SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:24
Vosotros veis, pues, que el hombre es justificado por las obras, y no solamente por la fe.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - James 2:24
Verse 24. Ye see then how] It is evident from this example that Abraham's faith was not merely believing that there is a God; but a principle that led him to credit God's promises relative to the future Redeemer, and to implore God's mercy: this he received, and was justified by faith. His faith now began to work by love, and therefore he was found ever obedient to the will of his Maker. He brought forth the fruits of righteousness; and his works justified - proved the genuineness of his faith; and he continued to enjoy the Divine approbation, which he could not have done had he not been thus obedient; for the Spirit of God would have been grieved, and his principle of faith would have perished. Obedience to God is essentially requisite to maintain faith. Faith lives, under God, by works; and works have their being and excellence from faith. Neither can subsist without the other, and this is the point which St. James labours to prove, in order to convince the Antinomians of his time that their faith was a delusion, and that the hopes built on it must needs perish.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified , etc.] Not as causes procuring his justification, but as effects declaring it; for the best works are imperfect, and cannot be a righteousness justifying in the sight of God, and are unprofitable in this respect; for when they are performed in the best manner, they are no other than what it is a man's duty to perform, and therefore cannot justify from sin he has committed: and besides, justification in this sense would frustrate the grace of God, make void the death of Christ, and encourage boasting in men. Good works do not go before justification as causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects: and not by faith only : or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the Apostle Paul in ( Romans 3:28) since they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort in the soul. Moreover, the Apostle Paul speaks of justification before God; and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits unto men; the one speaks of a justification of their persons, in the sight of God; the other of the justification and approbation of their cause, their conduct, and their faith before men, and the vindication of them from all charges and calumnies of hypocrisy, and the like; the one speaks of good works as causes, which he denies to have any place as such in justification; and the other speaks of them as effects flowing from faith, and showing the truth of it, and so of justification by it; the one had to do with legalists and self-justiciaries, who sought righteousness not by faith, but by the works of the law, whom he opposed; and the other had to do with libertines, who cried up faith and knowledge, but had no regard to a religious life and conversation; and these things considered will tend to reconcile the two apostles about this business, but as effects declaring it; for the best works are imperfect, and cannot be a righteousness justifying in the sight of God, and are unprofitable in this respect; for when they are performed in the best manner, they are no other than what it is a man's duty to perform, and therefore cannot justify from sin he has committed: and besides, justification in this sense would frustrate the grace of God, make void the death of Christ, and encourage boasting in men. Good works do not go before justification as causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects: and not by faith only : or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the Apostle Paul in ( Romans 3:28) since they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort in the soul. Moreover, the Apostle Paul speaks of justification before God; and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits unto men; the one speaks of a justification of their persons, in the sight of God; the other of the justification and approbation of their cause, their conduct, and their faith before men, and the vindication of them from all charges and calumnies of hypocrisy, and the like; the one speaks of good works as causes, which he denies to have any place as such in justification; and the other speaks of them as effects flowing from faith, and showing the truth of it, and so of justification by it; the one had to do with legalists and self-justiciaries, who sought righteousness not by faith, but by the works of the law, whom he opposed; and the other had to do with libertines, who cried up faith and knowledge, but had no regard to a religious life and conversation; and these things considered will tend to reconcile the two apostles about this business.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-26 - Those are wrong who put a mere notional belief of the gospel for the whole of evangelical religion, as many now do. No doubt, true fait alone, whereby men have part in Christ's righteousness, atonement, an grace, saves their souls; but it produces holy fruits, and is shown to be real by its effect on their works; while mere assent to any form of doctrine, or mere historical belief of any facts, wholly differs from this saving faith. A bare profession may gain the good opinion of piou people; and it may procure, in some cases, worldly good things; but what profit will it be, for any to gain the whole world, and to los their souls? Can this faith save him? All things should be accounte profitable or unprofitable to us, as they tend to forward or hinder the salvation of our souls. This place of Scripture plainly shows that a opinion, or assent to the gospel, without works, is not faith. There is no way to show we really believe in Christ, but by being diligent in good works, from gospel motives, and for gospel purposes. Men may boas to others, and be conceited of that which they really have not. Ther is not only to be assent in faith, but consent; not only an assent to the truth of the word, but a consent to take Christ. True believing is not an act of the understanding only, but a work of the whole heart That a justifying faith cannot be without works, is shown from tw examples, Abraham and Rahab. Abraham believed God, and it was reckone unto him for righteousness. Faith, producing such works, advanced his to peculiar favours. We see then, ver. #(24), how that by works a ma is justified, not by a bare opinion or profession, or believing withou obeying; but by having such faith as produces good works. And to have to deny his own reason, affections, and interests, is an action fit to try a believer. Observe here, the wonderful power of faith in changin sinners. Rahab's conduct proved her faith to be living, or havin power; it showed that she believed with her heart, not merely by a assent of the understanding. Let us then take heed, for the best works without faith, are dead; they want root and principle. By faith an thing we do is really good; as done in obedience to God, and aiming a his acceptance: the root is as though it were dead, when there is n fruit. Faith is the root, good works are the fruits; and we must see to it that we have both. This is the grace of God wherein we stand, and we should stand to it. There is no middle state. Every one must eithe live God's friend, or God's enemy. Living to God, as it is the consequence of faith, which justifies and will save, obliges us to d nothing against him, but every thing for him and to him __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ομοιως 3668 ADV δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ ρααβ 4460 N-PRI η 3588 T-NSF πορνη 4204 N-NSF ουκ 3756 PRT-N εξ 1537 PREP εργων 2041 N-GPN εδικαιωθη 1344 5681 V-API-3S υποδεξαμενη 5264 5666 V-ADP-NSF τους 3588 T-APM αγγελους 32 N-APM και 2532 CONJ ετερα 2087 A-DSF οδω 3598 N-DSF εκβαλουσα 1544 5631 V-2AAP-NSF
