Understanding commentaries can be complicated, but not this one! This easy-to-understand James 4 Commentary Bible Study with downloadable James 4 bible study questions, and James 4 life applications, are something that will enable you to completely and clearly understand James 4.
Doing an in-depth Commentary and Bible Study on James 4 unravels some interesting insights. So I’ve written this in a way that can be considered an easy-to-understand commentary on James 4, a Bible Study of James 4 with practical lessons.
In the first three chapters of the book of James, we learnt:
- James 1: Enduring trials through patience and visiting the orphans and widows
- James 2: Living a life with no discrimination.
- James 3: Taming the tongue with heavenly wisdom
Now, we will see what James 4 says in the Bible.
The previous chapters show that James is writing this letter to the Jewish Christians. But, in particular, who is James writing to in James 4? James is writing to all those Christians who are in strife with other Christians.
Since there are so many takeaways, I’ve made a lesson plan for James 4 in an easy-to-understand format.
James Chapter 4 Lesson Plan
- What is the main point in James Chapter 4?
- What is the theme of James 4?
- James chapter 4 commentary with Bible Study
- James 4:1-12 meaning and explanation
- Practical lessons from James 4:1-12
- James 4:3-17 meaning and explanation
- Practical lessons from James 4:3-17
What is the main point in James Chapter 4?
The main point of James 4 is about Christians in conflict with other Christians. James has revealed jaw-dropping insights on the reasons for conflict and strife with excellent practical advice on addressing conflict and how complete dependence on God plays a crucial role in overcoming it.
Commentary is a great way to elaborate the meaning of the message, and it helps to study the Bible in a way that brings out practical lessons to apply in our walk with Christ. Therefore, I have divided this commentary into two main parts.
What is the theme of James 4?
James 4 commentary and Bible study can be divided into two main themes or two main parts.
- Reasons and Solutions for Christians in Conflict (James 4:1-12)
- Dependence on God and Accountability of Christians (James 4:13-17)
We will cover both these themes in an easy-to-understand commentary with bible study and practical lessons that can be applied to our lives daily.
1. Reasons and Solutions for Christians in Conflict (James 4:1-12)
In the context of this scripture portion, James 4:1-12, James addresses Christians in conflict – the reasons for conflict among Christians and the solution to overcome the disagreements.
I’ve divided this into further sub-parts to ease the scripture’s understanding and unravel practical lessons to apply in our daily Christian lives.
James 4:1-3 Meaning and Explanation (Bible Study with Commentary)
James 4:1-3 (NKJV) says, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
James addresses the conflict among Christians when he talks about wars and fights. He is putting this issue forward as a question to persuade Christians to think about it.
James gives the many outcomes of conflict like – lust, murder, and covet. But, the root or reason for all conflict is desires for pleasure or, in other words, desires that either does not please God or are not part of their purpose.
These statements may seem very strong, and we may think that we do not commit murder or covet! This is not for us! But, the reality is that it is as much for us in this day and age as it was 2000 years ago with the early Christians.
When James talks about murder here, he is reflecting on Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-22), where Jesus says that murder may not be actual killing but the thought process in people’s minds filled with anger, bitterness, and hatred.
We may not plot against the Christians to kill them, but we think wrong about them in our heads and sometimes even hope that bad happens to them because of the inconvenience caused to us.
Another critical point is that even if you may not be in direct conflict with other Christians if you are in indirect conflict (cold war) or are the cause of conflict between other Believers, even that is counted as being in war.
James says in verse 3 that Christians ask but do not get what they want because they either do not ask the things that align with their purpose or ask the things that someone else has, but they do not.
James advises Christians to ponder their prayer life when it comes to asking things from God. He is telling them to be cautious in their “asking”; is the “asking” coming from their fleshly desires or in alignment with the will of God?
Lessons from James 4:1-3
What can we learn from James 4:1-3? We can learn four important lessons from this passage explaining the first main part of James Chapter 4: Reasons and Solutions for Christians in Conflict.
- Reflect on the reasons for your conflict with other Christians
- Reflect on your thoughts and actions concerning other Christians while in conflict.
- Reflect on your “asking” when you pray – is it from your fleshly desires, or is it aligned with God’s will and your purpose on this earth?
- Reflect on the condition of your heart concerning your overall life satisfaction.
James 4:4-5 Meaning and Explanation (Bible Study with Commentary)
James 4:4-5 (NKJV) – “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think the scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?”
James seems to be spanking the Christians here. He addresses them as adulterers and adulteresses. This is not to speak in the true sense of sexual immorality. But, as the church of Christ, we are His bride.
Our God is jealous! He does not like us giving more importance to anything else than Him. Therefore, he terms anything that exalts itself against Him as idolatry.
This can be explained more clearly in Colossians 3:5 (NKJV), “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
James asks Christians if they didn’t know that friendship with the world is enmity with God. What does it mean friendship with the world is enmity with God? It means that when Christians give importance to anything more than God or more than what the word of God says, it is considered disobedience which portrays enmity with God.
Contextually, James has been explaining conflict among Christians, so it is evident that he is talking about friendship with the world in the continuation of the conflict. Ironically, conflicting with Christians means being in friendship with the world. It is food for thought!
