Holy spirit jealousy

HOLY SPIRIT JEALOUSY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
James 4:5 Or do you think the Scripture says without
reasonthat the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns
with envy?
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Worldliness Enmity With God
James 4:4-6
C. Jerdan
Here the apostle follows up the words of rebuke and warning with which the
chapter opened. The doctrine which he enunciates is uncompromising; and his
language startling, as welt as solemn.
I. THE ANTAGONISM BETWEEN THE LOVE OF THE WORLD AND
THE LOVE OF GOD. (Ver. 4.) This painful epithet, "Ye adulteresses,"is the
key-note of the chord which James strikes in his appeal. God is the rightful
spiritual Husband of every professing Christian; and thus, if such a one
embraces the world, he or she resembles a womanwho turns awayfrom her
lawful husband to follow other lovers. The world is an evil world, alien in its
principles and pursuits from the will and glory of God; and therefore "the
friendship of the world" is incompatible with the love of him. But what
preciselyis this "friendship"? It does not lie
(1) in habits of friendly intercourse with worldly men; or

(2) in the diligent pursuit of one's daily occupation;or
(3) in an appreciationof creature comforts and innocent pleasures.
Worldliness does not depend upon outward acts or habits. It is a state of the
heart. The word denotes the spirit and guiding disposition of the unbeliever's
life - the will to "be a friend of the world." Since, accordingly, this friendship
represents direct opposition to the Divine will, every man who seeks it first
and most declares himself by that very act"an enemy of God."
II. CONFIRMATIONOF THIS TRUTH. (Vers. 5, 6.) We acceptas accurate
the Greek reading of ver. 5 which has been adopted by the Revisers, together
with their translation: "Or think ye that the Scripture speakethin vain? Doth
the Spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?" The apostle,
accordingly, confirms his representationregarding the antagonismbetween
the love of the world and the love of God by:
1. The tenor of Scripture teaching. The sacredwriters with one consenttake
up an attitude of protest againstworldliness. Theyuniformly assume that "the
friendship of the world is enmity with God." They urge the duty of
moderation in one's desires, and of contentment with the allotments of
Providence. The worldly disposition, which shows itself in covetousness and
envy and strife, is opposedboth to the letter and the spirit of Holy Scripture.
And the moral teaching of God's Word on this subject is not "in vain." The
Bible means what it says. In all its utterances it is solemnly earnest.
2. The consciousnessofthe renewedheart. "Doththe Spirit [i.e. the Holy
Spirit] which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?" If the Holy Ghost,
speaking in the written Word, condemns the spirit of envy, he does so also in
the law which he writes upon the hearts of Christ's people. Some of those to
whom this Epistle was addressedhad "bitter jealousyand faction in their
hearts" (James 3:14): it was seen in their worldly "wars" and"fightings." But
the apostle appeals to their consciences to confess whethersucha state of
mind was not due to their walking "afterthe flesh' insteadof "afterthe
Spirit." They knew well that the powerof the Holy Ghost within their souls, in
so tar as they yielded themselves to it, produced always very different fruit
from that of envy and strife (Galatians 5:19-23;James 3:14-18).

3. The substance of the Divine promises. (Ver. 6.) "Grace"is the name for the
influence which the Holy Spirit exerts upon the heart in order to its
regenerationand sanctification. And how does grace operate, but just by
killing the love of the world within the soul, and breathing into it the love of
God? He, by his Spirit, gives to his believing people "more grace," i.e. supplies
of grace greaterin force and volume than the strength of their depravity, or
the temptations againstwhich they have to contend. Notonly so, but those
who employ wellthe grace which they alreadypossess, shallreceive more in
ever-increasing measure (Matthew 25:29). And "the humble," who realize
must deeply that they do not deserve any grace atall, are those upon whom
God has always bestowedthe most copious supplies. The further we depart
from pride, which is the fruitful mother of envy and strife, the more freely
and abundantly shall we receive that supernatural energy which will drive the
love of the world out of our hearts (Proverbs 3:34).
CONCLUSION. Let us impress upon our minds the intensity with which God
abhors pride. All history echoes the truth that "he settethhimself in array
againstthe proud." Take the case ofPharaoh, of Nebuchadnezzar, of Haman,
of Wolsey, of Napoleon. Forourselves, therefore, letus "fling awayambition"
in every form. Especiallylet us crucify spiritual pride. "Many laboring men
have got goodestates inthe Valley of Humiliation;" and if we go there "in the
summer-time" of prosperity we shall learn the song of the shepherd boy -
"He that is down needs fear no fall;
He that is low no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his Guide."
(Bunyan.) = - C.J.

The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.
James 4:5
The Spirit's jealousy
J. C. Coghlan, D. D.
St. James probably meant to give the sense ofScripture, and not to quote the
exactwords. Scripture teaches us the truth that "the Spirit which dwelleth in
us lusteth to envy," or rather, "desirethenviously."
I. The class of passagesto which St. James seems to refer would include those
in which God speaks ofHimself as a "jealous"God, and impresses upon the
minds of the Israelites the undivided nature of the worship He demanded
from them. In such passages Godis described as requiring the entire
affections of His people. His feeling at the withdrawal of these affections from
Him in any degree is spokenof as "jealousy." The meaning of the text will
then be, "Do you suppose that the Scriptures mean nothing when they speak
of the Spirit of God dwelling in you as requiring absolute rule in your hearts,
and longing eagerlyafteryou, even to something like envy of any other
influence which is gaining the mastery over your hearts?" The word here
translated "lusteth" is rendered "long after," where St. Paul says to the
Philippians, "Godis my recordhow greatly I long after you all in the bowels
of Jesus Christ."
II. This meaning of the text will be found, I think, to harmonise with the
context. He asks, "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with
God?" and adds, "whosoever, therefore, will be" — lays himself out to be —
"the friend of the world is the enemy of God." You must choose betweenthe
two. "Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." "Do you think that the Scriptures
speak to no purpose when they tell you that God requires your heart in a way
which can only be described by saying that His Spirit longethafter you with
enviousness and jealousy?"
III. This same view of religion is, as you know, continully brought before us in
Scripture. Our Lord tells us that "no man canserve two masters." With a
view to testing this singlenessofheart in those who desire to be His followers

He gave to different persons different commands. He desired one who wished
to be with Him to go home to his own house. He called upon the young man
who had greatpossessions to abandon them and follow Him. This unreserved
surrender of selfto Him was the "one thing needful." Different courses of
conduct would test the "willingness" ofdifferent persons according as their
circumstances ordispositions were different; but in all His disciples the same
readiness was necessaryin the days when tie walkedthis earth. In all His
disciples the same disposition is necessarynow. The designof the gospelis not
to set us free on the earth to do as we please;but to place us in our true
position as adopted children of God — to turn the heart wholly to Him so that
we should not merely have His law written for us as something outside us and
hostile to us — as a setof rules for slaves and bondsmen — but written by His
Holy Spirit in the fleshy tables of our hearts, as the directions to which our
renewedaffections would turn with delight.
IV. Nor indeed would any other view of the claims and operationof the Holy
Spirit be at all consistentwith what we observe of all ruling influences in our
minds. We all have some predominant desire or tendency which brings into
subjection our other desires and tendencies, and to which they yield. This
ruling principle exerts an influence upon everything we do; our other
tendencies, as it were, group themselves around it, receive its instructions, and
do its bidding. Everything is viewed through it as a medium. You all know
what this is. And if any one of you has takenthe trouble to ascertainwhatis,
in your own case, the ruling tendency of your mind, you will know that it is a
jealous tendency — that it "lusteth or longeth after you enviously."
V. Now if the love of God — a looking to the things not seen — if holiness be
our character, we must expect the Holy Spirit to exert such an influence over
us as we know other powers to exert overthose upon whose characterswe
decide by our knowledge oftheir ruling disposition. We must expect the
indwelling Spirit to desire no rivalry — to be satisfiedwith nothing short of
"bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." But what is
wonderful is, that persons coming to Church and receiving the Bible —
persons who are shockedat open wickedness, andwho fancy themselves
shockedatit because it is spokenagainstin God's Word — what is wonderful,
I say, is that such persons can pass over as idle words these assertions ofthe

nature of the Spirit's claim on their whole heart, in the practicalrecognition
of which consists that"holiness without which no man shall see the Lord." Of
course a view of religion so fundamentally wrong as to ignore this high notion
of the yearning and jealous love of Godfor those in whom He vouchsafes to
dwell would necessarilytaint and nullify every supposedreligious actof him
who, in spite of Scripture, resolvedto entertain it. But it is in the particular
act of prayer that St. James in the passage before us asserts its ruinous
tendency. Let us, then, in conclusion, see how it operates to render prayer
ineffectual, and to make what ought to be our solemn service an abomination
unto the Lord. Prayer may be viewed in either of two ways.
1. It is a means by which God has appointed that we shall receive that
continual supply of grace and strength which is essentialto the support of our
spiritual life. It is thus a source ofbenefit and blessing for present use. Besides
this, the actof prayer is —
2. In itself a training for that higher and more enduring communion with Him
which we hope one day to enjoy in His Kingdom. No man prays to any
purpose excepthe prays with a sincere wish — a wish far beyond all other
wishes — that God would make him better; that Godwould do this — do it
from the moment the prayer is uttered — and do it evermore unto the end.
This must be the sincere and heartfelt longing of every one who hopes to
"receive anything of the Lord." This is precisely what, from the nature of the
case, the man who is "double-minded" cannothave.
(J. C. Coghlan, D. D.)
The yearning of the Divine Spirit over us
DeanPlumptre.
The better MSS. give a different reading of the first words: "The Spirit which
He planted [or made to dwell] in us." If we adopt this reading, it makes it all
but certainthat what is predicated of the Spirit" must be good, and not evil.
The Greek wordfor "lusteth'' conveys commonly a higher meaning than the
English, and is rendered elsewhere by longing after (Romans 1:11; Philippians

