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I.
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who
delude themselves.
a.
Prove - ginomai {ghin'-om-ahee} - begin to be or to become
i.
One must "become" or "keep on becoming" (BKC)
ii.
systematically and continually "Be," as if this
was your regular business (Commentary Critical)
b.
doers of the word - poietes {poy-ay-tace'}
logos {log'-os} - a doer, or performer of the word
i.
Walk in obedience to the faith as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. (Ironside)
ii.
"There must be inward practice by meditation, and outward
practice in true obedience. Baxter
c.
Not merely hearers - me {may} monon
{mon'-on} akroates {ak-ro-at-ace'} -Not only one who hears
i.
Hearing is in order to doing; the most attentive and the most
frequent hearing of the word of God will not avail us, unless we
be also doers of it (Matthew Henry)
ii.
It is not enough to remember what we hear, and to be able
to repeat it, and to give testimony to it, and commend it, and write
it, and preserve what we have written; that which all this is in
order to, and which crowns the rest, is that we be doers of the
word. (Matthew Henry)
iii.
Qualification of the precept, "Be swift to hear":
"Be ye doers . . . not hearers only"; not merely
"Do the word," but "Be doers" (Commentary Critical)
iv.
It is not sufficient to receive the Word; one must respond to it
in active obedience. (BKC)
d.
Who delude themselves - paralogizomai {par-al-og-id'-zom-ahee} heautou
{heh-ow-too'} - to deceive, delude, circumvent yourself by false
reasoning
i.
paralogizomai {par-al-og-id'-zom-ahee} -is only used in Col. 2:4
- I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument
ii.
"The growing number of sermon-sippers who flit from one doctrinal
dessert to another like helpless hummingbirds are deceiving themselves."
(BKC)
iii.
As if you are imagining that an intellectual acquaintance with the
truths of the Bible is all that is required. (Ironside)
iv.
It should produce the practical fruits which are the proof
that it works really and vitally in the heart. (Darby)
II.
V. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is
like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
a.
For if anyone is a hearer - hoti {hot'-ee} ei tis {i tis} esti {es-tee'}
akroates {ak-ro-at-ace'} -For if anyone is being
a hearer
b.
Of the word and not a doer - logos {log'-os} kai {kahee} ou {oo}
poietes {poy-ay-tace'} -word and not one who a doer, or performer
i.
The true disciple learns in order that he may do, not in order
that he may merely know or teach. (Commentary Critical)
c.
He is like a man - houtos {hoo'-tos} (masculine plural) eiko {i'-ko}
eiko {i'-ko} -This is to be like a man (with reference to gender)
d.
Who looks at his natural face in a mirror - katanoeo {kat-an-o-eh'-o}
genesis {ghen'-es-is} prosopon {pros'-o-pon} esoptron {es'-op-tron
-one who observes the face or countenance of His birth in a mirror
i.
This reference is not gender generic.
James is making a direct reference to a male
ii.
It is interesting that James cited a man in this illustration. A woman would probably do what she could
to cover it or correct it.
(BKC)
iii.
As a looking-glass shows us the spots and defilements upon
our faces, that they may be remedied and washed off, so the word
of God shows us our sins, that we may repent of them and get them
pardoned; it shows us what is amiss, that it may be amended There
are glasses that will flatter people; but that which is truly the
word of God is no flattering glass. If you flatter yourselves, it
is your own fault; the truth, as it is in Jesus, flatters no man
(Matthew Henry)
iv.
As a man may behold his natural face in a mirror, so the hearer
may perceive his moral visage [face or facial expression
of a person] in God's Word. This faithful
portraiture of man's soul in Scripture, is the strongest proof of
the truth of the latter. In it, too, we see mirrored God's glory,
as well as our natural vileness. (Commentary Critical)
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