Arc

James

James 1:5-8

NT

tisch

esv

εἰ δέ τις ὑμῶν λείπεται σοφίας

If any of you lacks wisdom,

αἰτείτω παρὰ τοῦ διδόντος θεοῦ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς καὶ μὴ ὀνειδίζοντος

let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach,

conditional

καὶ δοθήσεται αὐτῷ

and it will be given him.

situationresponse

αἰτείτω δὲ ἐν πίστει μηδὲν διακρινόμενος

But (In that) let him ask in faith, with no doubting,

ὁ γὰρ διακρινόμενος

for (the doubting one) the one who doubts

ἔοικεν κλύδωνι θαλάσσης ἀνεμιζομένῳ καὶ ῥιπιζομένῳ

is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

comparison

μὴ γὰρ οἰέσθω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὅτι λήμψεταί τι παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου

For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

ἀνὴρ δίψυχος

(Epexegetical) he is a double-minded man,

ἀκατάστατος ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ

unstable in all his ways.

ideaexplanation

ground

actionmanner

discourse

Notes

Central Idea: The request for asking for wisdom is stipulated by the manner in which you ask it. Explanation: I used situation (5a,b) response (5c) instead of action/pur or action/result because the depending on the manner in which we ask God responds differently. I see Paul placing emphasis on the manner in which we ask that corresponds with God's response thus I put response instead of the purpose because I don't see James stressing the purpose in the passage verses the manner and the response of God. Insights: If one asks in faith, he must ask without doubting. One who doubts is controlled by the waves of circumstance in his situation and is not truly trusting in God. Therefore he is unstable like the worldly influences that control him and the Lord will not give one wisdom when that person is basing his decisions on circumstance verses God's faithfulness. Questions: Don't we have a little doubt in everything? Can we have a perfect faith in asking for wisdom? Either we can thus God gives us wisdom, or there is some kind of grace in our asking and his giving. James does say "with NO doubting". He didn't say with little or no doubting. I don't think God gives us wisdom according to the "amount" of faith we have versus the doubt. Paul says completely no doubt.

notes