stray from the ways of truth.
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Warnings to the Rich; Motives to Patience under Affliction (61 AD)
對富人的警告；受苦之下忍耐的動機（公元61年）
¹ 嗐！你們這些富足人哪，應當哭泣、號啕，因為將有苦難臨到你們身上。
² 你們的財物壞了，衣服也被蟲子咬了。
³ 你們的金銀都長了銹；那銹要證明你們的不是，又要吃你們的肉，如同火燒。你們在這末世只知積蓄錢財。
⁴ 工人給你們收割莊稼，你們虧欠他們的工錢，這工錢有聲音呼叫，並且那收割之人的冤聲已經入了萬軍之主的耳。
⁵ 你們在地上享奢華宴樂；當宰殺的日子，你們養胖了心。
⁶ 你們定了義人的罪，把他殺害，他也不抵擋你們。
⁷ 弟兄們哪，你們要忍耐，直到主來。看哪，農夫忍耐等候地裏寶貴的出產，直到得了秋雨春雨。
⁸ 你們也當忍耐，堅固你們的心，因為主來的日子近了。
⁹ 弟兄們，你們不要彼此埋怨，免得受審判。看哪，審判的主站在門前了。
¹⁰ 弟兄們，你們要把那先前奉主名說話的眾先知當作能受苦、能忍耐的榜樣。
¹¹ 那先前忍耐的人，我們稱他們是有福的。你們聽過約伯的忍耐，也知道主給他的結局，明顯主是滿心憐憫，大有慈悲。
使徒在此先對罪人說話，然後對聖徒說話。
I. 讓我們思想對罪人所說的話；此處我們看見雅各附和他的偉大夫子所說的：「你們富足的人有禍了！因為你們受過你們的安慰」（路6:24）。這警戒之語所發的富人不是那些宣稱基督徒宗教的人，而是那些屬世不信的猶太人——如這裏所說「定義人的罪，把他殺害」的人，基督徒沒有權力如此行；而這封書信雖是為忠信的人而寫、主要是發給他們的，卻以一個轉折，不 信的猶太人可以很好地被設想在此被對付。他們不肯聽道，因此「寫下來」，使他們可以讀。值得注意的是，在本書信的第一個題名中，它不像保羅的書信那樣「寫給在基督裏的弟兄」，而是一般性地「請散住十二個支派之人安」；問安不是「從基督而來的恩惠和平安」，而是一般性的「請……安」（雅1:1）。猶太人中的窮人接受了福音，他們中有許多人信了；但富人的一般大眾拒絕了基督徒信仰，在不信中剛硬，並恨惡逼迫那些信基督的人。使徒就是對這些欺壓、不信、逼迫的富人說話（雅5:1-6）。
1. 他預告將臨到他們的神的審判（雅5:1-3）。他們將有苦難臨到——如此可怕的苦難，以至連想到它們就足以使他們哭泣號啕——從他們將幸福寄託其中的事物中產生的苦難，並在最後由這些事物作證指控他們以至徹底毁滅而完成的苦難；如今他們被召來思考並仔細權衡這事，思想他們在審判中將如何站在神面前：「嗐！你們這些富足人哪。」（1）「你們可以確信，非常可怕的災難正臨到你們——在其中毫無支持或安慰、只有苦難的災難——今世的苦難、永世的苦難、外在患難中的苦難、內在心境和脾氣中的苦難、今生的苦難、地獄的苦難。你們不是只有一個苦難臨到，而是諸般苦難。你們教會和國家的毁滅近了；將有一個忿怒的日子，那時財富無益於人，『一切惡人都必毁滅』。」（2）連想到將臨的苦難就足以使他們哭泣號啕。富人容易對自己說（別人也容易對他們說）：「只管吃喝快樂吧」；但神說：「哭泣號啕。」不是說哭泣悔改——因為使徒不期望他們如此行（他以宣告而非勸誡的方式說話）；而是「哭泣號啕」，因為當你們的厄運來到時，將只有「哀哭切齒」。那些如獸般活着的人被召來如獸般號叫。公共的災難對生活在享樂中、安全而放縱的富人最為嚴重；因此他們要為將臨的苦難比別人更加哭泣號啕。（3）他們的苦難將從他們將幸福寄託其中的事物產生。「腐爛、朽壞、生銹和毁壞將臨到你們一切美好的事物：你們的財物壞了，衣服也被蟲子咬了」（雅5:2）。那些你們如今無度貪愛的事物，日後將不可忍受地傷害你們：它們對你們將無價值、無用處，反而要『用許多愁苦把自己刺透了』；因為（4）「那銹要證明你們的不是，又要吃你們的肉，如同火燒」（雅5:3）。聖經常以無生命之物作見證控告惡人。天、地、田間的石頭、地的出產，而此處連貪得和貯藏不當之財寶的鐵銹和腐蝕，都被說成為不敬虔的富人作見證。他們想為晚年積蓄財寶，到年老時可以豐富度日；但，唉！他們不過是在積蓄財寶成為別人的掠物（如猶太人的一切都被羅馬人奪去），以及在最終不過是忿怒之財寶的財寶——「在神公義審判啟示的日子」。那時他們的罪在刑罰中要『如 fire 一般吃他們的肉』。在耶路撒冷的毁滅中，成千上萬的人死於火；在最後的審判中，惡人必被判處『為魔鬼和牠的使者所預備的永火』。願主救我們脫離惡人之富人的分！而為此，讓我們小心不犯他們的罪——我們接下來要思想的。
2. 使徒表明那些將帶來如此苦難的罪是甚麼。處於如此可悲的狀態，無疑要歸因於一些非常重大的罪行。（1）貪婪被控在這百姓身上；他們積存衣服直到生蟲被蛀；他們囤積金銀直到生銹腐蝕。這些東西帶着自己敗壞和消耗的原則，是它們極大的羞辱——衣服生出了蛀蝕它的蟲，金銀生出了腐蝕它們的銹；但這羞辱最重地落在那些積存和囤積這些東西直到如此敗壞、腐蝕、被蛀的人身上。神賜我們屬世的財物，為叫我們以之尊榮祂並行善；但我們若不如此行，反而因對它們徹底而過度的貪愛，或因對將來神護理的不信，而有罪地囤積它們，這是非常重的罪，並必被如此積蓄的財寶的鐵銹和腐爛所見證控告。（2）另一個控在雅各所寫對象身上的罪是欺壓：「工人給你們收割莊稼，你們虧欠他們的工錢，這工錢有聲音呼叫」（雅5:4）。那些手中有財富的人手中也有權力，然後他們受試探濫用那權力欺壓在下的人。我們在此看見富人僱用窮人勞作，而富人對窮人勞力的需要如同窮人對富人薪水的需要一樣，沒有它們一樣難以為繼；但他們不想到這一點，竟虧欠工人的工錢；手中既有權力，他們或許與窮人盡力苛刻交易，甚至在那之後仍不照所當行的履行交易。這是呼求的罪——一種呼求到達神耳中的罪；而在這情形中，神當被視為「萬軍之主」或「萬軍之神」，Kyriou sabaoth——這是舊約中常用的片語，在神的百姓無防備而需要保護、而他們的仇敵眾多而強大的時候。萬軍之主——祂有一切等級的存有和受造物聽其調遣，並將各物安置在其位置——聽見受壓迫者因欺壓者的殘忍或不義而呼求，祂必下令給那些在祂之下的某些軍隊（天使、魔鬼、風暴、疾病等），為那些受不義不憐憫對待的人報復冤屈。當心這欺騙和欺壓的罪，避免它的外表。（3）此處提到的另一個罪是縱慾和奢華。「你們在地上享奢華宴樂」（雅5:5）。神不禁止我們使用享樂；但以之為生——似乎我們活着沒有別的目的——是非常惹神怒的罪；而在地上如此行——我們不過是客旅和寄居者、不過是暫時停留、本當為永恆預備的地方——這，這就是對縱慾之罪的可悲加重。奢華使人放縱，如何13:6所說：「他們的牧場使他們飽足；他們飽足，心就高傲，因此忘記了我。」放縱和奢華通常是極大豐富的結果；人要擁有極大的豐富而不過分放縱肉體感官的享樂，是困難的：「當宰殺的日子，你們養胖了心：你們活着彷彿每天都是獻祭的日子、節日；如此你們的心被養肥到遲鈍、麻木、驕傲和對別人需要和患難的無感。」有人或許說：「美食有甚麼害處呢，只要人不花超過自己所有的？」甚麼！人以自己的肚腹為神、將一切獻給它們、而不是豐豐富富地行慈善和虔誠的事，這沒有害處嗎？人以放縱身體的食慾使自己不適合關心靈魂的事，這沒有害處嗎？那帶來所多瑪火焰、並要帶來此處呼召富人哭泣號啝之苦難的事，必是極大的邪惡！驕傲、怠惰和飽食，與享奢華宴樂、放縱並養肥心如宰殺之日，是同一回事。（4）此處控在富人身上的另一個罪是逼迫：「你們定了義人的罪，把他殺害，他也不抵擋你們」（雅5:6）。這填滿了他們罪孽的度量。他們欺壓並極不公義地行事以獲取產業；有了產業後，他們放縱奢華和縱慾，直到完全失去對別人需要或患難的感覺；然後他們毫無悔意地逼迫殺害。他們確實假裝合法行事，他們在殺害前定罪；但不義的控告，無論帶着怎樣的法律外衣，在神追討流人血的罪時都要算賬，如同屠殺和直接謀殺一樣。此處請注意：義人或許被定罪殺害；但再者請注意：當這樣的人受苦、向欺壓者的不義判決屈服而不抵抗時，這被神記下——為受苦者的尊榮和逼迫者的惡名；這通常表明審判已在門口，我們可以確定算賬的日子將到——為受壓迫者的忍耐報償，並粉碎欺壓者。對罪人所說的話到此為止。
