James the Just – Chapter 4

James 4:1 From where do wars and fighting among you come? Do they not come from your desires(hēdonē/hedonism) that war in your members? The whoremonger philosophy that makes pleasure and licentiousness mankind’s chief end. Plato, Phaedo: “And the body fills us with passions and desires and fears, and all sorts of fancies and foolishness, so that, as they say, it really and truly makes it impossible for us to think at all. The body and its desires are the only cause of wars and factions and battles.” Now we spiral downward in the progression of worldliness, four things: James 4:2 You desire, and have not. Evil desires and cravings for pleasure that are unfulfilled and rage in the heart of man. ‘And have not’ means this self-seeking is always frustrated. You kill. The frustrations of lust lead to violence outbursts and if left unchecked – murder. Hatred in the heart equals murder. David – Uriah desiring Bathsheba, Ahab – Naboth desiring Naboth’s field. And desire to have, and cannot obtain. Jealousy and envy for the possessions of others, yet you cannot obtain them. Don’t compare yourself to any man, more frustrations will follow. You strive and fight; yet you have not. Whatever extremes you go to satisfy your lusts, even murder, they will remain unsatisfied. Didache 3:1 My child, run from every evil, even that which resembles it.[1] 2 Do not get mad, for anger leads to murder. Do not be jealous, inciteful, enraged; murders are born from all of these. 3 My child, do not be lustful, for lusting surely leads to perversity. Neither will you be foul—mouthed; from such are adulteries conceived. 4 My child, do not cast spells, since such leads to idolatry; do not be a medium, astrologer, or magician – do not be in any way willing to even consider such things – for idolatry is born out of them all.[2] My child, do not be a liar, since lying leads to theft; do not be greedy or conceited; for robbery is born from all of these. 6 My child, do not be a complainer, since such leads to blasphemy; do not be selfish or one who is filthy—minded; for blasphemies are born from all of these. 7 Instead, be gentle, since the gentle will inherit the earth. 8 Be patient, merciful, honest, quiet, and kindly. Always consider the words you have just heard. 9 You will not pu [3] up, nor will you allow disrespect to enter in. You will not associate with the self—important, but you will walk with the righteous and humble; 10 then even when accidents happen to you, such will be received as good, for nothing happens without Elohim knowing. Didache at least, and most probably Yaakov, addressed Jewish zealots who’s actions left unaddressed could have led to murder being practiced by a number within the assembly. This was written in a time when murder as accepted as a religious way to solve disagreements. There’s two reasons for man’s failure to satisfy his lusts: Because you ask not. Present tense, a continuous failure to ask, failing to turn in humbleness to the living Yah. We’re required to be like our authors name sake – Yaakov and wrestle with יהוה in prayer instead of wrestling bitterly with man. James 4:3 You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your own lusts. Man asks amiss due the wicked inclinations of his heart – wrongly motivated. There are prerequisites for prayer: V. 6 lay aside pride, approach in humbleness, 1 John 5:14 have confidence in יהוה, seeking His will, asking His will to be done. James 4:4 You adulterers and adulteresses. (Feminine plural collective – Israel the bride of יהוה.) know you not that chavurah with worldly things is enmity with vuvh ? Whoever therefore wants to be a chaver of worldly things is the enemy of vuvh. Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Ruach, the things of the Ruach. For to be fleshly minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and shalom. Because the fleshly mind is a