Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
“PRACTICAL LESSONS IN PATIENCE, WORD & PRAYER” -- JAMES
IV. 5:7-20 PRACTICAL LESSONS IN PATIENCE, WORD & PRAYER
1. 5:7-11 LESSONS IN PATIENCE
a. 5:7a PATIENCE: REQUIRED TILL JESUS RETURNS
Ma-kro-thuMEsa-te [3114] oun, a-delPHOI, HEos tes pa-rouSIas [3952] tou KuRIou.
Be patient therefore, brothers, until the presence of the Lord.
b. 5:7b THE FARMER IS PATIENT UNTIL HARVEST RAIN.
iDOU, ho ge-orGOS ekDEche-tai ton TImi-on karPON ton tes ges,
Lo, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth,
ma-kro-thuMON ep’ auTO, HEos LAbe PRO-i-mon [4406] kai Opsi-mon [3797].
being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain.
c. 5:8 PATIENCE IN THE LIGHT OF JESUS’ SOON COMING
ma-kro-thuMEsa-te kai huMEIS; steRIxa-te tas [4741] karDIas huMON:
Be YOU also patient; stablish your :hearts:
HOti he pa-rouSIa tou KuRIou EGgi-ken.
because the presence of the Lord is at hand.
d. 5:9 THE SOON COMING OF CHRIST REBUKES BACKBITING
me steNAze-te [4727], a-delPHOI, kat’ alLElon, HIna me kriTHEte:
Murmur not, brothers, against one another, that you be not judged:
iDOU, ho kriTES pro ton thuRON ESte-ken.
lo, the judge stands before the doors.
e. 5:10 THE PROPHETS EXEMPLIFY PATIENCE
huPOdeig-ma [5262] LAbe-te, a-delPHOI,
Take, brothers, for an example
tes ka-ko-paTHIas [2552] kai tes ma-kro-thuMIas [3115],
of :suffering and of :patience,
tous proPHEtas, hoi eLAle-san en to oNOma-ti KuRIou.
the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.
f. 5:11 THE BLESSING OF ENDURANCE SHINES THROUGH JOB’S PATIENCE
iDOU, ma-kaRIzo-men [3106] tous hu-poMEInan-tas [5278]:
Lo, we call them blessed that endured:
ten hu-po-moNEN I-OB eKOUsa-te,
you have heard of the patience of Job,
kai to TElos KuRIou EIde-te,
and have seen the end of the Lord,
HOti poLUsplagchNOS [4184] es-tin ho KUri-os, kai oikTIRmon [3629].
how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.
2. 5:12 LESSONS IN SIMPLICITY OF SPOKEN WORD
Pro PANton de, a-delPHOI mou, me omNUe-te [3660],
But above all, my brothers, swear not,
MEte ton ou-raNON, MEte ten gen, MEte ALlon tiNA HORkon [3727]:
neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor any other oath:
Eto de huMON to Nai, nai, kai to Ou, ou;
but let your :yes be yes, and the no, no;
HIna me huPO KRIsin PEse-te.
that you fall not under judgment.
3. 5:13-20 RESULTS OF FERVENT PRAYER
a. 5:13a PRAYER: THE ANTIDOTE TO SUFFERING
Ka-ko-paTHEI [2553] tis en huMIN? pro-seuCHEStho [4336].
Is any among you suffering? Let him pray.
b. 5:13b PRAISE: THE RELEASE FOR THE CHEERFUL
eu-thuMEI [2114] tis? psalLEto [5567].
Is any cheerful? let him sing praise.
c. 5:14-15 ANOINTING BY ELDERS: CURE FOR THE SICK
as-theNEI [770] tis en huMIN?
