James 4:5 Do you think that the scripture said in vain, The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy? 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 certain that what is predicated of the Spirit" must be good, and not evil. The Greek word for "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 "earnestly desiring" (2 Corinthians 5:2), or "greatly desiring" (2 Timothy 1:4). The verb has no object, but it is natural to supply "us." Taking these data we get as 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 condemned as simply evil, makes its use here somewhat startling. But the thought implied is that the strongest human affection shows itself in a jealousy which is scarcely distinguishable 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 satisfied with no divided allegiance. The root-idea of the passage is identical with that of the jealousy of God over Israel as His bride (Jeremiah 3:1-11; Ezekiel 16:1; Hosea 2:3), of His wrath when the bride proved faithless. (Dean Plumptre.) Parallel Verses KJV: Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?WEB: Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, "The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously"? |
    |