James 5:9

9 murmur not against one another, brethren, that ye may not be condemned; lo, the Judge before the door hath stood.

James 5:9 Meaning and Commentary

James 5:9

Grudge not one against another, brethren
On account of any happiness, temporal or spiritual, which another enjoys; do not inwardly repine at it; or secretly sigh and groan in an envious manner at it, though nothing may be said, as the word used signifies; much less complain of, accuse, and condemn one another, or meditate and seek revenge:

lest ye be condemned;
hereafter, at the bar of Christ, by the Judge of the whole earth, who is privy to the secret murmurings and grumblings, and the envious sighs and groans of men; see ( Matthew 7:1 )

behold the judge standeth before the door;
there is another that judgeth, who is the Lord, and he is at hand; he is just at the door; a little while and he will come, and not tarry; which may refer not to Christ's coming to destroy Jerusalem, but to his second coming to judgment, which will be quickly; for the Gospel times are the last times; there will be no other age; at the end of this, Christ will come.

James 5:9 In-Context

7 Be patient, then, brethren, till the presence of the Lord; lo, the husbandman doth expect the precious fruit of the earth, being patient for it, till he may receive rain -- early and latter;

8 be patient, ye also; establish your hearts, because the presence of the Lord hath drawn nigh;

9 murmur not against one another, brethren, that ye may not be condemned; lo, the Judge before the door hath stood.

10 An example take ye of the suffering of evil, my brethren, and of the patience, the prophets who did speak in the name of the Lord;

11 lo, we call happy those who are enduring; the endurance of Job ye heard of, and the end of the Lord ye have seen, that very compassionate is the Lord, and pitying.