James 1:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Having said "uncleanness," the Apostle adds "overflow of malice." He wishes to suggest that if anyone often falls into uncleanness, he should quickly turn away from it. Otherwise, by remaining in it, he will allow evil to grow stronger through habit. For what we do often and abundantly usually becomes like nature, acquiring the character of nature. The Apostle said "in meekness" with the teaching word in mind, which is not received amid noise and disturbance. He calls the word implanted because through it we came into the world rational and able to discern good and evil.

From anger are born uncleanness and baseness.

When the Apostle mentions uncleanness and the remainder of malice, he means that if someone is often stained by uncleanness, he should quickly free himself from it. He should not linger in it for long. For when evil becomes habitual, it takes root and becomes harder to wash away.

The Apostle first commands that body and soul be cleansed of vices, so that they may be counted worthy to receive the word of salvation. For he who does not first turn away from evil cannot do good.

Certainly the Apostle speaks of every impurity, both of flesh and of soul. Yet malice properly belongs to the vice of the inner man.

He says, "Receive the sown word," that is, receive through instruction the word that we place in your hearts through preaching.

This understanding is also correct: receive more perfectly, for fulfillment in works, the word sown in you on the day of redemption, when God begot you according to His will. This you now attain in service.

"Which is able to save your souls." This is true even when you undergo bodily temptations, or when unbelievers destroy you.

Cast away, he says, O Christians, from your souls every filthiness and excess of malice.

The brother of God added all these words, filthiness, uncleanness, and excess of malice, in order to show something by this addition.

If someone at some time defiles himself with the filth of some sin, he must quickly withdraw from that sin through repentance. He must not continue doing that sin and malice with self-confidence, by frequent repetition and habit.

For the works that someone performs often and many times acquire a natural property. They become, as it were, nature for those who do them, that is, a natural habit in them.

The divine James commands Christians to receive the word of instruction in meekness and with untroubled souls. For this word does not enter a wild and troubled heart.

Therefore, in order to work the righteousness of God, one must first lay aside every impurity and remnant of malice that still exists even in the regenerate.

These are expressed, or may find expression, in an unbridled tongue, contentiousness, and quarrelsomeness, that is, anger.

And with meekness, a spiritual disposition opposite to anger (cf. Jas 3:13 and following), one must receive the implanted word, that is, the word of truth, or of the Gospel (Jas 1:18).

One must make it one's own and cultivate it, so that it may bear its fruit.

The word of truth, or of the Gospel, is called implanted in those who are being regenerated. It is implanted both by the preachers of the Gospel in catechesis and subsequent instruction, and by God in the grace of regeneration.

That the holy Apostle James is speaking in the passage under explanation precisely about the Christian's relation to the word of Gospel truth is clear from his further instructive words.

Therefore, he says, "laying aside all impurity" of the Old Testament order, and "the remnant of malice" toward unbelieving pagan persecutors, "receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (Jas 1:21).

Here is a lesson for Christians of every age and time. We must receive the Gospel word with readiness of faith and obedience.

Yet we must preach it with humility and meekness to our blind and ignorant neighbors. In this case, the active example of our own pious life may be our best preaching of Christian truth.

Therefore the Apostle says, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (Jas 1:22).

Stirring Christians to caution in thoughts and feelings, the Apostle especially urges them to hear the word of truth. He tells them to withdraw from slander, malice, and every evil thing that remains from their former life, not yet graced by Christ.

In particular, the Apostle warns against the manifestation of anger. The other Apostles also often drew attention to this.

"Put off all these: anger, wrath," says the Apostle Paul, "having put off the old man" (Col 3:8-9).

Even the pagans said that the angry man is in the wrong. "Talkativeness in anger does not end well," says blessed Theophylact.

Anger, says the Apostle James, does not lead to righteousness. Anger destroys even the wise (Prov 15:1).

By the implanted word is meant here the word of truth, or the word of the Gospel. As was said in verse 18, it begot us, that is, it served as the beginning of the new life of grace in us.

What is needed so that the seed of this word, implanted in us, may bear fruit?

Just as prayer can be fruitful only when it is offered in peace with one's neighbors, without anger and enmity toward them (1 Tim 2:8), so the word of truth can be fruitful if we heed it without being disturbed by anger toward our neighbor.

For this reason, the Apostle teaches, receive with meekness the implanted word, however many times it is repeated aloud to you.

Angry movements defile the soul, as dirt defiles a garment. Malice disfigures the soul, as a diseased growth, an excess of evil, disfigures a man's face.

"Lay aside" this filth. Clean it off. Remove this growth, if you want the word of truth received by you to "be able to save your souls."