James 1:12

The T.R. inserts ὁ κύριος with KLP (C has κύριος) as subject to ἐπηγγείλατο against the leading uncials אAB. This reading is clearly a gloss, as is partly evidenced by the variant ὁ θεός, which appears in some cursives, the Vulgate and other versions.

12. This verse closes the paragraph which begins with James 1:2, referring back to the original thought of temptation and endurance.

τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς, the crown of life. τῆς ζωῆς, gen. of apposition denoting that in which the crown consists. The life, i.e. eternal life, is the promised crown. στέφανον, not the imperial or royal crown (διάδημα), but the garland of victory and civic worth, or military valour, woven of oak, ivy, parsley, pine or olive; see however Revelation 4:4; Revelation 9:7; Revelation 14:14, στεφάνους χρυσοῦς. στέφανος is used of the kingly crown, Matthew 27:29 and parallels. But there the word suited the material of which the crown was composed. See Trench, N.T. Syn. sub voc., and Bp Lightfoot on Philippians 4:1. Comp. κομιεῖσθε τὸν�, 1 Peter 5:4; πᾶς δὲ ὁ�, ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν ἵνα φθαρτὸν στέφανον λάβωσιν, ἡμεῖς δέ ἄφθαρτον, 1 Corinthians 9:25; ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος, 2 Timothy 4:8, where see the context which is parallel to this passage. Still more closely parallel is Revelation 2:10 γίνου πιστὸς ἕχρι θανάτου καὶ δώσω σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς.

The thought is finely illustrated by a noble statue of James, the brother of the Lord, on the porch of Amiens Cathedral. Above the head of the apostle, not on his head, but at a distance from it, is represented a crown, to shew that the crown is not yet attained; it is the inspiring hope of life to be struggled and fought for through temptation and trial. This last thought is signified by a shield which the apostle holds in his hand, on which is inscribed a banner or flag such as used to be carried in the very forefront of battle. Such is the teaching of St James here. See Ruskin, The Bible of Amiens.

δν ἐπηγγάλατε. The suppressed subject of ἐπηγγείλατο can only be ὁ κύριος or ὁ χριστός. And the question arises: Is this promise a saying of our Lord’s not recorded in the Gospels? Or is it another form of Matthew 10:22, ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος οὗτος σωθήσεται or Luke 21:19, ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν κτήσεσθε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν? The connexion between ὑπομονή and ζωή is the same in both expressions, and the form of the expression here may be due to St James’ love of poetical imagery. On the other hand it is perhaps most natural to regard it as a direct citation of words of our Lord remembered by St James, which distinctly conveyed a promise. For though the word of promise is only explicitly stated here, it is clearly indicated in the form of each of the above cited passages. See Reach, Agrapha, logion 52, p. 130.

τοῖς�. Comp. τοῖς ἠγαπηκόσι τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ, 2 Timothy 4:8.