What Jesus' Brother James Wanted Us To Know | Verse 2 | Finding Joy in Hardship
“Count it all joy, my brothers [and sisters], when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
This is how James started his letter—addressing trials in the Christian life. The kinds that the early church was facing were life-altering ones, which is evident from the fact that he wrote to those in “the Dispersion” (vs. 1). They literally had to flee their homes and regions in order to escape death.
At one point in His ministry when speaking about the coming persecution associated with Daniel’s abomination of desolation, Jesus Himself gave the foreboding statement: “Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath” (Matt 24:19–20).
James is now settling down to give pastoral counsel and theological instruction to the dispersed Christians and he does so by recognizing their plight and then using it to draw their minds upward to God. The commentary given in the 1599 Geneva Bible commends James’ approach in perfect old English: “Seeing their condition was miserable in that scattering abroad, he doth well to begin as he doth.”
While the trials in the lives of these Christians were specific ones, James makes a broader appeal about how to handle trials of various kinds in general. “Various kinds” is one word in the Greek: poikilos. This can mean “various sorts” and is sometimes translated simply as “diverse,” or “manifold.”
What does he mean by saying we will “meet” these trials? Some translations prefer to say we “fall into” these trials. The way in which we become consumed in any particular trial could be as various as the trials themselves, but what James has in view here is an external trial in particular.
The Greek word for “meet” is peripipto, which means “to fall into as to be encompassed”. It comes from peri, which means “about” or “concerning” and pipto, which means “to descend from a higher place to a lower place; to be thrust down.” We use the same language in modern speech: “I fell into hard times.” It gives a picture of not only falling from a better position, but now residing in a low place and being surrounded by it.
The thing in which James says we can all fall into are these various kinds of “trials.” This word “trial” is an extremely sensitive one. It is often misused, usually by being used too broadly. The immediate context in James’ letter is that these trials are amoral ones, meaning no guilt is implied here by virtue of the fact that you are in it. It is an external trial that is difficult to handle and is not some kind of consequence to one’s sin. Thus, we can have a joyful disposition and expect fruit—steadfastness.
I want to be very clear: James will eventually speak about the types of “trials” that come as a result of sin (vv. 13–15), but now is not that time. The Greek word for “trial” that is used here is peirasmos, which is an experiment, attempt, trial, or proving. It comes from the Greek word peira, which means “to learn to know by experience.” This makes perfect sense out of James’ next statement: “For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (vs. 3). The key portion: “The testing of your faith produces.”
It is important to note that peirasmos can be translated as either “trial” or “temptation” and that context alone determines which one is appropriate. One of the sad realities of the changing nature of language is that some words become lost over time that once made a distinct and needed delineation between concepts and this is one of those times. While peirasmos is here translated correctly to “trial,” in the ESV and NASB, it is translated to “temptation,” in the KJV and a few other lesser known versions. Tellingly, the New KJV (NKJV) updated their translation of James 1:2 to say “trials” rather than “temptations.”
In my opinion, though, the 1599 Geneva Bible takes the cake. In its helpful translation, it ends up reintroducing us to an old, clarifying term: “My brethren, count it exceeding joy, when ye fall into divers tentations” (emphasis mine).
Tentations? Indeed, it is the right word—much to the chagrin of Microsoft Word. “Tentation” is an archaic word for “a method of making mechanical adjustments or the like by a succession of trials.” This is beautiful. Through each trial an adjustment is made. Why would this happen? What is in view? Perfection of the final product, perhaps? Yes, perfection.
“The testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (vv. 3–4). In other words, a succession of trials will bring about many sanctifying adjustments that ultimately make a more perfect product. This is exactly what James is trying to tell us.
In the late 1500’s, when the Geneva Bible was being translated, this word “tentation” was commonplace. It’s Proto-Indo-European root *ten- literally means “to stretch,” which is where we also get our word “tent,” where people would physically stretch out the skins of animals to build a shelter. Latin words like tentare carry the same connotation, meaning “to feel, try”—think: trial. What is a trial other than a trying time of stretching?
It is crucial, in my view, that we start using this word “tentation” again when it makes sense to do so. It makes an important distinction from temptation, which usually carries the connotation of an internal impulse to sin—something James also feels the need to clarify in verses 13–15, which we will get to eventually. For now, though, since James is first dealing with external trials that we “fall into” or are even “thrust down” into, we know that these trials will be various. They will be times of stretching and testing. It will be painful and uncomfortable and inconvenient to temporal expectations. But, says James, “count it all joy” when this happens.
Surprisingly, this could be translated “count it exceeding joy.” The word “count” comes from the Greek word hegeomai, which means “to consider, deem, account, or think.” James is saying rather than thinking it is all bad, consider the outcome of this trial, which is steadfastness and perfection! This will prompt us to then consider the trial as a positive thing.
The word “joy” comes from the Greek word chara, which can also mean “gladness” and is a derivative of chairo, which means “to rejoice exceedingly, be glad, thrive.” These are not words that first come to mind when we’re being stretched thin in the middle of a great trial, let alone being chased around the Mediterranean by zealous persecutors who hate the Way of Christ—but they should be our go-to words.
James is reminding them—and, consequently, us—to keep an eternal perspective. Only that will eclipse all hell on earth. God is with us and is for us—what can man really do? Later, in verse 12, James writes: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
What other reason do we need? It is with eternal things in mind that we must assess the temporary ones, but this is much easier said than done. We must frontload these truths in our minds by maintaining a constant dedication to studying God’s Word, so that when the trials come, we are ready to count it as an exceedingly joyful thing—God is at work in us! No longer will we wonder at why we must endure the pain, rather we will see it as God’s active providence in making us a more holy people, fit for the crown of life.
Let us consider it an exceedingly joyful thing, friends, when we are thrust into all sorts of trying, stretching trials.
The next portion of James’ argument will be more fully dealt with in the next post as we study the fruit of steadfastness itself.
In Christ alone,
Ben