1:8; Philippians 2:26; 2 Corinthians 9:14), or "earnestlydesiring" (2
Corinthians 5:2), or "greatlydesiring" (2 Timothy 1:4). The verb has no
object, but it is natural to supply "us." Taking these data we getas the true
meaning of the words: "The Spirit which He implanted yearns tenderly over
us." The words that remain, "to envy," admit of being taken as with an
adverbial force: in a manner tending to envy." The fact that "envy" is
elsewhere condemnedas simply evil, makes its use here somewhatstartling.
But the thought implied is that the strongesthuman affectionshows itselfin a
jealousywhich is scarcelydistinguishable from "envy." We grudge the
transfer to another of the affections which we claim as ours. We envy the
happiness of that other. In that sense St. James says that the Spirit, implanted
in us, yearns to make us wholly His, and is satisfiedwith no divided allegiance.
The root-idea of the passageis identical with that of the jealousyof God over
Israelas His bride (Jeremiah 3:1-11; Ezekiel16:1; Hosea 2:3), of His wrath
when the bride proved faithless.
(DeanPlumptre.)
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He
jealouslydesires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? (NASB:
Lockman)
Greek:e dokeite (2PPAI)hoti kenos e graphe legei, (3SPAI) pros phthonon
epipothei (3SPAI) to pneuma o katokisen(3SAAI) en hemin?
THE FOLLOWING TRANSLATIONS RENDERSPIRIT WITHA
CAPITAL "S"
Amplified: Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose
that says, The Spirit Whom He has causedto dwell in us yearns over us and

He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome]with a jealous love? (Amplified Bible
- Lockman)
Darby: Think ye that the scripture speaks in vain? Does the Spirit which has
takenhis abode in us desire enviously?
GWT: Do you think this passagemeans nothing? It says, “The Spirit that lives
in us wants us to be his own.”
ICB: Do you think the Scripture means nothing? It says, "The Spirit that God
made to live in us wants us for himself alone."
ISV: Or do you think the Scripture means nothing when it says that the Spirit
that God causedto live in us jealouslyyearns for us?
MLB (Berkley): Or do you suppose the Scripture speaks to no purpose? The
Spirit, who took up His abode in us, yearns jealouslyover us
NKJV: Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who
dwells in us yearns jealously"?
Phillips: Do you think what the scriptures have to say about this is a mere
formality? Or do you imagine that this spirit of passionate jealousyis the
Spirit he has causedto live in us? (Phillips: Touchstone)
TLB: Or what do you think the Scripture means when it says that the Holy
Spirit, whom God has placed within us, watches overus with tender jealousy
Weymouth: Or do you suppose that it is to no purpose that the Scripture says,
"The Spirit which He has caused to dwell in our hearts yearns jealouslyover
us"?
WBC: Or do you really imagine there is no ground in what Scripture says:the
Spirit God made to dwell in us opposes envy? (Ralph Martin)
Wuest: Or, do you think that the scripture says in an empty manner and to no
purpose, The Spirit who has been causedto make His permanent home in us
has a passionate desire to the point of envy (Eerdmans)

THE FOLLOWING TRANSLATIONS RENDERSPIRIT WITHA SMALL
"S"
ASV: Or think ye that the scripture speakethin vain? Doth the spirit which
he made to dwell in us long unto envying?
BBE:Or does it seemto you that it is for nothing that the holy Writings say,
The spirit which God put into our hearts has a strong desire for us?
ESV: Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He
yearns jealouslyover the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”?
KJV: Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in
us lusteth to envy?
Macent:or do you imagine that passageofscripture to be insignificant, "does
the spirit that dwells in you, incite you to vice?"
Moffatt: What, do you considerthis is an idle word of scripture?—'He yearns
jealouslyfor the spirit he setwithin us.'
Montgomery: Or do you suppose that it is in vain that the Scripture says,
"The spirit which has its home in us yearns over us unto jealousy?"
NAB: Or do you suppose that the scripture speaks withoutmeaning when it
says, "The spirit that he has made to dwell in us tends toward jealousy"?
NET:Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says, "The spirit
that God causedto live within us has an envious yearning"?
NIV: Or do you think Scripture says without reasonthat the spirit he caused
to live in us envies intensely?
NJB:Can you not see the point of the saying in scripture, ‘The longing of the
spirit he sentto dwell in us is a jealous longing.'?
NLT: What do you think the Scriptures mean when they saythat the spirit
God has placedwithin us is filled with envy? (Or that God longs jealouslyfor
the human spirit he has placedwithin us? or that the Holy Spirit, whom God
has placedwithin us, opposes ourenvy?) (NLT - Tyndale House)

NRSV: Or do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, "God
yearns jealouslyfor the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?
Young's Literal: Do ye think that emptily the Writing saith, `To envy
earnestlydesireth the spirit that did dwell in us,'
Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: e dokeite (2PPAI)
hoti kenos e graphe legei, (3SPAI): (John 7:42; 10:35; 19:37;Romans 9:17;
Galatians 3:8)
A DIFFICULT PASSAGE
TO TRANSLATE & INTERPRET
It should be noted at the outset of the exposition that James 4:5 presents one
of the most difficult challenges in the entire New Testament. There is not only
a question regarding the most accurate Greek text (see below for discussionof
the verb to dwell) but also the question of how the Greek text is most
accuratelyinterpreted grammatically. The following discussionwill briefly
discuss these problematic areas but the interested readeris referred to more
academic resourcesformore detail. After studying multiple resources
detailing the difficulties regarding James 4:5, I would suggestthat the
gracious readertake care not to be too dogmatic in the interpretation of this
passage.
Or do you think - Parallels the introduction to Jas 4:4 "do you not know".
The "or" introduces a question which addresses their attitude toward the
authority of Scripture. Scripture speaks but do you think it speaks forno
reasonor without reason? Is the message whichthe Scripture speaks
purposeless, so that it has no authoritative claim on how we conduct
ourselves? While most of us would quickly respond with an emphatic "No,
Scripture does not speak to me without purpose", our conduct many times
unfortunately answers "Yes"!
The Scripture speaks - Scripture is personified. And rightly so for when we
read the pages ofScripture, we are reading living and active (energetic)words
(Heb 4:12), the words of God spokento us. So when Scripture speaks, God
speaks. Are you (am I) listening (like young Samuel)? (1Sa 3:9, 10)Speaks is

in the present tense - Scripture continually speaks. And so we should
continually listen, taking care to be doers and not merely hearers only,
deluding ourselves. (James 1:22)
While this phrase in the first half of this verse would be expectedto introduce
a definite OT reference in the secondhalf, there is no obvious passageof
Scripture (OT or NT)that contains the words of the assumedquotation. Many
explanations have been offered in an attempt to explain this enigma, but none
are conclusive.
Ideas include (1) James quoted from some unknown apocryphal work (2) The
quote is an unrecorded statementof James'half brother Jesus. (3)James
quotes from some NT passage.(4)James was paraphrasing an OT passage. (5)
James was not quoting a specific single passage, but is summarizing truths
found in severalOT passages. (6)Finally, some commentators (and Bible
translations)do not treat the first half of verse 5 as a "formula" introducing a
quotation but as a sentence which stands by itself. Severalof the translations
emphasize this latter view by dividing verse 5 into two separate sentences…
Or think ye that the scripture speakethin vain? Doth the spirit which he
made to dwell in us long unto envying? (ASV)
Think ye that the scripture speaks in vain? Does the Spirit which has taken
his abode in us desire enviously? (Darby)
Do you think what the scriptures have to say about this is a mere formality?
Or do you imagine that this spirit of passionate jealousyis the Spirit he has
causedto live in us? (Phillips)
Or think ye that, in vain, the scripture speaketh? Is it, for envying, that the
spirit which hath takenan abode within us doth crave? (Rotherdam)
Hiebert favors two separate sentencesandcomments that "Lenskisupports
the view that verse 5 consists oftwo sentences by pointing out that the
wording of the first part of the verse never occurs elsewhereas a formula of
quotation; he insists, "If a quotation were to follow, we should certainly
expectthe addition, `saying that.' (D Edmond Hiebert - James - Highly

RecommendedCommentary - Any commentary written by Hiebert is
excellent!)
Gill explains that it…
seems bestof all to conclude that the apostle has no regard to any one
particular passageofScripture, in which the following words are expressly
had, since no such passageappears;but that his meaning is, the sense of the
Scripture everywhere, where it speaksofthis matter, is to this purpose: nor
does it say this, or any thing else in vain; whatever is written there is to
answersome end, as for learning, edification, and comfort, for doctrine,
reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.(Gill's Expositional
Notes)
Hiebert goes onto add that "When the first part of Jas 4:5 is acceptedas a
separate question, by (his use of the phrase) the Scripture James is seento
refer to the teaching of the Scriptures as a whole, which supports the truth
already declaredin Jas 4:4, that man cannotlove both God and the world at
the same time. If the readers are prone to question the truth of what James
had just said, as might be implied from their conduct, does that mean that
they regard the teaching of Scripture—that worldliness and godliness cannot
exist together—as withoutabiding authority? We acceptthe rendering of the
ASV which makes two sentencesofverse 5, as the most probable solution.
(Ibid)
No purpose (2756) (kenos)means literally to be without something material
and thus means empty or without content. It was used with the literal
meaning (as in Mk 12:3 "they took him and beat him and sent him away
empty handed"). Figuratively, kenos refers to endeavors, labors, acts, which
result in nothing and thus are vain, fruitless, without effectand will not
succeed. Kenos canalso refer to that which is devoid of intellectual, moral, or
spiritual value.
It appears then that in the present passage Jamesis asking his readers if they
think the Scripture lacks effectiveness, is useless, is of no purpose or is unable
to produce results. When the passage is readin this way, it becomes essentially
a rebuke to the readers.

