JAMES 1:25

Victor M. Eskew

 

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.

 

1.    Looketh

A.   Strong (3879):  to bend beside, that is lean over (so as to peer within)

B.    Thayer:  to stoop to a thing in order to look at it…metaphorically to look carefully into, inspect curiously

C.   Vine:  literally and primarily, to stoop sideways

 

2.    Perfect

A.   Strong:  complete, completeness

B.    Thayer:  wanting nothing necessary to completeness, perfect

C.   Vine:  the complete revelation of God’s will and ways

 

3.    Law

A.   Strong (3551):  law (through the idea of prescriptive usage)

B.    Thayer:  anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command…a law or rule producing a state approved of God…the Christian religion:  the law demanding faith, the moral instruction given by Christ

C.   Vine:  to divide out, distribute, primarily meant that which is assigned; hence custom, usage, law…a term comprehensive of all the Scriptures

 

4.    Liberty

A.   Strong (1657):  freedom

B.    Thayer:  true liberty is living as we should not as we please

C.   Vine:  liberty…the phraseology is that of manumission from slavery

 

5.    Continueth

A.   Strong (3837):  to stay near, that is, remain (literally tarry; or figuratively to be permanent, persevere)

B.    Thayer:  to remain beside, continue always near

C.   Vine:  remain by or near…persevering in

 

6.    Forgetful

A.   Strong (1953):  negligence

B.    Thayer:  forgetfulness

C.   Vine:  forgetfulness…lit., “a hearer of forgetfulness,” i.e., “a hearer characterized by forgetfulness”

 

7.   Hearer

A.   Strong (202):  hearer

B.    Thayer:  a hearer

C.   Vine:  to listen, a hearer

 

 

8.   Doer

A.   Strong (4163):  a performer

B.    Thayer:  doer, performer, one who obeys or fulfills the law

C.   Vine:  a doer

 

9.   Work

A.   Strong (2041):  to work; toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act

B.    Thayer:  an act, deed, thing done:  the idea of working is emphasized in opposition to that which is less than work

C.   Vine:  work…the effect of faith

 

10. Blessed

A.   Strong (3107):  supremely blessed…fortunate, well off

B.    Thayer:  blessed, happy

C.   Vine:  happy, blessed

 

11.  Deed

A.   Strong (4162):  action, that is performance (of the law)

B.    Thayer:  doing or performing…in his doing, i.e., in the obedience he renders to the law

C.   Vine:  work, deed, act