James 4:13,14

1
Epistle of James
James 413-17 Self-Sufficiency vs. Reality

• James 413,14 Come now, you who say, "Today or
  tomorrow we will go to such and such a city,
  spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a
  profit" whereas you do not know what will
  happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is
  even a vapor that appears for a little time and
  then vanishes away.
• Have you noticed the transition in the epistle
  here?
• From judging brethren to materialism
• This theme continues until James 55
• To what audience is this directed, all believers?
• McCalley suggests that this refers to the
  itinerant Jewish traders within the ecclesia who
  have serious doctrinal errors.

August 18, 2013 Bob Eckel
1
2
Epistle of James
James 413-17 Self-Sufficiency vs. Reality

• Many of them were engaged in foreign traffic, and
  for this purpose made long journeys to distant
  trading cities, i.e. Alexandria, Antioch,
  Ephesus, Corinth, Phoenicia, Thessalonica.
• And today means this very day and tomorrow the
  next day.
• Go to here and in James 51 is used 3 times in
  Gen 113-7 concerning the building of Babel.
• Thus, this could represent the apostate Jewish
  system of worship a city and a tower in the
  midst of its vineyard (Is 52, Matt 2133).
• All Jewish temples were built using Gentile
  labor, as of course was Babel.
• But does any of this depend on God?
• know is e-pe'-stä-mi to be acquainted with or
  understand
• Is the intent here anything but rash and
  presumptuous?
• The sin of distraction?
• Is 5611 - Yea, they are greedy dogs which can
  never have enough, and they are shepherds that
  cannot understand they all look to their own
  way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

August 18, 2013 Bob Eckel
2
3
Epistle of James
James 413-17 Self-Sufficiency vs. Reality

• How often do you think of your life as a vapor?
• James 110 Job 76,7. 925,26, 141,2 Psalms
  905-7 I Pet 124
• vanishes away to snatch out of sight, destroy
  or consume
• Does this produce fear or comfort?
• But, is there anything wrong with making a
  profit?
• Almost all uses of gain relate to spiritual gain
• I Cor 921,22 Phil 38
• What are the motives?
• James 415 - For that ye ought to say, If the
  Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
• Alternatively, instead of your saying (verse 13)
• say is active, present will active, aorist,
  subjunctive shall live and do active, future,
  indicative

August 18, 2013 Bob Eckel
3
4
Epistle of James
James 413-17 Self-Sufficiency vs. Reality

• The verb tenses after we indicate our dependence
• How do know His will?
• Barnes - There is nothing on which the success
  of our plans depends over which we have absolute
  control there is nothing, therefore, on which we
  can base the assurance of success but His favor.
  
• I Cor 419 But I will come to you shortly, if
  the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of
  them which are puffed up, but the power.
• Lets see what Christ Himself said about His will
  Rom 828,29
• James 416 But now ye rejoice in your
  boastings all such rejoicing is evil.
• Both rejoice and is are present and indicative
  fact!
• boastings
• empty, braggart talk

August 18, 2013 Bob Eckel
4
5
Epistle of James
James 413-17 Self-Sufficiency vs. Reality

• an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in
  its own
• power and resources and shamefully despises and
  violates divine laws and human rights
• an impious and empty presumption which trusts in
  the stability of earthy things
• rejoicing is the act of glorifying
• I John 216 For all that is in the world, the
  lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
  the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is
  of the world.
• Rom 713 Was then that which is good made
  death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might
  appear sin, working death in me by that which is
  good that sin by the commandment might become
  exceeding sinful.
• I Cor 47 For who maketh thee to differ from
  another? and what hast thou that thou didst not
  receive? now if thou

August 18, 2013 Bob Eckel
5
6
Epistle of James
James 413-17 Self-Sufficiency vs. Reality

• didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou
  hadst not received it?
• James 417 Therefore to him that knoweth to do
  good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
• Therefore whats it there for?
• Compare to boastings and their source.
• know is eido perceived and factual
• Were there some who didnt know?
• What a burden this is, or is it?
• What does doing good mean?
• Doesnt this sound legal? What is the metric?
• Remember, its a life we live not a series of
  good acts!
• John 629 - Jesus answered and said to them,
  This is the work of God, that you believe in Him
  whom He sent.

August 18, 2013 Bob Eckel
6