James 1:8

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) The eighth verse had better be joined with the seventh, and punctuated thus:—Let not that man think he shall receive anything of the Lord:—double minded, unstable in all his ways. The reason why he can obtain nothing is because he is a man of two minds, and by consequence uncertain in his ways. The words, apparently are those of a proverb. It is useless to have, as it were, two hearts, one lifted up to God, the other turned away. “Come not unto Him with a double heart” (Ecclesiasticus 1:28; and comp. Matthew 6:24).

Benson Commentary

James 1:8. A double-minded man — Ανηρ διψυχος, a man who has, as it were, two souls; whose heart is divided between God and the world, and is not simply given up to him, nor entirely confides in him for the direction, aid, and support which he stands in need of; is unstable in all his ways — Being without the true wisdom, he perpetually disagrees both with himself and others; and will be perpetually running into inconsistencies of conduct, while those imperfect impressions of religion which he feels will serve rather to perplex and torment than to guide and confirm him in the right way.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-11 Christianity teaches men to be joyful under troubles: such exercises are sent from God's love; and trials in the way of duty will brighten our graces now, and our crown at last. Let us take care, in times of trial, that patience, and not passion, is set to work in us: whatever is said or done, let patience have the saying and doing of it. When the work of patience is complete, it will furnish all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare. We should not pray so much for the removal of affliction, as for wisdom to make a right use of it. And who does not want wisdom to guide him under trials, both in regulating his own spirit, and in managing his affairs? Here is something in answer to every discouraging turn of the mind, when we go to God under a sense of our own weakness and folly. If, after all, any should say, This may be the case with some, but I fear I shall not succeed, the promise is, To any that asketh, it shall be given. A mind that has single and prevailing regard to its spiritual and eternal interest, and that keeps steady in its purposes for God, will grow wise by afflictions, will continue fervent in devotion, and rise above trials and oppositions. When our faith and spirits rise and fall with second causes, there will be unsteadiness in our words and actions. This may not always expose men to contempt in the world, but such ways cannot please God. No condition of life is such as to hinder rejoicing in God. Those of low degree may rejoice, if they are exalted to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of God; and the rich may rejoice in humbling providences, that lead to a humble and lowly disposition of mind. Worldly wealth is a withering thing. Then, let him that is rich rejoice in the grace of God, which makes and keeps him humble; and in the trials and exercises which teach him to seek happiness in and from God, not from perishing enjoyments.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A double minded man - The word here used, δίψυχος dipsuchos occurs only here and in James 4:8. It means, properly, one who has two souls; then one who is wavering or inconstant. It is applicable to a man who has no settled principles; who is controlled by passion; who is influenced by popular feeling; who is now inclined to one opinion or course of conduct, and now to another.

Is unstable in all his ways - That is, not merely in regard to prayer, the point particularly under discussion, but in respect to everything. From the instability which the wavering must evince in regard to prayer, the apostle takes occasion to make the general remark concerning such a man, that stability and firmness could be expected on no subject. The hesitancy which manifested on that one subject would extend to all; and we might expect to find such a man irresolute and undetermined in all things. This is always true. If we find a man who takes hold of the promises of God with firmness; who feels the deepest assurance when he prays that God will hear prayer; who always goes to him without hesitation in his perplexities and trials, never wavering, we shall find one who is firm in his principles, steady in his integrity, settled in his determinations, and steadfast in his plans of life - a man whose character we shall feel that we understand, and in whom we can confide. Such a man eminently was Luther; and the spirit which is thus evinced by taking firmly hold of the promises of God is the best kind of religion.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. double-minded—literally, "double-souled," the one soul directed towards God, the other to something else. The Greek favors Alford's translation, "He (the waverer, Jas 1:6) is a man double-minded, unstable," &c.; or better, Beza's. The words in this Jas 1:8 are in apposition with "that man," Jas 1:7; thus the "us," which is not in the original, will not need to be supplied, "A man double-minded, unstable in all his ways!" The word for "double-minded" is found here and in Jas 4:8, for the first time in Greek literature. It is not a hypocrite that is meant, but a fickle, "wavering" man, as the context shows. It is opposed to the single eye (Mt 6:22).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

A double minded man; either;

1. A hypocrite, who is said to have a double heart, Psalm 12:2. Or rather;

2. He that is of a doubtful mind, wavering, and fluctuating with contrary motions, sometimes of one mind, sometimes of another; sometimes hoping, sometimes desponding.

