James 2:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By works, not of the law, such as circumcision and the like, but by works of righteousness and similar virtues.

The one who honors God, the Master of the universe, by faith receives righteousness as a reward.

When the author of the epistle says “by works,” he means works of faith. It is impossible without faith to be perfect in works. Yet many are perfect in faith without works, if they simply have no time for works.

Since we have said of Abraham that he showed faith in God by works, offering his son as a sacrifice and whole burnt offering, although God prevented the slaughter, the divine James then concludes and says here: Christians, do you see from Abraham's example that a man is justified not by faith alone, but also by works? By works he means not the works of the law, circumcision, the sabbath, and the like, as we said above, but virtue and the practice of the life-giving commandments of the Lord.

From this event and its explanation (Jas 2:21-23), the Apostle draws a decisive conclusion. Do you see that a man is justified, made righteous before God, by works and not by faith alone, if faith is manifested in works? Otherwise faith is dead and has no justifying power. For the resolution of the apparent disagreement between this teaching and the teaching of the holy Apostle Paul on this matter, disclosed through the same example of Abraham, see the note on Romans, chapter 4.

The holy Apostle Paul, by the same example of Abraham, proves that a man is saved not by works, but precisely by faith (Rom 4:1-3). The fact that both apostles point to one and the same person, Abraham, to prove two apparently opposite thoughts should not seem strange at all. Faith and works are two inseparable sides of one and the same reality, as was explained above. Or they are two necessary conditions for the salvation and justification of man. Therefore it is entirely natural that righteous Abraham had both works and faith sufficient for his salvation or justification. Thus he can at the same time serve as an exemplary proof of how works save a man, and how a man is saved by faith.

Recognizing the great importance of the activity of faith in the work of salvation, the Apostle James draws a conclusion that especially exalts works. This was especially necessary for him to proclaim to his readers, in order to stir them to a living and active faith.