James 3:17

The insertion of καὶ in T. R. before ἀνυπόκριτος is against the best authority.

17. ἡ ἄνωθεν σοφία, the heavenly wisdom, the supreme excellence of the religious life, in which the child Jesus kept advancing, προέκοπτεν τῇ σοφίᾳ, Luke 2:52, which was manifest in His manhood, πόθεν τούτῳ ἡ σοφία αὔτη; Matthew 13:54, and which guided His life, Matthew 11:19. It is described with enthusiasm 4Ma 1:16 ff.; Sir 51:13 ff. See on James 1:5 and Introduction. Comp. Book of Enoch ch. xlii, ‘wisdom found not a place on earth where she could inhabit; her dwelling therefore is in heaven.’

ἐπιεικής, from εἰκός, reasonable, fair, equitable. Arist. Eth. N. V. xiv. 8 says of the ἐπιεικής, ὁ μὴ�ʼ ἐλαττωτικός, καίπερ ἔχων τὸν νόμον βοηθόν. comp. Soph. O. C. 1125 f. ἐπεὶ τό γʼ εὐσεβὲς | μόνοις παρʼ ὑμῖν εὖρον� | καὶ τοὐπιεικὲς καὶ τὸ μὴ ψευδοστομεῖν. In the N.T. ἐπιείκεια is noted as a leading characteristic of Christians, τὸ ἐπιεικὲς ὑμῶν γνωσθήτω πᾶσιν�, Philippians 4:5 : it is required of a bishop to be ἐπιεικῆ, ἄμαχον, 1 Timothy 3:4 : of Christians generally ἀμάχους εἶναι, ἐπιεικεῖς, Titus 3:2. Like πραότης it is manifested in Christ Himself, παρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς διὰ τῆς πραότητος καὶ ἐπιεικείας τοῦ χριστοῦ, 2 Corinthians 10:1. Juvenal expresses the thought in the line: “mitem animum ac mores modicis erroribus aequos,” Sat. xiv. 15.

εὐπειθής, here only in N.T., suadibilis V., ‘easy to be intreated’ R.V., open to persuasion, the opposite of headstrong or obstinate.

ἀδιάκριτος, also ἄπ. λεγ. in N.T., non judicans V., ‘without variance’ R.V., ‘doubtfulness or partiality’ R.V. marg.

The various meanings are determined by the different senses of διακρίνεσθαι: and as the prevailing signification of the verb both in this epistle (i. 6 bis and possibly ii. 4) and elsewhere frequently (as Acts 10:20; Romans 14:23) is ‘to doubt,’ and as St James lays special stress on the sin of διψυχία, and as our Lord expressly rebukes the ὀλιγόπιστοι, the rendering in R.V. marg. ‘without doubtfulness’ is to be preferred to that given in the text.

ἀνυπόκριτος, comp. 1 Peter 1:22 τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἡγνικότες ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ τῆς�—a quotation which illustrates εὐπειθής in this connexion. See also 2 Corinthians 6:6; 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:5; and note our Lord’s frequent denunciation of hypocrisy.