Operating in love is God’s system, and operating in conflict with Christians is operating in the world’s system. Loving Christians does not mean being in friendship with the world but being in friendship with God.
James further makes a profound statement in the form of a question, “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously?”
The Spirit working inside us yearns to be connected with God at all times. By saying this, he reiterated that God is a jealous God, and He wants every Christian to live in harmony with the Word of God and with Him.
Lessons from James 4:4-5
What can we learn from James 4:4-5? We can learn six important lessons from this passage explaining the first part of James Chapter 4: Reasons and Solutions for Christians in Conflict.
- Friendship with the world is enmity with God
- Choosing to stay in conflict with people is friendship with the world
- Choosing to love people is friendship with God
- God is jealous, and He has kept Christians apart for Himself
- God and His Word should be at the center of every Christians’ life
- Reflect upon the things in your life that take you away from the presence of God.
James 4:6-10 Meaning and Explanation (Bible Study with Commentary)
James 4:6-10 (NKJV) – “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Humility Cures Worldliness. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
James is saying that God gives Christians more grace. But there is a caveat here. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” From this, we can understand two important things.
- First, God resists the pride
- Second, God gives grace to the humble
So we can conclude that the opposite of pride is humility.
James further goes on to say that “Humility cures worldliness.”
So it is apparent and evident that the root cause of all conflict, idolatry, and worldliness is PRIDE. And the solution to all conflict, idolatry, and worldliness is HUMBLENESS.
James talks about submitting to God. He says that when Christians submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee from them.
Before discussing submission, there are again two eye-opening things to consider here.
- First, God resists the pride
- Second, Christians need to resist the devil
This means God and Christians both resist pride, aka satan. The reason satan is called the fallen angel is because pride separated him from God. Pride is what satan passes on to all the people, and it is THE quality he wants all Christians to inculcate in them so that they could be called his instead of God’s.
When Christians resist the devil, they resist pride. Therefore, satan, aka pride, will flee from Christians.
But, for Christians to be able to do that, they need to submit to God. So, what is submission to God? What is the necessary ingredient for submission? It is humbleness! Humility and submission go hand in hand.
Submission sometimes seems hard, especially when we have been given free will. But the irony is that when we are not submitting to God, we submit to the devil. It is true! Think about it.
When we are not in submission to the devil, we resist the devil, and he will flee when we submit to God.
But, submission cannot happen without humility. Because humility positions Christians to be in submission to God. Humility is the standing that comes with the understanding that says, “I’m nothing without God.”
Only when Christians understand that they cannot do anything without God are they in complete submission to God. Their sense of “self” becomes null and void, which positions them under complete authority and submission to God.
James says He will draw near to Christians when Christians draw near to God. The question is, if submission to God is saying no to oneself, how can you draw close to God when you are far from yourself?
The irony is that Christians cannot draw near God until they think about themselves. Jesus has clearly explained this in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Then what does it mean to draw closer to Jesus? Denying yourself is the first step to drawing closer to Jesus. But what does it mean to draw near to God, and He will draw near to you?
Humility and submission create a space of unhindered connection between God and Christians. When that happens, there is a two-way connection and conversation between God and you.
This is not a one-off thing but a daily process and practice. If you want to know how you can draw closer to God every day? Then have a daily routine of denying yourself every day.
How can you deny yourself? James says in verses 8-9 to purify your heart, clean your hands, mourn and weep. All these statements point to one thing, REPENTANCE.
Denying yourself means having a repentant heart. This does not mean James is telling all Christians to cry, mourn and lead a joyless life. But, this is the attitude of the heart that every Christian should have when it comes to sin.
Leading a sinless life is of much importance to God and Christians. Of course, this does not earn God’s favor because we cannot earn anything from God but only receive! But this brings God and Christians on the same page regarding sin. It is easier to connect and hear from God when both of you are on the same page.
Lessons from James 4:6-10
What can we learn from James 4:6-10? We can learn eight important lessons from this passage explaining the first part of James Chapter 4: Reasons and Solutions for Christians in Conflict.
- God gives Christians more grace when they are humble.
- Humility does not earn God’s grace but positions Christians to be lifted up by God.
- Humility is the ingredient needed for Christians to be in submission to God.
- If we are not submitting to God, we are actually in submission to the devil.
- Humbleness helps Christians to resist the devil.
- Humbleness comes from denying oneself.
- Humility and submission create a space of unhindered connection between God and Christians.
- When you draw near to God by denying yourself, you will be on the same page as God, and He will draw near to you.
James 4:11-12 Meaning and Explanation (Bible Study with Commentary)
James 4:11-12 (NKJV) – “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?”
James says that Christians are not to speak evil of one another. In continuation to the verses we discussed in this chapter, we can understand something significant! When Christians humble themselves, submit to God, and are on the same page as God about pride and sin, Christians will automatically work towards getting right with people in conflict and operate in love as a byproduct.
When Christians operate in love, there is no question of speaking badly about one another behind their back or judging them. It all boils down to drawing near to God in total submission.
