James 1:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But then someone will say, if such is the effect of temptations, how does Christ teach us in prayer to ask God, "Lead us not into temptation" (Mt 6:13)? We answer: temptations are of two kinds.

Some arise from us, and others are sent upon us by God for our training and glorification. The temptations that arise from us are also of two kinds.

Some come from unreasonable courage, which we call boldness. The Lord commands us to guard against this, because though the spirit is willing, in struggles this willingness grows cold. Therefore such courage does not end well for those who possess it.

Other temptations, such as the destruction of the Sodomites (Gen 19:13), are sent for sins. These temptations must be avoided with all strength through a sinless life.

But temptations from God, such as those of Job and Abraham, must not only not be avoided. If possible, one should draw them to oneself through patience and thanksgiving, because they make one worthy of glory and crowns.

He said "various temptations" because, as we have explained, some temptations come from God and others from us.

And all the Apostles departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing, because they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41).

Therefore we must grieve not when we are subjected to temptations, but when we are overcome by temptations.

Is such a temptation not worthy of all joy? God Himself, speaking to Job, freed him from sorrow caused by temptation: "Do you think I have dealt with you otherwise than that you might appear righteous?" (Job 40:3).

What does the Lord say to him by this? I dealt with you in this way, testing your faith in Me when you were in good health, good repute, and prosperity.

You showed yourself righteous, using all these things according to My will, when it granted them to you and when I willed, distributing and governing them.

I dealt with you in this way, testing your faith in Me when you were in sickness, dishonor, and poverty. You showed yourself righteous, saying, "If we have received good from the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil?" (Job 2:10).

Why, then, did he not say, "Rejoice when you practice virtue," but, "when you find yourselves in temptations"? Because the practice of virtue depends on us and lies within our power. But falling into temptations does not depend on us.

Since without them there is neither perfection nor the manifestation of faith in God, when a man striving for perfection of faith falls into temptations, let him rejoice. He has found that through which he will receive perfection.

Temptations are useful for those perfect in faith for the manifestation of their perfection. What is still more wondrous is that temptations, assailing even the imperfect, make them perfect. This is evident also from the Gospel words read today (Mt 14:22-33).

I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, that there are two kinds of temptations. But I shall not speak of this now.

I will only say that temptations come to men through joy and through sorrow, through health and through illness, through glory and through dishonor, through wealth and through poverty.

Of these, far worse are those that come through pleasure, health, glory, and wealth. This is truly so. Yet I shall not speak now of these two kinds of temptations.

What do I want you to know today? Listen attentively and you will learn. This great James, called the Lord's Brother according to the flesh because of the betrothal of the Virgin Mother to Joseph, which occurred according to the divine economy, says: "Rejoice when you fall into various temptations."

And again: "Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tested, he will receive the crown of life" (Jas 1:12).

Temptation is either good, having a good end, or evil, which proceeds from an evil intention and turns a man toward evil.

Good temptation is either divine, when God Himself tests by laying an inward or outward cross upon the believing man. Or it is human, when a man tests either himself, as the Apostle commands (2 Cor 13:5), or others (2 Cor 8:8, 22), for their perfection in faith and the bearing of abundant fruits.

Evil temptation presupposes either an action or a suffering. As an action, men unskilled in mind and darkened in heart tempt God Himself. They ask Him to satisfy their own will or passions (Ps 77:18).

At the same time they doubt His omnipotence, wisdom, and justice (Ex 17:1-7; Acts 15:10; Mal 3:8-10; Ps 9:34), and His meekness and longsuffering (Rom 2:4-5).

As a suffering, man is drawn to sin as if unwillingly, by his own passion, by the world, and by the devil.

Good temptation is sent according to the will of God, either because the man himself asks for it (Ps 25:2), or for other reasons unknown to us.

In particular, it may be to set before others an example of faith, as was the faith of Abraham. Or it may be an example of patience, as was the patience of Job.

Or it may be for love, hope, and knowledge of one's own infirmities, in order to remove a man from self-exaltation, as is said of the Apostle Paul, and the like.

Instead he said, "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you fall into various temptations," because these very temptations from which you suffer, my brethren, will become the cause of extreme joy.

This word not only completely leaves the soul to feel the sorrows and pains that hurt it. On the contrary, it moves the soul toward joy, despite the exceeding bitterness of temptations.

Thus the Apostle shows, according to Theophylact and Oecumenius, that those temptations are praiseworthy and worthy of joy which Christians undergo according to God and for God's sake. In this way they become the strongest bonds and the increase of love toward God.

For this reason the wise Sirach said the same: "My child, if you come forward to serve the Lord God, prepare your soul for temptation" (Sir 2:1). The Lord also said, "In the world you will have tribulation; but take courage, for I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33).

Without sorrows and trials, no one can receive crowns, either earthly or divine.

But some may say: If temptations bring such good things, why does Christ command us to say in the prayer Our Father, "Lead us not into temptation" (Mt 6:13)?

