SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:17
Elías era hombre sujeto a pasiones semejantes a las nuestras, y rog en oracin que no lloviese, y no llovi sobre la tierra tres aos y seis meses.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - James 5:17
Verse 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions] This was Elijah, and a consistency between the names of the same persons as expressed in the Old and the New Testaments should be kept up. The word omoiopaqhv signifies of the same constitution, a human being just as ourselves are. See the same phrase and its explanation in Acts xiv. 15, and the note there. There was some reason to apprehend that because Elijah was translated, that therefore he was more than human, and if so, his example could be no pattern for us; and as the design of St. James was to excite men to pray, expecting the Divine interference whenever that should be necessary, therefore he tells them that Elijah was a man like themselves, of the same constitution, liable to the same accidents, and needing the same supports.
And he prayed earnestly] proseuch proshuxato? He prayed with prayer; a Hebraism for, he prayed fervently.
That it might not rain] See this history, 1 Kings xvii. 1, &c.
And it rained not on the earth] epi thv ghv? On that land, viz. the land of Judea; for this drought did not extend elsewhere.
Three years and six months.] This is the term mentioned by our Lord, Luke iv. 25; but this is not specified in the original history. In 1 Kings xviii. 1, it is said, In the third year the word of the Lord came to Elijah, that is, concerning the rain; but this third year is to be computed from the time of his going to live at Zarephath, which happened many days after the drought began, as is plain from this, that he remained at the brook Cherith till it was dried up, and then went to Zarephath, in the country of Zidon; 1 Kings xvii. 7-9. Therefore the three years and six months must be computed from his denouncing the drought, at which time that judgment commenced. Macknight.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are , etc.] The apostle gives an instance of earnest and fervent prayer, and of the efficacy of it in Elias; who is the same with the prophet Elijah, or Elijah the Tishbite; who, by the Septuagint in ( Malachi 4:5) is called Elias, as here, and elsewhere, in the New Testament: of him James says, that he was a man, contrary to the notion of some of the Jewish writers, who affirm, that Elijah was not born of a father and mother, but was an angel, who was clothed with the four elements of the world f53 ; but he was not only born, but born in sin, as others are, and was by nature no better than others; and he himself confesses that he was no better than his fathers, ( 1 Kings 19:4). And the apostle further observes; concerning him, that be was subject to like passions as we are; both in body and soul; he was subject to hunger and weariness, and was fed by ravens, and by the widow of Zarephath, and by an angel; and he was subject to reproach, affliction, and persecution, being charged by Ahab as a troubler of Israel, and persecuted by Jezebel, who sought his life; he was a mortal man, and liable to death, and requested to die, and must have died, had it not been for the wonderful power of God, which translated him, that he should not see death; and he was not free from sinful passions, as impatience, fear, and unbelief, ( 1 Kings 17:20 19:3-5,10,18). And he prayed earnestly; or prayed in prayer; an Hebraism: it is said of one, that hytwlx ylx , he prayed his prayer; and of others, that ytwlx alx , they prayed prayers; though the phrase here seems to design something more than bare praying; a praying, not merely externally, or formally, and with the lip only, but with the Spirit, and with the understanding, and with the heart engaged in it, with inwrought prayer. The prophet prayed with much earnestness, with great vehemence and intenseness of Spirit, as this Hebraism denotes; his prayer was fervent, and it was constant, and importunate, and was continued till he had an answer: he may be thought to have prayed each of the seven times he sent his servant to look out for a sign of rain, ( Kings 18:43), he first prayed, that it might not rain ; this is not recorded in express words, but may be gathered from ( 1 Kings 17:1) where he says, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew, nor rain, these years, but according to my word; so the passage is understood by the Jewish interpreters: the phrase, before whom I stand, is paraphrased by one of