James 1:25 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

But whoso looketh, &c.— Ο δε παρακυψας : He that hath bowed his head, or stooped down, more curiously to pry into any thing. The word is used concerning the disciples bowing down curiously and intensely to pry into our Lord's sepulchre, Luke 24:12. John 20:5; John 20:11. But the image which the apostle seems here to have had before his mind, most probably is the same with that expressed 1 Peter 1:12. Which things the angels desired to look into; παρακυψαι : In which expression there is a most plain reference to the posture of the two cherubims which stood over the ark of the covenant in the Jewish temple. See Exodus 25:20. St. James represents a zealous and sincere Christian as looking into the gospel, and searching curiously into it, that he may understand it, and through grace live accordingly; looking, in the same diligent and careful manner, as the cherubims were represented bowing down and looking into the ark: and this by way of opposition to the careless Christian, who is like a man that takes a transient view of his face in a mirror, and presently forgets what he saw, and turns his thoughts to something else. The happy effects of such a careful looking into the glass or mirror of the gospel, are beautifully represented, 2 Corinthians 3:18. By calling the gospel a perfect law, St. James seems to have insinuated to the Jewish Christians, that there was no necessity for them to add the observation of the law of Moses to that of the Christian law; the Christian law being perfect of itself, and without that addition: and by calling it the law of liberty, he seems also to have transiently hinted, thatthe ceremonial law was abolished by the coming of Christ, or that the Christian religion had set them free from any further obligation to that law. But these were ungrateful truths, against which they were so much prejudiced, that he could only insinuate them, unless he had an inclination to defeat the end of his writing to them. There is indeed another reason which may be alleged for the apostle's expression in this place; namely, that as the law was so burdensome a service, and treated men with such rigour, it produced a spirit of bondage; whereas the easy service and mild treatment of the gospel produces a spirit of love and filial freedom. This is a subject which St. Paul has frequently enlarged upon in his epistles.