II. 我們接下來附加了一段對聖徒說的話。有人曾輕視或責備這種講道方式——當牧者在應用中對罪人說一句、對聖徒說一句時；但從使徒在此採用這方法，我們可以結論這是正確分解真理之道的最佳方式。從論到惡人和欺壓的富人所得的，給了安慰神受苦百姓的機會：「所以你們要忍耐；既然神要將如此苦難降在惡人身上，你們就可以看見你們的本分在哪裏、你們最大的鼓勵在哪裏。」
1. 注意你們的本分：「你們要忍耐」（雅5:7），「堅固你們的心」（雅5:8），「弟兄們，你們不要彼此埋怨」（雅5:9）。好好考慮這三句話的意義：（1）「你們要忍耐——忍受你們的患難而不發怨言，忍受你們的傷害而不報復；即使神不立即以顯著的方式為你們出頭，也要等候祂。『默示有一定的日期，結局必然來到，不再虛謊；雖然遲延，還要等候。還有一點點時候，那要來的就來，並不遲延。』讓你們的忍耐延展為恆久忍耐」；此處所用的字 makrothymesate 即如此意。我們作完了工，需要忍耐來等候賞賜。這基督徒的忍耐不僅是向必需的屈服——如某些哲學家所教的道德忍耐——而是在神的智慧和旨意中的謙卑默然順服，眼望將來榮耀的賞賜：「你們要忍耐，直到主來。」而因為這是基督徒必須學的功課，雖然對他們再難也不易，所以在雅5:8中重複：「你們也當忍耐。」（2）「堅固你們的心——讓你們的信心堅定不搖，你們行善的實踐恆常繼續而不疲倦，你們為神和天國的決心固定不變——不顧一切受苦或試探。」惡人的興盛和義人的受苦在各時代都是神百姓信心極大的試驗。大衛告訴我們「他的腳幾乎失閃」，當他看見惡人的興盛時（詩73:2,3）。雅各寫信給的一些基督徒或許也處於同樣搖搖欲墜的狀態；因此他們被召來堅固他們的心；信心和忍耐必堅固人心。（3）「你們不要彼此埋怨」；原文 me stenazete 意為「不要彼此歎息」；即「不要以你們因所遭遇之事發出的埋怨歎息使彼此不安，也不要以你們對可能進一步臨到之事的不信歎息，也不要以對你們受苦工具的報復歎息，也不要以對那些或許免於你們災難之人的嫉妒歎息：不要如此彼此歎息、彼此憂愁而使自己不安、彼此不安。」「使徒在我看來」（曼頓博士說）「是在此責備那些彼此的傷害和仇恨——那時的基督徒在『割禮』和『未受割禮』的名義下結黨，彼此憂愁、彼此給予歎息的理由；如此他們不僅在富足逼迫者的欺壓下歎息，也在他們從許多與他們一同宣認聖潔信仰的弟兄所受的傷害下歎息。」那些在共同仇敵中間、處於受苦狀況中的人，應當格外小心不彼此憂愁或彼此歎息，否則審判也必臨到他們如同別人；而這樣的埋怨越盛行，就越表明審判越近。
2. 思想此處基督徒忍耐、堅固他們的心、不彼此埋怨有甚麼鼓勵。（1）「看農夫的榜樣：他忍耐等候地裏寶貴的出產，直等得了秋雨春雨。你們將種子撒在地裏，等候許多月的秋雨春雨，情願等到收割才得勞力的果子；這豈不教導你們忍受幾場風暴、忍耐一時——當你們等候的是一個國度和永遠的福樂嗎？思想那等候莊稼的人；你們不願等候榮耀的冠冕嗎？你們若或被召等候比農夫更久一點，它豈不是在比例上更大、並無限更值得你們等候嗎？但」（2）「想你們的等候時間或許多麼短：主來的日子近了（雅5:8）；看哪，審判的主站在門前了（雅5:9）。不要急躁，不要彼此爭吵；那要糾正一切、懲罰惡人賞賜好人的大審判官近了：你們當以為祂站在門口——如同剛要叩門的人。」當雅各寫這封書信時，「主來」懲罰惡猶太人的日子已非常近；每當祂百姓的忍耐和其他恩典受非凡的試驗時，基督作審判官來臨的確實性和臨近性當堅固他們的心。審判官如今在祂來審判世界的事上比這封書信寫成時近多了——近了一千七百多年；因此這當對我們有更大的影響。（3）當審判官顯現時我們被定罪的危險當激發我們留意如前所述的本分：「不要彼此埋怨，免得受審判。」急躁和不滿使我們暴露於神公義的審判之下，我們因彼此埋怨、不信、嫉妒的歎息和埋怨而給自己帶來的災難比我們意識到的更多。我們若避免這些邪惡而在試煉下忍耐，神必不定我們的罪。讓我們以此鼓勵自己。（4）我們以先知的榜樣受鼓勵忍耐（雅5:10）：「你們要把那先前奉主名說話的眾先知當作能受苦、能忍耐的榜樣。」此處請注意：先知——神加在他們身上最大尊榮、為他們存最大喜愛的人——最受苦；而當我們想到最好的人在這世上受了最苛刻的對待，我們就當因此與患難和好。進一步請注意：那些受苦最大的人也是忍耐最好最大的榜樣：「患難生忍耐。」於是雅各將此作為忠信之人的常識給我們（雅5:11）：「我們稱那先前忍耐的人是有福的」：我們看義而忍耐的受苦者為最快樂的人。見雅1:2-12。（5）約伯也被提出作為受苦之人的鼓勵榜樣。「你們聽過約伯的忍耐，也知道主給他的結局」（雅5:11）。在約伯的事上你們有各樣苦難——而且是非常大的苦難——的例子，但他在一切之下能稱頌神，而論到他靈的一般趨向，他是忍耐而謙卑的：而最後臨到他的是甚麼呢？確實，神為他成就並帶來了那些事，清楚地證明「主是滿心憐憫，大有慈悲」。忍受患難最好的方法是看它們的結局；而神的憐憫使祂不會在祂的目的一旦達成後耽延使它們結束；神溫柔的慈悲使祂要為祂百姓一切受苦和患難作豐富的補償。他們受苦時祂的肺腑為他們而動，之後祂的豐盛彰顯出來。讓我們事奉我們的神、忍受我們的試煉，作為相信結局將冠冕一切的人。
英文原文
Warnings to the Rich; Motives to Patience under Affliction (61 AD)
¹ Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
² Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
³ Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
⁴ Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
⁵ Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
⁶ Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
⁷ Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
⁸ Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
⁹ Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
¹⁰ Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
¹¹ Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
The apostle is here addressing first sinners and then saints.
