James Commentary:
I. Greeting and Testing of Faith (1:1-18)
II. Hearing and Doing the Word (1:19-27)
III. The Sin of Partiality (2:1-13)
IV. Faith without Works is Dead (2:14-26)
A. Can that Faith Save Him? (2:14-17)
B. Response and Reiteration (2:18-20)
C. Explanation: Abraham and Rahb (2:21-26)
V. Christian Speech and Wisdom (3:1-4:3)
VI. Submission to God: (4:4-17)
VII. Concluding Admonitions (5:1-19)
Even were it possible for us to perform works absolutely pure, yet one sin is sufficient to efface and extinguish all remembrance of former righteousness: “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all,” (James 2:10). And since this mortal life is never entirely free from the taint of sin, whatever righteousness we could acquire would ever and anon be corrupted, overwhelmed, and destroyed, by subsequent sins, so that it could not stand the scrutiny of God, or be imputed to us for righteousness. In short, whenever we treat of the righteousness of works, we must look not to the legal work but to the command.
"But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die." (Ezek 18:24).
A. Can that Faith Save Him? (2:14-17)
The apostle argues from the unprofitableness of faith itself without works (14), and which he exemplifies in the case of a poor brother or sister who are wished well, but nothing given them; which good words, without deeds, are of no profit (15-16), so in like manner, faith without works is a dead faith (17), nor indeed can it be made out that a man has faith, if he has not works.
B. Response and Reiteration (2:18-20)
If he has not works, his faith is a dead faith. He does not have such a faith as has justification and salvation connected with it (18); his faith, at most, is no better than that of the devils, who are damned (19), and that such a faith is a dead faith (20).
C. Explanation: Abraham and Rahb (2:21-26)
That true faith is attended with, and evidenced by works, the apostle proves by two instances; the one is that of Abraham, whose faith appeared to be genuine, and he to be a justified person, by the works he did; particularly by offering up his son Isaac; in which way his faith operated, and showed itself to be sincere and hearty; and the Scripture was fulfilled that Abraham was a believer; and had righteousness imputed to him, and was a friend of God, and a justified person (21-24), and the other instance is that of Rahab, whose faith was also shown by her works, and so a justified person, by receiving the spies with peace, and dismissing them with safety (25), and then the apostle explains what he means, by saying more than once, that faith without works is dead; which he illustrates by the simile of a man's body being dead, without the spirit or soul in it (26).
Since Paul and James were inspired by the same Spirit, they cannot be said to oppose each other on the doctrine of justification, so that one should ascribe justification to faith alone and the other to works also. The reconciliation is not difficult, if the design of each be considered and the natures of faith and of justification (concerning which both treat) be attended:
Paul disputes against the Pharisees, who urged the merits of works; James disputes against the Libertines and Epicureans, who, content with a profession of faith alone, denied not only the merits of works, but also their necessity. Against the former, Paul rightly urges faith alone for justification. Against the latter, James properly commends the necessity of works for the confirmation of justification. Paul speaks of a living and efficacious faith; James of an idle and dead faith which cannot be demonstrated by works (v. 18); Paul of justification a priori and constitutively; James of the same a posteriori and declaratively; Paul properly constitutes the former in faith alone; James rightly places the latter in works, by which the reality of our faith and justification is declared not only before men, but also before God.
Therefore, when faith is said “to have wrought with works in Abraham, and by works to have been made perfect” (v. 22), this ought to be understood in relation to the efficacy of faith, which exerted itself by works and by which also it was consummated and made perfect. It ought not to be understood essentially, for this it has by its own nature (but declaratively) because it is proven to be perfect and sincere; just as “the power of God” is said to be “made perfect in our weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9), i.e., known and declared to be perfect.