The God-bearing Maximus answers this by saying that there are two kinds of temptation. The first is voluntary and knowingly performed by the soul. It brings sweetness to the body, but bitterness and darkness to the soul. In other words, it assists the commission of sin.

The other is involuntary and occurs independently of the soul's disposition. On the one hand, it brings sorrow to the bodily senses. On the other, it brings sweetness into the soul.

It follows from this that the Lord speaks of voluntary temptation, which brings pleasure and sin. He exhorts us to ask God not to allow us to fall into it, since if we fall away from grace, we shall be subjected to torments.

His brother, the divine James, speaks here of compulsory sorrows that come upon us independently of our knowledge, awareness, and opinion. They bring "sorrow and pain" to the bodily senses.

For this reason, on the one hand, the Lord told us at the end of the Our Father to ask, "but deliver us from the evil one," because pleasure-loving and sinful temptation is introduced by the evil devil.

On the other hand, James consistently says that "the temptation of sorrow works patience" (Gnostic Chapters, fifth century, 402).

Therefore involuntary and sorrowful temptations are the cause of all joy and gladness for the zealous and virtuous. As much as the body suffers and "wastes away" because of sorrows, so much does the soul rejoice and become renewed.

As Paul says, "Though our outer man is wasting away, yet the inner man is being renewed day by day" (2 Cor 4:16). This also becomes evident to others.

Trial, in turn, introduces one into "perfect work," that is, into the perfection of virtue.

Theophylact, with Oecumenius, adds and says that some temptations come from ourselves, while others are permitted by God for our training and glorification.

The temptations that come from ourselves are again of two kinds. Some overtake us because of foolish and proud bravery, when we pretend to be strong and cast ourselves into temptations.

This foolish bravery is called audacity. The Lord teaches us to guard against it when He says, "Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mt 26:41).

Before temptation, a man's spirit and soul are zealous. But when he is cast into temptation, his former zeal is extinguished, and this does not end well.

Other temptations come upon us because of sins we have committed. Thus the waters of the flood overtook the giants, and the Sodomites were destroyed by fire for their sins.

These two kinds of temptation, my brethren, must be avoided as far as possible. From the beginning one must neither live sinfully nor cast oneself into temptations through audacity and pride.

But if they overtake us, we must endure this with thanksgiving as a penance for sins.

Those temptations, however, which come solely as a trial from God Himself, as with Job and Abraham, should not be avoided. They make us worthy to receive crowns and praises from God.

For this reason the brother of God says here, "various temptations," because of the difference that they have.

Observe, beloved, that the brother of God did not say here that we should enter temptations by ourselves and expose ourselves to dangers. No. He says that we ought to rejoice when we fall into temptations, without ourselves giving occasion for this.

From this we learn three saving lessons. First, we must not cast ourselves into temptations by ourselves. Rather, we should pray that demonic temptations may not come upon us.

Saint Theophylact says this when interpreting, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Lk 22:40): "For to cast oneself into temptations is to act rashly and to be proud."

Saint Mitrophan also says, "We must not desire any kind of temptation."

Second, we learn that when involuntary and satanic temptations overtake us, even then we must ask God not to abandon us, lest we be overcome by them. This is how the same Theophylact interprets, "that you may not enter into temptation."

Third, we learn that when involuntary and satanic temptations come, we must not murmur or grieve. Rather, we should give thanks and rejoice.

As the divine Mitrophan says, "The temptations that befall us must be accepted with all readiness. We must rejoice as on a feast day and be filled with every spiritual gladness."

Without temptations, no one partakes of sanctification. Whoever avoids temptations beneficial to the soul, even satanic and painful ones, avoids eternal life.

As one venerable elder uttered this wise saying: "Remove temptations, and no one will be saved. He who flees saving temptation flees eternal life" (from the Paterikon).

Why, then, did James say here, "Count it all joy," while Peter says, "In this you rejoice, though for a little while" (1 Pet 1:6)? See the interpretation of Peter's epistle for the resolution of this seeming contradiction.

It is worthy of note that all temptations that come from God are of three kinds. They come according to His economy, and solely for testing, as with righteous Job and other saints, so that they may appear more righteous and more radiant.

Or they come by permission, as with David and Peter. These come to hinder and cut off sin that has existed, exists, or could exist.

Or they come by abandonment, which happens for a man's complete perdition because of his sinful life and evil disposition, as happened with Judas.

Let us add here that temptations that come either through our fault or from God in general are both called temptations. Through them man's free will is tempted, that is, tested.

As Basil the Great said, "There are two kinds of temptations. Either sorrows test hearts like gold in a furnace, revealing their goodness through patience, or, not rarely, the very prosperity of life serves many as a trial" (Homily on "I will pull down my barns").

Venerable Mark also says, "As labor according to God is called virtue, so unexpected sorrow is called temptation" (On Those Who Think They Are Justified by Works, 189).