He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us: pros
phthonon epipothei (3SPAI) to pneuma o katokisen(3SAAI) en hemin:
(Genesis 4:5,6;6:5; 8:21; 26:14;30:1; 37:11; Nu 11:29; Ps 37:1; 106:16;Pr
21:10;Eccl4:4; Isa 11:13;Acts 7:9; Ro 1:29; Titus 3:3)
The interpretation of the latter portion of James 4:5 is even more difficult
than the first sectionand there is no clearconsensus. There are at least4
points of difficulty: (1) Is the word spirit the subject or the objectof the main
verb desires? (2)Is the spirit to be written with a little or big "s"? In other
words is James referring to the Holy Spirit (which would be his only reference
in the book)or to the spirit of man? (3) Is the phrase jealouslydesires to be
understood in a goodor bad sense? (4)Finally, is James making a statement
or asking a question?
In the Greek this sentence begins with the preposition pros which generally
describes direction towardand in this case woulddescribe the direction
toward which the jealousy(or envy) is directed. For example, the NIV renders
this phrase "tends toward envy" while the New English Bible renders it
"turns towards envious desires". One can readily see from these renderings
that jealouslydesires has a negative connotation and this would indicate the
passagecouldhardly refer to the Holy Spirit! One wordsmith, BishopTrench,
in fact has written (somewhatdogmatically) of phthonos (see below) that it "is
used always and only in an evil signification." To reiterate, if one interprets
jealouslyin this way, the NAS rendering would be difficult to accept(but see
discussionunder jealously). The KJV marginal reading is not far from the
NAS, reading "the Spirit that dwelt in us loveth us to jealousy" (Jas 4:5, KJV,
marginal reading)
Jealously(5355)(phthonos) in most NT uses describes not just wanting what
another person has, but also resenting that person for having it. Phthonos
thus is generallygiven a negative connotationin biblical usage. Carsonsays
that phthonos was occasionallyusedin secularGreek to describe "the jealous
feeling of a lover towards a rival." Such a meaning would be compatible with
the NAS interpretation that it is the Spirit of God Who jealously desires.
Hiebert adds that…

the nouns phthonos [envy] and zelos [zeal, jealousy] were sometimes used
interchangeably. "Phthonos was occasionallyused in Greek writers of the
jealousyof the Olympian gods," (Douglas Moo - "The Letter of James")and
both terms were "often used for the `jealousy'of God(1Mac. 8:16; T Sim. 4.5;
T. Gad. 7.2; 1 Clem. 3.2; 4.7;5.2)." (Ralph Martin, Word Biblical
Commentary) So understood, the expression(jealouslydesires, NAS) could be
used to describe God's unwillingness to share man's affections with the world
(Ed: The affectionfor which James has just warned his readers in Jas 4:4-
note).
Dobson, et al write that pros phthonos…
when taken adverbially, “the Spirit that dwells in us lusts jealously,” speaksof
divine jealousy, a familiar doctrine to these Jews (Ex20:5; 34:14; Zech 8:2).
(Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L.
Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson)
Desires (1971)(epipotheo from epi = intensifies + potheo = to yearn) means to
have a strong desire for something, with implication of need. It mean to long
for, have greataffection for, yearn for someone orsomething. The present
tense indicates this strong desire is continual. Epipotheo is used elsewhere in
the NT always to express longing in a goodsense and not to express an evil
desire (See the 9 NT uses: Ro 1:11; 2Co 5:2; 9:14; Php 1:8; 2:26; 1Th3:6; 2Ti
1:4; Jas 4:5; 1Pe 2:2). Ropes remarks that epipotheo was even used to
describe "the longing affectionof the lover." (cp uses of epipotheo in the Lxx -
Ps 42:1, Ps 119:20, 131)
The Greek scholarA T Robertsoncomments that the phrase (pros phthonon
epipothei) is
A difficult phrase… (and if) God (is) presented as a jealous lover, does to
pneuma (the spirit) refer to the Holy Spirit as the subject of epipothei or to
man’s spirit as the object of epipothei? Probably the former and epipothei
then means to yearn after in the goodsense as in Phil. 1:8. (Study Notes on
4:5)

Spirit (4151)(pneuma) in the present context canbe takenas either the
subject (NET = "The spirit that Godcausedto live within us has an envious
yearning") or the object(ESV = "He yearns jealouslyover the spirit") of the
verb desires and to further complicate the picture can be interpreted as a
reference to either the human spirit or the Holy Spirit. The various
translations at the beginning of this note (click) have been divided into those
who interpret pneuma as the Divine Spirit or the human spirit.
To dwell - The specific Greek verb which is translated to dwell is also in
dispute. Most modern translations favor katoikizo while the KJV (basedon
the Greek Textus Receptus)favors the verb katoikeo.
Katoikizo (no unique Strong's # - some resources listit with katoikeo2730)is
used only here in James 4:5 (but used 40x in the non-apocryphal Septuagint)
and means to cause to dwell, to establish, to settle. Katoikizo is the verb which
most scholars favoras the one James intended. BDAG writes that katoikizo is
used in James 4:5 "of the Spirit" (BDAG favors the Holy Spirit) and so
renders this phrase as "the Spirit which (God) has causedto live in us." Louw
& Nida on the other hand favors the spirit of man and so renders it "the spirit
that (God) causedto dwell in us" or "the spirit that (God) put within us". The
confusedreader canbegin to see the difficulties and disagreements among
respectedscholars regarding the basic rendering of James 4:5!
Katoikeo (2730)is the much more commonly used Greek verb (45x in 43 NT
verses)meaning literally to reside and figuratively speaking of Goddwelling
in the heart (1Co 3:16), of demons dwelling humans (Mt 12:45), of God
dwelling in the temple (Mt. 23:21), of Satan dwelling where Antipas was killed
(Rev. 2:13), of Christ dwelling in His people by faith (Eph 3:17), of the fullness
of God dwelling in Christ (Col. 1:19), of the fullness of Deity dwelling in
Christ bodily (Col 2:9), and of righteousness dwelling in the new heavenand
earth (2Pe 3:13).
The NET Bible note says that…
Both because ofthe absence ofan explicit subject and the relative scarcityof
the causative katoikizo ("causeto dwell") compared to the intransitive
katoikeo(live, dwell") in Biblical Greek… it is easyto see why scribes would

replace katokisenwith katokesen(Ed: Replacing "i" with an "e" changes the
root verb [lemma] from katoikizo to katoikeo)… Oninternal and external
grounds, katokisenis the preferred reading. (Ed: In other words, the NET
Bible translators and most other scholars favorthe conclusionthat James
used the rare verb katoikizo rather than the more common verb katoikeo
which is favoredby the Greek Textus Receptus [KJV]. Are you confused yet?)
Hiebert a highly respectedexpositorsummarizes the textual and grammatical
conundrum as follows…
When the secondhalf of Jas 4:5 is acceptedas a separate sentence, is it to be
punctuated as a question or as a declarative statement? The ASV makes it a
question, but its contents may equally be regardedas a declarative
statement." Its close connectionwith the statement in the first part of Jas 4:6
supports the view that this is also a statement of fact. We acceptit as a
statementof factmade by James. In view of the grammatical structure, there
are four possibilities as to the intended meaning:
1. The human spirit as the object of the main verb:
"He [God] yearns enviously for the spirit which He causedto dwell in us."
Then the meaning is that God, who placed man's spirit in him at creation,
longs for its total loyalty and devotion to Him.
2. The divine Spirit as the object of the verb:
"He [God] yearns enviously for the Spirit which He causedto dwell in us."
But it is difficult to see how one member of the Trinity should be pictured as
enviously longing for another. This alternative is highly improbable.
3. The human spirit as the subject of the main verb:
"The spirit which He made to dwell in us longs enviously"
Then the meaning is that the human spirit, imparted at creation, longs
perversely for enjoyment of the world's pleasures, evento the point of envy
Then James charges his readers with perversenessin being cooltowardGod
while yearning for the world's pleasures.

4. The divine Spirit as the subject of the verb:
"The Spirit which He made to dwell in us yearns enviously"
Then the meaning is that the Holy Spirit, imparted to us by God at
conversion, yearns enviously for our total loyalty and devotion to Him. The
incoming Holy Spirit, Who sealedour redemption, justly claims our
undivided love. He canbrook no rival for our affection. The only reference to
the Holy Spirit in this epistle is under the secondand fourth views.
In view of the rebuke to worldliness that James is administering to his
Christian readers, the last view seems most probable. Then this reference to
the Holy Spirit's reactionto their worldliness fittingly expressesa further
ground for censure. This view harmonizes with the natural force of the
relative clause. The assertionthat God causedthe Spirit to dwell in believers
is a central teaching of the New Testament(Acts 5:32; Ro 8:11; Gal. 4:6; 2Ti
1:14). The better-attestedverb "causes to live" (katokisen)mostnaturally
points to a distinctive experience that is not true of all men and is best taken
as referring directly to the Spirit's impartation at regeneration. This view also
gives the most natural meaning to "us" as restricted to Christians. This
picture of the Holy Spirit's yearning for the undivided love of His people, and
grudgingly refusing to yield to a rival, is consistentwith the statement in
Galatians 5:17 concerning the Spirit's oppositionto the lusts of the flesh. This
view also is supported by the assertionin the first part of verse 6, which
stands in close connectionwith verse 5b.
The ESV Study Bible comments that…
God createdmankind with a “spirit,” and he deeply desires that our spirits
worship Him (cf. John 4:23,24). Some interpreters believe the verse speaks of
human jealousy(“The spirit that he has made to live in us envies intensely”).
But the idea of divine jealousyfits the context best, since the surrounding
verses (James 4:4, 6, 7, 8) deal with man's relationship with God. (ESV = “He
yearns jealouslyover the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”)

