James 2:21

James 2:21. James now adduces two examples those of Abraham and Rahab to prove the truth of his assertion that faith can only save if it is productive of good works. And, first, the example of Abraham.

Was not Abraham. The same example is adduced by Paul (Romans 4:1-5); but there is no reason to suppose that the one writer borrowed from the other. The example of Abraham would readily occur to every Jew, on account of the importance of that patriarch in their national history.

our father: the same appellation is given by Paul; but here it is given because both James and his readers, the Jewish Christians, were descended from Abraham.

was justified. Some suppose that by ‘justified' is meant proved to be justified, and that the allusion is to the manifestation of our justification before men, which can only be by works. Thus Calvin remarks: ‘Paul means by the word “justified” the gratuitous imputation of righteousness before the tribunal of God; and James, the manifestation of righteousness by the conduct, and that before men. In this sense we fully allow that a man is justified by works, as when one says that a man is enriched by the purchase of a large and valuable estate, because his riches, before hid, shut up in a chest, were thus made known.' But this has too much the appearance of a subterfuge to avoid a difficulty; it puts a forced interpretation upon the text. We take the word in its ordinary meaning, ‘declared righteous in the sight of God,' equivalent to ‘ saved ' in a previous verse: ‘Can faith save him?'

by works. Paul also appeals to the case of Abraham, but with a desire to prove that he was justified by faith without works. These writers view the matter in different lights. Paul asserts that Abraham was justified by the unseen principle of faith; he simply believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, James affirms that the faith by which Abraham was justified was a faith which manifested itself by works, and was seen in a remarkable manner by the great act of his obedience the sacrifice of Isaac; his faith obtained its perfection by works. See excursus at the end of this exposition. The plural works, whereas only one work is mentioned, is explained from the fact that the class is named to which the offering up of Isaac belongs.

when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar. This great act of obedience (Genesis 22:2) was certainly a work of faith, arising from Abraham's practical belief in God. ‘By faith,' writes the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, ‘Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promises, offered up his only-begotten son, of whom it is said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure' (Hebrews 11:17-19). It was therefore a most notable proof that Abraham had a living faith, and was therefore in a justified state.