I. Let us consider the address to sinners; and here we find James seconding what his great Master had said: Woe unto you that are rich; for you have received your consolation, Lu 6:24. The rich people to whom this word of warning was sent were not such as professed the Christian religion, but the worldly and unbelieving Jews, such as are here said to condemn and kill the just, which the Christians had no power to do; and though this epistle was written for the sake of the faithful, and was sent principally to them, yet, by an apostrophe, the infidel Jews may be well supposed here spoken to. They would not hear the word, and therefore it is written, that they might read it. It is observable, in the very first inscription of this epistle, that it is not directed, as Paul's epistles were, to the brethren in Christ, but, in general, to the twelve tribes; and the salutation is not, grace and peace from Christ, but, in general, greeting, Jam 1:1. The poor among the Jews received the gospel, and many of them believed; but the generality of the rich rejected Christianity, and were hardened in their unbelief, and hated and persecuted those who believed on Christ. To these oppressing, unbelieving, persecuting, rich people, the apostle addresses himself in the Jam 5:1-6.
1. He foretels the judgments of God that should come upon them, Jam 5:1-3. they should have miseries come upon them, and such dreadful miseries that the very apprehension of them was enough to make them weep and howl—misery that should arise from the very things in which they placed their happiness, and misery that should be completed by these things witnessing against them at the last, to their utter destruction; and they are now called to reason upon and thoroughly to weigh the matter, and to think how they will stand before God in judgment: Go to now, you rich men. (1.) "You may be assured of this that very dreadful calamities are coming upon you, calamities that shall carry nothing of support nor comfort in them, but all misery, misery in time, misery to eternity, misery in your outward afflictions, misery in your inward frame and temper of mind, misery in this world, misery in hell. You have not a single instance of misery only coming upon you, but miseries. The ruin of your church and nation is at hand; and there will come a day of wrath, when riches shall not profit men, but all the wicked shall be destroyed." (2.) The very apprehension of such miseries as were coming upon them is enough to make them weep and howl. Rich men are apt to say to themselves (and others are ready to say to them), Eat, drink, and be merry; but God says, Weep and howl. It is not said, Weep and repent, for this the apostle does not expect from them (he speaks in a way of denouncing rather than admonishing); but, "Weep and howl, for when your doom comes there will be nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth." Those who live like beasts are called howl like such. Public calamities are most grievous to rich people, who live in pleasure, and are secure and sensual; and therefore they shall weep and howl more than other people for the miseries that shall come upon them. (3.) Their misery shall arise from the very things in which they placed their happiness. "Corruption, decay, rust, and ruin, will come upon all your goodly things: Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten, Jam 5:2. Those things which you now inordinately affect will hereafter insupportably wound you: they will be of no worth, of no use to you, but, on the contrary, will pierce you through with many sorrows; for," (4.) "They will witness against you, and they will eat your flesh as it were fire," Jam 5:3. Things inanimate are frequently represented in scripture as witnessing against wicked men. Heaven, earth, the stones of the field, the production of the ground, and here the very rust and canker of ill-gotten and ill-kept treasures, are said to witness against impious rich men. They think to heap up treasure for their latter days, to live plentifully upon when they come to be old; but, alas! they are only heaping up treasures to become a prey to others (as the Jews had all taken from them by the Romans), and treasures that will prove at last to be only treasures of wrath, in the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Then shall their iniquities, in the punishment of them, eat their flesh as it were with fire. In the ruin of Jerusalem, many thousands perished by fire; in the last judgment the wicked shall be condemned to everlasting burnings, prepared for the devil and his angels. The Lord deliver us from the portion of wicked rich men! and, in order to this, let us take care that we do not fall into their sins, which we are next to consider.
2. The apostle shows what those sins are which should bring such miseries. To be in so deplorable a condition must doubtless be owing to some very heinous crimes. (1.) Covetousness is laid to the charge of this people; they laid by their garments till they bred moths and were eaten; they hoarded up their gold and silver till they were rusty and cankered. It is a very great disgrace to these things that they carry in them the principles of their own corruption and consumption—the garment breeds the moth that frets it, the gold and silver breeds the canker that eats it; but the disgrace falls most heavily upon those who hoard and lay up these things till they come to be thus corrupted, and cankered, and eaten. God gives us our worldly possessions that we may honour him and do good with them; but if, instead of this, we sinfully hoard them up, thorough and undue affection towards them, or a distrust of the providence of God for the future, this is a very heinous crime, and will be witnessed against by the very rust and corruption of the treasure thus heaped together. (2.) Another sin charged upon those against whom James writes is oppression: Behold, the hire of the labourers, who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth, etc., Jam 5:4. Those who have wealth in their hands get power into their hands, and then they are tempted to abuse that power to oppress such as are under them. The rich we here find employing the poor in their labours, and the rich have as much need of the labours of the poor as the poor have of wages from the rich, and could as ill be without them; but yet, not considering this, they kept back the hire of the labourers; having power in their hands, it is probable that they made as hard bargains with the poor as they could, and even after that would not make good their bargains as they should have done. This is a crying sin, an iniquity that cries so as to reach the ears of God; and, in this case, God is to be considered as the Lord of sabaoth, or the Lord of hosts, Kyriou sabaoth, a phrase often used in the Old-Testament, when the people of God were defenseless and wanted protection, and when their enemies were numerous and powerful. The Lord of hosts, who has all ranks of beings and creatures at his disposal, and who sets all in their several places, hears the oppressed when they cry by reason of the cruelty or injustice of the oppressor, and he will give orders to some of those hosts that are under him (angels, devils, storms, distempers, or the like) to avenge the wrongs done to those who are dealt with unrighteously and unmercifully. Take heed of this sin of defrauding and oppressing, and avoid the very appearances of it. (3.) Another sin here mentioned is sensuality and voluptuousness. You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, Jam 5:5. God does not forbid us to use pleasure; but to live in them as if we lived for nothing else is a very provoking sin; and to do this on the earth, where we are but strangers and pilgrims, where we are but to continue for a while, and where we ought to be preparing for eternity—this, this is a grievous aggravation of the sin of voluptuousness. Luxury makes people wanton, as in Ho 13:6, According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. Wantonness and luxury are commonly the effects of great plenty and abundance; it is hard for people to have great plenty and abundance; it is hard for people to have great estates, and not too much indulge themselves in carnal, sensual pleasures: "You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter: you live as if it were every day a day of sacrifices, a festival; and hereby your hearts are fattened and nourished to stupidity, dulness, pride, and an insensibility to the wants and afflictions of others." Some may say, "What harm is there in good cheer, provided people do not spend above what they have?" What! Is it no harm for people to make gods of their bellies, and to give all to these, instead of abounding in acts of charity and piety? Is it no harm for people to unfit themselves for minding the concerns of their souls, by indulging the appetites of their bodies? Surely that which brought flames upon Sodom, and would bring these miseries for which rich men are here called to weep and howl, must be a heinous evil! Pride, and idleness, and fullness of bread, mean the same thing with living in pleasure, and being wanton, and nourishing the heart as in a day of slaughter. (4.) Another sin here charged on the rich is persecution: You have condemned and killed the just, and he doth not resist you, Jam 5:6. This fills up the measure of their iniquity. They oppressed and acted very unjustly, to get estates; when they had them, they gave way to luxury and sensuality, till they had lost all sense and feeling of the wants or afflictions of others; and then they persecute and kill without remorse. They pretend to act legally indeed, they condemn before they kill; but unjust prosecutions, whatever colour of law they may carry in them, will come into the reckoning when God shall make inquisition for blood, as well as massacres and downright murders. Observe here, The just may be condemned and killed: but then again observe, When such do suffer, and yield without resistance to the unjust sentence of oppressors, this is marked by God, to the honour of the sufferers and the infamy of their persecutors; this commonly shows that judgments are at the door, and we may certainly conclude that a reckoning-day will come, to reward the patience of the oppressed and to break to pieces the oppressor. Thus far the address to sinners goes.
II. We have next subjoined an address to saints. Some have been ready to despise or to condemn this way of preaching, when ministers, in their application, have brought a word to sinners, and a word to saints; but, from the apostle's here taking this method, we may conclude that this is the best way rightly to divide the word of truth. From what has been said concerning wicked and oppressing rich men, occasion is given to administer comfort to God's afflicted people: "Be patient therefore; since God will send such miseries on the wicked, you may see what is your duty, and where your greatest encouragement lies."