The Handbook on the Letter to James has five alternative translations and
has the following note on translation #4 (consult the UBS NT Handbook for all
five possibilities with the pros and cons of each)…
“The Spirit he causedto live in us longs jealously” (NIV secondalternative
rendering). In this instance the Holy Spirit is the subject of yearning. But God
is the one who causedthe Holy Spirit to live in us. The verb phrase “to yearn
jealously” is takenin the goodsense of“to long jealouslyfor our full
devotion,” or “to love us passionately.” WhatJames appears to say here, then,
is that Christians are indwelt by God’s Spirit, and that the Spirit longs for the
undivided loyalty and the love of God’s people. The unstated application of
this is that it would be inconceivable for Christians to continue to live in
accordancewith their own sinful desires and passions.
To think of the Holy Spirit as dwelling in human beings is a conceptwell
known in the Bible (Ro 8.11;1Co3.16). The indwelling in human beings is the
act and purpose of God. It makes more sense to say that God placedthe Holy
Spirit in us, rather than to say that he placed in us the human spirits with
tendency to sin. However, the difficulty is that this would be the only reference
to the Holy Spirit in the book, and this is consideredby some scholars as most
unlikely. Furthermore it would be unnatural to link the Holy Spirit with envy
and jealousy. Forthis reasonwe would have to interpret the word “jealousy”
in the goodsense ofa strong desire to love and care. This, to some scholars, is
contrary to its normal usage in the New Testament, and it is therefore
consideredto be doubtful. (The United Bible Societies'New Testament
Handbook Series)
Thomas Constable notes that James 4:5…
is very difficult to translate this statement, but the bestrendering seems to be
something such as the following. “God jealouslylongs for the spirit that He
made to live in us.” Another translations is, “the Spirit which he made to
dwell in us jealouslyyearns for the entire devotion of the heart” (cf. Ro 8:11;
1Co 3:16; Gal. 4:6; Ep 4:30; Jn 7:39; 16:7). Both translations fit the preceding
context well. God’s people who love the world have committed spiritual

adultery againstHim (Jas 4:4-note), but God (or His Spirit) jealouslylongs for
their love (Jas 4:5). (James Expository Notes)
Nystrom asks…
What is the subject and what is the object of the verb “longs for” (epipothei)?
The NIV has chosento muddy the waters by conflating (bringing together,
combining two readings of a text into a composite whole)two consecutive
Greek terms, phthonon (“envy, jealousy”)and epipothei ("express strong
desire for") (NIV = "the spirit he causedto live in us envies intensely"). It is
best to treat phthonon as an adverb (“with envy, with jealousy, jealously”)
and to see “God” as the subject and “the spirit” as the objectof the verb. This
leaves us with the following translation: “Out of jealousyhe [God] longs for
the spirit that he [God] made to live in us.” This is the interpretation chosen
by the NRSV("God yearns jealouslyfor the spirit that he has made to dwell
in us") (cf. NIV footnote = "that God jealouslylongs for the spirit that he
made to live in us" or "that the Spirit he causedto live in us longs jealously").
Other renderings are, of course, possible and grammaticallydefensible. The
subject could be the Holy Spirit, in which case the translation would be, “The
Holy Spirit that he sentto live in us desires us for himself alone.” This,
however, leaves us not distantly removed from where we find ourselves if God
is the subject.
In any case, the point is, plainly, that God desires with all of His heart for us
to come home and to live with and in Him, for us to ask for His wisdom.
Instead, we follow the wisdom of the world (cp Jas 3:15, 16, 17, Jas 4:4-note),
whether knowingly or unwittingly, and by following that errant path we can
never achieve what we truly seek. ((NIV Application Commentary, New
Testament:James. DavidP. Nystrom, Page 227. GrandRapids: Zondervan,
1997)(Bolding added)
Donald Burdick also commenting on Jas 4:5 in the NIV adds that…
there is goodreasonto believe that the translation given in the NIV footnote
for the last part of the verse is correct, "thatGod jealouslylongs for the spirit
that he made to live in us." This rendering fits the immediate context better
than the NIV text, "that the spirit he causedto live in us tends towardenvy."

Jas 4:4-note, which is closelytied to Jas 4:5 by the conjunction "or," indicates
that the believer who is a friend of the world is guilty of spiritual adultery.
Although his love and devotion belong to God, he has fallen in love with the
world. It is natural, therefore, to expectJas 4:5 to speak ofGod's jealous
longing for His people's love, rather than of their envious spirit. And there are
OT passagesthat refer to God as jealouslydesiring the devotion of His people.
Since there is no passageofwhich James 4:5 is a verbatim quotation, it is best
to understand it as giving the gistof such passagesas Ex20:5 and Ex 34:14…
It is much better… to translate pros phthonon epipothei as "longs jealously
for." Thus, in Jas 4:4-note James has accusedhis readers of spiritual
unfaithfulness. If they are not willing to acceptthis indictment, he asks in Jas
4:5 what they think about the OT passagesdealing with God's jealous longing
for His people. This is the significance ofthe introductory conjunction "or."
Do they think Scripture speaks "withoutreason" oremptily? Of course they
don't think this. Consequently, it is necessaryto believe that friendship with
the world is enmity towardGod, and thus it is spiritual unfaithfulness.
(Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New
Testament. Zondervan Publishing or Pradis = computer version)
Warren Wiersbe says…
Living for the flesh means grieving the Holy Spirit of God Who lives in us…
just as the world is the enemy of God the Father, so the flesh is the enemy of
God the Holy Spirit. There is a holy, loving jealousythat a husband and wife
have over eachother, and rightly so. The Spirit within jealouslyguards our
relationship to God, and the Spirit is grieved when we sin againstGod’s love.
(Wiersbe, W: Bible ExpositionCommentary. 1989. Victor)
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary reminds us that…
God is a jealous God (cf. Ex 20:5; 34:14; Dt 32:16; Zech 8:2; 1Co 10:22), and
hence He will not tolerate divided allegiance.(Pfeiffer, C F: Wycliffe Bible
Commentary. 1981. Moody)
Comment: See Dt 4:23, 24, 25, 26; 6:14, 15; Josh24:19, 20 for other OT verses
[among many] that describe God as jealous and as the One Who forbids

idolatry remembering that an idol would be like a "lover" with which a
believer seekscompanionship, committing adultery with their true Husband,
Jehovah. If human husbands become angeredby a wife's adultery, how much
more right would God have to be jealous toward His unfaithful wife?!(see Pr
6:32, 33, 34, 35-notes)
Motyer adds that…
God’s people are indwelt by God’s Spirit and there is no way in which the
living presence of that Spirit is compatible with those sinful yearnings and
promptings to self-interestwhich are destructive of the peace ofthe church.
(Motyer, J. A. The MessageofJames:The Tests ofFaith: Inter-Varsity Press)
Lehman Strauss comments that…
We might paraphrase this to read as follows:"The Spirit, who hath takenup
His abode in us, enviously yearns over us." I have capitalizedthe word Spirit,
for I believe James is referring to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, indwelling
us, is longing after something: namely, to make us wholly Christ's, to bring us
to the place where we have no divided allegiance. The Holy Spirit has just one
envy, one desire, one longing; that is, our entire devotion to Jesus Christ. God
warned His people of old time to have no other gods, neither to bow down to
them, for, said He: "I the Lord thy God am a jealous God" (Dt 5:1-9). This is
the intense desire of divine love, and the dispensations do not alter it. God's
pure and perfectlove for us yearns over us, for He too longs to be loved by His
own. This is the consistentteaching of all Scripture, and it is not mere vain (or
empty) teaching. No teaching in the Word of God can be labeled meaningless.
The popular preacherand Bible expositorR. Kent Hughes writes…
I am convincedthat the text refers to the Holy Spirit's jealousyover us
because it best fits the argument of the context and because it touches on that
grand truth so indispensable to the New Testamenttheology—the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit. Understanding that the Holy Spirit's jealousyfor us is what
is meant here opens a heart-changing truth to us: even when we sin by seeking
our pleasures in friendship with the world (Jas 4:4-note), we are greatlyloved,
for jealousyis an essentialelementof true love. We are brides of Christ, and

the Holy Spirit does not want us to go somewhere elseto "have our needs
met." The Holy Spirit's true love for us evokes a proper intolerance of
straying affection. The personalnessofthis ought to steelus against
wandering.
This jealous Spirit is inside us. When we sin, He is pained! Furthermore, His
jealousyis passionate, forthe idea in the Greek (epipotheo) is that He longs or
yearns for us with an intense jealousy. To realize that the awesomelyholy God
who transcends the universe and is wholly other and self-containedis at the
same time personally and passionatelyandlovingly jealous for our affection—
this realizationought to stop any of our "affairs" with the world and cause us
to prostrate our souls adoringly before him. How we are loved! And how we
ought to love! Foras John informs us, "We love because he first loved us"
(1Jn 4:19). (Hughes, R. K. James : Faith that works. Preaching the Word.
CrosswayBooks)
George Stulac in the IVP NT Commentary series has a well done analysis of
this difficult sectionof James. After assessingalternative interpretations (see
his discussion), Stulac explains why he favors the NAS (and the NIV marginal
translation) noting first that…
the subjectof the verb (desires)is the understood He, referring to God. The
objectof His yearning is the spirit He causedto live in us. This spirit could be
either the createdhuman spirit or the Holy Spirit given to Christians, though
the former seems more likely because it is consistentwith James's onlyother
reference to "spirit" in Jas 2:26-note. In either case, the meaning is that God
jealouslydesires us to belong wholeheartedlyto Him. (Even if one takes the
JerusalemBible or Living Bible rendering with "spirit" referring to the Holy
Spirit as the subject of the clause, one is left with the same meaning: that God
jealouslydesires us.)
The arguments making this understanding of Jas 4:5 preferable are the
following.
1. Linguistic. Two terms for "envy," phthonos and zelos, are sometimes
interchangeable, and zelos is used elsewhere ofGod. James would be choosing

this more unusual use of phthonos simply for stylistic contrast, since he
recently used zelos negatively of human envy in Jas 3:14 and Jas 3:16.
2. Grammatical. It is more natural to have the same subject for the two verbs
yearns (desires)and causedto live (made to dwell).
3. Contextual. An emphasis on God's jealousyfor righteousness in us is
equally consistentwith what James has emphasized in the letter.
4. Logical. A reference to human envy here would be awkward, because it
would seem to ignore the point to which James has come in Jas 4:4-note and
would instead return to his point in Jas 4:1-3. On the other hand, a reference
to God's jealousyfits the flow of thought well. The point of Jas 4:4 logically
raises the objection"How does friendship with the world make me an enemy
of God?" James would be answering this in Jas 4:5 by reminding us of God's
jealousy. Then Jas 4:6-note would follow as a reminder of God's grace to the
humble, which protects us from being overwhelmedby God's jealousy.
(George Stulac - IVP NT Commentary - James 4:4-5 Don't You Know the
Choice to Be Made) (Bolding added)
Ralph Martin explains that…
there is another argument that speaks againstconstruing “the human spirit”
as the subject of epipothei (desires). To take Jas 4:5b as a Scriptural
confirmation of human jealousywould require that the author has returned to
his descriptionof human nature in Jas 4:1, 2, 3, but in Jas 4:4-note James has
issueda call to repentance, warning his readers that friendship with the world
means enmity with God. Thus, more than likely, Jas 4:5 is setdown to
highlight God’s displeasure with the behavior reported in Jas 4:1-4. To
conclude, therefore, that the subject of epipothei is the human spirit is fraught
with much difficulty.
If it is the divine Spirit (taking God as the subject of katokisen, a hapax
legomenon= only Biblical use) which opposes envy, then we have an
understanding of Jas 4:5 that continues the flow of Jas 4:4. Even though many
interpreters prefer to take God as the subject of epipothei Hort, p 93, 94;
Ropes, p 263;Dibelius, p 223, 24;Mayor, p 144,145;Mussner, p 142, 43), the

