DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2016 December 1
The Healing of the Wrathful Son (1511)
Titian (c. 1488/1490 - 1576)
Italian Renaissance Style
Scuola del Santo, Padua, Italy
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: In James 1, James introduces himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he addresses his epistle to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad (1).
He then introduces the key theme of the book, temptation and how to deal with it. These temptations, as shown throughout the book, arise from outward trials and from inward lusts. Surprisingly, James tells his readers to "count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations." The reason is that the trying of our faith works endurance. But he exhorts us to let endurance have its perfect work, so that we may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. In other words, for the trial to be completely profitable to us spiritually, we must endure the suffering which it brings, we must depart from sin, and we must react righteously (2-4).
If we lack wisdom about how to accomplish all of this we must ask God for that wisdom. God will give it to us liberally, and without reproach. But our faith in God must not waver. Otherwise we will be driven to and fro and tossed about like waves of the sea because of our double mind. A double-minded person is unstable in all of his ways (5-8).
A brother of low degree can rejoice when he is exalted. Likewise, a rich man can rejoice when he is made low because he soon fades and withers like grass in the heat (9-11).
If he (or anyone) remains steadfast in the faith he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. We must not say that God is tempting us, because God cannot be tempted with evil, and he tempts no one. Rather, we are tempted when we are drawn away by our own lusts and enticed. Lust leads to sin; sin leads to death (12-15).
Every good and perfect gift comes from God who never changes. It is from his own good pleasure that he gave us spiritual birth so that we could be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures (16-18).
Therefore, we should be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger, because the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Instead, we should put away filthiness and wickedness and receive the implanted word which is able to save our souls (19-21).
If we hear the word but do not do it we deceive ourselves. But if we are not forgetful hearers we will be blessed if we do the word (22-25).
An unbridled tongue is a sign that the person's religion is worthless. Pure, undefiled religion is to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the word (26-27). ]
[Sermons: Sinclair B Ferguson. Alistair Begg. Various. ]
[Illustration: Today's painting depicts the aftermath of a foolish act of wrath. James has much to say in his book about wrath and anger, including his famous dictum in verse 20 of today's chapter: "For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God." ]
RESOURCES
[THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: James 1: Isaiah 40:6; Job 14:2; Proverbs 17:27. ]
[ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]
[ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]
[ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
[ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]
*** For Additional word studies use one of the Greek Interlinear Bibles below. ***
Book Outline:
JAMES (COVENANT LIVING: How to Properly Care for One Another)
1. Exhortations to all With Particular Application to the Poor & Rich (James 1:1 - James 1:27) - 40 A.D. Israel
2. Exhortations to the Church Leaders (James 2:1 - James 4:17) - 40 A.D. Israel
3. Exhortations to the Rich (James 5:1 - James 5: 6) - 40 A.D. Israel
4. Exhortations to the Poor (James 5:7 - James 5:12) - 40 A.D. Israel
5. Exhortations to all with Particular Application to the Leaders (James 5:13 - James 5:20) - 40 A.D. Israel
James 1
1. Exhortations to all With Particular Application to the Poor & Rich (James 1:1 - James 1:27) - 40 A.D. Israel
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich rich man fade away in his ways.
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted [is untempted] with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
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