James 2:11

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An Exegetical Analysis of James 2:11: The Unity of the Torah and its Application

This exegetical study of “An Exegetical Analysis of James 2:11: The Unity of the Torah and its Application” is based on a b-greek discussion from Saturday, July 6, 2002. The initial inquiry sought recent academic articles (published within the preceding 10-15 years) specifically addressing the Greek linguistic dimensions of the Apostle James’s engagement with the Torah, particularly as observed in James 2:11.

The central exegetical issue in James 2:11 revolves around the apostle’s understanding and application of the Mosaic Law (Torah) in relation to Christian ethics and the concept of “faith without works.” James demonstrates the indivisibility of the Law by citing two commandments—prohibition of adultery and murder—and arguing that violating one constitutes a breach of the entire Law. The Greek wording and rhetorical strategy employed by James are crucial for understanding his theological stance on the unity and demands of the Torah, particularly how he integrates specific commandments to underscore a broader principle of obedience and covenant fidelity. This passage directly challenges any selective adherence to parts of the Law while neglecting others, positioning the Law as an integrated whole demanding complete obedience.

Greek text (Nestle 1904):

ὁ γὰρ εἰπών, Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, καὶ εἶπεν, Μὴ φονεύσῃς. εἰ δὲ οὐ μοιχεύεις, φονεύεις δέ, παραβάτης γέγονας νόμου.

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• Nestle 1904: “…καὶ εἶπεν, Μὴ φονεύσῃς.”
• SBLGNT 2010: “…εἶπεν καί, Μὴ φονεύσῃς.”
• The primary difference lies in the word order of “καὶ εἶπεν” versus “εἶπεν καί” in the second citation of a commandment. While minor, this shift in the conjunction’s position can subtly affect emphasis or flow, though the semantic meaning remains largely unchanged.

Textual Criticism (NA28): The NA28 critical apparatus for James 2:11 confirms the reading “εἶπεν καί, Μὴ φονεύσῃς” as the preferred text, aligning with the SBLGNT 2010. The alternative reading found in Nestle 1904 (“καὶ εἶπεν”) is supported by a smaller number of manuscripts (e.g., P74, A, B, C, Ψ, etc.) but is generally considered less robust. The difference is largely stylistic, affecting the conjunction’s placement rather than the core meaning, suggesting an early scribal variation in stylistic preference or emphasis.

Lexical Notes:

• μοχεύσῃς (from μοιχεύω): (BDAG) “to commit adultery,” a serious moral offense in both Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts, prohibited by the Decalogue (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). (KITTEL – abridged) The concept of adultery in the OT and NT is consistently condemned as a violation of the covenant relationship and social order.
• φονεύσῃς (from φονεύω): (BDAG) “to murder, kill.” Also a fundamental prohibition in the Decalogue (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17). (KITTEL – abridged) Emphasizes the sanctity of human life, often distinguishing between intentional murder and accidental killing, but here used in the absolute sense of unlawfully taking a life.
• παραβάτης: (BDAG) “one who disobeys, transgressor, lawbreaker.” Used of those who violate specific commands or the Law generally. In James, it signifies a profound failure to uphold covenant obligations. (KITTEL – abridged) This term highlights a deliberate act of crossing a boundary or rule, rather than merely an oversight.
• νόμου: (BDAG) “law, custom, principle.” In the context of James, it almost exclusively refers to the Mosaic Law or Torah. The genitive case here specifies “the law” which has been transgressed. (KITTEL – abridged) The term encompasses both the specific commandments and the overarching theological principle of God’s revealed will, here emphasizing its unified nature.

Translation Variants

James 2:11 presents a concise, rhetorically powerful argument for the unity and indivisibility of the Mosaic Law. Grammatically, the verse is structured around two participial clauses and a conditional statement:

• ὁ γὰρ εἰπών: This is a masculine nominative singular article with a present active participle, functioning substantively. It refers to God as “the one who said.” The use of the participle grounds the commandments in their divine origin, emphasizing the authority behind them.
• Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς…Μὴ φονεύσῃς: These are aorist subjunctive verbs with the negative particle μή, forming strong prohibitions, typical of the Decalogue’s “Thou shalt not…” commands. The aorist subjunctive implies a complete, non-recurrent action.
• εἰ δὲ οὐ μοιχεύεις, φονεύεις δέ: This is a first-class conditional sentence (real/fulfilled condition), which indicates that the premise is assumed to be true for the sake of argument. The present indicative verbs (μοιχεύεις, φονεύεις) describe ongoing or habitual actions. James posits a scenario where one avoids adultery (οὐ μοιχεύεις) but commits murder (φονεύεις δέ), highlighting the arbitrary selectivity he condemns. The contrastive particle δέ accentuates the opposition between refraining from one sin and committing another.
• παραβάτης γέγονας νόμου: The perfect indicative verb γέγονας (“you have become”) signifies a completed action with ongoing results. By violating even one command, the individual has become a transgressor of the Law as a whole. This is a crucial rhetorical point: the Law is not a collection of independent statutes from which one can pick and choose; it is an integrated system. Breaking one part implies a disregard for the entire divine will it represents.

The rhetorical force of this verse lies in its directness and use of a common-sense legal principle: a single breach of a comprehensive code renders one a violator of that code. James does not present a hypothetical scenario, but rather grounds his argument in the divine command itself, using the example of two distinct yet equally fundamental prohibitions to illustrate the unity of the Law. The implication is that partial obedience is not true obedience to the divine will.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

James 2:11 stands as a pivotal text for understanding the apostle’s perspective on the enduring relevance and holistic nature of the Torah within the Christian life. His argument underscores that divine commands are not isolated injunctions but form a unified whole, reflecting a single divine will. To violate one command is to transgress the very Lawgiver and thus the entire Law. The Greek text, with its emphatic prohibitions and perfect tense verb for “become,” powerfully conveys this theological conviction.

1. Formal Equivalence/Literal: “For the one who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If therefore you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the Law.”

   This translation prioritizes a word-for-word rendering, maintaining the grammatical structure and directness of the Greek. It clearly separates the divine pronouncements and uses “therefore” to highlight the logical consequence.

2. Dynamic Equivalence/Functional: “For God, who said, ‘You must not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘You must not murder.’ So if you avoid adultery but commit murder, you are breaking the whole Law.”

   This version aims for greater naturalness in English, clarifying “the one who said” as God and using more idiomatic phrasing like “you must not” for the prohibitions. “Breaking the whole Law” conveys the sense of “transgressor of the Law” more accessibly.

3. Emphasis on Unity: “For the God who commanded, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ is the same God who commanded, ‘Do not murder.’ Consequently, if you refrain from adultery yet commit murder, you have shown yourself a violator of the entire Law.”

   This translation specifically emphasizes the singular source of the commands (“the same God”) and the comprehensive nature of the transgression (“the entire Law”). It uses stronger verbs like “commanded” and “shown yourself a violator” to convey James’s strong ethical stance.

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