The ancient Greek word used for speaking evil is “katalalia.” It is a word used to describe the sin committed by a group of people damaging the reputation of others not present to tell their side of the story.
When Christians speak evil about other Christians, they sit in God’s seat by judging other Christians. It is God’s role to judge and not ours. Also, it is a sin against the royal law because Christians are not operating in love which is the commandment of God for all Christians.
The best thing for Christians is to forgive other Christians and get right with them. If there is any cause for concern, it is always better to speak with them and try to resolve the issue. Or pray about it, leave it in God’s hands, and move on.
Lessons from James 4:11-12
What can we learn from James 4:11-12? We can learn three important lessons from this passage explaining the first part of James Chapter 4: Reasons and Solutions for Christians in Conflict.
- Christians are not to speak evil about others. Reflect on your words about other people behind their backs.
- Christians are not to judge other people. Do you tend to judge people?
- If you do not operate in love with other people, it is a sin against the royal law.
2. Dependence on God and Accountability of Christians (James 4:13-17)
In the context of this scripture portion, James 4:13-17, James talks about complete dependence on God as Christians and accountability for doing good.
I’ve divided this into further sub-parts to ease the scripture’s understanding and unravel practical lessons to apply in our daily Christian lives.
James 4:13-16 Meaning and Explanation (Bible Study with Commentary)
James 4:13-16 (NKJV) – “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”
James cautions Christians not to get into the worldly system of thinking and Living. The world thinks about their own fleshly needs about how to earn money, grow and make a profit. The fact is that we don’t know what will happen tomorrow!
James compares the life of humans on earth to vapor. He says that vapor is only for a little while but then vanishes away. Christians make many plans for the future, not knowing what will happen to them the next minute.
By saying this, James reminds Christians to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17).
The spirit always yearns for God and wants God’s hands in everything it does. Therefore, when Christians walk in the spirit, they will always want God’s will in their life and not their own.
James says that every kind of boasting is a sin. It is imperative to be mindful of what we think and say. Are we boasting about our works?
When Christians walk in the spirit, they depend entirely on God. Therefore, there is no place for boasting because they know they are nothing without the will and hand of God. Consequently, they will give all glory to God alone, not their efforts.
Lessons from James 4:13-16
What can we learn from James 4:13-16? We can learn four important lessons from this passage explaining the second part of James Chapter 4: Dependence on God.
- Human life on earth is equal to a vapor; it is here today but gone tomorrow.
- Christians are not to make plans according to their flesh but according to the will of God. Is God’s will part of your journey in life?
- Christians are to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh.
- Boasting is a sin. Reflect on your thoughts and words about your accomplishments.
James 4:17 Meaning and Explanation (Bible Study with Commentary)
James 4:17 (NKJV) – Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James makes such a mind-blowing statement here. For Christians who know how to do good but do not do it is a sin! Time and time again, James talks about putting our Christian walk into practice.
It is not just enough to know God but to draw near Him. It is not just enough to know about loving people but to operate in love for people as part of the royal law. It is not just enough to know how to do good but to do good.
James says it is a sin if Christians do not do what they should. This calls for accountability. Christianity is not just about being saved through grace but living a life according to what the Word of God says while we are here on earth until we go to heaven.
James says this to compare human life on earth to a vapor. Therefore, the uncertainty of our life on earth should be even more the reason to do good and to walk according to Kingdom principles.
James’ conclusion to this chapter is in line with what Jesus spoke to his disciples about how servants should be in the absence of their master. We are all accountable for our lives on judgment day. All the teachings from the Bible are to be followed in preparation to meet Jesus when He comes to take His bride.
Lessons from James 4:17
What can we learn from James 4:17? We can learn three important lessons from this passage explaining the second part of James Chapter 4: Dependence on God.
- Christians are to not only know what is good but also to do good.
- Knowing to do good but not doing it is a sin.
- Christians are to follow the principles from the Bible in preparation to meet Jesus.
James 4 Bible Study Tools
If you want James 4 Bible Study Questions based on the commentary above, you can download James 4 Bible Study pdf.
If you want all the life lessons from James 4 Commentary in one document for reflection, you can download lessons from James 4.
If you are interested in James 4 bible study guide, then you can get the following helpful James 4 bible study tools.
James 4 Commentary Spurgeon – Commentary on James (Spurgeon Commentary Series)
James 4 Commentary John Macarthur – James: Guidelines for a Happy Christian Life
James 4 is a great chapter to study and apply when in conflict or strife with the Christian family. It gives valuable insights into understanding the reasons for Christian conflict and lessons on how to apply the solutions laid down in this chapter.
Christians are called to live in complete humbleness, submission, and dependence on God, bearing in mind that their life on earth is just for a while. Living a life of doing good and loving people is the main focus of this chapter.
In the next chapter which is the last chapter of the book of James, we will learn:
- James 5: Cautioning Christians not to run after riches but to run after God and to love people by serving them.
What are your main takeaways from this study and commentary? Please comment below.
Also, be sure to Read:
- Easy to Understand James 1 Commentary (with Bible Study Questions).
- James 2: Living a life with no discrimination.
- James 3: Taming the tongue with heavenly wisdom.
