Remain Steadfast Despite Suffering .

We do not always see full justice administered in our day and time, but final and ultimate justice is coming. Saints are to exercise patience - a spirit and lifestyle of enduring others whose conduct is incompatible with that of the Gospel - as they await God's promised vindication of his people. Moo says, "Specifically, James encourages patience until the coming of the Lord. Until (heos) has a 'pregnant' sense here, suggesting the idea of a goal as well as a time period: 'exercise patience as you wait for, and look for, the coming of the Lord'."

God is long-suffering and slow to anger even when man continues in sin after numerous warnings (Exod. 34:6; Psa. 86:15; Rom. 2:4; 9:22; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 3:15). The Church is called to reflect this divine virtue minute by minute and situation to situation. God promises ultimately to eradicate injustice in this world (Luke 18:1-8).

As he had at the beginning of his letter, James turns his attention back to his brothers and sisters, and their trials (see notes on 1:2-4, 12). Having confronted slanderers in 4:8-12 and those who oppress the poor in 5:1-6 in expectation of the Lord’s judgment, James assures those who suffer of their ultimate vindication. As a farmer awaits the valuable harvest from the ground, Christians must patiently await Jesus’ coming (1 Thess. 5:2-4; 2 Pet. 3:1-10). Again, Jesus’ teaching lies in the background of James’ proverbial sayings (e. g. the Parables of the Persistent Widow in Lk 18:1-8; the Tenants in Matt 21:33-46; and the Ten Wedding Attendants in Matt 25:1-13) underscoring the need to wait faithfully for Jesus’ royal return (p).

What is grumbling? Stulac says:

The one application of patience is that we will not grumble against each other (Jas 5:9). The imperative verb is stenazo, which means "sigh" or "groan." It refers to a proper groaning for something good in Mark 7:34, Romans 8:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:2. The only other New Testament usage is in Hebrews 13:17, where it has a sense more like the grumbling or complaining that James wants Christians to avoid. It is a grumbling specifically against each other (kata with genitive), thus referring to a complaining in which we blame each other.

James throughout his letter is concerned with Christian behavior. Why? Christ is coming! The imminence of Christ's return makes its demands upon us! As Peter says, The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray" (1 Pet. 4:7). See "The Final Judgment: Will I Be Judged?" below. Kistemaker says:

In the middle of the first century of the Christian era, leaders in the church expected the Lord Jesus Christ to return in their lifetime. In his letters Paul tells his readers that the day of Christ is at hand (Rom. 13:11-12; 1 Cor. 1:8; 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 1:6, 10; 2:16; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Thess. 2:2). Of course, Paul's two epistles to the church at Thessalonica deal primarily with the topic of Christ's return. For Paul, the coming of Jesus was imminent.

So, James reinforces the New Testament hope for the return of Jesus, who will come at the end of the age. Nearness of judgment awaits every person (Heb. 9:27), for all will stand before the Judge to give an account. See "The Plan of the Ages: Are We in the Last Days?" below.

Briefly recalling his admonishments about harmful speech (see notes on James 3:1-12 and 4:11-12), James warns his brothers and sisters not to complain or grumble like the Exodus community did in the wilderness (cf. Numbers 11, 14) as they journeyed towards the land of promise. Reminding them, “the Judge is standing at the door,” James draws on Jesus’ teaching that the final vindication of the righteous is certain and imminent (cf. Lk 18:1-8).

James returns to the topic of James 5:7-8. He reinforces and illustrates his exhortation to patience under duress and references the prophets and Job as models for others to imitate. As Moyter states:

The story of Job is an example of faithful steadfastness, but even more of divine purpose. The blessedness which came to him eventually was not a 'fairy-tale ending' in which all lived happily ever after. It was the objective of God from the start: above all it was the enrichment of knowing God more fully. This is where Job puts his finger, and James also. Doubtless neither would discount or despise the earthly prosperity which the Lord gave to Job, for this too is part of his compassion and mercy (Job 42:10ff.). But Job's own word is this: 'I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees thee' (Job 42:5). His new knowledge of the Lord was as vivid as the replacement of hearsay by encounter. James too brings out, not the blessings the Lord bestows, but the knowledge of the Lord himself, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful, for, as the Lord Jesus said, 'eternal life' is to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent' (John 17:3).

James has made some important and weighty points in James 1:1-5:11, but now he says "above all." James stresses the importance of godliness. His use of the term "swear" which refers to vows. See "Honesty, Oaths, and Vows: Should I Swear?" and "Jephthah and Sinful Vows" below.

James' teaching obviously derived from Jesus' instruction on the subject of vows (Matt. 5:33-37). Neither Jesus nor James condemned proper vows and oaths. Rather, both condemned frivolous vows (cf. 2 Cor. 1:23; 1 Thess. 2:10). James was especially concerned that empty oaths would destroy relationships among believers.

To emphasize refraining from false oaths and vows so strongly is consistent with the Biblical concerns for covenant keeping and the for maintaining the sanctity of the faith. For more discussion of the proper role of oaths in the Christian life, see WCF 21.5; 22.1-5.

The Christian is expected to be a person whose word is reliable (Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no). See WCF 22.2; HC 99, 102.

Drawing yet again from Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 5:33-37), James warns against swearing oaths by heaven, God’s throne, or the earth, its footstool in order to avoid condemnation. Oaths are not inherently sinful, because God binds himself to oaths (Acts 2:30; Heb. 3:11, 18; 4:3; 6:13, 16; 7:21; Rev. 10:6). But, oaths should not be frivolous and are less necessary in communities where a person’s yes means yes and no means no. See WCF 21.5, 22.2; a 99, 102.