1. Attend to your duty: Be patient (Jam 5:7), establish your hearts (Jam 5:8), grudge not one against another, brethren, Jam 5:9. Consider well the meaning of these three expressions:—(1.) "Be patient—bear your afflictions without murmuring, your injuries without revenge; and, though God should not in any signal manner appear for you immediately, wait for him. The vision is for an appointed time; at the end it will speak, and will not lie; therefore wait for it. It is but a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Let your patience be lengthened out to long suffering;" so the word here used, makrothymesate, signifies. When we have done our work, we have need of patience to stay for our reward. This Christian patience is not a mere yielding to necessity, as the moral patience taught by some philosophers was, but it is a humble acquiescence in the wisdom and will of God, with an eye to a future glorious recompense: Be patient to the coming of the Lord. And because this is a lesson Christians must learn, though ever so hard or difficult to the, it is repeated in Jam 5:8, Be you also patient. (2.) "Establish your hearts—let your faith be firm, without wavering, your practice of what is good constant and continued, without tiring, and your resolutions for God and heaven fixed, in spite of all sufferings or temptations." The prosperity of the wicked and the affliction of the righteous have in all ages been a very great trial to the faith of the people of God. David tells us that his feet were almost gone, when he saw the prosperity of the wicked, Ps 73:2,3. Some of those Christians to whom St. James wrote might probably be in the same tottering condition; and therefore they are called upon to establish their hearts; faith and patience will establish the heart. (3.) Grudge not one against another; the words me stenazete signify, Groan not one against another, that is, "Do not make one another uneasy by your murmuring groans at what befalls you, nor by your distrustful groans as to what may further come upon you, nor by your revengeful groans against the instruments of your sufferings, nor by your envious groans at those who may be free from your calamities: do not make yourselves uneasy and make one another uneasy by thus groaning to and grieving one another." "The apostle seemeth to me" (says Dr. Manton) "to be here taxing those mutual injuries and animosities wherewith the Christians of those times, having banded under the names of circumcision and uncircumcision, did grieve one another, and give each other cause to groan; so that they did not only sigh under the oppressions of the rich persecutors, but under the injuries which they sustained from many of the brethren who, together with them, did profess the holy faith." Those who are in the midst of common enemies, and in any suffering circumstances, should be more especially careful not to grieve nor to groan against one another, otherwise judgments will come upon them as well as others; and the more such grudgings prevail the nearer do they show judgment to be.
2. Consider what encouragement here is for Christians to be patient, to establish their hearts, and not to grudge one against another. And, (1.) "Look to the example of the husbandman: He waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. When you sow your corn in the ground, you wait many months for the former and latter rain, and are willing to stay till harvest for the fruit of your labour; and shall not this teach you to bear a few storms, and to be patient for a season, when you are looking for a kingdom and everlasting felicity? Consider him that waits for a crop of corn; and will not you wait for a crown of glory? If you should be called to wait a little longer than the husbandman does, is it not something proportionably greater and infinitely more worth your waiting for? But," (2.) "Think how short your waiting time may possibly be: The coming of the Lord draweth nigh, Jam 5:8; behold, the Judge standeth before the door, Jam 5:9. Do not be impatient, do not quarrel with one another; the great Judge, who will set all to rights, who will punish the wicked and reward the good, is at hand: he should be conceived by you to stand as near as one who is just knocking at the door." The coming of the Lord to punish the wicked Jews was then very nigh, when James wrote this epistle; and, whenever the patience and other graces of his people are tried in an extraordinary manner, the certainty of Christ's coming as Judge, and the nearness of it, should establish their hearts. The Judge is now a great deal nearer, in his coming to judge the world, than when this epistle was written, nearer by above seventeen hundred years; and therefore this should have the greater effect upon us. (3.) The danger of our being condemned when the