SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:17
El pecado pues est todavía en aquel que sabe hacer lo bueno, y no lo hace.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - James 4:17
Verse 17. To him that knoweth to do good] As if he had said: After this warning none of you can plead ignorance; if, therefore, any of you shall be found to act their ungodly part, not acknowledging the Divine providence, the uncertainty of life, and the necessity of standing every moment prepared to meet God-as you will have the greater sin, you will infallibly get the greater punishment. This may be applied to all who know better than they act. He who does not the Master's will because he does not know it, will be beaten with few stripes; but he who knows it and does not do it, shall be beaten with many; Luke xii. 47, 48. St. James may have the Christians in view who were converted from Judaism to Christianity. They had much more light and religious knowledge than the Jews had; and God would require a proportionable improvement from them.
1. SAADY, a celebrated Persian poet, in his Gulistan, gives us a remarkable example of this going from city to city to buy and sell, and get gain. "I knew," says he, "a merchant who used to travel with a hundred camels laden with merchandise, and who had forty slaves in his employ. This person took me one day to his warehouse, and entertained me a long time with conversation good for nothing. 'I have,' said he, 'such a partner in Turquestan; such and such property in India; a bond for so much cash in such a province; a security for such another sum.' Then, changing the subject, he said, 'I purpose to go and settle at Alexandria, because the air of that city is salubrious.' Correcting himself, he said, 'No, I will not go to Alexandria; the African sea (the Mediterranean) is too dangerous. But I will make another voyage; and after that I will retire into some quiet corner of the world, and give up a mercantile life.' I asked him (says Saady) what voyage he intended to make. He answered, 'I intend to take brimstone to Persia and China, where I am informed it brings a good price; from China I shall take porcelain to Greece; from Greece I shall take gold tissue to India; from India I shall carry steel to Haleb (Aleppo;) from Haleb I shall carry glass to Yemen (Arabia Felix;) and from Yemen I shall carry printed goods to Persia. When this is accomplished I shall bid farewell to the mercantile life, which requires so many troublesome journeys, and spend the rest of my life in a shop.' He said so much on this subject, till at last he wearied himself with talking; then turning to me he said, 'I entreat thee, Saady, to relate to me something of what thou hast seen and heard in thy travels.' I answered, Hast thou never heard what a traveler said, who fell from his camel in the desert of Joor? Two things only can fill the eye of a covetous man-contentment, or the earth that is cast on him when laid in his grave." This is an instructive story, and is taken from real life. In this very way, to those same places and with the above specified goods, trade is carried on to this day in the Levant. And often the same person takes all these journeys, and even more. We learn also from it that a covetous man is restless and unhappy, and that to avarice there are no bounds. This account properly illustrates that to which St. James refers: To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain.
2. Providence is God's government of the world; he who properly trusts in Divine providence trusts in God; and he who expects God's direction and help must walk uprightly before him; for it is absurd to expect God to be our friend if we continue to be his enemy.
3. That man walks most safely who has the least confidence in himself.
True magnanimity keeps God continually in view. He appoints it its work, and furnishes discretion and power; and its chief excellence consists in being a resolute worker together with him. Pride ever sinks where humility swims; for that man who abases himself God will exalt. To know that we are dependent creatures is well; to feel it, and to act suitably, is still better.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good , etc.] This may regard not only the last particular of referring all things to the will of God, the sovereign disposer of life, and all events, which some might have the knowledge of in theory, though they did not practise according to it; but all the good things the apostle had exhorted to, and the contrary to which he had warned from, in this epistle; and suggests, that a Gnostic, or one that knows the will of God, in the several branches of it, revealed in his word, and doth it not, to him it is sin : it is a greater sin; it is an aggravated one; it is criminal in him that is ignorant of what is good, and does that which is evil, nor shall he escape punishment; but it is much more wicked in a man that knows what is right and good, and ought to be done, and does it not, but that which is evil, and his condemnation will be greater; (see Luke 12:47,48). The omission of a known duty, as well as the commission of a known sin, is criminal.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-17 - Our lips must be governed by the law of kindness, as well as truth an justice. Christians are brethren. And to break God's commands, is to speak evil of them, and to judge them, as if they laid too great restraint upon us. We have the law of God, which is a rule to all; le us not presume to set up our own notions and opinions as a rule to those about us, and let us be careful that we be not condemned of the Lord. "God to now," is a call to any one to consider his conduct a being wrong. How apt worldly and contriving men are to leave God out of their plans! How vain it is to look for any thing good without God' blessing and guidance! The frailty, shortness, and uncertainty of life ought to check the vanity and presumptuous confidence of all project for futurity. We can fix the hour and minute of the sun's rising an setting to-morrow, but we cannot fix the certain time of a vapour being scattered. So short, unreal, and fading is human life, and all the prosperity or enjoyment that attends it; though bliss or woe for eve must be according to our conduct during this fleeting moment. We ar always to depend on the will of God. Our times are not in our ow hands, but at the disposal of God. Our heads may be filled with care and contrivances for ourselves, or our families, or our friends; but Providence often throws our plans into confusion. All we design, an all we do, should be with submissive dependence on God. It is foolish and it is hurtful, to boast of worldly things and aspiring projects; it will bring great disappointment, and will prove destruction in the end Omissions are sins which will be brought into judgment, as well a commissions. He that does not the good he knows should be done, as wel as he who does the evil he knows should not be done, will be condemned Oh that we were as careful not to omit prayer, and not to neglect to meditate and examine our consciences, as we are not to commit gros outward vices against light __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
αγε 71 5720 V-PAM-2S νυν 3568 ADV οι 3588 T-NPM πλουσιοι 4145 A-NPM κλαυσατε 2799 5657 V-AAM-2P ολολυζοντες 3649 5723 V-PAP-NPM επι 1909 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF ταλαιπωριαις 5004 N-DPF υμων 5216 P-2GP ταις 3588 T-DPF επερχομεναις 1904 5740 V-PNP-DPF