same thought could be expressedin terms of God at work in the believer
through the Holy Spirit, which opposes the jealous or envious tendencies of
our “earthly” human nature. As a result the effect of “godlywisdom” should
prevail. God opposes those who fight and war within the church, and he has
placed his Spirit within His people to combat that tendency. Therefore, it is
God’s jealousythat is described in Jas 4:5, for He stands waiting for the
belligerent to forsake their envy of others and direct their attention back to
Him. (Martin, R. P. Vol. 48: Word Biblical Commentary: James. Page150.
Dallas:Word, Incorporated. 2002)
John Piper (Godward Life - Book Two)commenting on Jas 4:2, 4, 4 writes
that…
James has in his mind a picture of people who use prayer to try to getfrom
God something they desire more than God. He calls these people—men and
women—"adulteresses." Why? Becausein his mind God is like our husband
Who is jealous to be our highest delight. If we then try to make prayer a
means of getting from Him something we want more than we want Him, we
are like a wife who asks her husband for money to visit another lover.
As if it were not clearenough, James explains (in Jas 4:5) why this is offensive
to God: "He jealouslydesires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us." In
other words, God is jealous to be the object of our spirits greatestdelight. And
Jas 4:4 says, if we become "friends" with the world, we become "enemies" of
God. That means if we find our most satisfying relationships with others
besides God, we make him our enemy. God is either our first and greatest
delight, or he is our enemy.
F B Meyer in Our Daily Homily…
THE SPIRIT… YEARNETHFOR US EVEN UNTO JEALOUS ENVY.
Jamess 4:5 (RV, marginal reading).
A VERY deep and remarkable verse!The apostle is contending againstthe
worldliness which was so rife among the believers he was addressing. They
were seton pleasure;they sought the friendship of the world, and became
unfaithful to their divine Lover; they were proud and high-minded. He went

so far as to speak of them as adulterers and adulteresses(Jas 4:4); and then
adopting a gentler, pleading tone, he says,
"You are grieving the gentle Holy Spirit who has come to dwell within you,
who yearns with a jealous envy to possessyour entire nature for Himself."
The Spirit of God dwells within thee, O believer in Jesus Christ. If a man have
not the Spirit of God, he is none of His; and since thou art undoubtedly one of
us, thou hast most certainly the Holy Spirit (Ro 8:11-note). But the mistake of
thy life consists in this, that He hath not thee. Some part of thy heart is given,
but not all; and this causes Him the most exquisite pain, like that which we
suffer from jealousy.
No keenerpain is possible to the heart of man than to have goodreasonfor
the belief that a loved one is not wholly true; that there has been an alienation
of affectionwhich was once whole and entire; that another is receiving a part
at leastof the heart's devotion. The fire and screw are light in comparison
with our anguish then; but, this is what the Spirit of God suffers when we
share betweenHim and the world that love which should be all His own. "I,
the Lord thy God am a jealous God," is as true as when first spokenfrom
Sinai. The personof Jesus Christ must be the Sun of our system, though that
system may include many planets beside.
><>><>><>
GOD'S JEALOUS SPIRIT - Do you think that the Scripture says in vain,
"The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously"? James 4:5
Shep, the newestmember of our family, is a young Shetland sheepdog who
openly displays his jealousywhen I kiss my wife. He doesn'tsnarl or bite, but
in the language ofbarking he seems to be saying "Hey, Master, you belong to
me!" His jealousygives me a goodfeeling. After all, don't we all like someone
to care that much about us?
There's another kind of jealousy -- a righteous jealousy -- at work in the life of
every Christian. It's not the yearning of a subjectfor his master, like that of
my dog Shep, but of "the" Masterfor His subject. Some has rephrased James
4:5, 6 to read, "Do you think that Scripture says without reasonthat the Holy

Spirit, whom God causedto live in us, jealouslywants us exclusively to
Himself in order to pour out His grace on us generously?"
When we lust, covet, and create strife, we embrace the world's values (Jas 4:1-
4), and this stirs up God's jealousy. He continually longs to keepus near to
Him. He corrects, rebukes, comforts, guides, andurges us to getto know Him
better. This pure possessivenessdoesn'tstifle or demean us, but uplifts and
liberates because it is full of grace and truth. That's why He
wants us all to Himself. Thank God for His jealous Spirit. - Dennis J. De Haan
(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted
by permission. All rights reserved)
ACTION SUGGESTION-Since we are aware of God's righteous jealousy,
what steps should we take so that He canbless us? (James 4:7-10)
There's no room for double occupancyin the Christian's heart.
><>><>><>
Tony Evans writes that…
Our God is jealous of His work in us (Jas 4:5). He won’t share us with another
spiritual suitor—and He shouldn’t have to!
John Blanchard in his book The Complete GatheredGold- A Treasuryof
Quotations (or Computer version) (Highly recommended as one of the best
resources forBiblically sound quotes) has these quotes…
God is jealous for the goodof His redeemedpeople—but He can never be
jealous of anything or anyone. - John Blanchard
The jealousyof God is one of the Christian's greatestchallenges—and
comforts. - John Blanchard
God, as a jealous God, is filled with a burning desire for our holiness, for our
righteousness, forour goodness. -Donald Grey Barnhouse
John Macarthur's interpretation of the last half of James is somewhatin the
minority opinion for he writes that…

This difficult phrase (The Spirit … yearns jealously)is best understood by
seeing the “spirit” as a reference not to the Holy Spirit, but to the human
spirit, and translating the phrase “yearns jealously” in the negative sense of
“lusts to envy.” James’point is that an unbelieving person’s spirit (inner
person) is bent on evil (cf. Ge 6:5; 8:21; Pr. 21:10; Eccl9:3; Jer17:9; Mk 7:21,
22, 23- note). Those who think otherwise defy the biblical diagnosis offallen
human nature; and those who live in worldly lusts give evidence that their
faith is not genuine (cf. Ro 8:5-11- note; 1Co 2:14). (MacArthur, J.:The
MacArthur Study Bible Nashville:Word)
John MacArthur is not alone in his interpretation, C H Spurgeoncommenting
that…
There is a spirit, resident in the natural man, the human nature of man, which
is always inclined towardhate and envy, always wanting to getsomewhat
from other men, and always grievedif other men seemto be or to have more
than the personhimself has. How is this spirit to be met? This verse supplies
the answer, "He giveth more grace." (Jas 4:6-note) "More grace," -this is the
greatremedy for hate and envy. "More grace,"-this is the balm for sorrow.
"More grace,"-this is our greatesthelp out of all difficulties. "More grace,"-
this is the universal recipe for all that we need: "He giveth more grace."
END PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
James 4:5
by Grant Richison| Nov 22, 2000 |James | 2 comments
ReadIntroduction to James
“Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us
yearns jealously’?”

Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain,
For the third time, James uses the word “Scripture” (2:8,23). The mention of
Scripture here does not refer to a specific passagebut to the generalgist of
teaching on God’s jealousy(Ex 20:5; 34:14;Ps. 42:1; 84:2; Zech. 8:2).
The Bible never speaks in “vain” in its pronouncements. The declarations of
James in the previous verses are not arbitrary. Some of his readers might
have thought that he was too categoricaland absolute;“James should be more
moderate in his writing. He should be more qualifying and relative in his
message.”James arguesstronglythat he takes his points from the Scripture
and not from the mere dead words of man.
‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’?
This sentence is one of the most difficult to interpret in James so we cannot
come to a definitive meaning.
The first possibility may be the idea that the Holy Spirit who indwells the
believer does not create the sin of jealousyin him. In this case, we should not
capitalize the word “Spirit” because this term would refer to the human spirit
(the Greek does not use capitals). The idea of this sentence wouldbe that the
friendship of the world breeds envy.
The body cannot sin by itself; it requires a “spirit” within it to commit acts of
sin. Jealousyis the sadness that grieves overthe successofothers. This is a
selfishsin. Jealousymurdered Able. Jealousyput Josephon a course of
bondage to Egypt. Jealousyput the Lord to death.
The secondpossibility may be that we canmake the Holy Spirit jealous by our
sin. The idea behind “jealously” in this interpretation is the feeling of

displeasure about hearing of something grievous. The Holy Spirit is jealous
that we might be wholly devotedto God.
The word “yearns” is a strong term meaning to long after or desire something
greatly. This is a term of huge passion. The human spirit wholly lusts after
things contrary to the will of God.
Ro 7:17 “But now, it is no longerI who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”
1 Co 2:12 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to
us by God.”
The word “dwells” means to cause to dwell, to put within. The Holy Spirit’s
jealousylongs for fellowshipwith the spirit that dwells in us. He is jealous for
our love. Some believers committed spiritual adultery (4:4) so they neededto
understand something about how God longs for His people.
1 Co 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”
PRINCIPLE:
We immobilize God’s Word in our hearts when we rationalize it for our own
ends.
APPLICATION:
Our propensity to sin (Ps 51:5) does not reduce the responsibility for our sin.
If we rationalize sin away, we put ourselves in serious spiritual jeopardy. We
need to grasp how God the Holy Spirit longs to fellowshipwith us.
FAITHLIFE RESOURCES
Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

James 4:5
Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously
desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?
Adam Clarke Commentary
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain - This verse is exceedinglyobscure.
We cannottell what scripture St. James refers to; many have been produced
by learned men as that which he had particularly in view. Some think Genesis
6:5; : "Everyimagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually." Genesis 8:21;: "The imagination of man's heart is evil from his
youth." Numbers 11:29;: "Mosessaidunto him, Enviest thou for my sake?"
and Proverbs 21:10; : "The soulof the wickeddesireth evil." None of these
scriptures, nor any others, contain the precise words in this verse; and
therefore St. James may probably refer, not to any particular portion, but to
the spirit and designof the Scripture in those various places where it speaks
againstenvying, covetousness, worldlyassociations,etc., etc.
Perhaps the word in this and the two succeeding versesmay be well
paraphrasedthus: "Do ye think that concerning these things the Scripture
speaks falsely, orthat the Holy Spirit which dwells in us can excite us to envy
others instead of being contentedwith the state in which the providence of
God has placedus? Nay, far otherwise;for He gives us more grace to enable
us to bear the ills of life, and to lie in deep humility at his feet, knowing that
his Holy Spirit has said, Proverbs 3:34; : God resisteththe proud, but giveth
grace to the humble. Seeing these things are so, submit yourselves to God;
resistthe devil, who would tempt you to envy, and he will flee from you; draw
nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you."
I must leave this sense as the best I cangive, without asserting that I have hit
the true meaning. There is not a critic in Europe who has consideredthe
passagethat has not been puzzled with it. I think the 5th verse should be
understood as giving a contrary sense to that in our translation. Every
genuine Christian is a habitation of the Holy Ghost, and that Spirit προς
φθονονεπιποθει, excites strong desires againstenvy; a man must not suppose
that he is a Christian if he have an envious or covetous heart.

Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on James 4:5". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/james-
4.html. 1832.
return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain - Few passagesofthe New
Testamenthave given expositors more perplexity than this. The difficulty has
arisenfrom the fact that no such passageas that which seems here to be
quoted is found in the Old Testament;and to meet this difficulty, expositors
have resortedto various conjectures and solutions. Some have supposedthat
the passage is spurious, and that it was at first a gloss in the margin, placed
there by some transcriber, and was then introduced into the text; some that
the apostle quotes from an apocryphal book; some, that he quotes the general
spirit of the Old Testamentrather than any particular place; some regardit
not as a quotation, but read the two members separately, supplying what is
necessaryto complete the sense, thus: “Do you think that the Scripture speaks
in vain, or without a goodreason, when it condemns such a worldly temper?
No; that you cannot suppose. Do you imagine that the Spirit of God, which
dwelleth in us Christians, leads to covetousness, pride, envy? No. On the
contrary, to such as follow his guidance and direction, he gives more
abundant grace and favor.” This is the solution proposed by Benson, and
adopted by Bloomfield. But this solution is by no means satisfactory. Two
things are clearin regard to the passage:
(1) that James meant to adduce something that was saidsomewhere, orwhich
could be regardedas a quotation, or as authority in the case, forhe uses the
formula by which such quotations are made; and,

(2) that he meant to refer, not to an apocryphal book, but to the inspired and
canonicalScriptures, for he uses a term ἡ γραφὴ hē graphē- the Scripture)
which is everywhere employed to denote the Old Testament, and which is
nowhere applied to an apocryphal book, Matthew 21:42;Matthew 22:29;
Matthew 26:54, Matthew 26:56; John 2:22; John 5:39; John 7:38, John 7:42;
John 10:35, et al. The word is used more than fifty times in the New
Testament, and is never applied to any books but those which were regarded
by the Jews as inspired, and which constitute now the Old Testament, except
in 2 Peter3:16, where it refers to the writings of Paul. The difficulty in the
case arisesfrom the fact that no such passageas the one here quoted is found
in so many words in the Old Testament, nor any of which it can fairly be
regardedas a quotation. The only solution of the difficulty which seems to me
to be at all satisfactory, is to suppose that the apostle, in the remark made
here in the form of a quotation, refers to the Old Testament, but that he had
not his eye on any particular passage, and did not mean to quote the words
literally, but meant to refer to what was the current teaching or generalspirit
of the Old Testament;or that he meant to saythat this sentiment was found
there, and designedhimself to embody the sentiment in words, and to put it
into a condensedform.
His eye was on envy as at the bottom of many of the contentions and strifes
existing on earth, James 3:16, and of the spirit of the world which prevailed
everywhere, James 4:4; and he refers to the generalteaching of the Old
Testamentthat the soul is by nature inclined to envy; or that this has a deep
lodgement in the heart of man. That truth which was uttered every where in
the Scriptures, was not taught “in vain.” The abundant facts which existed
showing its developement and operationin contentions, and wars, and a
worldly spirit, proved that it was deeply imbedded in the human soul. This
generaltruth, that man is prone to envy, or that there is much in our nature
which inclines us to it, is abundantly taught in the Old Testament. Ecclesiastes
4:4, “I consideredall travail, and every right work, that for this a man is
envied of his neighbor.” Job5:2, “wrathkilleth, and envy slayeth the silly
one.” Proverbs 14:30, “envy is the rottenness of the bones.” Proverbs 27:4,
“who is able to stand before envy?” For particular instances of this, and the
effects, see Genesis 26:14;Genesis 30:1;Genesis 37:11;Psalm 106:16;Psalm

73:3. These passagesprove that there is a strong propensity in human nature
to envy, and it was in accordancewith the design of the apostle to show this.
The effects ofenvy to which be himself referred evinced the same thing, and
demonstrated that the utterance given to this sentiment in the Old Testament
was not “in vain,” or was not false, for the records in the Old Testamenton
the subjectfound a strong confirmation in the wars and strifes and
worldliness of which he was speaking.
Saith in vain - Says falsely;” that is, the testimony thus borne is true. The
apostle means that what was said in the Old Testamenton the subject found
abundant confirmation in the facts which were continually occurring, and
especiallyin those to which he was adverting.
The spirit that dwelleth in us - Many have supposedthat the word “spirit”
here refers to the Holy Spirit, or the Christian spirit; but in adopting this
interpretation they are obliged to render the passage,“the spirit that dwells in
us lusteth againstenvy,” or tends to check and suppress it. But this
interpretation is forcedand unnatural, and one which the Greek will not well
bear. The more obvious interpretation is to refer it to our spirit or disposition
as we are by nature, and it is equivalent to saying that we are naturally prone
to envy.
Lusteth to envy - Strongly tends to envy. The margin is “enviously,” but the
sense is the same. The idea is, that there is in man a strong inclination to look
with dissatisfactiononthe superior happiness and prosperity of others; to
desire to make what they possessourown; or at any rate to deprive them of it
by detraction, by fraud, or by robbery. It is this feeling which leads to
calumny, to contentions, to wars, and to that strong worldly ambition which
makes us anxious to surpass all others, and which is so hostile to the humble
and contentedspirit of religion. He who could trace all wars and contentions
and worldly plans to their source - all the schemes andpurposes of even
professedChristians, that do so much to mar their religion and to make them
worldly-minded, to their real origin - would be surprised to find how much is
to be attributed to envy. We are pained that others are more prosperous than
we are; we desire to possesswhatothers have, though we have no right to it;
and this leads to the various guilty methods which are pursued to lessentheir

enjoyment of it, or to obtain it ourselves, orto show that they do not possessas
much as they are commonly supposedto. This purpose will be accomplishedif
we can obtain more than they have; or if we candiminish what they actually
possess;or if by any statements to which we can give currency in society, the
generalimpression shall be that they do not possessas much wealth, domestic
peace, happiness, orhonor, as is commonly supposed - for thus the spirit of
envy in our bosoms will be gratified.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon James 4:5". "Barnes'Notes onthe New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/james-
4.html. 1870.
The Biblical Illustrator
James 4:5
The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy
The Spirit’s jealousy
St.
James probably meant to give the sense ofScripture, and not to quote the
exactwords. Scripture teaches us the truth that “the Spirit which dwelleth in
us lusteth to envy,” or rather, “desirethenviously.”
I. The class of passagesto which St. James seems to refer would include those
in which God speaks ofHimself as a “jealous”God, and impresses upon the

minds of the Israelites the undivided nature of the worship He demanded
from them. In such passages Godis described as requiring the entire
affections of His people. His feeling at the withdrawal of these affections from
Him in any degree is spokenof as “jealousy.” The meaning of the text will
then be, “Do you suppose that the Scriptures mean nothing when they speak
of the Spirit of God dwelling in you as requiring absolute rule in your hearts,
and longing eagerlyafteryou, even to something like envy of any other
influence which is gaining the mastery over your hearts?” The word here
translated “lusteth” is rendered “long after,” where St. Paul says to the
Philippians, “Godis my recordhow greatly I long after you all in the bowels
of Jesus Christ.”
II. This meaning of the text will be found, I think, to harmonise with the
context. He asks, “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with
God?” and adds, “whosoever, therefore, willbe”--lays himself out to be--“the
friend of the world is the enemy of God.” You must choose betweenthe two.
“Ye cannotserve Godand Mammon.” “Do you think that the Scriptures
speak to no purpose when they tell you that God requires your heart in a way
which can only be described by saying that His Spirit longethafter you with
enviousness and jealousy?”
III. This same view of religion is, as you know, continully brought before us in
Scripture. Our Lord tells us that “no man canserve two masters.” With a
view to testing this singlenessofheart in those who desire to be His followers
He gave to different persons different commands. He desired one who wished
to be with Him to go home to his own house. He called upon the young man
who had greatpossessions to abandon them and follow Him. This unreserved
surrender of selfto Him was the “one thing needful.” Different courses of
conduct would test the “willingness” ofdifferent persons according as their
circumstances ordispositions were different; but in all His disciples the same
readiness was necessaryin the days when tie walkedthis earth. In all His
disciples the same disposition is necessarynow. The designof the gospelis not

