Sunday School Lesson: OUR WILL AND GOD’S WILL
We have been systematically stepping through James in order to learn how to grow and mature as we strive to follow Christ.
Ice Breaker
Scripture Reading
Lesson
Questions
Study Notes
4:13–17 In this section the issue is boastful speech that indicates arrogance. It is unclear whether the merchants of v. 17 were all Christians, but v. 15 suggests that some were.
4:13–14 In a hypothetical but realistic scenario, James accused a merchant who had big designs on making a profit of leaving God out of his plans. Neglecting to entrust our hopes and plans to God and his counsel is paramount to arrogance and unbelief. If he is really the Lord of our lives, we see all things as coming from his hands, and we speak of plans and outcomes accordingly.
4:15–16 The phrase you should say and what follows indicate that it is God’s will that conditions the course of life. The merchants did not recognize this; they were boasting, but such boasting is arrogance and evil.
4:17 This was probably a maxim known to James. An example of this verse is found in 5:4.
4:13 Come now The Greek phrase used here aims to gain the audience’s attention heading into a serious discussion.
4:14 what will happen tomorrow James condemns rich business owners for their arrogant self-confidence; he accuses them of acting as though they alone determine the course of their lives, apart from God (Prov 27:1; Luke 12:16–20).
Commentary
13. Go to now—“Come now”; said to excite attention.
ye that say—boasting of the morrow.
To-day or to-morrow—as if ye had the free choice of either day as a certainty. Others read, “To-day and to-morrow.”
such a city—literally, “this the city” (namely, the one present to the mind of the speaker). This city here.
continue … a year—rather, “spend one year.” Their language implies that when this one year is out, they purpose similarly settling plans for to come [BENGEL].
buy and sell—Their plans for the future are all worldly.
14. what—literally, “of what nature” is your life? that is, how evanescent it is.
It is even—Some oldest authorities read, “For ye are.” BENGEL, with other old authorities, reads, “For it shall be,” the future referring to the “morrow” (Jam 4:13–15). The former expresses, “Ye yourselves are transitory”; so everything of yours, even your life, must partake of the same transitoriness. Received text has no old authority.
and then vanisheth away—“afterwards vanishing as it came”; literally, “afterwards (as it appeared), so vanishing” [ALFORD].
15. Literally, “instead of your saying,” &c. This refers to “ye that say” (Jam 4:13).
we shall live—The best manuscripts read, “We shall both live and do,” &c. The boasters spoke as if life, action, and the particular kind of action were in their power, whereas all three depend entirely on the will of the Lord.
16. now—as it is.
rejoice in … boastings—“ye boast in arrogant presumptions,” namely, vain confident fancies that the future is certain to you (Jam 4:13).
rejoicing—boasting [BENGEL].
17. The general principle illustrated by the particular example just discussed is here stated: knowledge without practice is imputed to a man as great and presumptuous sin. James reverts to the principle with which he started. Nothing more injures the soul than wasted impressions. Feelings exhaust themselves and evaporate, if not embodied in practice. As we will not act except we feel, so if we will not act out our feelings, we shall soon cease to feel.