THEOSISJohn Cassian
Everyone sins because, when evil thoughts attack, he does not immediately reject them by contradiction. For it is said, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil: and he will fly from you.
υποταγητε ουν τω θεω αντιστητε δε OMIT δε τω διαβολω και φευξεται αφ υμων
The Church Fathers on this verse
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
- John Cassian
- Andrew the Monk
- Caesarius of Arles
- Nicodemos the Haghiorite
- Michail (Lusin)
- Nikanor (Kamenski)
Andrew the Monk
If by the envy of the devil death entered the world, and Christ has dwelt in the inner man according to the Scriptures, then He dwelt there to destroy the death that appeared through envy. Not only this, but also to grant us greater grace: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10).
Caesarius of Arles
Let us then, as far as we can, with the help of the Lord, resist this most grievous captivity of the soul by the devil.
Nicodemos the Haghiorite
After what has been said above, the present saying follows. Since it has already been said that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, he therefore says here: submit to God, Christians.
For this reason King Antioch, having understood from his sufferings that it is righteous to submit to God, said: "It is right to submit to God, and, being mortal, not proudly to think oneself equal to God" (2 Macc 9:12).
David also continually reminded his soul of this submission, saying: "Nevertheless, submit to God, O my soul" (Ps 61:6).
Having received the grace and power that God gives to the humble and submissive, resist the devil courageously with it when he suggests shameful, evil, and blasphemous thoughts to you.
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Without doubt he will flee from you in fear. First, he fears the grace and power of holy Baptism, which was given so that you might trample him and all his power.
As it is written: "Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you" (Lk 10:19).
Second, he fears your courage, magnanimity, and sovereign, self-governing thought, which you show against him. You count him as a dog and despise him as a gnat.
On the one hand, Solomon encourages you in this battle, saying that no evil will prevail against divine wisdom, and no wickedness will withstand the Christian who possesses it.
On the other hand, blessed Paul says: "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness under heaven."
What Saint James says here, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you," is the same as what Paul says: "Do not give place to the devil" (Eph 4:27).
This means that when the devil brings you shameful, evil, and blasphemous thoughts, resist and fight against him. Do not give him place. Do not allow the enemy to enter your heart through conjunction and consent with thoughts.
How can a man resist the devil? Or how can the devil flee from him? If he becomes accustomed always to meditate in his heart on the short prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me."
This is what the divine Fathers teach, who are called the Fathers of watchfulness. The holy and dread name of Jesus, when spoken, becomes like an axe and a scourge.
It strikes the devil and drives from the heart the demons who are with him. As John Climacus said: "Strike the adversaries with the name of Jesus."
Michail (Lusin)
"Therefore submit," and so on. From the truth stated and proved, that friendship with the world is enmity against God, the Apostle draws moral instructions. He assumes, of course, that his readers do not wish to be at enmity with God for the sake of friendship with the world.
"Submit to God": this exhortation is directed to the proud, whom God resists (Jas 4:6). They must put away their pride, and with it friendship with the world, by which this pride is nourished and expressed.
They must submit to God and fulfill His holy will, not their own selfish and unrighteous will.
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"Resist the devil": this instruction is closely joined to the preceding one. Submission to God must necessarily be accompanied by struggle against the devil, as the prince of the world (Jn 12:31), who draws man toward friendship with the world and enmity against God.
"And he will flee from you": that is, in this struggle you will be victors over the devil and put him to flight. The image of complete victory is taken from single combat, when the weaker flees from the stronger.
The strength of the man who conquers the devil is submission to God (cf. Mt 4:1-11). By this submission grace is given to such a man as humble. Therefore this strength is God's power.
Nevertheless, man's own will must also take part in this, insofar as one must submit to God and resist the devil.
Nikanor (Kamenski)
Concluding a series of moral counsels, the Apostle, with the authority of an archpastor and guide of souls, invites Christians to submit to God and resist the devil.
The Apostle calls Christians to God as a divinely inspired Old Testament teacher, almost in the exact words of the prophets.
Thus, for example, the holy prophet Zechariah spoke in God's name: "Return to Me, says the Lord of Sabaoth, and I will return to you" (Zech 1:3; cf. Sir 38:10).
The next appeal of the Apostle James sounds especially heartfelt and living: "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow."
How strongly this recalls the Lord's words: "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn" (Lk 6:25).
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- 1 Pet 5:8Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour.
- 1 Pet 5:9Whom resist ye, strong in faith: knowing that the same affliction befalls, your brethren who are in the world.
- Eph 4:27Give not place to the devil.
- Eph 6:11Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.
- Eph 6:12For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.
- 1 Pet 5:6Be you humbled therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation:
- Luke 4:2For the space of forty days, and was tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.
- Luke 4:13And all the temptation being ended, the devil departed from him for a time.
The original text
Greek text, 12 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
- ὙποτάγητεhypotagēteI place underG5293 · ὑποτάσσω
- οὖνounthereforeG3767 · οὖν
- τῷtōtheG3588 · ὁ
- ΘεῷtheōGodG2316 · θεός
- ἀντίστητεantistēteI take a stand againstG436 · ἀνθίστημι
- δὲdebutG1161 · δέ
- τῷtōtheG3588 · ὁ
- διαβόλῳdiabolōslanderousG1228 · διάβολος
- καὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- φεύξεταιpheuxetaiI fleeG5343 · φεύγω
- ἀφ᾽aphfromG575 · ἀπό
- ὑμῶνhymōnyouG4771 · σύ