James 1:26

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. An example of doing work. Verse 26. RELIGIOUS ... RELIGION, [ threeskos (G2357) - threeskeia (G2356)] - express the external service of religion, 'godliness' being the internal soul. James, as president of the council at Jerusalem (Acts 15:13), had decided against ritualism. So here he adds, Instead of Judaic ceremonialism, true service is: (1) active, (2) passive piety. 'If any think himself [ dokei (G1380)] to be religious - i:e...

26_Seem to be religious_. He now reproves even in those who boasted that they were doers of the law, a vice under which hypocrites commonly labor, that is, the wantonness of the tongue in detraction. He has before touched on the duty of restraining the tongue, but for a different end; for he then bade silence before God, that we might be more fitted to learn. He speaks now of another thing, that the faithful should not employ their tongue in evil speaking. It was indeed needful that this vice should be condemned, when the subject was the keeping of the law; for they who have put off the grosser vices, are especially subject to this disease. He who is neither an adulterer, nor a thief, nor a drunkard, but, on the contrary, seems brilliant with some outward shew of sanctity will set himself off by defaming others, and this under the pretense of zeal, but really through the lust of slander...

26,27 When men take more pains to seem religious than really to be so, it is a sign their religion is in vain. The not bridling the tongue, readiness to speak of the faults of others, or to lessen their wisdom and piety, are signs of a vain religion. The man who has a slandering tongue, cannot have a truly humble, gracious heart. False religious may be known by their impurity and uncharitableness. True religion teaches us to do every thing as in the presence of God. An unspotted life must go with unfeigned love and charity. Our true religion is equal to the measure in which these things have place in our hearts and conduct. And let us remember, that nothing avails in Christ Jesus, but faith that worketh by love, purifies the heart, subdues carnal lusts, and obeys God's commands....

Verse 26. _SEEM TO BE RELIGIOUS_] The words θρησκος and θρησκεια, which we translate _religious_ and _religion_, (see the next verse,) are of very uncertain etymology. _Suidas_, under the word θρησκευει, which he translates θεοσεβειυπηρετειτοιςθεοις, _he worships_ or _serves the gods_, accounts for the derivation thus: "It is said that Orpheus, a _Thracian_, instituted the mysteries (or religious rites) of the Greeks, and called the worshipping of God θρησκευειν _threskeuein_, as being a _Thracian_ invention." Whatever its derivation may be, the word is used both to signify _true religion_, and _superstition_ or _heterodoxy_. See Hesychius, and James 1:27, James 1:27. _BRIDLETH NOT HIS TONGUE_] H

IF ANY MAN AMONG YOU SEEM TO BE RELIGIOUS - Pious, or devout. That is, if he does not restrain his tongue, his other evidences of religion are worthless. A man may undoubtedly have many things in his character which seem to be evidences of the existence of religion in his heart, and yet there may be some one thing that shall show that all those evidences are false. Religion is designed to produce an effect on our whole conduct; and if there is any one thing in reference to which it does not bring us under its control, that one thing may show that all other appearances of piety are worthless. AND BRIDLETH NOT HIS TONGUE - Restrains or curbs it not, as a horse is restrained with a bridle. There may have been some reason why the apostle referred to this particular sin which is now unknown to us; or he may perhaps have intended to select this as a specimen to illustrate this idea, that if th...

EXPOSITION JAMES 1:1 SALUTATION. JAMES, A SERVANT OF GOD AND OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. (On the person who thus describes himself, see the Introduction) It is noteworthy that he keeps entirely out of sight his natural relationship to our Lord, and styles himself simply "a bond-servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ." That, and that alone, gave him a right to speak and a claim to be heard. Δοῦλος is similarly used by St. Paul in Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1 by St. Peter in 2 Peter 1:1; and by

IF ANY MAN AMONG YOU SEEM TO BE RELIGIOUS,.... By his preaching, or praying, and hearing, and other external duties of religion, he is constant in the observance of; and who, upon the account of these things, "thinks himself to be a religious man", as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions render it; or is thought to be so by others: AND BRIDLETH NOT HIS TONGUE; but boasts of his works, and speaks ill of his brethren; backbites them, and hurts their names and characters, by private insinuations, and public charges without any foundation; who takes no care of what he says, but gives his tongue a liberty of speaking anything, to the injury of others, and the dishonour of God, and his ways: there seems to be an allusion to Psalms 39:1. BUT DECEIVETH HIS OWN HEART; with his show of religion, and external performances; on which he builds h

James 1:1. _James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting._ The apostle James evidently believed in no lost ten tribes, as some nowadays do. They never were lost; the Israelites whom we see nearly every day belong to venue of all the twelve tribes, so James addressed his Epistle «To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.» James 1:2. _My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;_ Or, trials. James 1:3. _Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom,-_

RELIGIOUS (Greek, "thrēskos", means "outwardly religious")....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. TRIALS AND THE EXERCISE OF FAITH CHAPTER 1 _ 1. Trials and the power of faith (James 1:1)_ 2. The resources of faith (James 1:5) 3. The realization of faith (James 1:9) 4. The conquest of faith (James 1:12) 5. The result of faith (James 1:16) James 1:1 The first verse is the introduction. The writer is James, but he does not add, as he might have done, “the brother of the Lord.” It would have identified his per