James 4

With the Sayings of Jesus & The Gospel of Thomas

Elaborating on James 4 side by side with Thomas
Extracted from https://www.angelfire.com/dc/universalism/JamesThomasParallels.html

The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.
Similar or contrasting thoughts are highlighted with similar colours.

The Gospel of Thomas
Translated by Thomas O. Lambdin
 		  The Letter of James
A Servant of Jesus Christ
(72) A man said to him, "Tell my brothers
to divide my father's possessions with me."
He said to him, "O man, who has made me a divider?"
He turned to his disciples and said to them,
"I am not a divider, am I?"
 		James 4:1  From whence come
wars and fightings among you?
come they not hence,
even of your lusts that war in your members?

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit,
lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
All these evil things come from within, & defile the man,"
Mark 7:21-23.

(73) Jesus said, 
"The harvest is great but the laborers are few.
Beseech the Lord, therefore, 
to send out laborers to the harvest."

When the need is great, then Ask.


 James 4:2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill,
and desire to have, and cannot obtain:
ye fight and war, yet ye have not,
because ye ask not.

Ask, & it shall be given you; seek, & ye shall find; 
knock, & it shall be opened unto you: 
For every one that asketh receiveth; 
& he that seeketh findeth; 
& to him that  knocketh it shall be opened," 
Matthew 7:7-8. 

(74) He said,
"O Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, 
but there is nothing in the cistern." 

"He said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, & the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered & said, Ye know not what ye ask," Matthew 20:21-22.

"Send them away, that they may go... into the villages,
and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
He answered... Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, &
give them to eat?...   he looked up to heaven, & blessed, & brake the loaves... & they did all eat, and were filled,"
Mark 6:36-42

 James 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not,
because ye ask amiss,
that ye may consume it upon your lusts.


"This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: & if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him," 1 John 5:14-15. 


"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; & it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.
For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven
with the wind & tossed. For let not that man think
that he shall receive any thing of the Lord," James 1:5-7.

(75) Jesus said,
"Many are standing [ outside ] at the door, 
but it is the solitary who will enter the bridal chamber."

(Contrast: "It is the solitary who will" vs "Whoever... will")

 

"The friend of the bridegroom,
and the attendants of the bridegroom.
They [only] are allowed to enter the bridal chamber," 
Gospel of Philip.

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:
but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you," Jhn 15:19.


James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be
a friend of the world is the enemy of God.


"He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas," Matthew 12:39.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. 
If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, & the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. & the world passeth away, & the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever," 
1 John 2:15-17.

(76) Jesus said, 
"The kingdom of the father is like a merchant 
who had a consignment of merchandise 
and who discovered a pearl.
That merchant was shrewd. 
He sold the merchandise 
and bought the pearl alone for himself.
You too, seek his unfailing and enduring treasure 
where no moth comes near to devour & no worm destroys."

James 4:5  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain,
The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1John 2:16

(You too, seek, Thomas 76 with
The spirit ... jealously desires, James 4:5.)

(77) Jesus said, 
"It is I who am the light which is above them all. 
It is I who am the all. From me did the all come forth, 
and unto me did the all extend (attain to or return). 
Split a piece of wood, and I am there.
Lift up the stone, and you will find me there." 

"He hath shewed strength with his arm; 
he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, 
and exalted them of low degree," Luke 1:51-52.

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself 
shall be abased; & he that humbleth himself 
shall be exalted," Luke 18:14.

 James 4:6  But he giveth more grace.
Wherefore he saith,
God resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble.

"Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. & whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; & he that shall humble himself shall be exalted,"
Matthew 23:10-12.

"Yea, all of you be subject one to another,
and be clothed with humility:
for God resisteth the proud,
and giveth grace to the humble," 1 Peter 5:5.

"Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 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 man fade away in his ways," James 1:9-11.

(78) Jesus said, "Why have you come out into the desert?
To see a reed shaken by the wind? 
And to see a man clothed in fine garments 
like your kings and your great men? 
Upon them are the fine garments, 
and they are unable to discern the truth."

 James 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Out in the desert...
Jesus said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God...
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan:
for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and him only shalt thou serve,
Then the devil leaveth him." Matthew 4:4,10-11.

(79) A woman from the crowd said to him, 
"Blessed are the womb which bore you 
and the breasts which nourished you."
He said to her, 
"Blessed are those who have heard the word of the father 
and have truly kept it. 
For there will be days when you will say, 
'Blessed are the womb which has not conceived
and the breasts which have not given milk.'"

(C.f. "Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth... 
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, 
but of incorruptible, by the word of God... 
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, 
that ye may grow"  1 Peter 1:22-23, 2:2)

 James 4:8  Draw nigh to God,
and he will draw nigh to you.
Cleanse your hands,
ye sinners;
and purify your hearts,

(C.f. On a standing person,
located at similar heights,
can be found heart and breasts
or womb and hands.

Consider also,
"If a woman have conceived seed,
& born a man child: [or]...
if she bear a maid child,
then she shall be unclean...
as in her separation:
& she shall continue in the blood
of her purifying threescore and six days,"
Leviticus 12:2.)
(80) Jesus said,
"He who has recognized the world has found the body,
but he who has found the body is superior to the world."