Judge appears should excite us to mind our duty as before laid down: Grudge not, lest you be condemned. Fretfulness and discontent expose us to the just judgment of God, and we bring more calamities upon ourselves by our murmuring, distrustful, envious groans and grudgings against one another, than we are aware of. If we avoid these evils, and be patient under our trials, God will not condemn us. Let us encourage ourselves with this. (4.) We are encouraged to be patient by the example of the prophets (Jam 5:10): Take the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Observe here, The prophets, on whom God put the greatest honour, and for whom he had the greatest favour, were most afflicted: and, when we think that the best men have had the hardest usage in this world, we should hereby be reconciled to affliction. Observe further, Those who were the greatest examples of suffering affliction were also the best and greatest examples of patience: tribulation worketh patience. Hereupon James gives it to us as the common sense of the faithful (Jam 5:11): We count those happy who endure: we look upon righteous and patient sufferers as the happiest people. See Jam 1:2-12. (5.) Job also is proposed as an example for the encouragement of the afflicted. You have hard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, etc., Jam 5:11. In the case of Job you have an instance of a variety of miseries, and of such as were very grievous, but under all he could bless God, and, as to the general bent of his spirit, he was patient and humble: and what came to him in the end? Why, truly, God accomplished and brought about those things for him which plainly prove that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. The best way to bear afflictions is to look to the end of them; and the pity of God is such that he will not delay the bringing of them to an end when his purposes are once answered; and the tender mercy of God is such that he will make his people an abundant amends for all their sufferings and afflictions. His bowels are moved for them while suffering, his bounty is manifested afterwards. Let us serve our God, and endure our trials, as those who believe the end will crown all.
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Caution against Swearing; Profaneness Condemned; Confession and Prayer; Efficacy of Prayer (61 AD)
防備起誓；褻瀆受譴責；認罪和祈禱；祈禱的功效（公元61年）
¹² 我的弟兄們，最要緊的是不可起誓；不可指着天起誓，也不可指着地起誓，無論何誓都不可起。你們說話，是，就說是；不是，就說不是，免得你們落在審判之下。
¹³ 你們中間有受苦的呢，他就該禱告。有喜樂的呢，他就該歌頌。
¹⁴ 你們中間有病了的呢，他就該請教會的長老來；他們可以奉主的名用油抹他，為他禱告。
¹⁵ 出於信心的祈禱要救那病人，主必叫他起來；他若犯了罪，也必蒙赦免。
¹⁶ 所以你們要彼此認罪，互相代求，使你們可以得醫治。義人祈禱所發的力量是大有功效的。
¹⁷ 以利亞與我們是一樣性情的人，他懇切禱告，求不要下雨，雨就三年零六個月不下在地上。
¹⁸ 他又禱告，天就降下雨來，地也生出土產。
¹⁹ 我的弟兄們，你們中間若有失迷真道的，有人使他回轉，
²⁰ 這人該知道：叫一個罪人從迷路上轉回，便是救一個靈魂不死，並且遮蓋許多的罪。
這封書信如今將要結束，執筆者很快地從一件事轉到另一件事：因此如此不同的事在這短短幾節中被論到。
I. 起誓的罪受警戒：「我的弟兄們，最要緊的是不可起誓」（雅5:12）。有人將此理解得太狹窄，似乎意思是「不可向你們的逼迫者、向那些「捏造各樣壞話毁謗你們」的人起誓；不要被他們對你們的傷害激動，以至你們在激動中被惹動起誓。」這種起誓無疑在此被禁止：那些犯這罪的人不能以他們只是被惹動時、在他們意識到之前起誓為藉口。但使徒的警戒延伸到其他起誓場合如同這個。有人將這話譯為 pro panton——「在一切之前」；如此使本處的意思是，他們在平常的言語中，不可「在他們所說的一切之前」加上一個誓。一切習慣性的無謂起誓無疑被禁止，並在聖經中始終被定罪為極重的罪。褻瀆的起誓在猶太人中非常習慣，而既然這封書信一般性地寫給「散住十二個支派之人」（如前已注意），我們可設想這勸勉也發給那些不信的人。起誓若是神兒女的斑點就難以設想，因為彼得被指控為基督的門徒、要反駁這指控時，就發咒起誓——如此以為最有效地使他們信服他不是耶穌的門徒——因為眾所周知這樣的人不敢放縱自己起誓；但或許那些被稱為基督徒中較放蕩的一些人，在此處所控的其他罪之外，或許也犯這罪。這罪在後來的年代中極其可恥地盛行，甚至在那些最被認為有權享有基督徒名稱和特權的人中。的確很少聽見英國國會的異見者犯起誓的罪，但在那些以自己是國教為榮的人中沒有甚麼更常見；而的確如今最可咒詛的誓言和咒詛每日傷害一切認真基督徒的耳和心。雅各在此說：
1.「最要緊的是不可起誓」；但有多少人對這事看得最輕，將沒有甚麼比平常褻瀆的起誓更不當回事！但為何起誓在此「最要緊」被禁止？（1）因為它最直接地打擊神的尊榮，最明確地藐視祂的名和權威。（2）因為這罪在一切罪中最少有試探：不是利益、不是享樂、不是名聲能推動人如此行，而是在犯罪中的放縱、以及不必要地對神表示敵意。「祢的仇敵妄稱祢的名」（詩139:20）。這是人作神仇敵的證據——無論他們怎樣假裝以祂的名自稱，或有時在敬拜中以之奉承祂。（3）因為人一旦習慣了就最難戒除，因此它當最要緊地防備。而（4）「最要緊的是不可起誓，因為你們怎能期望神的名在你們的困境中作你們的堅固台，若你們在別的時候褻瀆它、玩弄它？」但（如巴克斯特先生所觀察的）「這一切不僅不禁止必需的誓，反而是為確認它們——藉着保持對它們應有的敬畏。」他進一步指出「誓的真正性質是，藉着我們的言語，以某個確實或偉大之物的聲譽作保，為證實一件被質疑的較小之事；而非（如通常所持的）向神或別的審判官上訴。」因此指着天、指着地、以及使徒所提的其他誓言才開始使用。猶太人想只要他們省略了 Chi-Eloah 的大誓就安全了。但他們變得如此褻瀆，以至指着受造物起誓，如同它是神；如此將它高舉到神的位置；而另一方面，那些平常而褻瀆地以神的名起誓的人，藉此將祂與每件平常的事物同等。
2.「你們說話，是，就說是；不是，就說不是，免得你們落在審判之下」；即「按場合肯定或否定一件事就夠了，並要堅守你們的話，對它真實，以使你們不被懷疑虛假；那時你們就會免受以輕率誓言支持你們所說或所應許的定罪，以及免受以褻瀆神的名來為自己辯護的定罪。被懷疑虛假才引人起誓。讓人知道你們堅守真理、對你們的話堅定，藉此你們將發現無須為你們所說的起誓。如此你們將逃脫明確附屬於第三誡的定罪：『妄稱耶和華名的，耶和華必不以他為無罪。』」
II. 作為基督徒我們受教使自己適合護理的安排（雅5:13）：「你們中間有受苦的呢，他就該禱告。有喜樂的呢，他就該歌頌。」我們在這世界的境況是多樣的；我們的智慧是順服它如此，並在興盛中和在苦難下都表現合宜。有時我們在悲傷中，有時在歡笑中；神將這些對立擺設，為使我們更好地遵守祂所吩咐的各樣本分，並使在我們激情和情感上所造成的印象服務於我們的敬拜。苦難當推動我們祈禱，興盛當使我們豐富讚美。不是說祈禱只限於患難之時，歌唱只限於歡笑之時；而是這些各樣本分可以在這樣的季節以特別的優勢和最美好的效果履行。1. 在苦難的日子，沒有甚麼比祈禱更合時。受苦的人自己當祈禱，如同為他尋求別人的祈禱。受苦之時當是祈禱之時。為此目的神差來苦難，為使我們被吸引早早尋求祂；並使那些在別的時候忽略祂的人可以被帶來尋求祂。靈那時最謙卑，心破碎而溫柔；而祈禱從痛悔謙卑的靈發出時最蒙神悅納。苦難自然引出訴苦；而我們當向誰訴苦呢——除了在祈禱中向神？在苦難下操練信心和盼望是必需的；而祈禱是為獲得並增加我們裏面這些恩典所指定的方法。「有受苦的呢？他就該禱告。」2. 在歡笑和興盛的日子，唱詩非常適當而合時。原文只說「唱」psalleto，沒有加「詩篇」或任何別的字：我們從基督徒最初幾個世代的幾位作者的著作中（特別從普林尼的一封信、以及殉道者游斯丁和特土良的一些段落中）學到，基督徒習慣在敬拜神時唱詩——或取自聖經、或更私下創作的。雖然有人以為保羅勸歌羅西人和以弗所人「用詩章、頌詞、靈歌彼此對說」psalmois kai hymnois kai odais pneumatikais 只指聖經的創作——大衛的詩篇在希伯來文中以 Shurim, Tehillim, Mizmorim 區分，這些字恰好對應使徒的這些字。無論如何，這一點我們可以確定：唱詩是福音的典章，我們的喜樂當是聖潔的喜樂，奉獻給神。此處如此指示唱詩，表明若有人在歡笑和興盛的境況中，他當將他的歡笑——即使獨自一人——引入這條渠道。聖潔的歡笑適合家庭和隱私，如同適合公開聚會。讓我們的歌唱如此「用心向主歌唱」，神必確實喜悅這樣的敬拜。
