James 1:21

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness, etc.] All manner of filthiness, both of flesh and spirit; all pride, vanity, wrath, malice, and evil speaking, under hearing the word: the allusion seems to be to a boiling pot, which casts up scum and filth, which must be taken off: and such is the spirit of wrathful men; it throws up the filth of haughtiness and pride, of anger, wrath, and wickedness, which must be taken off, and laid aside; or the word will not be heard to any profit, or advantage: and superfluity of naughtiness, or “malice”; the abundance and overflow of it, which arises from such an evil heart, where wrath prevails, and governs: (see <600201>1 Peter 2:1). There seems to be an allusion…”

“lay apart--"once for all" (so the Greek): as a filthy garment. Compare Joshua's filthy garments, Zac 3:3, Zac 3:5; Rev 7:14. "Filthiness" is cleansed away by hearing the word (Joh 15:3). superfluity of naughtiness--excess (for instance, the intemperate spirit implied in "wrath," Jam 1:19-20), which arises from malice (our natural, evil disposition towards one another). Pe1 2:1 has the very same words in the Greek. So "malice" is the translation, Eph 4:31; Col 3:8. "Faulty excess" [BENGEL] is not strong enough. Superfluous excess in speaking is also reprobated as "coming of evil" (the Greek is akin to the word for "naughtiness" here) in the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5:37), with which James'…”

“Wherefore - In view of the fact that God has begotten us for his own service; in view of the fact that excited feeling tends only to wrong, let us lay aside all that is evil, and submit ourselves wholly to the influence of truth. Lay apart all filthiness - The word here rendered filthiness, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, It means properly filth; and then is applied to evil conduct considered as disgusting or offensive. Sin may be contemplated as a wrong thing; as a violation of law; as evil in its nature and tendency, and therefore to be avoided; or it may be contemplated as disgusting, offensive, loathsome. To a pure mind, this is one of its most odious characteristics; for, to…”

“Therefore laying aside - As a dirty garment. All the filthiness and superfluity of wickedness - For however specious or necessary it may appear to worldly wisdom, all wickedness is both vile, hateful, contemptible, and really superfluous. Every reasonable end may be effectually answered without any kind or degree of it. Lay this, every known sin, aside, or all your hearing is vain. With meekness - Constant evenness and serenity of mind. Receive - Into your ears, your heart, your life. The word - Of the gospel. Ingrafted - In believers, by regeneration, Jam 1:18 and by habit, Heb 5:14. Which is able to save your souls - The hope of salvation nourishes meekness. James 1:23”

“1:21 get rid of: Literally put off, like filthy clothing; cp. Eph 4:22; 1 Pet 2:1. • the word God has planted . . . has the power to save your souls: James emphasizes that Christians are called to respond to a word that God himself has put within our very beings (in fulfillment of Jer 31:31-34). • The soul refers to the whole person (so also in Jas 5:20; see Gen 2:7; 1 Pet 3:20).”

“lay: Isa 2:20, Isa 30:22; Eze 18:31; Rom 13:12, Rom 13:13; Eph 4:22; Col 3:5-8; Heb 12:1; Pe1 2:1, Pe1 2:11 filthiness: Jam 4:8; Eze 36:25; Co2 7:1; Eph 5:4 and receive: Psa 25:9; Isa 29:19, Isa 61:1; Zep 2:3; Mat 5:5; Act 10:33; Th1 1:5, Th1 2:13 the engrafted: Joh 6:63, Joh 6:68; Rom 6:17 \*marg. Rom 11:17; Heb 4:2 which: Act 13:26; Rom 1:16; Co1 15:2; Eph 1:13; Ti2 3:15-17; Tit 2:11; Heb 2:3; Pe1 1:9 James 1:22”