Just yesterday I happened across as Tweet from Pete Enns, in which he re-posted a short post he wrote back in 2017 about James 1:6, the verse that says the following (I’ll give James 1:5-8 to provide a bit more context):
5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Now, Enns correctly points out that these verses have often been interpreted as, “Oh, you’d better not doubt anything in the Bible, or else you’re in trouble!” It’s true—these verses have caused many people to feel horrible about themselves and afraid to raise and questions or doubts about anything they don’t understand in the Bible.
Unfortunately, it pains me to say that I wasn’t too impressed with his explanation as to what James 1:6 really means. After all, I’ve enjoyed many of his books—heck, his Inspiration and Incarnation played a major role in getting me losing my job at a small Christian school back in 2007! Funny story…
Quick Flashback!
Basically, what happened was this. In 11th grade worldview, the school had a section in which we compared Genesis 1-11 to Greek mythology. When I was given an 11th grade worldview class to teach, I suggested to the other worldview teachers that if we were going to compare Genesis 1-11 to mythology, we should compare it to ancient Near Eastern mythology. Everyone thought that was a good idea. And so, at the beginning of the year, we started with that unit. When I taught it, I pointed out many of the similarities Genesis 1-11 had the creation myths of the ancient Near East. I made it a point to emphasize the very important differences, mind you, but I wanted them to see that it shouldn’t be surprising to find similarities between Genesis 1-11 and ancient Near Eastern mythology because, after all, ancient Israel was part of the ancient Near East.
Long story short, two parents had questions regarding what was being taught in 11th grade Worldview, and I was getting the distinct impression that the principal and headmaster were looking to scapegoat me. I had just read a book that dealt with this sort of topic—it was by an Evangelical scholar named Peter Enns! It was entitled, Inspiration and Incarnation! I thought it was great, and so, in an attempt to ease the potential fears of the principal, I popped into his office one day to show him Enns’ book and to point out that what we were covering in the Genesis 1-11 unit wasn’t some far-out stuff—this was something that Evangelical scholars were writing about and wrestling with.
I gave the principal the book and distinctly remember the look on his face. He slightly scrunched his nose and said, “Hmmm…I’ve heard about this guy.” Now, at the time, I didn’t know anything beyond that Enns wrote the book. I was unaware of how his academic life was in the midst of being upended at that very time…apparently my principal knew! Needless to say, he wasn’t impressed, and both he and the headmaster made sure that was my last year at the school. So yes, I have a keen affinity for Pete Enns. Anyway, back to the task at hand…
Back to James 1:6 and all that Doubting
Okay, so what was Enns’ take? Here it is in a nutshell: (A) James and the early Christians thought the end of the age was about to happen really soon, so he was really just telling his audience to pull themselves together. BUT…since here we are 2,000 years later, James’ words really don’t apply, and they don’t trump clear words of doubt expressed in, let’s say Ecclesiastes. Then (B) the actual word translated as “doubt” is diakrinoo, which doesn’t so much mean “intellectual uncertainty” as it does “divided loyalty. So therefore, James is saying, “Stay resolute in this time of great urgency. Believe in God. Do not get carried away by your circumstances.”
So, is it wrong to struggle with your faith and have doubts? Of course not. That doesn’t mean you celebrate your doubt, you just acknowledge it is a reality and you work through it. James isn’t condemning anyone for struggling with their faith.
Now, that last point Enns makes is totally correct: James isn’t condemning anyone who struggles with doubt. I just don’t think Enns really got to what James 1:6 actually means. In short, that is way too general of an explanation, in my opinion. I don’t think James is just spouting platitudes. I think he’s saying something else.
You’re Welcome, In Advance
I’ve found that when you come to a problematic word in the Bible and you’re not sure how to translate it, the first thing you should do is to see if that word is used elsewhere in that specific passage, book, or in this case, letter, and see if that gives a clue as to the overall context in which the writer is using that word. And when we do that here in James, what do we find?
Lo and behold, he uses that same word in James 2:4. In that passage, James is calling out his audience (obviously Jews and/or Jewish-Christians) for the way they were treating people in the synagogue meetings. Basically, they would suck up to the rich people who came it and give them the best seats of honor, while they would ignore the poor people who came in and make them either stand or sit on the floor. Given that situation, James says in 2:4, “Haven’t you ‘diakrinooed’ among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” Most translations translate diakrinoo here as “shown partiality”—and therefore if you’re reading in English, you’ll never be able to make the connection to what he says in James 1:6. He’s talking about the same thing—discriminating among people.
When you realize this and then read James as a whole, you see this is a major point of emphasis in his letter. Without writing a mini-commentary on James here in this post, here is basically what he is saying in James 1:6, when read in the context of the overall letter: If you are struggling through various trials and you lack wisdom from God as to how to deal with them, just ask. You’ll get it…BUT you won’t be granted God’s wisdom if you turn around and discriminate among people. If you suck up to the rich (the ones who are actually exploiting you) and dishonor and discriminate against the poor (the ones for whom Christ is most associated with), then you’re not going to be granted God’s wisdom!
