James 4:11

James 4:11. Here a new sentence begins, and yet in close connection with the preceding. St. James returns to the sins of the tongue, and cautions his readers against that sinful judging and censuring which was the effect of their bitter contentions.

Speak not evil one of another, brethren. Evil speaking has its origin in resentment and envy. Those whom we do not like, or who are our successful rivals, we are apt to depreciate. On the other hand, humility in the sight of God will show itself in humility with reference to our fellow-men: we will think humbly of ourselves, and so will not be so apt to undervalue others. Of coarse, all evil speaking is not here forbidden; we are bound to direct attention to the wicked, as a warning to others; but the evil speaking which St. James here condemns, is sinful censuring; judging the motives and character of men; pretending to see into their hearts, and discerning the motives of their actions; condemning them without good reason from prejudice and envy, and thus usurping the judicial authority of God.

He that speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother. Judging here is used, as it is often in Scripture, in the sense of condemning. Compare with this the prohibition of our Lord: ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged' (Matthew 7:1).

speaketh evil of the law. By the law here is meant the moral law, that law the summary of which is, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;' and which St. James designates ‘the royal law' (James 2:8). He who in a censorious spirit judges his brother, sets at nought this law of love, and thus speaks evil of it, or undervalues it.

and judgeth the law. Some suppose that by this is meant that he who judges his brother, judges the law by setting himself above it, pronouncing on its observance or non-observance by another (Alford). But it rather appears to mean: He that speaketh evil of his brother condemneth his brother; and in doing so, without necessary occasion, usurpeth the authority of the judge; a meaning, however, which is not essentially different.

but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge: by condemning thy fellow-men, thou steppest out of thy province, which is not to judge the law, but to obey it. Judgment is the province of God, the one Lawgiver, not of the subject to the law, and far less of the trangressor of the law.