James 1:21

ἀποθέμενοι : used in Hebrews 12:1 of putting off every weight preparatory to “running the race that is set before us”; the metaphor is taken from the divesting oneself of clothes. ῥυπαρία : not elsewhere in the N.T. or Septuagint; the Syriac has טנפולא which is the same word used in Ezekiel 44:6 for the Hebrew תוִעבה “abomination,” meaning that which is abhorrent to God; usually it has reference to idolatrous practices, but it occurs a number of times in the later literature in reference to unchastity, this more especially in Proverbs. The adjective is used in Zechariah 3:4 of garments, and cf. Revelation 22:11, where the meaning is “filthy”. The word before us, therefore, probably means “filthiness” in the sense of lustful impurity. περισσείαν κακίας : not merely “excess” in the sense of the A.V. “superfluity” and the R.V. “overflowing,” because κακία in the smallest measure is already excess. The phrase seems to mean simply “manifold wickedness”; this has to be got out of the way first before the “implanted word” can be received. ἐν πραΰτητι : this must refer to the meekness which is the natural result of true repentance. Cf. Matthew 4:17, Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. τὸν ἔμφυτον λόγον : ἔμφυτος occurs only here in the N.T.; in Wis 12:10 we have, οὐκ ἀγνοῶν ὅτι πονηρὰ ἡ γένεσις αὐτῶν καὶ ἔμφυτος ἡ κακία αὐτῶν. Mayor holds that the expression must be understood as “the rooted word,” i.e., a word whose property it is to root itself like a seed in the heart, cf. Matthew 13:21, οὐκ ἔχει δὲ ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ; and Matthew 15:13, πᾶσα φυτεία ἣν οὐκ ἐφύτευσεν ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ οὐράνιος ἐκριζωθήσεται; and cf. 4 Esdr. 9:31, “Ecce enim semino in vobis legem meam, et faciet in vobis fructum et glorificabimini in eo per saeculum”. The meaning “rooted word” agrees admirably with the rest of the verse, and seems to give the best sense, see further below. τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν : Cf. 1 Peter 1:9., τὸ τέλος τῆς πίστεως σωτηρίαν ψυχῶν. The words before us leave the impression that those to whom they were addressed could not yet be called Christians; πᾶσαν ῥυπαρίαν καὶ περισσείαν κακίας, which they are enjoined to put off, implies a state far removed from even a moderate Christian ideal; and the “rooted word,” which is able to save their souls, has evidently not been received yet. On the subject of the “rooted word” being able to save souls, see further under James 1:22.