James 5:7

Be patient therefore (makroqumhsate oun). A direct corollary (oun, therefore) from the coming judgment on the wicked rich ( James 5:1-6 ). First aorist (constative) active imperative of makroqumew, late compound (Plutarch, LXX) from makroqumo (makro, qumo, of long spirit, not losing heart), as in Matthew 18:26 . The appeal is to the oppressed brethren. Catch your wind for a long race (long-tempered as opposed to short-tempered). See already the exhortation to patience (upomonh) in Matthew 1:3 Matthew 1:12 and repeated in Matthew 5:11 . They will need both submission (upomenw Matthew 5:11 ) and steadfastness (makroqumia Matthew 5:10 ). Until the coming of the Lord (ew th parousia). The second coming of Christ he means, the regular phrase here and in verse Matthew 8 for that idea ( Matthew 24:3 Matthew 24:37 Matthew 24:39 ; 1 Thessalonians 2:19 , etc.). The husbandman (o gewrgo). The worker in the ground (gh, ergw) as in Matthew 21:33 . Waiteth for (ekdecetai). Present middle indicative of ekdecomai, old verb for eager expectation as in Acts 17:16 . Precious (timion). Old adjective from timh (honor, price), dear to the farmer because of his toil for it. See 1 Peter 1:19 . Being patient over it (makroqumwn ep autwi). Present active participle of makroqumew just used in the exhortation, picturing the farmer longing and hoping over his precious crop (cf. Luke 18:7 of God). Until it receive (ew labh). Temporal clause of the future with ew and the second aorist active subjunctive of lambanw, vividly describing the farmer's hopes and patience. The early and latter rain (promon kai opsimon). The word for rain (ueton Acts 14:17 ) is absent from the best MSS. The adjective promo (from prw, early) occurs here only in N.T., though old in the form promo and prw. See Deuteronomy 11:14 ; Jeremiah 5:24 , etc. for these terms for the early rain in October or November for the germination of the grain, and the latter rain (opsimon, from opse, late, here only in N.T.) in April and May for maturing the grain.