Jas. 2:13. Or alternatively: "mercy toward the poor" could procure pardon even for idolaters, as we hear from the prophet (Dan. 4:27). What then will it not procure for believing people? It seems to me that the action of mercy is similar to what oil produces for those contending in the arena. Wrestlers, anointed with oil, easily slip away from being seized by their opponents. So too our mercy toward the poor will give us at the judgment the ability to escape the attacks of the demons.
Jas. 2:15. If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
Jas. 2:16. and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
Note the spiritual meaning. He did not say only: "if you have faith," but "what does it profit?" He speaks as if to say: show me a deed by which I might call you a believer, for in this lies the work of faith. His words mean: if someone does not prove by deed that he is faithful to God, then such a person need not even be called faithful, for the faithful one is not he who simply calls himself the Lord's, but he who loves the Lord so much that for faith in Him he is ready even for death. That this is his thought is evident from the examples, for he says that Abraham showed by deed that he was faithful to God when he offered up his firstborn as a burnt offering; similarly Rahab, believing, despised death.
Jas. 2:17. Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Jas. 2:18. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Jas. 2:19. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble!
This does not contradict the words of the blessed Paul, for the word "faith" is used in a twofold sense: sometimes meaning a simple agreement of the mind with a phenomenon, since we customarily call even this faith (which is why even the demons believe concerning Christ that He is the Son of God); and again, by the name of faith we mean a heartfelt following joined with firm assent.
Jas. 2:19. The divine James calls simple assent a dead faith as not having the deeds that enliven it. But Paul speaks of heartfelt faith, which is by no means devoid of works, for in one who lacks honorable deeds it would not even exist. And Abraham received it only after he resolved to reject paternal weakness, for which feat faith was given as a reward. But Paul esteems it above the works of the law, above Sabbath rest, circumcision, and the other purifications. For in the word "works" too, two meanings are discerned. Works are called the works that confirm faith, without which it remains dead. Works are also called the works of the law, without which Abraham and all Christians are justified, for who would contradict the fact that faith will not approach one who is impure (I mean the faith of works)? As myrrh cannot be preserved in a vessel full of filth, so in an impure person the faith of God will not dwell. Thus the divine apostles do not contradict one another, but, taking words in different senses, each uses them in his own sense where needed.
Jas. 2:20. But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
He calls the person empty who boasts of faith alone, because, not realizing it in deeds, he has acquired no fullness.
Jas. 2:21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
Jas. 2:22. Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Both apostles cite Abraham in support of their teaching about faith. One, by the example of Abraham, proves that faith is above works, and the other, that works are above faith. But it was said above that each takes the words ("faith" and "works") in his own sense and selects what is useful to him in support of his thoughts. However, some fathers understood this in the following way: Abraham, separated by ages, is a type of both kinds of faith — that which is before baptism, which does not require works but only faith, the confession of salvation and the word by which we who believe in Christ are justified; and that which is after baptism and which is joined with works. Thus the Holy Spirit, who spoke in them, is shown not to contradict Himself. One faith justifies him who comes by confession alone, if he immediately departs from life, for he has no works, but for him the cleansing through baptism is sufficient; the other requires the display of good works from one already baptized. Paul also agrees with this. In another place he speaks and teaches that faith after baptism requires perfecting through works, when he says: "neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love" (Gal. 5:6). But love for its fullness requires much wisdom.
Jas. 2:23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.
Abraham was a type of justification through faith alone when he "believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6), and a type of justification through works when he laid his son on the altar, for he not only performed the deed but also did not fall from faith concerning Isaac — that his posterity would multiply like the stars — but considered "that God was able to raise him from the dead" (Heb. 11:19).
In a similar way Paul also calls David as witness, for David by the Spirit of God knew that one day faith in Christ would come, which is why he says: "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin" (Ps. 32:2).
Jas. 2:24. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Not by works of the law, as was said, for example circumcision and the like, but by works of righteousness and similar virtues.
Jas. 2:25. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
Jas. 2:26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.