James 5:5

Verse 5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth.

The sense is that the persons addressed had lived luxuriously on the earth, had lived for pleasure only, had indulged in all sorts of excesses, spending their wealth when they did spend any in that way. And thus the apostle would argue they had feasted and reveled their bodies, as though they were being prepared for a day of slaughter. Beasts are fatted for slaughter and sacrifice. So these, in their conduct, would seem as though they were preparing themselves for the great slaughter soon to be their portion. Dr. Macknight leans to this view of the text, and, after much reflection, I adopt the same view. I think it is justified by the thought introduced in the succeeding verse.