James 4:3

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - James 4:1-17

Chapter 4This chapter could be entitled how to win friends and influence people. Guard your tongue, bring your tongue under control, use it for good, use it to encourage to build up, don't use it to tear down, to destroy, to cut, to hurt. Your wisdom, let it be Godly wisdom let it be demonstrated in your manner of life, that is your life let it be pure. Let your life be peaceable, merciful. Now this fruit of righteousness that we desire is actually sown in peace and that fruit of righteousness... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - James 4:1-17

James 4:1-2 . From whence come wars and fightings among you? St. James saw in the Spirit the bloody and cruel wars which would rise among christian powers, much the same as among the heathen. He had a clear conviction that the cause of wars is uniformly the same, namely, evil concupiscence, pride, avarice, revenge. The prophet Isaiah assigns the same reason for all wars, the pride of the human heart, Judah envying Ephraim, and Ephraim vexing Judah. Isaiah 11:13. He also adds the promise,... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - James 4:1-3

James 4:1-3From whence come wars and fightings?--Wars and fighting--whence they proceedI. THE QUESTION PROPOSED (James 4:1). We have no very particular information as to the nature of these contests, the parties by whom they were waged, or the matters to which they related. Able interpreters have connected them with the civil, political conflicts which agitated the Jewish people at this period of their history, and prepared the way for the memorable destruction which soon came on them at the... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - James 4:3

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ver. 3. Ye ask and receive not ] Ye ask and miss, because ye ask amiss. It is the manner that makes or mars an action. read more

Samuel Bagster

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - James 4:3

and: James 1:6, James 1:7, Job 27:8-2 Samuel :, Job 35:12, Psalms 18:41, Psalms 66:18, Psalms 66:19, Proverbs 1:28, Proverbs 15:8, Proverbs 21:13, Proverbs 21:27, Isaiah 1:15, Isaiah 1:16, Jeremiah 11:11, Jeremiah 11:14, Jeremiah 14:12, Micah 3:4, Zechariah 7:13, Matthew 20:22, Mark 10:38, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:14 ye may: Luke 15:13, Luke 15:30, Luke 16:1, Luke 16:2 lusts: or, pleasures, James 4:1 Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 28:6 - inquired 1 Kings 2:22 - why dost 1 Kings 3:11 - hast not Job 16:18... read more

John Wesley

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - James 4:3

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. But if ye do ask, ye receive not, because ye ask amiss - That is, from a wrong motive. read more

Daniel Whedon

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:3

3. Ask amiss A sort of correction of his phrase ask not in last verse. The amiss consists in the sensual nature of their prayers. The asking for the gratification of our unholy natures is a prayer which is not a prayer. Consume Or expend it, not upon, but in, your lusts. In your lusts expresses the moral condition in which they offered their prayerless prayers. A Greek brigand at the present day can unite robbery and murder with the most devout adoration of the virgin. Thus far... read more