The rule of Christian joy thus expounded stands the test of experience.
The word “knowing” is the one used for experimental knowledge as opposed
to mere intellectual apprehension. The tense (present participle)
expresses continuous acquisition of fresh knowledge from experience. It
is the school of life where we learn most of what we really know. The
position of James is thus in thorough harmony with psychology. The
command to rejoice in the midst of manifold trials, paradoxical though
it seems, is one that the Jewish Christians knew to be true from their
experience of grace. Johnstone[49] has a fine word: “Affliction lets
down a blazing torch into his own nature—and he sees many things which
he little expected to see.” One of the marvels of modern science is the
use of electric light by divers at the bottom of the sea to take
pictures of sea life.
It is the biological conception that James has in mind. The law of life
(nature and grace) works through personal experience and not by
mechanical impartation. What do we learn by experience? “That the
proving of your faith worketh patience.” Moffatt has it: “That the
sterling temper of your faith produces endurance.”
The notion is plainly that of testing. See the same phrase in 1 Peter
1:7. Thus James, as Paul, regards faith as “the very foundation of
religion” (Mayor). The verb from which the adjective is derived is
common enough for testing a yoke of oxen (Luke 14:19), the spirits (1
John 4:1), work by fire (1 Cor. 3:13), genuineness of love (2 Cor. 8:8),
all things (1 Thess. 5:21). Peter (1 Peter 1:7) explains the adjective
by the verb (tested by fire). Compare Sirach 2:5: “For gold is tried in
the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.” One is
reminded of the Sermon on the Mount. “Ye shall know them by their
fruits” (Matt. 7:16).
Patience is _patientia_ (_patior_) and is called by Philo the queen of
the virtues. The Jews (Oesterley, _in loco_) had had ample need of this
virtue in their checkered history. It is just the opposite of the
“superman” of Nietzsche, the triumph of might over right, the will to
get what one wishes, right or wrong. There is inevitable conflict
between selfish militarism and Christianity. It is a pity that
Christians have left it to socialists to make the most vigorous protest
against war. But alas, both Christians and socialists are swept under by
the vortex of war _nolens volens_. And yet by “patience” James does not
mean inertia or lack of ambition. It is not complacent self-satisfaction
but the triumph of regulated consideration of the welfare of others, the
victory of love over greed, the joy of doing without that others may be
happy, the happiness of enduring ill for the sake of Jesus.
It is very hard to remain under misfortune (the literal meaning of the
Greek word for patience) when it cannot be helped. James does not mean
that we are not to try to cure any of the ills of life, not to overcome
ignorance, poverty, disease, crime. There is here no surcease for the
war on the evil conditions of modern life in home or city or state. But
many things cannot be changed. Others will be alleviated by and by.
Meanwhile the Christian can rise to the height of cheerful, joyful
patience. It is the practice of cheerfulness that we so much need. We do
not have to shut our eyes to the facts of life and of the human reason
and deny the existence of sin and sickness. We can conquer the bitter
results of these evils by the joy in Christ that drives away despair.
This patience is the product of trial. We are not born with a supply of
patience. It is not bestowed in fulness upon us at the new birth. Like
the manna, we need a fresh supply each morning. But the habit of mind
termed patience is gradually wrought in us by the discipline of
experience. Bitterness is a possible fruit of sorrow and hard
experiences. Bitterness is written all over some sad faces. That
terrible calamity can be missed, will be missed, if one walks in the way
of him who said: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I
am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For
my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28 f.). It may not be
easy and light at first, but it becomes so in the presence of Jesus.
Nobly does Wordsworth interpret it for us all:
Who, doomed to go in company with pain,
And fear and bloodshed, miserable train!
Turned his necessity to glorious gain;
In face of these doth exercise a power
Which is our human nature’s highest dower;
Controls them and subdues, transmutes, bereaves
Of their bad influence, and their good receives.