III. 我們有關於病人的特別指示，並且「醫治赦免的憐憫應許」在遵行那些指示時賜下。若有病了的人，要求他們：1.「請教會的長老」presbyterous tes ekklesias——教會的長老、牧者或執事（雅5:14,15）。病人有本分請傳道人來，並請求他們的幫助和祈禱。2. 傳道人在被如此請求和呼召時有本分為病人祈禱。「他們可以……為他禱告」；讓他們的祈禱適合他的情形，讓他們的代求如同那些體恤他災難之人。3. 在神蹟醫治的時代，「病人可以奉主的名用油抹」。解經家普遍將這用油抹限於那些有行神蹟能力的人；當神蹟停止，這設立也停止了。在馬可福音中我們讀到使徒用油抹了許多病人並治好他們（可6:13）。我們有基督之後二百年教會如此行的記載；但那時醫治的恩賜也隨之而來，當神蹟的恩賜停止，這儀式就被擱置。天主教確實將此做成一個聖禮，他們稱之為「終傅」。他們使用它不是為醫治病人，如使徒所使用的；而是如他們通常在教會的設立上違背聖經，此處他們規定這只當施行於那些正處於死亡邊緣的人。使徒的抹油是為醫治疾病；天主教的抹油是為驅除罪的殘餘，並使靈魂（如他們假裝的）更好地與空中掌權者爭戰。當他們不能以任何可見的效果證明基督在他們繼續這儀式上與他們同在時，他們卻要人相信不可見的效果非常奇妙。但省去這用油抹遠勝於將它完全翻轉到與聖經中所說的目的相反。有些更正教徒以為這抹油只是被基督許可或批准，而非設立。但從雅各此處的話看來，它似乎是在有為醫治的信心時所吩咐的事。有些更正教徒據此為之辯護。它不是常用的，即使在使徒時代也不常用；有人以為它在任何時代都不當完全被擱置，而哪裏在抹油的人和受抹油的人中有非同尋常的信心度量，非同尋常的祝福或許隨着為病人遵行這指示而來。無論如何，此處有一件事當小心注意：病人的得救不是歸於「用油抹」，而是歸於祈禱：「出於信心的祈禱要救那病人」（雅5:15）。所以，4. 為病人的祈禱必須出於活的信心並伴隨活的信心。在祈禱的人和受祈禱的人中都要有信心。在患病之時，有效驗的不是冷淡形式的祈禱，而是信心的祈禱。5. 我們當觀察祈禱的成功。「主必叫他起來」；即若他是一個能受拯救且合適的人，且若神對這樣的人在世界中還有進一步的事要做。「他若犯了罪，也必蒙赦免」；即哪裏疾病是作為某個特別之罪的刑罰而差來，那罪必蒙赦免，作為記號疾病必被移除。正如基督對那病了三十八年的人說：「去吧，從此不要再犯罪，恐怕你遭遇的更加利害」——暗示某個特別的罪是他疾病的原因。因此我們在患病之時當為自己並為別人所求於神的大事是罪的赦免。罪既是疾病的根，也是疾病的毒鉤。罪若蒙赦免，或患難要在憐憫中被移除，或我們要看見在它的繼續中有憐憫。當醫治建立在赦免之上時，我們可以如希西家那樣說：祢因愛我的靈魂，「救我免下毁壞的坑」（賽38:17）。當你病了在痛苦中時，最常見的是祈禱呼求：「哦，給我舒解！哦，恢復我的健康！」但你的祈禱當更當主要是：「哦，願神赦免我的罪！」
IV. 基督徒受指示「彼此認罪，並如此帶着他們的祈禱為彼此代求」（雅5:16）。有些解經家將此與雅5:14相連。似乎當病人請傳道人來為他們祈禱時，他們當向他們認罪。誠然，哪裏有人意識到自己的疾病是某個特別之罪的報復性刑罰，且他不能期望疾病的移除而無特別向神求那罪的赦免，那裏他或許當認罪並告訴他的情形，使那些為他祈禱的人知道如何正確地為他懇求。但此處要求的認罪是基督徒彼此之間的，而非如天主教所要的向神父。哪裏有人彼此傷害，不公正的行為當向所犯的對象認罪。哪裏有人彼此試探犯罪或同意於同樣邪惡的行動，那裏他們當彼此責備自己並彼此激發悔改。哪裏罪行是公開性質的並造成了公開的禍害，那裏當更公開地認罪，以最能觸及一切有關之人的方式。有時向我們某個謹慎的傳道人或祈禱的朋友認罪也是好的，使他可以幫助我們向神懇求憐憫和赦免。但我們不要以為雅各要我們說出我們意識到自己或彼此中一切不當的事；而是就認罪對我們與那些與我們不和之人的和好、或為獲得良心某一點上的信息和使我們自己的靈安靜安穩是必需的而言，我們當樂意認罪。有時向彼此披露我們特殊的軟弱和弱點也對基督徒有益——哪裏有大的親密和友誼，哪裏他們可以藉着彼此的祈禱幫助彼此獲得罪的赦免和勝過罪的能力。那些彼此認罪的人當隨之彼此代求。雅5:13指示人為自己祈禱：「有受苦的呢，他就該禱告」；雅5:14指示尋求傳道人的祈禱；而雅5:16指示私人基督徒彼此代求；如此我們在此有各樣的祈禱（執事的、社交的、隱私的）受推薦。
V. 祈禱的大益處和功效被宣告和證明：「義人祈禱所發的力量是大有功效的」——無論他是為自己還是為別人祈禱：以以利亞的榜樣為證（雅5:17,18）。那祈禱的人必須是義人；不是絕對意義上的義（因為以利亞不是如此，而他在此作我們的模範），而是福音意義上的義——不愛也不贊同任何不義。「我若心裏注重罪孽，主必不聽」（詩66:18）。進一步，祈禱本身必須是熱切的、在裏面做成的、好好做成的祈禱。它必須是向神傾心；它必須出於無偽的信心。這樣的祈禱大有功效。它對我們自己極有益處，對我們的朋友或許非常有益，我們確知它蒙神悅納。有那些在神眼前祈禱有效的朋友是好的。祈禱的能力在此從以利亞的成功得到證明。這在我們平常的情形中或許也是鼓勵，若我們想到以利亞是「與我們一樣性情的人」。他是熱心善良的人，是個偉大的人，但他有他的軟弱，也如別人一樣受脾氣失調之苦。在祈禱中我們不可看人的功績，而當看神的恩典。在此我們只當效法以利亞——他「懇切禱告」，或照原文「在祈禱中他禱告」。僅僅說一篇祈禱是不夠的，我們必須在祈禱中祈禱。我們的思想當固定，我們的願望當堅定而熱切，我們的恩典當在操練中；當我們如此在祈禱中祈禱時，我們必在祈禱中亨通。以利亞「求不要下雨」；神聽了他對一個拜偶像逼迫之國家的懇求，如此「雨就三年零六個月不下在地上。他又禱告，天就降下雨來」。如此你們看見祈禱是開閉天堂的鑰匙。啟11:6對此有引用，那裏說兩個見證人有權柄「關閉諸天，使雨不降」。這祈禱非凡功效的實例被記錄，為鼓勵甚至普通的基督徒也在祈禱中恆切熱切。神從不對雅各的任何子孫說：「尋求我的面是徒然的」。以利亞若藉着祈禱能做如此大而奇妙的事，確實沒有一個義人的祈禱會空手而歸。哪裏在神答應我們的祈禱上或許沒有那麼多神蹟，那裏卻可以有同樣多的恩典。
VI. 這封書信以勸勉我們在我們的位置上盡所能促進別人的歸正和拯救作為結束（雅5:19,20）。有人將這兩節解釋為使徒為自己辯護——為何他如此坦白而嚴厲地責備猶太基督徒的許多過失和錯誤。當然雅各給了一個非常好的理由為何他如此關心使他們從錯誤中歸正——因為如此行他要救靈魂，並遮蓋許多的罪。但我們不可將本處限制於使徒使那些從真理錯誤的人歸正；不，也不限制於別的類似性質的執事努力，既然經上說：「若有失迷真道的，有人使他回轉」——無論是誰為別人行這善工，他在其中都是救人靈魂脫離死亡的器皿。使徒在此稱為弟兄的人，他仍設想可能失迷。自誇自己免於錯誤、或拒絕承認自己在錯誤中，不是智慧人或聖潔人的記號。但若有失迷的，無論他們多大，你們不可怕向他們指出他們的錯誤；無論他們多軟弱多小，你們不可輕看他們使他們更有智慧更好。他們若從真理——即從福音（真理的大規則和標準）——失迷，無論是在意見上還是在實踐上，你們當努力帶他們再回到規則。判斷和生活上的錯誤通常同行。每個實際的失敗底下都有某個教義的錯誤。沒有習慣上壞的人，底下沒有某個壞原則。如今使他們歸正就是使他們從錯誤中歸回，並從他們被引入的邪惡中挽回。我們不可立即控告並攻擊失迷的弟兄，尋求將羞辱和災難加在他身上，而要使他歸正；而若我們盡一切努力仍不能如此，我們也無權逼迫並毁滅他。我們若在使任何人歸正上是器皿，「我們」被說成使他們歸正——雖然這主要是且有效地是神的工作。而我們在使罪人歸正上若不能做更多，我們仍可做這——為神的恩典和聖靈禱告使他們歸正並改變他們。讓那些以任何方式有助於使別人歸正的人知道他們如此行的美好結果：他們可以現今在其中大得安慰，他們最終將遇見冠冕。那在雅5:19被說為「失迷真道」的人，在雅5:20被描述為「在他路上失迷」，而我們不能僅僅藉着改變他們的意見就說使他們歸正——除非我們能帶他們改正並改善他們的道路。這才是歸正——使一個罪人從他道路的錯誤中轉回，而非使他從一個黨派轉到另一個，或僅從一個概念和思想方式轉到另一個。如此使罪人從他道路的錯誤中轉回的人，「便是救一個靈魂不死」。這事關一個靈魂；而為拯救靈魂所做的一切必確實轉為益處。靈魂既是人的主要部分，只提到它的拯救，但它包含全人的拯救：靈要從地獄得救，身體從墳墓復活，兩者都從永遠的死亡得救。而那麼，藉着如此心靈和生活的歸正，「許多的罪必被遮蓋」。這是極其安慰人的聖經經文。我們由此學到，雖然我們的罪許多——甚至一大群——它們卻可以被遮蓋或赦免；而當罪被轉離或離棄時它必被遮蓋，永不在我們的審判中出現控告我們。任人怎樣想掩蓋或為自己的罪辯解，除了離棄它，沒有有效而最終遮蓋它的方法。有人將本處的意思理解為：歸正將「防止」許多的罪；而這是無可爭辯的真理——許多罪在歸正的人身上被防止了，許多也在他能影響的或能與之交往的別人身上被防止了。總之，我們當以一切可能的關心為罪人的歸正盡力！這將是歸正者的幸福和拯救；這將防止許多禍害，以及罪在世界中的蔓延和增多；這將是神的榮耀和尊貴；這將極大地有利於我們在 大日子的安慰和聲名。「使多人歸義的」以及幫助如此行的人，「必發光如星，直到永永遠遠」。
英文原文
Caution against Swearing; Profaneness Condemned; Confession and Prayer; Efficacy of Prayer (61 AD)
¹² But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
¹³ Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
¹⁴ Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
¹⁵ And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
¹⁷ Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
¹⁹ Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
²⁰ Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
This epistle now drawing to a close, the penman goes off very quickly from one thing to another: hence it is that matters so very different are insisted on in these few verses.
