James 4:2–3

Context

The Epistle of James has traditionally been attributed to James, the brother of the Lord, though other views of its authorship exist. The letter is addressed "to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad" (James 1:1). James 4:1 asks where fighting among believers comes from and traces its root to "your lusts that war in your members." Verses 2–3 explain this answer. They first diagnose how desire that fails to obtain what it wants spills over into envy and strife. They then give two reasons for not obtaining: failing to ask God, and asking wrongly, with the motive of spending what is received on one's own pleasures. The following verses, 4–10, rebuke friendship with the world and urge readers to submit to God and humble themselves.

The Greek word rendered "lusts" here, hēdonē, is not limited to sexual desire; it denotes pleasure or self-gratification.

Interpretation

• A reading focused on the motives of prayer: Many commentators and preachers read verse 3 as teaching that prayer is not a means of satisfying one's own desires. The verse is used to prompt self-examination of one's motives when prayers go unanswered.
• A reading focused on the community: Scholars who emphasize the context stress that the passage addresses conflict within the church rather than an individual's prayer life. They see it as identifying the cause of strife: believers try to obtain things from one another rather than asking God.
• A reading focused on "ye ask not": On the basis of the end of verse 2, some read the passage as an exhortation to bring one's specific needs to God.

Debates and Issues

• The meaning of "kill": Views differ on whether the word refers to actual murder or is a figurative expression, like Jesus' teaching that likens hatred to murder (Matthew 5:21–22). In the sixteenth century, Erasmus proposed that "ye kill" (phoneuete) was a scribal error for "ye envy" (phthoneite). However, no manuscript is known to support this conjecture, and most critical editions (texts that reconstruct the original by comparing multiple manuscripts) retain "ye kill."
• Punctuation: The meaning of the original text varies depending on where punctuation is placed. It can be read as a cause-and-effect sequence, such as "ye lust, and have not; therefore ye kill," or as a series of parallel verbs. As a result, translations differ.
• Relationship to prosperity theology: Critics of prosperity theology cite verse 3 as a warning against prayers for material blessing. Conversely, those who emphasize asking boldly in faith appeal to "because ye ask not" in verse 2 to teach that believers should ask actively. Because the two sides rely on different parts of the same passage, some point out that verses 2 and 3 must be read together.

In the Korean Church

The passage is frequently cited in sermons and Bible studies dealing with answered prayer and the motives of prayer. Both the Korean Revised Version and the New Korean Revised Version render hēdonē as jeongyok ("lust" or "passion").

Related Passages

• James 1:5–6
• James 4:7
• 1 John 5:14–15
• Luke 11:5–13
• Matthew 6:5–8