to set us free on the earth to do as we please;but to place us in our true
position as adopted children of God--to turn the heart wholly to Him so that
we should not merely have His law written for us as something outside us and
hostile to us--as a set of rules for slaves and bondsmen--but written by His
Holy Spirit in the fleshy tables of our hearts, as the directions to which our
renewedaffections would turn with delight.
IV. Nor indeed would any other view of the claims and operationof the Holy
Spirit be at all consistentwith what we observe of all ruling influences in our
minds. We all have some predominant desire or tendency which brings into
subjection our other desires and tendencies, and to which they yield. This
ruling principle exerts an influence upon everything we do; our other
tendencies, as it were, group themselves around it, receive its instructions, and
do its bidding. Everything is viewed through it as a medium. You all know
what this is. And if any one of you has takenthe trouble to ascertainwhatis,
in your own case, the ruling tendency of your mind, you will know that it is a
jealous tendency--that it “lusteth or longeth after you enviously.”
V. Now if the love of God--a looking to the things not seen--if holiness be our
character, we must expectthe Holy Spirit to exert such an influence over us as
we know other powers to exert over those upon whose characters we decide by
our knowledge oftheir ruling disposition. We must expect the indwelling
Spirit to desire no rivalry--to be satisfiedwith nothing short of “bringing
every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” But what is
wonderful is, that persons coming to Church and receiving the Bible--persons
who are shockedat open wickedness, andwho fancy themselves shockedatit
because it is spokenagainstin God’s Word--what is wonderful, I say, is that
such persons can pass overas idle words these assertions ofthe nature of the
Spirit’s claim on their whole heart, in the practicalrecognitionof which
consists that “holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.” Of course a
view of religion so fundamentally wrong as to ignore this high notion of the
yearning and jealous love of God for those in whom He vouchsafes to dwell

would necessarilytaint and nullify every supposedreligious act of him who, in
spite of Scripture, resolvedto entertain it. But it is in the particular actof
prayer that St. James in the passagebefore us asserts its ruinous tendency.
Let us, then, in conclusion, see how it operates to render prayer ineffectual,
and to make what ought to be our solemn service an abomination unto the
Lord. Prayermay be viewedin either of two ways.
1. It is a means by which God has appointed that we shall receive that
continual supply of grace and strength which is essentialto the support of our
spiritual life. It is thus a source ofbenefit and blessing for present use. Besides
this, the actof prayer is--
2. In itself a training for that higher and more enduring communion with Him
which we hope one day to enjoy in His Kingdom. No man prays to any
purpose excepthe prays with a sincere wish--a wish far beyond all other
wishes--thatGod would make him better; that God would do this--do it from
the moment the prayer is uttered--and do it evermore unto the end. This must
be the sincere and heartfelt longing of every one who hopes to “receive
anything of the Lord.” This is preciselywhat, from the nature of the case, the
man who is “double-minded” cannothave. (J. C.Coghlan, D. D.)
The yearning of the Divine Spirit over us
The better MSS. give a different reading of the first words: “The Spirit which
He planted [or made to dwell] in us.” If we adopt this reading, it makes it all
but certainthat what is predicated of the Spirit” must be good, and not evil.
The Greek wordfor “lusteth’’ conveys commonly a higher meaning than the
English, and is rendered elsewhere by longing after (Romans 1:11; Philippians
1:8; Philippians 2:26; 2 Corinthians 9:14), or “earnestlydesiring” 2
Corinthians 5:2), or “greatlydesiring” (2 Timothy 1:4). The verb has no
object, but it is natural to supply “us.” Taking these data we getas the true
meaning of the words: “The Spirit which He implanted yearns tenderly over
us.” The words that remain, “to envy,” admit of being taken as with an
adverbial force: in a manner tending to envy.” The fact that “envy” is
elsewhere condemnedas simply evil, makes its use here somewhatstartling.
But the thought implied is that the strongesthuman affectionshows itselfin a

jealousywhich is scarcelydistinguishable from “envy.” We grudge the
transfer to another of the affections which we claim as ours. We envy the
happiness of that other. In that sense St. James says that the Spirit, implanted
in us, yearns to make us wholly His, and is satisfiedwith no divided allegiance.
The root-idea of the passageis identical with that of the jealousyof God over
Israelas His bride Jeremiah 3:1-11;Ezekiel16:1-63;Hosea 2:3), of His wrath
when the bride proved faithless. (DeanPlumptre.)
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "James 4:5". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/james-4.html. 1905-1909.
New York.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
Or think ye that the Scripture speakethin vain? Doth the spirit which he
made to dwell in us long unto envying?
It is the convictionhere that spirit should be read Spirit, since the only spirit
ever made to dwell in Christian hearts is the Holy Spirit.
This is a disputed text, of course, with almost as many renditions of it as there
are translators and commentators, the first sentence usually being presented
as a formula for introducing a Scriptural quotation. We agree with Lenski
who said, "We are not convincedthat the question is a formula of quotation;
if it were, we should certainly expect the addition of saying that."[14]The

proof that this does not introduce a quotation from the Bible is that no
quotation is given, a problem which has perplexed the commentators
extensively. Rather than being troubled by the presentationof different views
on it, we shall be content with giving what would appearto be the best
rendition of it, as follows:
Or do you suppose that the Scripture speaks falsely? Doesthe Spirit that
dwells in us strongly incline to envy?[15]SIZE>
This rendition, which actually is not out of harmony with our text above, also
fits in beautifully with James 4:6, given by the same translationthus:
Indeed, it bestows superiorfavor; therefore, it is said, "Godsets himself in
opposition to the haughty, but gives favor to the lowly.[16]SIZE>
Do you suppose the Scripture speaks falsely... Although James was not at this
point introducing a specific text, the inherent truth in this is that Christians
were familiar with the New Testamentteaching regarding the indwelling
Spirit, and the fruits of it, which never included envy! Oesterleyagreedhere
that the reference "must be to the New Testament";[17]and this shows that
James, with all Christians, held the Pauline writings to be authentic Scripture.
The rendition which is acceptedhere is challengedby many; but Punchard
defended the practicalequivalent of it, pointing out that Wordsworth favored
it, and that it may be fully justified by only a slight variation in punctuation,"
adding that, "Defensible or not as this translation may be, at leastit escapes
some of the difficulties."[18]It should be added that punctuation is all of men
and not of God.
[14] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 631.

[15] Emphatic Diaglott(Brooklyn: Watch TowerBible and TractSociety), p.
769.
[16] Ibid.
[17] W. E. Oesterley, op. cit., p. 459.
[18] E. G. Punchard, Ellicott's Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol. VIII
(Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 373.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on James 4:5". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/james-4.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain?.... Some think that the apostle
refers to a particular passageofScripture in the Old Testament, and that he
took it from Genesis 6:3 as some;or from Exodus 20:5, as others; or from
Deuteronomy 7:2 or from Job5:6 or from Proverbs 21:10 others think he had
in view some text in the New Testament;either Romans 12:2 or Galatians 5:17
and some have imagined that he refers to a passagein the apocryphal book:
"Forinto a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that
is subject unto sin.' (Wisdom 1:4)
and others have been of opinion that it is taken out of some book of Scripture
then extant, but now lost, which by no means canbe allowedof: the generality
of interpreters, who suppose a particular text of Scripture is referred to, fetch

it from Numbers 11:29 but it seems best of all to conclude that the apostle has
no regard to any one particular passageofScripture, in which the following
words are expresslyhad, since no such passage appears;but that his meaning
is, the sense of the Scripture everywhere, where it speaks ofthis matter, is to
this purpose: nor does it saythis, or any thing else in vain; whateveris written
there is to answersome end, as for learning, edification, and comfort, for
doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness;neither with
respectto what is before suggested, that what is askedin a right manner, and
for a right end, shall be given; and that the love of the world, and the love of
God, are things incompatible; nor with respectto what follows:
the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? that is, the depraved spirit of
man, the spirit of an unregenerate man; that as it is prone to every lust, and
prompts to every sin, the imagination of the thought of man's heart being evil,
and that continually, so it instigates to envy the happiness of others;see
Genesis 6:5 or this may be put as a distinct question from the other, "does the
spirit that dwelleth in us lust to envy?" that is, the Holy Spirit, who dwells in
the hearts of his people, as in his temple: the Ethiopic versionreads, "the Holy
Spirit": and then the sense is, does he lust to envy? no; he lusts againstthe
flesh and the works of it, and envy among the rest; see Galatians 5:17 but he
does not lust to it, or provoke to it, or put persons upon it; nor does he, as the
Arabic versionrenders it, "desire that we should envy"; he is a spirit of grace;
he bestows grace andfavours upon men; and is so far from envying, or
putting others upon envying any benefit enjoyed by men, that he increases
them, adds to them, and enlarges them, as follows.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855

Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on James 4:5". "The New John Gill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/james-
4.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible
4 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us
lusteth to envy?
(4) The taking awayof an objection:in deed our minds run headlong into
these vices, but we ought so much the more diligently take heed of them:
whose care and study shall not be in vain, seeing that God resists the stubborn
and gives the grace to the modest and humble that surmounts all those vices.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon James 4:5". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/james-4.html.
1599-1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
in vain — No word of Scripture canbe so. The quotation here, as in Ephesians
5:14, seems to be not so much from a particular passage as one gathered by
James under inspiration from the generaltenor of such passagesin both the
Old and New Testaments,as Numbers 14:29;Proverbs 21:20; Galatians 5:17.

spirit that dwelleth in us — Other manuscripts read, “that God hath made to
dwell in us” (namely, at Pentecost). If so translated, “Does the (Holy) Spirit
that God hath placedin us lust to (towards)envy” (namely, as ye do in your
worldly “wars and fightings”)? Certainly not; ye are therefore walking in the
flesh, not in the Spirit, while ye thus lust towards, that is, with envy against
one another. The friendship of the world tends to breed envy; the Spirit
produces very different fruit. Alford attributes the epithet “with envy,” in the
unwarrantable sense ofjealously, to the Holy Spirit: “The Spirit jealously
desires us for His own.” In English Version the sense is, “the (natural) spirit
that hath its dwelling in us lusts with (literally, ‹to,‘ or ‹towards‘) envy.” Ye
lust, and because ye have not what ye lust after (James 4:1, James 4:2), ye
envy your neighbor who has, and so the spirit of envy leads you on to “fight.”
James also here refers to James 3:14, James 3:16.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
James 4:5". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/james-4.html. 1871-8.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
The Scripture (η γραπη — hē graphē). Personificationas in Galatians 3:8;
James 2:23. But no O.T. passageis preciselylike this, though it is “a poetical
rendering” (Ropes)of Exodus 20:5. The generalthought occurs also in

Genesis 6:3-5;Isaiah 63:8-16, etc. Paulhas the same idea also (Galatians 5:17,
Galatians 5:21; Romans 8:6, Romans 8:8). It is possible that the reference is
really to the quotation in James 4:6 from Proverbs 3:34 and treating all before
as a parenthesis. There is no way to decide positively.
In vain (κενως — kenōs). Old adverb (Aristotle) from κενως — kenōs (James
2:20), here alone in N.T. “Emptily,” not meaning what it says.
Made to dwell (κατωικισεν— katōikisen). Firstaoristactive of κατοικιζω —
katoikizō old verb, to give a dwelling to, only here in N.T.
Long unto envying (προς πτονον επιποτει — pros phthonon epipothei). A
difficult phrase. Some even take προς πτονον — pros phthonon with λεγει —
legeirather than with επιποτει — epipothei as it naturally does go, meaning
“jealously.” Buteven so, with God presented as a jealous lover, does το
πνευμα — to pneuma refer to the Holy Spirit as the subjectof επιποτει —
epipothei or to man‘s spirit as the object of επιποτει — epipothei Probably the
former and επιποτει — epipothei then means to yearn after in the goodsense
as in Philemon 1:8.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on James 4:5". "Robertson'sWordPictures of
the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/james-4.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.