"The light of the body is the eye:
if therefore thine eye be single,
thy whole body shall be full of light.
But if thine eye be evil,
thy whole body shall be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness,
how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:22-23.

 		James 4:8b   Ye double minded.


"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.
For let not that man think
that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."
James 1:6-8.
(81) Jesus said,
"Let him who has grown rich be king,
and let him who possesses power renounce it."

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.
Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Luke 6:21

Blessed are they that mourn:
for they shall be comforted. Mathhew 5:4

 James 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:
let your laughter be turned to mourning, and
[let your] your joy [be turned] to heaviness.

(C.f. Renunciation - "Go to now, ye rich men,
weep & howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted, and
your garments are motheaten," James 5:1-2.)

(82) Jesus said, "He who is near me is near the fire, 
and he who is far from me is far from the kingdom."

James 4:10  Humble yourselves
in the sight of the Lord,
and he shall lift you up.

"Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased;
and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted,"
Matthew 23:12.

(83) Jesus said, "The images are manifest to man, 
but the light in them remains concealed 
in the image of the light of the father. 
He will become manifest,
but his image will remain concealed by his light."


(C.f. "God created man in his own image," Genesis 1:27.)


The Law is capable of judging.
 
Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy,
and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 		James 4:11  Speak not evil
one of another, brethren.
He that speaketh evil of his brother,
and judgeth his brother,
speaketh evil of the law,
and judgeth the law:
but if thou judge the law,
thou art not a doer of the law,
but a judge.

(C.f. "The law is light," Proverbs 6:23. And
"Judge not, that ye be not judged," Matthew 7:1.)

A doer:
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, & not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 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," James 1:22-24.
(84) Jesus said,
"When you see your likeness, you rejoice.
But when you see your images
which came into being before you,
and which neither die not become manifest,
how much you will have to bear!"

"[Jesus] is able also to save them
to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession for them," Heb 7:25.
 4:12 There is one lawgiver,
who is able to save and to destroy:

(C.f. "Fear not them which kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul: but rather
fear him which is able to destroy
both soul and body in hell," Matthew 10:28.)

(85) Jesus said, "Adam came into being from 
a great power and a great wealth, 
but he did not become worthy of you. 
For had he been worthy, 
he would not have experienced death."

4:12b Who art thou that judgest another?

(C.f. "The man (Adam) said, The woman
whom thou gavest to be with me,
she gave me of the tree," Genesis 3:12.)

"Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?
to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand," Rom 14:4.

(86) Jesus said, "The foxes have their holes
and the birds have their nests
but the son of man has no place 
to lay his head and rest."

Contrasting Jesus and the rich man:

Consider the end times.

 4:13 Go to now, ye that say,
To day or to morrow we will
go into such a city, and continue there
a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

1. Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl
for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2. Your riches are corrupted,
and your garments are motheaten.
3. Your gold and silver is cankered;
and the rust of them shall be a witness against you,
and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days," James 5:1-3.

(87) Jesus said, "Wretched is the body 
that is dependant upon a body, 
and wretched is the soul 
that is dependent on these two."

4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be
on the morrow.
For what is your life?

Your life:
"He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit," 1 Cor 6:17.

(88) Jesus said, 
"The angels and the prophets will come to you 
and give to you those things you (already) have. 
And you too, give them those things 
which you have, and say to yourselves, 
'When will they come and take what is theirs?'"


( C.f. "It (your life) is even a vapour,  that appeareth"
with "The angels... will come to you" 

4:15 It is even a vapour,
that appeareth for a little time, 
and then vanisheth away. 

   "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 man fade away in his ways,"
James 1:10

(89) Jesus said, 
"Why do you wash the outside of the cup?
Do you not realize that he who made 
the inside is the same one who made the outside?"

We might want to clean up the outside, 

but God is also doing his work on the inside,

Thomas 22.



 4:15b For that ye ought to say,
If the Lord will,
we shall live,
and do this, or that.

There is the outside, but also the inside
Heb 6:3 "Let us go on unto perfection...
And this will we do, if God permit."

(90) Jesus said, "Come unto me, 
for my yoke is easy and my lordship is mild, 
and you will find repose for yourselves."

Learn of me 

BABYLON: How much she hath glorified herself, 
and lived deliciously, 
so much torment and sorrow give her: 
for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, 
and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues 
come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; 
and she shall be utterly burned with fire: 
for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.  Rev 18:7-8

 4:16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings:
all such rejoicing is evil.

Pro 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow;
for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth," James 3:14

(C.f. "Come now, ye who say," 4:13 connects
"But now ye rejoice in your boastings," 4:16 with
"Come unto me," Thomas 90.) 

(91) They said to him, 
"Tell us who you are so that we may believe in you." 
He said to them, 
"You read the face of the sky and of the earth, but
you have not recognized the one who is before you, 
and you do not know how to read this moment."

 
If ye know these things,
happy are ye if ye do them. Jhn 13:17

4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth
to do good, and doeth it not,
to him it is sin.

We have been given & know so much:
"That servant, which knew his lord's will,
and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not,
and did commit things worthy of stripes,
shall be beaten with few stripes.
For unto whomsoever much is given,
of him shall be much required:
and to whom men have committed much,
of him they will ask the more," Luke 12:47-48.




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