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NASB | James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 4:5 Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose that the [human] spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy? [Gen 6:5] |
Bible Question:
What scripture is James referring to here? retxar |
Bible Answer: retxar I think the best answer to this qusiton comes from John MacArthur and his study Bible. "4:5 Scripture says. A common NT way of introducing an OT quote (John 19:37; Rom. 4:3; 9:17; 10:11; 11:2; Gal. 4:30; 1 Tim. 5:18). The quote that follows, however, is not found as such in the OT; it is a composite of general OT teaching. The Spirit … yearns jealously. This difficult phrase is best understood by seeing the “spirit” as a reference not to the Holy Spirit, but to the human spirit, and translating the phrase “yearns jealously” in the negative sense of “lusts to envy.” James’ point is that an unbelieving person’s spirit (inner person) is bent on evil (cf. Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Prov. 21:10; Eccl. 9:3; Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21–23). Those who think otherwise defy the biblical diagnosis of fallen human nature; and those who live in worldly lusts give evidence that their faith is not genuine (cf. Rom. 8:5–11; 1 Cor. 2:14)." MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Jas 4:5). Nashville: Word Pub. EdB |