Hayden King

Confronting Hubris

December 6, 2025

Scripture References

• James 4:14–15
• James 5:1–12
• Matthew 5:3–12
• Job (general allusions)

Full Texts of Every Passage Read Aloud

James 5:1–6

1. Look here, you rich people. Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.
2. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.
3. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment.
4. Listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
5. You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.
6. You have condemned and killed innocent people who do not resist you.

James 4:14–15

14. How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.
15. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

James 5:7–12

7. Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord to return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.
8. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
9. Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!
10. For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11. We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
12. But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath—by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

Matthew 5:3–12 (Beatitudes)

3. God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
6. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
7. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
9. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
10. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.
12. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

Introduction

• The facilitator has spent the entire week burdened by the word “hubris,” convinced it sits at the root of fear.
• Tonight’s aim: let James 5:1-6 expose hubris in both material and spiritual “wealth,” then learn patience from 5:7-12.
• Context: Last week Mark covered James 4; the class is now in the penultimate session of the letter.

Key Points

1. Definition of hubris * excessive pride that presumes upon “the next” (next breath, day, or year).
2. James’ target audience appears to be “rich people,” yet, by global standards, nearly every American qualifies; moreover, “rich” also includes spiritually proud.
3. Two kinds of wealth
   • Material: money, possessions, comfort, indulgence.
   • Spiritual: knowledge, religiosity, visible ministry résumé, family heritage, etc.
4. Signs that wealth—of either type—owns the believer
   • Greed, hoarding, indulgence (v 2-5).
   • Religious showiness (“spiritual clothes”); Pharisee-like façade.
   • Failure to act justly or extend mercy; exploiting others equals “murder” (v 6).
5. Parallels with the Beatitudes
   • Where James condemns riches, laughter, power, comfort, abuse, and arrogance, Jesus blesses poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger for righteousness, mercy, purity, peacemaking, and perseverance.
   • Lesson: the gospel always flips worldly priorities.
6. Eternal perspective
   • Reward is “great in heaven” (Mt 5:12); life now is vapor (Jas 4:14).
   • Anything invested solely in this world is ultimately hubris.
7. Living “in-between” Christ’s ascension and return (Jas 5:7-12)
   • Be patient like a farmer: prepare, plant, watch, weed, rest, rotate fields, and store prudently.
   • Strengthen (literally “prop up”) your heart for the windy day, not the calm one.
   • Keep accounts short—no delayed obedience, forgiveness, or evangelism.
   • Let “yes” be yes; refuse grand oaths that center on self-importance.

Theological / Exegetical Points

• Hubris as the root behind every warning throughout James (quarreling 4:1, judging 4:11-12, presuming on tomorrow 4:13-17, hoarding 5:1-6).
• “Rich” in 5:1 is both literal and metaphorical: any storehouse that displaces dependence on God.
• Link to Old-Testament prophetic tone: direct, uncompromising denunciation of economic and spiritual injustice.
• Patience (makrothymia) is active endurance, not passivity—anchored in certainty of the Parousia (“the coming of the Lord is near,” v 8).
• Job as paradigm: honest lament plus unwavering allegiance; patience permits grief without abandoning faith.
• Ending with oaths (v 12): an anti-hubris safeguard—speech stripped of self-secured guarantees.

Interaction & Group Responses

• Class consensus: hubris = “over-confidence, arrogance, uber-pride.”
• Many initially dismissed the passage as “for rich people,” then admitted global wealth realities and spiritual pride implicated all.
• Illustrations offered:
  • “Spiritual clothes” = public religiosity that looks good but rots like moth-eaten garments.
  • Control, self-reliance, vengeance, manipulation surfaced as heart-level weeds.
• “Dos” of patient waiting: worship, service, obedience, confession, accountability.
• “Don’ts”: self-reliance, envy, worry, unchecked busyness, control.
• Group named “contentment” as the practical opposite of hubris.
• Farmer analogies supplied by those with agriculture backgrounds—prepare soil, accept limits, stay watchful, work when windows open.
• Final discussion on v 12: swearing oaths = claiming power we do not possess; simple honesty re-centers life in God’s sovereignty.

Practical Applications

1. Examine both bank account and heart for hoarded treasure; repent of anything held tighter than Christ.
2. Cultivate contentment: fast, tithe, serve, confess, and practice simplicity.
3. Keep accounts short—tell the truth, forgive quickly, share the gospel today.
4. Replace self-reliance with active patience: worship while you wait, work faithfully, rest when God says rest.
5. Speak plainly: let “yes” be yes, “no” be no; refuse to leverage God’s name to prop up personal agendas.
6. Daily decision grid: “Would I do or postpone this if Jesus returned tonight?”

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