Parent: JesusWordsOnly
Are James s Remarks on Boasting Aimed for Paul?
The Epistle of James shows another earmark that it was used as Exhibit A in a trial of Paul. James writes:
The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!....Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works, with the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in your heart, do not boast and lie against the Truth. ((Jas. 2:26-3:14)) 44
James is extolling meekness in contrast to boasting. Jesus likewise promised salvation to the meek: "the meek...shall inherit the earth." (Matt. 5:3,5.) This was the quality that endeared Moses to God: "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth." ((Num. 12:3).) By contrast, God does not "respect the proud." (Ps. 40:4). (Prov. 16:5) says: "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to Jehovah." James makes both points simultaneously in his famous line: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the meek." ((Jas. 4:6).)
44.Paulunists try to save Paul from what James condemns by lifting outof-context (Jas. 3:16). There James continues and says, "But now you are boasting in connection with your arrogance. ALL boasting of this kind is evil.'' Thus, they read James to only condemn boasting in arrogance. They insist Paul does not do this. However, boasting of your own exploits and background rather than God's accomplishments is likely James' meaning. The latter is appropriate "boasting in the Lord" ((Jer. 9:23-24).) Thus, you can boast of God's accomplishments, not your own.
Are James's Remarks on Boasting Aimed for Paul?
Paul in numerous places boasts, but the most blatant is in Second Corinthians. The KJV translation makes it difficult for you to recognize this. It changes Paul's admission that he is boasting into an admission he is glorying. Yet, Paul's Greek word is boast or boasting. Paul's admission of this behavior uses the same Greek word as used by James when he condemns such behavior in (Jas. 4:6). What the KJV incorrectly translates as glorying when Paul speaks, the KJV then correctly translates as boasting when James condemns the behavior. Oh the mysteries of Bible translation!
Regardless, Paul in Second Corinthians has a passage that is nothing but boasting. Paul admits this boasting behavior repeatedly in the very same context:
Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me,
that I may boast myself a little. That which I speak, I speak
it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this
confidence of boasting. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I
will glory also...Are they Hebrews?
So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of
Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a
fool) I am more ; in labors more abundant, in stripes above
measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft...In journeyings
often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my
own countrymen... in perils among false brethren;.... in nothing
am I behind the very chiefest of the apostles, though I be
nothing.... ((2Cor. 11:16-12:19) (ASV).)
Throughout this litany of boasts, Paul confesses he is boasting. Paul appears to be admitting it is foolish to do this ("I speak as a fool"), but he does it anyway. James calls such behavior and lack of self-control a serious error:
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
(Jas. 4:16).
Was James Writing His Epistle For A Trial of Paul?
If any man among you seems to be religious, and does not bridle
his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
(Jas. 1:26)
James tells you point blank, by inference, Paul's religion is "empty" and his boasts are "evil." Such a person "lies" against the truth. ((Jas. 1:26); 3:14.) If Paul knows this is foolish but cannot 'bridle his tongue,' then "this man's religion is vain." ((Jas. 1:26).) This is just the kind of information the Ephesians needed to have to try the one who "says [he is] an apostle and is not but [is a] liar." (Rev. 2:2.)