James 4:1

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? WHENCE. The cause of quarrels is often sought in external circumstances: internal lusts are the true origin. WARS ... - contrast the "peace" of heavenly wisdom. "Fightings," the active carrying on of wars. 'Aleph (') B C have a second "whence" before "fightings." Tumults marked the era before the destruction of Jerusalem. James alludes to these. The members are the seat of war: thence it passes to conflict between man and man, nation and nation. COME THEY NOT ... - an appeal to their consciences. LUSTS, [ heedonon (G2237)] - pleasures which your lust prompt you to "desire" (note, James 4:2...

1_From whence come wars_. As he had spoken of peace, and had reminded them that vices are to be exterminated in such a way as to preserve peace, he now comes to their contentions, by which they created confusion among themselves; and he shews that these arose from their invidious desires and lusts, rather than from a zeal for what was just and right; for if every one observed moderation, they would not have disturbed and annoyed one another. They had their hot conflicts, because their lusts were allowed to prevail unchecked. It hence appears, that greater peace would have been among them, had every one abstained from doing wrong to others; but the vices which prevailed among them were so many attendants armed to excite contentions. He calls our faculties _members_. He takes _lusts _as designating all illicit and lustful desires or propensities which cannot be satisfied without doing inj...

1-10 Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Wordly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allow content or satisfaction. Sinful desires and affections stop prayer, and the working of our desires toward God. And let us beware that we do not abuse or misuse the mercies received, by the disposition of the heart when prayers are granted When men ask of God prosperity, they often ask with wrong aims and intentions. If we thus seek the things of this world, it is just in God to deny them. Unbelieving and cold desires beg denials; and we may be sure that when prayers are rather the language of lusts than of graces, they will return empty. Here is a decided warning to avoid all criminal friendships with this world. Worldly-mindedness is enmity to God. An enemy may be reconciled, but "enmity...

CHAPTER IV. _The origin of wars and contentions, and the wretched lot of_ _those who are engaged in them_, 1, 2. _Why so little heavenly good is obtained_, 3. _The friendship of the world is enmity with God_, 4, 5. _God resists the proud_, 6. _Men should submit to God, and pray_, 7, 8. _Should humble themselves_, 9, 10. _And not speak evil of each other_, 11, 12. _The impiety of those who consult not the will of God, and_ _depend not on his providence_, 13-15. The sin of him who knows the

FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU? - Margin, “brawlings.” The reference is to strifes and contentions of all kinds; and the question, then, as it is now, was an important one, what was their source or origin? The answer is given in the succeeding part of the verse. Some have supposed that the apostle refers here to the contests and seditions existing among the Jews, which afterwards broke out in rebellion against the Roman authority, and which led to the overthrow of the Jewish nation. But the more probable reference is to domestic broils, and to the strifes of sects and parties; to the disputes which were carried on among the Jewish people, and which perhaps led to scenes of violence, and to popular outbreaks among themselves. When the apostle says “among you,” it is not necessary to suppose that he refers to those who were members of the Christian church as actually engaged...

EXPOSITION JAMES 4:1 REBUKE OF QUARRELS ARISING FROM PRIDE AND GREED. A terribly sadden transition from the "peace" with which James 3:1. closed. JAMES 4:1 WHENCE WARS AND WHENCE FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU? The second "whence" (πόθεν) is omitted in the Received Text, after K, L, Syriac, and Vulgate; but it is supported by א, A, B, C, the Coptic, and Old Latin. WARS … FIGHTINGS (πόλεμοι … μάχαι). To what is the reference? Μάχαι occurs elsewhere in the New Testament only in...

FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU?.... Which are to be understood, not of public and national wars, such as might be between the Jews and other nations at this time; for the apostle is not writing to the Jews in Judea, as a nation, or body politic, but to the twelve tribes scattered abroad, and to such of them as were Christians; nor were Christians in general as yet increased, and become such large bodies, or were whole nations become Christians, and much less at war one against another, which has been the case since; and which, when it is, generally speaking arises from a lust after an increase of power; from the pride and ambitious views of men, and their envy at the happiness of other princes and states: nor do these design theological debates and disputes, or contentions about religious principles; but rather lawsuits, commenced before Heathen magistrates, by the rich, t...

James 4:1. _From whence come wars and fightings among you?_ Whether between nations, or parties or individuals,-if there be wars and fightings, whence do they come? James 4:1. _Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?_ Do they not arise from one desiring something, and another desiring the same thing? Is there not a competition or emulation of an evil kind, in which each one prefers himself, and seeks not the good of his neighbor? James 4:2. _Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not,-_ This is nature's way of trying to get by contention what it desires to possess,-fighting, and warring

IV. FURTHER EXHORTATIONS TO RIGHT LIVING CHAPTER 4 _ 1. Fightings and worldliness rebuked (James 4:1)_ 2. The Godly walk (James 4:7) James 4:1 A strong rebuke follows the statements concerning the wisdom from beneath and the wisdom from above. It must be borne in mind that these exhortations are addressed to the twelve tribes scattered abroad; to say that these words mean believers only would be a serious mistake; while Christians are contemplated, those of the tribes of Israel who are not believers are equally in view. It applies therefore to those who were born of God, real believers, and to those who were not, an entirely different matter from the Pauline Epistles, which are exclusively addressed to th

The climax of the last paragraph leads to a diagnosis of the disease that poisoned quarrelsome Jewish communities. Faction fights were the logical outcome of unbridled passions; they campaign against man's self (1 Peter 2:11), and weaken his power of control. James 4:2 is best rendered, You covet, and miss what you want then you murder. Aye, you are envious and cannot get your desire then you fight and wage war. It is hard to see how faction that would not stick at bloodshed could be found in a primitive Christian community; among Jews it is easily illustrated. These adulterous souls (James 4:4) have broken the marriage vow that unites God and His people; men cannot serve God and mammon, or give friendship at once to God and the worl