Vincent's Word Studies
Do ye think ( δοκεῖτε )
See on James 1:26.
The scripture ( ἡ γραφὴ )
See on Mark 12:10. Properly, apassage ofscripture.
In vain ( κενῶς )
Only here in New Testament.
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon James 4:5". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/james-4.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us
lusteth to envy
Do you think that the scripture saith in vain — Without goodground. St.
James seems to refer to many, not any one particular scripture. The spirit of
love that dwelleth in all believers lusteth againstenvy - Galatians 5:17;is
directly opposite to all those unloving tempers which necessarilyflow from the
friendship of the world.

Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on James 4:5". "John Wesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/james-4.html. 1765.
Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
This passage, including the first clause of the James 4:5,6, is very obscure.The
origin of the quotation is not to be found in the Old Testament, and none but
conjecturalexplanations of the language, as it stands here, have been offered
by commentators.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon James 4:5". "Abbott's
Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/james-4.html. 1878.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
5.] Or (ref. the formula puts a hypothetical alternative, the assumption of
which negatives itself) do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The Spirit
that He (God) placedin us (viz. when the Spirit descendedon the church. We
have κατοικίζω somewhatsimilarly used Æsch. Prom. 250, τυφλὰς ἐν τοῖς

θνητοῖς ἐλπίδας κατῴκισα)jealously( πρὸς φθόνον, as πρὸς βίαν and the like:
see below)desireth (us for his own)? These words connectnaturally with the
foregoing. We are married to one, even God, who has implanted in us His
Spirit: and He is a jealous God, who will not suffer us to be friends of His
enemy and His friends at the same time. The only difficulty seems to be, to
trace this latter saying in any part of Scripture. Forthat this is the quotation,
and no other, must be maintained againstvery many Commentators (see
below) on accountof λέγει, which canhardly be otherwise used than at
introducing the thing said. I will state the solution which seems to me the most
probable, and then give an accountof other methods of solving it. The
emphasis of this clause lies on the πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ: and, interpreting
those words as above, we are naturally led to ask, is there any chapter or
passageespecially, where sucha mind towards His people is ascribedto God?
And this directs our thoughts at once to Deuteronomy32, where the love of
Jehovahfor Israel, and His jealousyover them is described. In that song of
Moses we have this very word used of God, Deuteronomy32:10 f., ἐκύκλωσεν
αὐτὸνκαὶ ἐπαίδευσεν αὐτόν, καὶ διεφύλαξεν αὐτὸνὡς κόρην ὀφθαλμοῦ·ὡς
ἀετὸς σκεπάσαι νοσσιὰν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς νοσσοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐπεπόθησεν: and
Deuteronomy 32:19, καὶ εἶδεν κύριος καὶ ἐζήλωσεν, καὶ παρωξύνθη διʼ ὀργὴν
υἱῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ θυγατέρων·καὶ εἶπεν, ἀποστρέψω τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἀπʼ
αὐτῶνκ. τ. λ. So that here we have the elements of the sense ofthat which is
cited, viz. the jealous desire of the Lord over His people. And for the rest, τὸ
πνεῦμα ὃ κατῴκισενἐν ἡμῖν, the only solution seems to be, that the Apostle
translates into the language ofthe Gospelthe former declarations ofthe God
of Israel, e. g. such as that Numbers 35:34, ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι κύριος κατασκηνῶν
ἐν μέσῳ τῶν υἱῶν ἰσραήλ, combining them with such prophecies as Ezekiel
36:27, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμά μου δώσω ἐν ὑμῖν. I own that such a solution does not
seemto me wholly satisfactory:still there is nothing improbable in the idea
that St. James may have combined the generalsense ofScripture on the point
of God’s jealousyover His people, and instead of the God who dwelt in Israel,
may have placedthe Holy Spirit who dwelleth in us. At all events it is better to
understand it thus, than to make λέγει mean ‘speaks,’orto force the words of
the citationfrom their simple meaning. I now proceedto state other
interpretations. And 1. of those who have recognizedthe fact that the words
πρὸς φθόνον κ. τ. λ. are a citation. Of these, understanding the words

variously (see below), Grotius believes them to refer to Genesis 6:3;Genesis
6:5; Beza, Erasm. Schmid, to Genesis 8:21; Witsius, to Numbers 11:29;
Schneckenb. to Deuteronomy 5:9 ff.: Le Clerc, to Psalms 119:20 ff.: Michaelis,
to Proverbs 21:10;Cocceius, to Song of Solomon 8:6; Wetstein, to Wisdom of
Solomon6:12. Others have supposed the N. T. to be intended by ἡ γραφή.
Thus Bensonbelieves the reference to be to Matthew 6:24; Storr, al., to
Galatians 5:17; Bengel, to 1 Peter2:1 ff.: and Semleragain, to a passage in the
apocryphal book calledthe Testamentof the XII Patriarchs. Bewilderedby
these differences, many Commentators, among whom are Œc., Bede(11),
Calv., Est., Wolf, al., either deny the factof a citationaltogether, or refer the
λέγει either on to the citation following in James 4:6, or back to what went
before,—or, as I have done above, believe that the generalsense of Scripture
on the subject, and not any particular text, is adduced. Before passing from
this part of my note, I may remark that Huther’s objection, that againstthe
view here given, the formula citandi, ἡ γραφὴ λέγει, is decisive, is not valid:
see Wolf’s Curæ, vol. v. p. 66:and cf. John 7:38; John 7:42, where though the
formula εἶπεν ἡ γραφή is used, the generalsense, andnot the exactwords, is
given.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on James 4:5". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/james-4.html. 1863-1878.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

5Do ye think. He seems to adduce from Scripture the next following sentence.
Hence interpreters toil much, because none such, at leastnone exactly alike, is
found in Scripture. But nothing hinders the reference to be made to what has
been already said, that is, that the friendship of the world is adverse to God.
Moreover;it has been rightly said, that this is a truth which occurs
everywhere in Scripture. And that he has omitted the pronoun, which would
have rendered the sentence clearer, is not to be wonderedat, for, as it is
evident, he is everywhere very concise.
The Spirit, or, Does the Spirit? Some think that the soul of man is meant, and
therefore read the sentence affirmatively, and according to this meaning, —
that the spirit of man, as it is malignant, is so infected with envy, that it has
ever a mixture of it. They, however, think better who regardthe Spirit of God
as intended; for it is he that is given to dwell in us. (131)I then take the Spirit
as that of God, and read the sentence as a question; for it was his objectto
prove, that because they envied they were not ruled by the Spirit of God;
because he teaches the faithful otherwise;and this he confirms in the next
verse, by adding that he giveth more grace
For it is an argument arising from what is contrary. Envy is a proof or sign of
malignity; but the Spirit of God proves himself to be bountiful by the
affluence of his blessings. There is then nothing more repugnant to his nature
than envy. In short, James denies that the Spirit of God rules where depraved
lusts prevail, which excite to mutual contention; because it is peculiarly the
office of the Spirit to enrich men more and more continually with new gifts.
I will not stop to refute other explanations. Some give this meaning that the
Spirit lusteth againstenvy; which is too harsh and forced. Then they say that
God gives more grace to conquer and subdue lust. But the meaning I have
given is more suitable and simple, — that he restores us by his bounty from
the powerof malignant emulation. The continuative particle δὲ is to be taken
adversatively, for ἀλλὰ or ἀλλά γε; so have I rendered it quin , but.
5, 6“Do ye think that the scripture speakeththus in vain? Doth the Spirit who
dwells in us lust to envy? nay, but he giveth more (or increasing)grace:he

therefore saith, God sets himself in array againstthe insolent, but gives grace
to the humble.”
The humble are those who are made so by grace;but God promises to give
them more grace, to perfect that which had begun.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on James 4:5". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/james-4.html.
1840-57.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us
lusteth to envy?
Ver. 5. That the Scripture saith in vain] No, it doth not only say, but do; not
only convince us that an evil and an envious spirit possessethus (such a spirit
as lusteth to have other men’s abilities eclipsed, that so our candle might shine
alone), but also it giveth more grace;it not only convinceth, but converteth the
soul, Psalms 19:7. It causetha man to rejoice heartily in the goodparts of
others; and this is more than to excelothers in any excellence if this be
wanting.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on James 4:5". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/james-
4.html. 1865-1868.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
Some by the spirit here understand the holy Spirit of God, and make the
words run in the form of an interrogation, thus, "The Spirit, that dwelleth in
us Christians, lusteth he to envy as your's doth? Nay, rather is he not the
Spirit of love and goodness?"Others understand our own spirit; our corrupt
nature is mightily carried forth this way, even to envy the goodof others; it is
usual in scripture to call the bent and propensions of the soul, either to good
or evil, by the name of a Spirit.
Note hence, that God's own people have much, too much, of a spirit of envy
remaining in them, unmortified and unsubdued by them: The spirit that is in
us lusteth to envy.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on James 4:5". Expository Notes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/james-4.html. 1700-1703.

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