Is any among you sick?
pro-ska-leSAStho tous pres-buTErous [4245] tes ek-kleSIas [1577];
let him call for the elders of the church;
kai pro-seuXAStho-san ep’ auTON,
and let them pray over him,
aLEIpsan-tes [218] eLAIo [1637] en to oNOma-ti tou KuRIou:
having anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord:
kai he euCHE tes PISte-os SOsei ton KAMnon-ta [2577],
15 and the prayer of :faith shall save the weary one,
kai e-geREI auTON ho KUri-os;
and the Lord shall raise him up;
ka’ ’n ha-marTIas e pe-poi-eKOS, a-pheTHEse-tai [863] auTO.
and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.
d. 5:16a CONFESSION OF SIN: A FURTHER HELP FOR HEALING
e-xo-mo-loGEISthe [1843] oun alLElois tas ha-marTIas,
Confess therefore your :sins one to another,
kai proSEUches-the huPER alLElon, HOpos iaTHEte [2390].
and pray one for another, that you be healed.
e. 5:16b THE POWER OF SUPPLICATION BY A RIGHTEOUS MAN
poLU isCHUei DEe-sis [1162] diKAIou e-ner-gouMEne [1754].
The supplication of a righteous man avails much in its working.
f. 5:17 ELIJAH’S EXAMPLE OF EFFECTIVE SUPPLICATION: NO RAIN
E-LEIas ANthro-pos en ho-moi-o-paTHES [3663] heMIN,
Elijah was a man of like passions with us,
kai pro-seuCHE pro-seUxa-to tou me BRExai [1026];
and he prayed fervently that it might not rain;
kai ouk Ebre-xen ePI tes ges e-ni-auTOUS treis kai MEnas hex.
and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months.
g. 5:18 HIS PRAYER FOR RAIN: GRANTED
kai PAlin pro-seUxa-to; kai ho ou-raNOS hu-eTON [5205] Edo-ken,
And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain,
kai he ge eBLASte-sen [985] ton karPON auTES.
amd the earth brought forth her :fruit.
h. 5:19-20 BLESSING TO THE SINNER THROUGH THE SOUL-WINNER
A-delPHOI mou, eAN tis en huMIN pla-neTHE [4105] aPO tes a-leTHEIas,
My brothers, if any among you err from the truth,
kai e-piSTREpse tis auTON;
and one convert him;
giNOSke-te HOti ho e-piSTREpsas ha-mar-toLON ek PLAnes [4106] hoDOU auTOU
20 know that who converts a sinner from the error of his way
SOsei [4982] psuCHEN auTOU ek thaNAtou,
shall save his soul from death,
kai kaLUpsei [2572] PLEthos ha-mar-tiON.
and shall cover a multitude of sins.
NOTE: This seventh and closing section of the letter by James to Messianic Jewish Congregations both at home and in the Diaspora – but proves again the practical wisdom of the brother of Jesus – and how it is the New Testament link with the Book of Proverbs in the Old Testament.
The Numeric paragraphing and sentence structure revealed to Ivan Panin, show how wonderfully the Holy Spirit has used the 33 writers of the 66 books of the Bible. He allows them to use their own vocabulary, life experiences, education and unique individuality, while at the same time divinely guiding all that they wrote. Here we see the merging of Heaven and earth, God and man.
Were the Bible writers aware how marvelously God was using them in this manner? In part, but not in the numeric structure. This is but the wonder of our God.
It is fitting that God would lead James to close his letter with this three-fold lesson. Would you link together Patience, Keeping the Word simple, and Effective Prayer? Not likely. Neither would I. But see how effectively James under the guidance of the Spirit does so! And remember what Paul said about the 14 letters he wrote! He said, “If any thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of what things I write you, that it is the Lord’s commandment” (1 COR 14:37). In other words, Paul the apostle was totally aware that he was under the immediate guidance of the Lord in ALL of his writings. People who have problems with Paul’s writings, best be most careful! One day we will all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to answer for our behavior, example and Teaching!
What Paul says about his writings applies equally to all other Bible writers! Peter says, “For no prophecy was ever borne by man’s will; but men spoke from God, being borne on by the Holy Spirit” (2 PET 1:21).
No wonder James says “Be not many teachers, my brothers, knowing that we shall receive greater condemnation” (JAS 3:1).
I shudder for the sake of those who will face judgment for so much bad, false, superficial and careless teaching that abounds today! Thank God, there are those like Ivan Panin, who seriously regarded these words by Isaiah –
“But <for this one> will I look around,
For him who is humbled and smitten in spirit,
And so cares anxiously for my word” (66:2b, Rotherham).
This was the manner in which Panin regarded God’s Word! This is how James and Paul regarded it! These three are worthy examples for all of us. Beware of those who fail to measure up with them.