And again: "Every sorrow reveals where our will inclines, toward the good side or the evil. Therefore accidental sorrow is called temptation, because for the one subjected to it, it serves as a test of his hidden desires" (ibid., 201).

This also happened to the Apostle Peter. When he heard the Lord say, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak," he did not heed this as he should.

Out of pride he dared to enter the high priest's courtyard by himself. There, alas, he fell into the great pit of denial.

For this reason the God-bearing Maximus said: "The sorrows that befall us happen for our instruction. They come either for the cleansing of past sins, for the correction of present negligence, or for the prevention of future sins.

The one who thinks that temptations happen for these reasons is not irritated, even when beaten, wronged, or enduring other sorrows. He reflects upon the sin living in him.

He also does not blame the one through whom the temptation comes. Through him or through another, he must drink the cup of divine judgments. Instead, he looks to God who permitted this.

He gives thanks, readily accepts the punishment, and considers himself the cause."

You see that it says various temptations, not immeasurable temptations or those above one's strength. Although God allows Christians to fall into many temptations, He does not allow those that exceed their strength.

Together with temptations He secretly gives Christians the strength to endure them, as Paul bears witness, saying, "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.

But with the temptation He will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Cor 10:13).

Abba Macarius also said: "When a potter places vessels in the fire, he heats the furnace in measure. He does not overheat it, lest the vessels, being fired beyond the proper time, crack.

Nor does he heat it too little, lest, remaining unfired, they be ruined in vain. The human mind knows how to proportion burdens to the strength of a pack animal, a camel, or some other animal.

It knows what burden each can bear. How much more does God, who knows the strength of human vessels, permit the opposing power to act in different measures" (Homily 26).

Saint Isaac also says: "Temptation does not come unless the soul first secretly receives greatness beyond its measure. Grace comes before temptation.

Yet the perception of temptations, for the testing of freedom, necessarily preceded the perception of grace. Grace anticipates in the mind, but delays in sensation" (Homily 78).

The holy Fathers also reason that one who believes in God's governance of each person's lot will receive every temptation as his own. For God's governance can be neither mistaken nor unjust.

Look carefully into yourself and you will see what troubles you. You are troubled by human justifications, more than demonic ones, which strive to make you renounce the cross.

Say to the justification: "Get behind me, Satan, for you do not think the things of God, but the things of men" (Mt 16:23).

I go after Christ to the cross. Slanders, mockeries, in a word, everything unpleasant and difficult, I receive as my own, as God's gift sent to me by His mercy. Amen.

For the Christian attentive to his moral perfection, there are very many such temptations. Some are inward, in thoughts and desires. Others are outward, in the various unfavorable circumstances of life, such as losses, calamities, persecutions, and the like.

The more a Christian strives toward moral perfection and attends to the state of his moral life, the more he notices such temptations. The more varied, so to speak, these temptations are for him.

Human powers are so weak that a man, whether willingly or unwillingly, falls into such temptations. Again, the more a Christian attends to his moral perfection, the more he notices that he falls into such temptations.

The inattentive man will not even notice his fall into temptation. From the attentive man it will not be hidden.

Man’s inability to free himself from such manifold temptations is so great that he might sometimes fall into faintheartedness and even reach despair.

This would happen if the word of God had not shown him the higher meaning and purpose of these temptations in life. By this it calms and strengthens him in bearing such temptations.

One of the strongest, most calming, and most strengthening indications is the saying of the Apostle James now under consideration.

According to these words of the Apostle, the Christian must receive every temptation not with sorrow, faintheartedness, or despair. On the contrary, he must receive it with great joy, or, more strongly from the original, with full and perfect joy.

This is such a height in the Apostle’s contemplation of the laws of moral development that even the loftiest minds of pagan antiquity did not ascend to it.

One can ascend to it, and lead others up to it, only in Christianity. Christianity has not only pointed it out, but also gives man gracious powers to ascend to such a height.

Set beside the Lord’s commandment concerning the prayer of Christians to God the Father, “and lead us not into temptation” (Mt 6:13 and parallels), the Apostle’s instruction means this.

One must pray to the Heavenly Father that He not lead us into temptation, and not subject us to a trial beyond the measure of our strength.

But if, according to His wise purposes, He is pleased to permit us to fall into various temptations, then the Christian must receive these temptations with full and perfect joy.

He must keep in mind their great meaning in the moral life (Jas 1:3-4), if we bear them with the help of God’s grace, as we ought according to the Christian law.

One must not invite temptations upon oneself. On the contrary, remembering one’s weakness, one should pray for deliverance from them. But if, by the will of God, they have overtaken us and we have fallen into them, we must receive them with great joy.

“The Apostle recognizes temptations and sorrow according to God as praiseworthy and worthy of joy, because they are the strongest bonds and the increase of love and contrition.

For this reason it is said, ‘My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation’ (Sir 2:1). And Christ said, ‘In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage’ (Jn 16:33).

For without struggles one cannot receive crowns, either in the world or from God” (Theophylact).