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James 1:10
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is the adversative use of the postpositive conjunction DE, meaning “but” and
contrasting the poor man of the first half of the sentence with the rich man in this half of the
sentence. Then we have the nominative subject from the masculine singular article and adjective
PLOUSIOS, used as a substantive and meaning “rich, wealthy.” This is followed by the
preposition EN plus the locative of sphere from the feminine singular article and noun
TAPEINWSIS, meaning “experience of a reversal in fortunes: humiliation as an experience Acts
8:33; let the rich man boast (said in irony) in his comedown/downfall Jam 1:10.”1 With this we
have the possessive genitive from the third person masculine singular intensive pronoun
AUTOS, used as a personal pronoun and meaning “his.” Implied here is the continuation of the
main verb—the third person singular present deponent middle/passive imperative from the verb
KAUCHAOMAI, which means “to take pride in something” (here in a good sense).
“but the wealthy man must take pride in the sphere of his humiliation [physical death],”
- is the
causal use of the conjunction HOTI, which means “because.” With this we have the
comparative use of the conjunction HWS, which means “as, like.” Then we have the predicate
nominative from the neuter singular noun ANTHOS, meaning “flower, blossom” plus the
descriptive genitive from the masculine singular noun CHORTOS, meaning “of the grass.” (This
phrase also occurs in 1 Pet 1:24.) Finally, we have the third person singular future deponent
middle indicative from the verb PARERCHOMAI, which means “to come to an end and so no
longer be there, pass away, disappear.”2
The future tense is a gnomic future, which declares what will always take place
throughout human history.
The deponent middle is middle in form but active in meaning, the rich man eventually
produces the action of dying.
The indicative mood is declarative for a simple statement of fact.
“because like the flower of the grass he shall pass away.”
James 1:10 corrected translation
“but the wealthy man must take pride in the sphere of his humiliation [physical death],
because like the flower of the grass he shall pass away.”
Explanation:
1. “but the wealthy man must take pride in the sphere of his humiliation [physical death],”
1
Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other early
Christian literature. (3rd ed.) (Page 990). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
2
Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other early
Christian literature. (3rd ed.) (Page 776). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
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James 1:10
a. The entire sentence reads: “Now the poor brother must keep on taking pride in his
high position, but the wealthy man must take pride in the sphere of his humiliation [physical
death], because like the flower of the grass he shall pass away.”
b. Because of the word “brother” in the previous verse and the continuation of the
sentence in this verse, we can logically deduce and correctly conclude that the wealthy man in
this verse is also a believer.
c. The imperative mood of the main verb governs throughout the sentence and also
indicates the action of the wealthy believer in contrast to the poor believer.
d. Because of the adjective “wealthy” used in this part of the sentence and in contrast to
the believer mentioned in the first half of this sentence, we can also correctly interpret the
previous word TAPEINOS as meaning “poor” more so than the concept of undistinguished or
lowly.
e. So James has set up a contrast between the rich and poor believer. Both are given
commands, but with difference emphasis.
(1) The emphasis for the poor believer is to keep on taking pride in his high
position in Christ.
(2) The emphasis for the rich believer is to keep on taking pride in the fact of his
union with Christ in physical death.
f. The rich man is to keep on remembering that he brought nothing into this world and he
can take nothing with him out of this world, except those things given to him by God, such as
eternal life, the guarantee of a resurrection body, the Bible doctrine in his soul, his escrow
blessings for eternity, and his historical impact.
g. The rich man keeps on being occupied with Christ in His death, burial, and
resurrection.
h. Rather than being occupied with his wealth, power, or success, he is occupied with the
fact that he will die physically just as his Lord did and will be resurrected just as He was.
i. Physical death is a temporary and momentary humiliation for all believers. It is the
state of ultimate humility for all believers.
j. But physical death is also the state of wiping away all the human achievement, human
good, and evil of this world. For the believer faces physical death knowing that it is the Lord’s
victory over death, which has been given to him as a grace gift.
k. Physical death produces the final state of humility and grace orientation for all
believers, for we must all face death with total dependence upon the love and promise of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
l. Therefore, the wealthy man does not depend upon his wealth, but must depend upon
his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, just as the poor believer does.
m. The wealthy believer has the privilege and honor of being occupied with Christ in his
death, just as the poor believer has the same privilege.
2. “because like the flower of the grass he shall pass away.”
a. This causal clause explains what James meant by the word “humiliation”—it is a
reference to physical death.
b. This same metaphor will later be used by Peter when he writes 1 Pet 1:24-25, “For,
‘All flesh is as grass and all her glory as the flower of the grass; the grass dries up and the flower
falls off; but the word of the Lord endures into eternity.’ And this is the word [preaching] which
was proclaimed to you.”
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James 1:10
c. The rich believer must take pride in his physical death, because he will pass away just
as His Lord has passed away.
d. The grass is analogous to all mankind. The flower of the grass is analogous to our
Lord Jesus Christ, who was the most beautiful flower to ever adorn the grass of the human race.
e. The Church Age believer has the privilege of facing physical death with the same
confidence in God the Father as our Lord had in God the Father as He faced physical death.
f. Like the Lord Jesus Christ (the flower of the grass) the wealthy believer will also die
in a state of ultimate humility and grace orientation. We have the opportunity to enter the eternal
state with the same mental attitude that our Lord had in His perfect humanity.
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