I. The sin of swearing is cautioned against: But above all things, my brethren, swear not, etc., Jam 5:12. Some understand this too restrictedly, as if the meaning were, "Swear not at your persecutors, at those that reproach you and say all manner of evil of you; be not put into a passion by the injuries they do you, so as in your passion to be provoked to swear." This swearing is no doubt forbidden here: and it will not excuse those that are guilty of this sin to say they sear only when they are provoked to it, and before they are aware. But the apostle's warning extends to other occasions of swearing as well as this. Some have translated the words, pro panton—before all things; and so have made sense of this place to be that they should not, in common conversation, before every thing they say, put an oath. All customary needless swearing is undoubtedly forbidden, and all along in scripture condemned, as a very grievous sin. Profane swearing was very customary among the Jews, and, since this epistle is directed in general to the twelve tribes scattered abroad (as before has been observed), we may conceive this exhortation sent to those who believed not. It is hard to suppose that swearing should be one of the spots of God's children, since Peter, when he was charged with being a disciple of Christ and would disprove the charge, cursed and swore, thereby thinking most effectually to convince them that he was no disciple of Jesus, it being well known of such that they durst not allow themselves in swearing; but possibly some of the looser sort of those who were called Christians might, among other sins here charged upon them, be guilty also of this. It is a sin that in later years has most scandalously prevailed, even among those who would be thought above all others entitled to the Christian name and privileges. It is very rare indeed to hear of a dissenter from the church of England who is guilty of swearing, but among those who glory in their being of the established church nothing is more common; and indeed the most execrable oaths and curses now daily wound the ears and hearts of all serious Christians. James here says,
1. Above all things, swear not; but how many are there who mind this the least of all things, and who make light of nothing so much as common profane swearing! But why above all things is swearing here forbidden? (1.) Because it strikes most directly at the honour of God and most expressly throws contempt upon his name and authority. (2.) Because this sin has, of all sins, the least temptation to it: it is not gain, nor pleasure, nor reputation, that can move men to it, but a wantonness in sinning, and a needless showing an enmity to God. Thy enemies take thy name in vain, Ps 139:20. This is a proof of men's being enemies to God, however they may pretend to call themselves by his name, or sometimes to compliment him in acts of worship. (3.) Because it is with most difficulty left off when once men are accustomed to it, therefore it should above all things be watched against. And, (4.) "Above all things swear not, for how can you expect the name of God should be a strong tower to you in your distress if you profane it and play with it at other times?" But (as Mr. Baxter observes) "all this is so far from forbidding necessary oaths that it is but to confirm them, by preserving the due reverence of them." And then he further notes that "The true nature of an oath is, by our speech, to pawn the reputation of some certain or great thing, for the averring of a doubted less thing; and not (as is commonly held) an appeal to God or other judge." Hence it was that swearing by the heavens, and by the earth, and by the other oaths the apostle refers to, came to be in use. The Jews thought if they did but omit the great oath of Chi-Eloah, they were safe. But they grew so profane as to swear by the creature, as if it were God; and so advanced it into the place of God; while, on the other hand, those who swear commonly and profanely by the name of God do hereby put him upon the level with every common thing.
2. But let your yea be yea, and your nay nay; lest you fall into condemnation; that is, "let it suffice you to affirm or deny a thing as there is occasion, and be sure to stand to your word, an be true to it, so as to give no occasion for your being suspected of falsehood; and then you will be kept from the condemnation of backing what you say or promise by rash oaths, and from profaning the name of God to justify yourselves. It is being suspected of falsehood that leads men to swearing. Let it be known that your keep to truth, and are firm to your word, and by this means you will find there is no need to swear to what you say. Thus shall you escape the condemnation which is expressly annexed to the third commandment: The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."
II. As Christians we are taught to suit ourselves to the dispensations of Providence (Jam 5:13): Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Our condition in this world is various; and our wisdom is to submit to its being so, and to behave as becomes us both in prosperity and under affliction. Sometimes we are in sadness, sometimes in mirth; God has set these one over against the other that we may the better observe the several duties he enjoins, and that the impressions made on our passions and affections may be rendered serviceable to our devotions. Afflictions should put us upon prayer, and prosperity should make us abound in praise. Not that prayer is to be confined to a time of trouble, nor singing to a time of mirth; but these several duties may be performed with special advantage, and to the happiest purposes, at such seasons. 1. In a day of affliction nothing is more seasonable than prayer. The person afflicted must pray himself, as well as engage the prayers of others for him. Times of affliction should be praying times. To this end God sends afflictions, that we may be engaged to seek him early; and that those who at other times have neglected him may be brought to enquire after him. The spirit is then most humble, the heart is broken and tender; and prayer is most acceptable to God when it comes from a contrite humble spirit. Afflictions naturally draw out complaints; and to whom should we complain but to God in prayer? It is necessary to exercise faith and hope under afflictions; and prayer is the appointed means both for obtaining and increasing these graces in us. Is any afflicted? Let him pray. 2. In a day of mirth and prosperity singing psalms is very proper and seasonable. In the original it is only said sing, psalleto, without the addition of psalms or any other word: and we learn from the writings of several in the first ages of Christianity (particularly from a letter of Pliny's, and from some passages in Justin Martyr and Tertullian) that the Christians were accustomed to sing hymns, either taken out of scripture, or of more private composure, in their worship of God. Though some have thought that Paul's advising both the Colossians and Ephesians to speak to one another psalmois kai hymnois kai odais pneumatikais—in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, refers only to the compositions of scripture, the psalms of David being distinguished in Hebrew by Shurim, Tehillim, and Mizmorim, words that exactly answer these of the apostle. Let that be as it will, this however we are sure of, that the singing of psalms is a gospel ordinance, and that our joy should be holy joy, consecrated to God. Singing is so directed to here as to show that, if any be in circumstances of mirth and prosperity, he should turn his mirth, though alone, and by himself, in this channel. Holy mirth becomes families and retirements, as well as public assemblies. Let our singing be such as to make melody with our hearts unto the Lord, and God will assuredly be well pleased with this kind of devotion.
III. We have particular directions given as to sick persons, and healing pardoning mercy promised upon the observance of those directions. If any be sick, they are required, 1. To send for the elders, presbyterous tes ekklesias—the presbyters, pastors or ministers of the church, Jam 5:14,15. It lies upon sick people as a duty to send for ministers, and to desire their assistance and their prayers. 2. It is the duty of ministers to pray over the sick, when thus desired and called for. Let them pray over him; let their prayers be suited to his case, and their intercessions be as becomes those who are affected wit his calamities. 3. In the times of miraculous healing, the sick were to be anointed with oil in the name of the Lord. Expositors generally confine this anointing with oil to such as had the power of working miracles; and, when miracles ceased, this institution ceased also. In Mark's gospel we read of the apostle's anointing with oil many that were sick, and healing them, Mk 6:13. And we have accounts of this being practiced in the church two hundred years after Christ; but then the gift of healing also accompanied it, and, when the miraculous gift ceased, this rite was laid aside. The papists indeed have made a sacrament of this, which they call the extreme unction. They use it, not to heal the sick, as it was used by the apostles; but as they generally run counter to scripture, in the appointments of their church, so here they ordain that this should be administered only to such as are at the very point of death. The apostle's anointing was in order to heal the disease; the popish anointing is for the expulsion of the relics of sin, and to enable the soul (as they pretend) the better to combat with the powers of the air. When they cannot prove, by any visible effects, that Christ owns them in the continuance of this rite, they would however have people to believe that the invisible effects are very wonderful. But it is surely much better to omit this anointing with oil than to turn it quite contrary to the purposes spoken of in scripture. Some protestants have thought that this anointing was only permitted or approved by Christ, not instituted. But it should seem, by the words of James here, that it was a thing enjoined in cases where there was faith for healing. And some protestants have argued for it with this view. It was not to be commonly used, not even in the apostolical age; and some have thought that it should not be wholly laid aside in any age, but that where there are extraordinary measures of faith in the person anointing, and in those who are anointed, an extraordinary blessing may attend the observance of this direction for the sick. However that be, there is one thing carefully to be observed here, that the saving of the sick is not ascribed to the anointing with oil, but to prayer: The prayer of faith shall save the sick, etc., Jam 5:15. So that, 4. Prayer over the sick must proceed from, and be accompanied with, a lively faith. There must be faith both in the person praying and in the person prayed for. In a time of sickness, it is not the cold and formal prayer that is effectual, but the prayer of faith. 5. We should observe the success of prayer. The Lord shall raise up; that is, if he be a person capable and fit for deliverance, and if God have any thing further for such a person to do in the world. And, if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him; that is, where sickness is sent as a punishment for some particular sin, that sin shall be pardoned, and in token thereof the sickness shall be removed. As when Christ said to the impotent man, Go and sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee, it is intimated that some particular sin was the cause of his sickness. The great thing therefore we should beg of God for ourselves and others in the time of sickness is the pardon of sin. Sin is both the root of sickness and the sting of it. If sin be pardoned, either affliction shall be removed in mercy or we shall see there is mercy in the continuance of it. When healing is founded upon pardon, we may say as Hezekiah did: Thou hast, in love to my soul, delivered it from the pit of corruption, Isa 38:17. When you are sick and in pain, it is most common to pray and cry, O give me ease! O restore me to health! But your prayer should rather and chiefly be, O that God would pardon my sins!
