James 5:8 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

For the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.— The apostle by this phrase seems plainly to mean, the coming of the Romans to destroy or carry away captive the Jewish nation: for what God in his providence promises, he himself is very often said to do. See Matthew 27:33.Mark 13:29. Luke 21:20. Indeed it may be asked, What other coming of the Lord was then drawing nigh? Is it not intimated, James 5:1 that very great evils were just ready to fall upon the rich Jews? That they would speedily be punished for their covetousness and luxury, and particularly for their persecuting the Christians?—And it was about a year after the writing of this epistle that the Jewish wars actually broke out, which ended in the destruction of the Jewish nation. Well therefore might it now be said, that the coming of the Lord drew nigh. This was a very proper motive by which to excite the Christians to patience; for the Jews were their principal persecutors, and their destruction approached swiftly. James 5:9. Grudge not, &c.] Μη στεναζετε, groan not, from anger or envy; complain not. Impatience toward each other is here condemned, as impatience under the treatment which they met with from their enemies and persecutors is condemned in the preceding verse; and the Judge might be at the door, ready to condemn the guilty among the Christians, as well as to avenge them of their adversaries.