Is unstable; either unconstant, without any fixedness or consistency of spirit, as ready to depart from God as to cleave to him; or unquiet, troubled, full of inward tumults.

In all his ways; by a Hebraism, ways, for counsels, purposes, actions, &c.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

A double minded man,.... A man of two souls, or of a double heart, that speaks and asks with an heart, and an heart, as in Psalm 12:2 who halts between two opinions, and is at an uncertainty what to do or say, and is undetermined what to ask for; or who is not sincere and upright in his requests, who asks for one thing, and means another, and asks amiss, and with an ill design; does not call upon God in truth, and in the sincerity of his soul; draws nigh to him with his mouth, and honours him with his lips, but his heart is far from him. Such an one is

unstable in all his ways; he is confused in his mind; restless in his thoughts, unsettled in his designs and intentions; inconstant in his petitions; uncertain in his notions and opinion of things; and very variable in his actions, and especially in matters of religion; he is always changing, and never at a point, but at a continual uncertainty, both in a way of thinking and doing: he never continues long either in an opinion, or in a practice, but is ever shifting and moving.

Geneva Study Bible

A double minded man is unstable in {g} all his ways.

(g) In all his thoughts and his deeds.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Jam 1:8 contains neither the subject to λήμψεται (Baumgarten), nor is it to be understood as an exclamation = vae homini inconstanti (Pott). Many expositors consider ἀνὴρ δίψυχος as the subject and ἀκατάστατος the predicate, wanting the copula (Luther: “a doubter is unstable;” so Calvin, Schneckenburger, de Wette, Lange, and others); but according to this construction the idea δίψυχος falls too much into the background, and also the train of thought would be too unconnected. It is better to take both ἀνὴρ δίψυχος and ἀκατάστατος κ.τ.λ. as in apposition to ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος. It is true that the character of the doubter has already been given in Jam 1:6 by ἔοικε κ.τ.λ., but, on the one hand, only figuratively, and, on the other hand, without giving prominence to his ethical character, which James now introduces in order strongly to confirm the thought expressed in Jam 1:7; which exposition is far from being “a feeble tautology” (Lange). Less stress is to be put on the want of the article (Schneckenburger, de Wette), as it would be here hardly suitable. Correctly Winer, p. 497 [E. T. 670]: “he, a double-minded man;” so also Wiesinger, Brückner, Bouman, and others. Only according to this construction is the full meaning given to the idea δίψυχος. The word is not to be taken merely as another expression for διακρινόμενος (Luther, Beza, Grotius, Cremer, and others; Luther directly renders it “a doubter”), but it characterizes the inward nature of the doubter. According to the mode in which δισώματος, δικάρδιος, δίγλωσσος, and similar words are formed, δίψυχος (which occurs neither in the classics nor in the LXX. and the Apocrypha, but besides here only in chap. Jam 4:8, and the Church Fathers) properly denotes having two souls; it thus describes the doubter as a man who has, as it were, two souls contending against each other: one of which is turned to God, and one of which is turned away from God (thus to the world); who, accordingly, will be at the same time φίλος τοῦ Θεοῦ and φίλος τοῦ κόσμου, although φιλία τοῦ κόσμου is ἔχθρα τοῦ Θεοῦ (chap. Jam 4:6).[54] This double-mindedness (or what is the same thing, division of soul) expresses the wavering to and fro, between ΠΊΣΤΙς and ἈΠΙΣΤΊΑ generally, so particularly also in prayer; therefore it is called, Constitut. Ap. vii. 11: μὴ γίνου δίψυχος ἐν προσευχῇ εἰ ἔσται, ἢ οὐ, and Clemens Romanus: ταλαίπωροι οἱ δίψυχοι, οἱ διστάζοντες τὴν ψυχήν; comp. Sir 1:28 : μὴ προσέλθῃς αὐτῷ (κυρίῳ) ἐκ καρδίᾳ δίσσῃ.

δίψυχον εἶναι is to be understood neither as the reason (Wiesinger) nor as the result (Lange), but as the characteristic nature of διακρίνεσθαι.

