OceanSide church of Christ
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JAMES 1:25
Victor M. Eskew
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
1. Looketh
A. Strong (3879): to bend beside, that is lean over (so as to peer within)
B. Thayer: to stoop to a thing in order to look at it…metaphorically to look carefully into, inspect curiously
C. Vine: literally and primarily, to stoop sideways
2. Perfect
A. Strong: complete, completeness
B. Thayer: wanting nothing necessary to completeness, perfect
C. Vine: the complete revelation of God’s will and ways
3. Law
A. Strong (3551): law (through the idea of prescriptive usage)
B. Thayer: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command…a law or rule producing a state approved of God…the Christian religion: the law demanding faith, the moral instruction given by Christ
C. Vine: to divide out, distribute, primarily meant that which is assigned; hence custom, usage, law…a term comprehensive of all the Scriptures
4. Liberty
A. Strong (1657): freedom
B. Thayer: true liberty is living as we should not as we please
C. Vine: liberty…the phraseology is that of manumission from slavery
5. Continueth
A. Strong (3837): to stay near, that is, remain (literally tarry; or figuratively to be permanent, persevere)
B. Thayer: to remain beside, continue always near
C. Vine: remain by or near…persevering in
6. Forgetful
A. Strong (1953): negligence
B. Thayer: forgetfulness
C. Vine: forgetfulness…lit., “a hearer of forgetfulness,” i.e., “a hearer characterized by forgetfulness”
7. Hearer
A. Strong (202): hearer
B. Thayer: a hearer
C. Vine: to listen, a hearer
8. Doer
A. Strong (4163): a performer
B. Thayer: doer, performer, one who obeys or fulfills the law
C. Vine: a doer
9. Work
A. Strong (2041): to work; toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act
B. Thayer: an act, deed, thing done: the idea of working is emphasized in opposition to that which is less than work
C. Vine: work…the effect of faith
10. Blessed
A. Strong (3107): supremely blessed…fortunate, well off
B. Thayer: blessed, happy
C. Vine: happy, blessed
11. Deed
A. Strong (4162): action, that is performance (of the law)
B. Thayer: doing or performing…in his doing, i.e., in the obedience he renders to the law
C. Vine: work, deed, act