them thus; before whom I am used to stand, hlyptb , in prayer; and it is a common saying with the Jews, there is no standing ever mentioned, but prayer is intended; (see Gill on Matthew 6:5) And the other phrase, according to my word, is, by another f56 , interpreted to this sense, that the rain should not descend naturally, according to the custom of the world, but it should descend when Elijah wyl[ llpty , prayed for it, and so it was: and it rained not on the earth : on the land of Israel, which is only meant; it rained in other parts of the world, for the drought in those times was not universal: and this was, by the space of three years and six months ; which exactly agrees with the words of Christ, ( Luke 4:25) and this was in judgment upon the land of Israel, for the idolatry it was filled with in the times of Ahab: and this instance of prayer is mentioned, not with a view that it should be imitated; we are not to pray for judgments, unless we have a divine order for it, as Elijah had; but to show the efficacy of prayer made according to the will of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-18 - The sin of swearing is condemned; but how many make light of commo profane swearing! Such swearing expressly throws contempt upon God' name and authority. This sin brings neither gain, nor pleasure, no reputation, but is showing enmity to God without occasion and withou advantage It shows a man to be an enemy to God, however he pretends to call himself by his name, or sometimes joins in acts of worship. But the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. In day of affliction nothing is more seasonable than prayer. The spirit i then most humble, and the heart is broken and tender. It is necessar to exercise faith and hope under afflictions; and prayer is the appointed means for obtaining and increasing these graces. Observe that the saving of the sick is not ascribed to the anointing with oil but to prayer. In a time of sickness it is not cold and formal praye that is effectual, but the prayer of faith. The great thing we shoul beg of God for ourselves and others in the time of sickness is, the pardon of sin. Let nothing be done to encourage any to delay, under the mistaken fancy that a confession, a prayer, a minister's absolution an exhortation, or the sacrament, will set all right at last, where the duties of a godly life have been disregarded. To acknowledge our fault to each other, will tend greatly to peace and brotherly love. And when a righteous person, a true believer, justified in Christ, and by his grace walking before God in holy obedience, presents an effectua fervent prayer, wrought in his heart by the power of the Holy Spirit raising holy affections and believing expectations and so leadin earnestly to plead the promises of God at his mercy-seat, it avail much. The power of prayer is proved from the history of Elijah. I prayer we must not look to the merit of man, but to the grace of God It is not enough to say a prayer, but we must pray in prayer. Thought must be fixed, desires must be firm and ardent, and graces exercised This instance of the power of prayer, encourages every Christian to be earnest in prayer. God never says to any of the seed of Jacob, Seek m face in vain. Where there may not be so much of miracle in God' answering our prayers, yet there may be as much of grace.
Greek Textus Receptus
ηλιας 2243 ανθρωπος 444 ην 2258 5713 ομοιοπαθης 3663 ημιν 2254 και 2532 προσευχη 4335 προσηυξατο 4336 5662 του 3588 μη 3361 βρεξαι 1026 5658 και 2532 ουκ 3756 εβρεξεν 1026 5656 επι 1909 της 3588 γης 1093 ενιαυτους 1763 τρεις 5140 και 2532 μηνας 3376 εξ 1803
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. A man (anqrwpov). The generic word; human like ourselves, this thought being emphasized by the succeeding epithet of like passions. See the same expression, Acts xiv. 15.
Of like passions (omoiopaqhv). Only here and Acts xiv. 15. There is some danger of a misunderstanding of this rendering, from the limited and generally bad sense in which the word passions is popularly used. The meaning is rather of like nature and constitution. Rev. puts nature in margin, which would be better in the text.
He prayed fervently (proseuch proshuxato). Lit., he prayed with prayer. See a similar mode of expression, Gen. ii. 17 (Sept.), ye shall surely die (qanatw apoqaneisqe); lit., ye shall die with death. Compare Luke xxii. 15; John iii. 29; Acts iv. 17. The addition of the cognate noun gives intenseness to the verb.
Hide - sins. A familiar Hebrew phrase. See Ps. xxxii. 1; lxxxv. 2; Proverbs x. 12.
