Today's passage describes the event usually called Peter's confession. Indeed, Peter was the first of the apostles to call Jesus the Christ, or, in Hebrew, the Messiah...
Today's passage describes the event usually called Peter's confession. Indeed, Peter was the first of the apostles to call Jesus the Christ, or, in Hebrew, the Messiah (v. 29).
It is not surprising that many who heard Jesus regarded Him as a prophet (v. 28): both His way of life and the form of His preaching most closely resembled the life and preaching of the ancient prophets. Nor is it surprising that some took Him for the ancient prophet Elijah or for John the Baptist, recently executed by Herod. At that time many expected the imminent coming of the Messiah, the Christ, while Elijah, according to ideas widely held among the people, was to return from heaven to earth shortly before that event. Many legends also circulated around John's own name; among other things, people said that God had raised him from the dead, thereby proving that he was right and confirming that the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, was already near. Interestingly, even Herod himself was prepared to believe this (Mk 6:16).
Now the word had been spoken: Peter had for the first time called Jesus the Messiah (Christ) aloud, and the time had come to tell the apostles everything else connected with His messianic ministry on earth, everything about the Cross and the Resurrection (v. 31). Yet Jesus' principal subject here is the “soul,” a word that in the Bible generally means life (vv. 34–38). Jesus points out that there is no true life in all its fullness in the world, and even if a person gains the whole world, he will not find such fullness. On the contrary, having gained everything, he may lose what matters most (v. 36). Nor is it possible to preserve an individual human life: in its separateness it is finite, and sooner or later everyone will have to part with it, for no one can buy his way out of death (vv. 35, 37).
There is only one way out: to widen the bounds of one's individual human life so as to receive the fullness of the life of the Kingdom of God, brought into the world by Christ, and thus to receive, instead of a separate, finite, and limited life, the infinite life of the Kingdom of God in all its fullness—not turning away from Jesus out of fear or shame, but following Him (vv. 34–35, 38).
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2:14 From Jam 1:22, the apostle has been enforcing Christian practice. He now applies to those who neglect this, under the pretence of faith. St. Paul had taught that "a man is justified by faith without the works of the law." This some began already to wrest to their own destruction. Wherefore St.James, purposely repeating (Jam 2:21, Jam 2:23, Jam 2:25) the same phrases, testimonies, and examples, which St. Paul had used, Rom 4:3, Heb 11:17, Heb 11:31, refutes not the doctrine of St. Paul, but theerror of those who abused it. There is, therefore, no contradiction between the apostles: they both delivered the truth of God, but in a different manner, as having to do with different kinds of men. On another occasion St. James himself pleaded the cause of faith, Act 15:13-21; and St. Paul himself strenuously pleads for works, particularly in his latter epistles. This verse is a summary of what follows.What profiteth it? is enlarged on,
It is not, though he have faith; but, though he say he have faith. Here, therefore, true, living faith is meant: but in other parts of the argument the apostle speaks of a dead, imaginary faith. He does not, therefore, teach that true faith can, but that it cannot, subsist without works: nor does he oppose faith to works; but that empty name of faith, to real faith working by love. Can that faith "which is without works" save him? No more than it can profit his neighbour.
2:17 So likewise that faith which hath not works is a mere dead, empty notion; of no more profit to him that hath it, than the bidding the naked be clothed is to him.
2:18 But one - Who judges better. Will say - To such a vain talker. Show me, if thou canst, thy faith without thy works.
2:19 Thou believest there is one God - I allow this: but this proves only that thou hast the same faith with the devils.Nay, they not only believe, but tremble - At the dreadful expectation of eternal torments. So far is that faith from either justifying or saving them that have it.
2:20 But art than willing to know - Indeed thou art not: thou wouldest fain be ignorant of it. O empty man - Empty of all goodness. That the faith which is without works is dead - And so is not properly faith, as a dead carcase is not a man.
2:21 Was not Abraham justified by works - St. Paul says he was justified by faith, Rom 4:2, etc : yet St. James does not contradict him; for he does not speak of the same justification.St. Paul speaks of that which Abraham received many years before Isaac was born, Gen 15:6. St. James, of that which he did not receive till he had offered up Isaac on the altar. He was justified, therefore, in St. Paul's sense, (that is, accounted righteous,) by faith, antecedent to his works. He was justified in St. James's sense, (that is, made righteous,) by works, consequent to his faith. So that St. James's justification by works is the fruit of St Paul's justification by faith.
2:22 Thou seest that faith - For by faith Abraham offered him, Heb 11:17.Wrought together with his works - Therefore faith has one energy and operation; works, another: and the energy and operation of faith are before works, and together with them.Works do not give life to faith, but faith begets works, and then is perfected by them. And by works was faith made perfect - Here St. James fixes the sense wherein he uses the wordjustified; so that no shadow of contradiction remains between his assertion and St. Paul's. Abraham returned from that sacrifice perfected in faith, and far higher in the favour of God. Faith hath not its being from works, (for it is before them,) but its perfection. That vigour of faith which begets works is then excited and increased thereby, as the natural heat of the body begets motion, whereby itself is then excited and increased. See Jo1 3:22.
2:23 And the scripture - Which was afterwards written.Was hereby eminently fulfilled, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness - This was twice fulfilled, - when Abraham first believed, and when he offered up Isaac.St. Paul speaks of the former fulfilling; St. James, of the latter. And he was called the Friend of God - Both by his posterity, Ch2 20:7; and by God himself, Isa 41:8 so pleasing to God were the works be wrought in faith. Gen 15:6
2:24 Ye see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only - St. Paul, on the other band, declares, "A man is justified by faith," and not by works, Rom 3:28. And yet there is no contradiction between the apostles: because,