James 1:10

But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
rich	πλούσιος plousios	G4145	wealthy · adjective — nominative singular masculine
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
he	αὐτοῦ autou	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
low	ταπεινώσει tapeinōsei	G5014	depression (in rank or feeling) · noun — dative singular feminine
because	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
as	ὡς hōs	G5613	which how · particle
flower	ἄνθος anthos	G438	a blossom · noun — nominative singular neuter
grass	χόρτου chortou	G5528	a "court" or "garden" · noun — genitive singular masculine
away	παρελεύσεται. pareleusetai	G3928	to come near or aside · verb — future middle deponent indicative, 3rd person singular

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Job 14:2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
1 Timothy 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us ri…
Psalms 103:15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
Psalms 90:5-6 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
Isaiah 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on James 1:2-12

We now come to consider the matter of this epistle. In this paragraph we have the following things to be observed: - I. The suffering state of Christians in this world is represented, and that in a very instructive manner, if we attend to what is plainly and necessarily implied, together with what is fully expressed. 1. It is implied that troubles and afflictions may be the lot of the best Christians, even of those who have the most reason to think and hope well of themselves. Such as have a title to the greatest joy may yet endure very grievous afflictions. As good people are liable to be scattered, they must not think it strange if they meet with troubles. 2. These outward afflictions and…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on James 1:10

So far as one is merely "rich" in worldly goods, "he shall pass away"; in so far as his predominant character is that of a "brother," he "abideth for ever" (Jo1 2:17). This view meets all ALFORD'S objections to regarding "the rich" here as a "brother" at all. To avoid making the rich a brother, he translates, "But the rich glories in his humiliation," namely, in that which is really his debasement (his rich state, Phi 3:19), just as the low is told to rejoice in what is really his exaltation (his lowly state).

Adam Clarke on James 1:10

But the rich, in that he is made low - Εν τῃ ταπεινωσει· In his humiliation - in his being brought to the foot of the cross to receive, as a poor and miserable sinner, redemption through the blood of the cross: and especially let him rejoice in this, because all outward glory is only as the flower of the field, and, like that, will wither and perish.

John Gill on James 1:10

But the rich, in that he is made low,.... That is, the rich brother; for there were rich men in the churches in those times, and which James often takes notice of in this epistle. Such an one should rejoice or glory in his lowness, or low estate; in the consideration of the low estate, out of which he was raised, by the good providence of God, and was not owing to any merit of his; and in the low estate into which he may be at present reduced, through the violence of persecution being stripped of all his riches for Christ's sake, of which he might make his boast, and count it his greatest glory; or in that low estate he may quickly expect he shall be brought into, either in the above manner,…

The Church Fathers

For like the flower of the grass, he will pass away. The flower of the grass delights both the sense of smell and sight, but swiftly loses the grace of its charm and sweetness. Therefore, the present happiness of the wicked is most rightly compared to this, which can in no way be lasting.
— Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Scripture says that "whoever exalts himself will be humbled." Wealth is a rich man's flower, but the elements of the universe are out to snatch it away from him. James says very little about the humble man, but it is enough, for he will receive his glory from God. But the rich are condemned at great length, so that no one will be tempted to follow their example.
— Hilary of Arles, INTRODUCTORY TRACTATE ON THE LETTER OF JAMES

But the rich man in his humility. It is understood from the previous verse to boast. It is clear that this is said with sarcasm, which in Greek is called irony. Thus, he says, the rich man must remember that his glory, in which he boasts of his wealth and despises or even oppresses the poor, is to end, so that humbled, he may perish forever, like that rich man in purple who despised the poor Lazarus.
— Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Flowers — Very few species of flowers are mentioned in the Bible although they abounded in Palestine. It has been calculated that in Western Syria and Palestine from two thousand to two thousand five hundred…
Flowers · Illustrative of: Rich men — Illustrative of: Rich men
Grass · FIGURATIVE — FIGURATIVE
Humility · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Poor · UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO — UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
Rich, The · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Riches · They who possess, should: When converted, rejoice in being humbled — They who possess, should: When converted, rejoice in being humbled

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

James 1:10

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on James 1:2-12

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on James 1:10

Adam Clarke on James 1:10

John Gill on James 1:10

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

James 1:10

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on James 1:2-12

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on James 1:10

Adam Clarke on James 1:10

John Gill on James 1:10

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on James 1:9-11

Tyndale Open Study Notes on James 1:10