The word ἀνήρ is here as in Matthew 7:24; Psalm 32:2, LXX. Lange thinks that James used it because the dangers of which he warns them are more especially the dangers which threaten the men among the Jews.

As a second apposition James adds: ἈΚΑΤΆΣΤΑΤΟς ἘΝ ΠΑΣΑῖς ΤΑῖς ὍΔΟΙς ΑὙΤΟῦ] for where there is a want of unity in the internal life, it is also wanting in the external conduct. The ΔΊΨΥΧΟς, being actuated sometimes by one impulse and sometimes by another, is unsteady and inconstant in his intentions and actions (ἘΝ ΤΑῖς ὍΔΟΙς ΑὙΤΟῦ; comp. Psalm 91:11; Jeremiah 16:17; Proverbs 3:6, etc.); he walks not on one path, but as it is said in Sir 2:12 : ἐπιβαίνει ἐπὶ δύο τρίβους.[55] The word ἀκατάστατος is found only again in chap. Jam 3:8 and in the LXX. Isaiah 54:11 as the translation of סֹעֵר; the substantive ἀκαταστασία occurs in chap. Jam 3:16, besides in Luke and in the Epistles to the Corinthians.

The reason why the doubter is not heard is accordingly the disunion in which he is with himself, both in his internal and in his external life; God gives the heavenly gift of wisdom, which according to its nature is ἁγνή, only to him who ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ (Matthew 22:37), has given to God an undivided disposition.

[54] Oecumenius limits the idea too specifically to a care divided about the present and the future: δίψυχον ἄνδρα τὸν ἀνεπέρειστον, τὸν ἀστήρικτον λέγει, τὸν μήτε πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα παγίως, μήτε πρὸς τὰ πάροντα ἀσφαλῶς ἡδρασμένον, ἀλλὰ τῇδε κακεῖσε ἀγόμενον καὶ περιφερόμενον, καὶ ποτὲ μὲν τῶν μελλόντων, ποτὲ δὲ τῶν παρόντων ἀντεχόμενον. In the classics related ideas are διάνδιχα μερμερίζειν, Hom. Il. i. 189, and frequently: διάνδιχα θυμὸν ἔχειν, Hesiod, O. 13; ψυχὴ ἀνάρμοστος, Phaed. 93 c (opp. ψυχὴ ὁμονοητική, Pl. Resp. viii. 554), etc. In the Hebrew, בְּלֵב וָלֵב, so in 1 Chronicles 12:33, where בְּלֹא־לֵב וָלֵב is equivalent to בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם, ver. 38; that expression has another meaning in Psalm 12:3.