That is why James says that if you do that sort of thing, then you’re a double-minded man, tossed around by the waves. He’s not talking about “inner-doubts,” but rather how to treat other people. You have one mindset to suck up to the rich and influential people, but then another mindset to discriminate and dishonor the poor and lowly. The way of God’s wisdom, indeed, the way of the Royal Torah, is the way of loving God and loving your neighbor—especially your poor and needy neighbor—as yourself.
THAT is what James is talking about. He’s not talking about struggling with your faith or having inner doubts. But he’s not just speaking in generalities to keep “believing in God” and not “getting carried away by your circumstances” either. No—He’s issuing a very stark challenge:
If you want God’s wisdom, don’t suck up to the rich and corrupt and don’t discriminate and insult the poor and needy, because Christ is to be found among the poor and needy. GOD’S WISDOM is to be found among the poor and needy.
So, you’re welcome! Someone can tell Pete Enns I’d appreciate a mention in a footnote to his next book. He owes me, because he helped get me fired in 2007. Band of brothers, you know…
BONUS MATERIAL
Since I wrote this post earlier, I’ve discussed it a bit with a few people online. In the process of doing so, I realized I forgot to make an additional point. Later, in James 3:13-18, he highlights two kinds of wisdom: Earthly wisdom, which is characterized by things like jealousy and strife, and Heavenly wisdom, which is characterized by purity, peacefulness, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, and not discriminating. Again, most translations have “impartiality,” but the Greek word is adikritos–the opposite of what someone does when they diakrinoo.
Therefore, how this relates back to James 1:6 should be obvious. If you ask God for wisdom–namely heavenly wisdom–you cannot continue to do something that is the antithesis of what heavenly wisdom is characterized by.
I think Enns is important for the questions he asks, just take any of his responses with a giant grain of salt, like you just did. I have tried to engage with him when I think he gets something wrong and it was just a frustrating experience, so I gave up.
I guess there’s just no room in the Enns for others’ thoughts.
Hahaha!
This was an excellent short article that actually taught me a few things, things with s ho or leather that I can actually apply directly to my life. God bless!
I meant shoe leather.
In several of his published books, like his 1992 *The New Testament and People of God,* and most recently in his 2019 *History and Eschatology: Jesus and the Promise of Natural Theology,* NT Wright has dealt with the end of the world mania that supposedly gripped Paul and the first Christians, and has to me persuasively demonstrated that they weren’t, in fact, obsessed with the imminent return of Jesus and the subsequent end of the space-time universe. That view he argues only dates to the late 19th/early 20th centuries. That argument also totally misunderstands the eschatology of the early church.
Pax.
Lee.
Joel; received this…providentially at just the right time. Intriguing how these thinks come about! I have a question I’ve wanted to ask you and those who follow you: How much of the “Ancient Near East” Theology, Cosmology, and Mythology, would the Apostle Paul have been confronting at the Church of Corinth, “Food offered to idols” etc.
Well, I think by the first century, the larger cultural influence would have been Greco-Roman Hellenism, and not so much ancient Near Eastern stuff. In Corinthians, Paul was addressing two different issues: (A) Could the Corinthian Christians still buy/eat meat from the marketplace, even though that meat had passed through pagan temples and was considered “idol food”? and (B) Could the Corinthian Christians still participate in community meals that took place in pagan temples?
Paul’s answer is basically this: Concerning (A)–It’s just meat and pagan gods don’t really exist, so if you don’t have a problem with it, go ahead, BUT…if you realize it IS a big deal (to either a pagan or Jew who still sees it as “meat offered to idols”) then don’t eat it when you’re with them. If it really isn’t a big deal to you, then it won’t be a big deal for you NOT to eat it when you’re with them. Concerning (B)–NOPE! Don’t ever go into pagan temples and take part in meals dedicated to foreign gods.
Joel, thanks for sharing your thoughts on “Greco-Roman Hellenism, and not so much ancient Near Eastern stuff”. If J. Walton and other Hebrew scholars explain how the ancient pagan kings built temples for their gods and then fed them food offerings it seems that this practice had flowed into the Greco Roman temples in the first century?. Enough of that for now (I doubt if I have enough time Here on earth to understand all of this but at least I can understand dome of it). Back to the article on Eins and James and faith. Was the Greek word diakrinoo used in Hebrews: 11? And I’m cutting and pasting this meaning of faith and putting it in my book of James so i can read it without doubting! I guess Martin Luther would roll over in his grave?
As for pagan temple practices, I’m sure a lot of those were similar. I was just saying that in terms of culture, Hellenism still was a different context than the ANE. I think if it was the same ANE culture confronting 1st century Christians, though, I’m sure Paul’s comments wouldn’t change: If you buy meat at the ancient version of Walmart, have at it, even if the meat packing place was dedicated to Zeus or Baal. But don’t you dare actually go into those pagan temple and have a meal in dedication/honor of those pagan deities.
I don’t see anywhere in Hebrews 11 where it uses diakrinoo. Jude 1:9 uses it, and it is mostly translated as “disputing.” Also, Romans 14:23, “doubts”–in the context of eating “idol food” (!!!); And Acts 10:20–when God tells Peter to go to Cornelius without “diakrinooing.”
Thanks Joel. I’ll continue studying these. And; re-reading my own replies and the amount misspelled words, I’ve made up my mind not to reply early in the morning before my first cup!!