James 2:16

“And one of you say unto them, etc.] That is, one of the same faith, and in the same communion and church fellowship. Depart in peace; wishing them all prosperity and happiness, inward and outward: be ye warmed and filled; clothed and fed; signifying, that they wished them all the accommodations of life: notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful for the body; neither clothes to wear, nor food to eat; nothing to warm their bodies, or fill their bellies: what doth it profit? the Ethiopic version reads, “what doth it profit them?” either the poor brother, or sister, to whom these good words are given, and nothing else; for these will neither warm them, nor fill them; or the…”

“The habit of receiving passively sentimental impressions from sights of woe without carrying them out into active habits only hardens the heart. one of you--James brings home the case to his hearers individually. Depart in peace--as if all their wants were satisfied by the mere words addressed to them. The same words in the mouth of Christ, whose faith they said they had, were accompanied by efficient deeds of love. be . . . warmed--with clothing, instead of being as heretofore "naked" (Jam 2:15; Job 31:20). filled--instead of being "destitute of food" (Mat 15:37). what doth it profit--concluding with the same question as at the beginning, Jam 2:14. Just retribution: kind professions…”

“If a brother or sister be naked ... - The comparison in these verses is very obvious and striking. The sense is, that faith in itself, without the acts that correspond to it, and to which it would prompt, is as cold, and heartless, and unmeaning, and useless, as it would be to say to one who was destitute of the necessaries of life, depart in peace.” In itself considered, it might seem to have something that was good; but it would answer none of the purposes of faith unless it should prompt to action. In the case of one who was hungry or naked, what he wanted was not good wishes or kind words merely, but the acts to which good wishes and kind words prompt. And so in religion, what is wanted…”

“one: Job 22:7-9; Pro 3:27, Pro 3:28; Mat 14:15, Mat 14:16, Mat 15:32, Mat 25:42-45; Rom 12:9; Co2 8:8; Jo1 3:16-18 what: Jam 2:14 James 2:17”