James 2:14

τί τὸ ὄφελος : B stands almost alone in omitting τό here; in 1 Corinthians 15:32, the only other place in the N.T. where the phrase occurs τό is inserted. A somewhat similar phrase occurs in Sir 41:14, … τίς ὠφελία ἐν ἀμφοτέροις; the abruptness of the words betrays the preacher. ἀδελφοί μου : a characteristic mode of address in this Epistle. With ἀδελφός cf. חבר in Rabbinical literature. ἔργα : = the Hebrew מצוות (literally “command; ments,” i.e., fulfilling of commandments): see Introduction IV., § 2. πίστις. i.e., as expressed in the Shema‘ (Deuteronomy 6:4 ff.): “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One …”; this was the fundamental tenet of the Jewish faith, and that it is this to which reference is made, and not the Christian faith, is obvious from James 2:19 which contains the essence of the Shema‘. σῶσαι : the belief in the efficacy of works among the Jews has always been very strong; the following quotations express the traditional teaching of Judaism on the subject: “He that does a good work in this world, in the world to come his good work goes before him;” Sota, 3 b, in Kethuboth, 67 b we have the following: “When Mar Ukba lay a-dying, he asked for his account; it amounted to 7000 Zuzim (i.e., this was the sum-total of his almsgiving). Then he cried out: ‘The way is far, and the provision is small' (i.e., he did not think that this sum would be sufficient to ensure his justification in the sight of God, and thus gain him salvation); so he gave away halt of his fortune, in order to make himself quite secure.” Again, concerning a righteous man who died in the odour of sanctity, it is said, in Tanchuma, Wayyakel, i.: “How much alms did he give, how much did he study the Torah, how many Mitzvoth (i.e., ‘commandments,' see above) did he fulfil! He will rest among the righteous.” It is also said in Baba Bathra 10 a, that God placed the poor on earth in order to save rich men from Hell; the idea, of course, being that opportunities for doing Mitzvoth were thus provided. In a curious passage in the Testament of Abraham, chap. xvi, it is said that Thanatos met Abraham and told him that he welcomed the righteous with a pleasant look and with a salutation of peace, but the sinners he confronted with an angry and dark countenance; and he said that the good deeds of Abraham had become a crown upon his (Thanatos') head. In Wis 4:1 we have, … ἀθανασία γάρ ἐστιν ἐν μνήμῃ αὐτῆς (ἀρετῆς), ὅτι καὶ παρὰ Θεῷ γινώσκεται καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις. Cf. Enoch ciii. 1 4.