[55] Schneckenburger incorrectly explains ἀποκατάστατος here of the fate of the doubter: parum constautiae experitur in omnibus, quae ipsi contingunt, sua culpa sorte varia conflictatur, and ὄδος = fortuna; also Heisen at least includes this idea: omnia vitae consilia ac facta quin et fata. This certainly is a possible explanation in itself, but it does not suit the context. The meaning attached to the word by Lange, “seditious disturber,” cannot be proved to be correct by Jam 3:16.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Jam 1:8. δίψυχος: Although this word is not found in either the Septuagint or elsewhere in the N.T. (excepting in Jam 4:8) its occurrence is not rare otherwise; Clement of Rome, quoting what he calls ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος, says: ταλαίπωροί εἰσιν οἱ δίψυχοι, οἱ διστάζοντες τῇ καρδίᾳ … (Resch., Agrapha, p. 325 [2nd ed.]); the word occurs a number of times in Hermas, e.g., Mand., ix. 1, 5, 6, 7; xi. 13; so too in Barn., xix. 5, and in Did., iv. 4, as well as in other ancient Christian writings and in Philo. The frame of mind of the ἀνὴρ δίψυχος is equivalent to a “double heart,” see Sir 1:25, μὴ προσέλθῃς αὐτῷ (i.e., the fear of the Lord) ἐν καρδίᾳ δισσῇ; this is precisely the equivalent of the Hebrew לֵב וָלֵב in Psalm 12:3, which the Septuagint unfortunately translates literally, ἐν καρδίᾳ καὶ ἐν καρδίᾳ. In Enoch xci. 4 we have: “Draw not nigh to uprightness with a double heart, and associate not with those of a double heart”; as the Greek version of this work is not extant it is impossible to say for certain how “double heart” was rendered. On the construction here see Mayor.—ἀκατάστατος ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ: this is severe, and reads as if the writer had some particular person in mind. The double-hearted man is certainly one who is quite unreliable. Ἀκατάστατος, which occurs only here and in Jam 3:8 (but see critical note) in the N.T., is found in the Septuagint, though very rarely; in Isaiah 54:11 we have Ταπεινὴ καὶ ἀκατάστατος οὐ παρεκλήθης, where the Hebrew for ἀκατάστ. (סֹעֲרָה) means “storm-tossed”. In the verse before us the word seems to mean unreliability, the man who does not trust God cannot be trusted by men; this probably is what must have been in the mind of the writer.—ἐν πάσαις, etc.: a Hebrew expression for the course of a man’s life in the sense of his “manner of life” (ἀναστροφή, see Jam 3:13) see Proverbs 3:1, ἐν πάσαις ὁδοῖς σου γνώριζε αὐτήν (Hebrew αὐτόν), ἵνα ὀρθοτομῇ τὰς ὁδούς σου. The sense of the expression is certainly different from ἐν ταῖς πορείαις αὐτοῦ in Jam 1:11 which refers to the days of a man’s life.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8. A double minded man …] The context shews that the man so described (the Greek word is not found in any earlier writer and may have been coined by St James) is not the fraudulent man but the waverer, trying to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24), halting between two opinions (1 Kings 18:21). It answers to the “double heart” (Heb. “a heart and a heart”) of Psalm 12:2. In Sir 1:28 we find the same thought, though not the same word, “Come not unto the Lord with a double heart,” and again in Sir 2:12, where a woe is uttered against the “sinner that goeth two ways,” in company with “the fearful and faint-hearted.” Clement of Rome (i. 11) reproduces St James’s word. The construction of the sentence is doubtful, and may be taken either as in the English text, or, with “he that doubteth” as the subject and “double-minded, unstable” as predicates.

unstable] The Greek word is found in the LXX. of Isaiah 54:11, where the English version has “tossed with tempest.” It is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, except as a various reading in ch. James 3:8, but the corresponding noun is often used both literally and figuratively (Luke 21:9; 1 Corinthians 14:33; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 2 Corinthians 12:20; James 3:16 and the LXX. of Proverbs 26:28). There is a slight change of imagery, and the picture brought before us is that of a man who does not walk straight onward, but in “all his ways” goes to and fro, now on this side, now on that, staggering, like a drunken man.

Bengel's Gnomen

Jam 1:8. Ἀνὴρ δίψυχος, a double-minded man) The same word (δίψυχος) is applied, ch. Jam 4:8, to those who have not a heart pure and simply given up to God. The word does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, or in the Septuagint. It may be translated “having two souls,” as we speak of “a double-tongued”[7] man. Hesychius, διψυχία ἀπορία, “a state of doubt or perplexity. It is therefore connected in meaning with the word οιακρινόμενος, “the wavering.” Such a man has, as it were, two souls, of which the one holds one opinion, the other holds another. Sir 2:12, ΟὐΑῚ ΚΑΡΔΊΑΙς ΔΕΙΛΑῖς, ΚΑῚ ΧΕΡΣῚ ΠΑΡΕΙΜΈΝΑΙς, ΚΑῚ ἉΜΑΡΤΩΛῷ ἘΠΙΒΑΊΝΟΝΤΙ ἘΠῚ ΔΎΟ ΤΡΊΒΟΥς: “Woe be to fearful hearts, and faint hands, and the sinner that goeth two ways!”—ἀκατάστατος, unstable) For he does not obtain Divine direction by prayer: and being destitute of wisdom, he is at variance with himself and with others. Comp. ch. Jam 3:16.

[7] Both these meanings are contained in the German falsch.

James 1:8

Vincent's Word Studies

A double-minded man is unstable, etc

The A. V. puts this as an independent apophthegm, which is wrong. The sentence is a comment and enlargement upon that man. "Let not that man think," etc., "a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." So Rev.

Double-minded (δίψυχος)

Peculiar to James, here and James 4:8. Not deceitful, but dubious and undecided.

Unstable (ἀκατάστατος)

Only here in New Testament. The kindred ἀκαταστασία, confusion, is found James 3:16, and elsewhere.