IV. Christians are directed to confess their faults one to another, and so to join in their prayers with an for one another, Jam 5:16. Some expositors connect this with Jam 5:14. As if when sick people send for ministers to pray over them they should then confess their faults to them. Indeed, where any are conscious that their sickness is a vindictive punishment of some particular sin, and they cannot look for the removal of their sickness without particular applications to God for the pardon of such a sin, there it may be proper to acknowledge and tell his case, that those who pray over him may know how to plead rightly for him. But the confession here required is that of Christians to one another, and not, as the papists would have it, to a priest. Where persons have injured one another, acts of injustice must be confessed to those against whom they have been committed. Where persons have tempted one another to sin or have consented in the same evil actions, there they ought mutually to blame themselves and excite each other to repentance. Where crimes are of a public nature, and have done any public mischief, there they ought to be more publicly confessed, so as may best reach to all who are concerned. And sometimes it may be well to confess our faults to some prudent minister or praying friend, that he may help us to plead with God for mercy and pardon. But then we are not to think that James puts us upon telling every thing that we are conscious is amiss in ourselves or in one another; but so far as confession is necessary to our reconciliation with such as are at variance with us, or for gaining information in any point of conscience and making our own spirits quiet and easy, so far we should be ready to confess our faults. And sometimes also it may be of good use to Christians to disclose their peculiar weaknesses and infirmities to one another, where there are great intimacies and friendships, and where they may help each other by their prayers to obtain pardon of their sins and power against them. Those who make confession of their faults one to another should thereupon pray with and for one another. The Jam 5:13 directs persons to pray for themselves: Is any afflicted let him pray; the Jam 5:14 directs to seek for the prayers of ministers; and the Jam 5:16 directs private Christians to pray one for another; so that here we have all sorts of prayer (ministerial, social, and secret) recommended.
V. The great advantage and efficacy of prayer are declared and proved: The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, whether he pray for himself or for others: witness the example of Elias, Jam 5:17,18. He who prays must be a righteous man; not righteous in an absolute sense (for this Elias was not, who is here made a pattern to us), but righteous in a gospel sense; not loving nor approving of any iniquity. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer, Ps 66:18. Further, the prayer itself must be a fervent, in-wrought, well-wrought prayer. It must be a pouring out of the heart to God; and it must proceed from a faith unfeigned. Such prayer avails much. It is of great advantage to ourselves, it may be very beneficial to our friends, and we are assured of its being acceptable to God. It is good having those for friends whose prayers are available in the sight of God. The power of prayer is here proved from the success of Elijah. This may be encouraging to us even in common cases, if we consider that Elijah was a man of like passions with us. He was a zealous good man and a very great man, but he had his infirmities, and was subject to disorder in his passions as well as others. In prayer we must not look to the merit of man, but to the grace of God. Only in this we should copy after Elijah, that he prayed earnestly, or, as it is in the original, in prayer he prayed. It is not enough to say a prayer, but we must pray in prayer. Our thoughts must be fixed, our desires firm and ardent, and our graces in exercise; and, when we thus pray in prayer, we shall speed in prayer. Elijah prayed that it might not rain; and God heard him in his pleading against an idolatrous persecuting country, so that it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months. Again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, etc. Thus you see prayer is the key which opens and shuts heaven. To this there is an allusion, Re 11:6, where the two witnesses are said to have power to shut heaven, that it rain not. This instance of the extraordinary efficacy of prayer is recorded for encouragement even to ordinary Christians to be instant and earnest in prayer. God never says to any of the seed of Jacob, Seek my face in vain. If Elijah by prayer could do such great and wonderful things, surely the prayers of no righteous man shall return void. Where there may not be so much of a miracle in God's answering our prayers, yet there may be as much of grace.
VI. This epistle concludes with an exhortation to do all we can in our places to promote the conversion and salvation of others, Jam 5:19,20. Some interpret these verses as an apology which the apostle is making for himself that he should so plainly and sharply reprove the Jewish Christians for their many faults and errors. And certainly James gives a very good reason why he was so much concerned to reclaim them from their errors, because in thus doing he should save souls, and hide a multitude of sins. But we are not to restrain this place to the apostle's converting such as erred from the truth; no, nor to other ministerial endeavours of the like nature, since it is said, "If any err, and one convert him, let him be who he will that does so good an office for another, he is therein an instrument of saving a soul from death." Those whom the apostle here calls brethren, he yet supposes liable to err. It is no mark of a wise or a holy man to boast of his being free from error, or to refuse to acknowledge when he is in an error. But if any do err, be they ever so great, you must not be afraid to show them their error; and, be they ever so weak and little, you must not disdain to make them wiser and better. If they err from the truth, that is, from the gospel (the great rule and standard of truth), whether it be in opinion or practice, you must endeavour to bring them again to the rule. Errors in judgment and in life generally go together. There is some doctrinal mistake at the bottom of every practical miscarriage. There is no one habitually bad, but upon some bad principle. Now to convert such is to reduce them from their error, and to reclaim them from the evils they have been led into. We are not presently to accuse and exclaim against an erring brother, and seek to bring reproaches and calamities upon him, but to convert him: and, if by all our endeavours we cannot do this, yet we are nowhere empowered to persecute and destroy him. If we are instrumental in the conversion of any, we are said to convert them, though this be principally and efficiently the work of God. And, if we can do no more towards the conversion of sinners, yet we may do this—pray for the grace and Spirit of God to convert and change them. And let those that are in any way serviceable to convert others know what will be the happy consequence of their doing this: they may take great comfort in it at present, and they will meet with a crown at last. He that is said to err from the truth in Jam 5:19 is described as erring in his way in Jam 5:20, and we cannot be said to convert any merely by altering their opinions, unless we can bring them to correct and amend their ways. This is conversion—to turn a sinner from the error of his ways, and not to turn him from one party to another, or merely from one notion and way of thinking to another. He who thus converteth a sinner from the error of his ways shall save a soul from death. There is a soul in the case; and what is done towards the salvation of the soul shall certainly turn to good account. The soul being the principal part of the man, the saving of that only is mentioned, but it includes the salvation of the whole man: the spirit shall be saved from hell, the body raised from the grave, and both saved from eternal death. And then, by such conversion of heart and life, a multitude of sins shall be hid. A most comfortable passage of scripture is this. We learn hence that though our sins are many, even a multitude, yet they may be hid or pardoned; and that when sin is turned from or forsaken it shall be hid, never to appear in judgment against us. Let people contrive to cover or excuse their sin as they will, there is no way effectually and finally to hide it but by forsaking it. Some make the sense of this text to be, that conversion shall prevent a multitude of sins; and it is a truth beyond dispute that many sins are prevented in the party converted, many also may be prevented in others that he may have an influence upon, or may converse with. Upon the whole, how should we lay out ourselves with all possible concern for the conversion of sinners! It will be for the happiness and salvation of the converted; it will prevent much mischief, and the spreading and multiplying of sin in the world; it will be for the glory and honour of God; and it will mightily redound to our comfort and renown in the great day. Those that turn many to righteousness, and those who help to do so, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever.
在本章中，使徒向那些欺壓窮人的富人宣告神的審判，向他們表明在神眼中他們的罪和愚昧何等大，將臨到他們身上的刑罰何等嚴厲（雅5:1-6）。因此，一切忠信的人受勸勉在試煉和受苦之下忍耐（雅5:7-11）。起誓的罪受到警戒（雅5:12）。我們受指示在患難中和在興盛中當如何行事（雅5:13）。為病人祈禱和用油抹身被規定（雅5:14,15）。基督徒受指示當彼此認罪、彼此代求，而祈禱的功效被證明（雅5:16-18）。最後，我們受勸勉盡所能使那些偏離真理之道的人回轉。