Gregory the Dialogist

In his own words on James

• James 1:17

  For changeableness itself is a shadow, which if it altered the light by any changes, would as it were obscure it. But because in God changeableness entereth not, "no shadow of changing" intercepts His Light.

  Morals on the Book of Job 12.38

• James 1:20

  For whereas the agitated mind works up to harshness the decision of its reasoning faculty, all that rage suggests, it accounts to be right.

  Morals on the Book of Job 5.78

• James 2:10

  Surely, when we are clothed with a garment, we are surrounded on every side, and so he is "clothed with righteousness as with a garment," who defends himself on every side with good practice, and leaves no part of his conduct naked to sin; for he that is just in some deeds and unjust in others, it is as if he covered over this side, and exposed that one naked; nor are those henceforth good deeds, which are defiled by other evil deeds springing up.

  Morals on the Book of Job 19.32

• James 2:26

  For behold, the voice of all proclaims Christ, but the life of all does not proclaim Him. Most follow God with their voices, but flee from Him by their conduct. Hence Paul says: "They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him." Hence James says: "Faith without works is dead."

  Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 19

• James 2:26

  What greatly gladdens is what follows: "Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed." In this saying, we are indeed specially marked out, we who retain in our minds Him whom we have not seen in the flesh. We are marked out—but only if we follow our faith with works. For he truly believes who practices by his deeds what he believes. In contrast to these, concerning those who hold faith in name only, Paul says: "They profess that they know God, but in their deeds they deny Him." Hence James says: "Faith without works is dead."

  Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 26

• James 5:16

  Sometimes in sacred speech preachers are understood by dogs. For the tongue of a dog, when it licks a wound, heals it, because holy teachers too, when they instruct us in the confession of our sin, touch as it were the wound of the mind through their tongue; and because by speaking they rescue us from sins, by touching wounds as it were they restore us to health. Against this it is said of certain reprobates: "Dumb dogs, not able to bark." Because therefore holy preachers condemn sins, but approve the confession of sins, saying: "Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be saved," dogs lick the sores of Lazarus. For holy teachers, when they receive the confessions of the Gentiles, restore the wounds of minds to health. Hence also Lazarus is well interpreted as "one who is helped," because they help him toward deliverance, because they heal his wounds through the correction of their tongue.

  Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 40

• James 5:20

  For if it is a thing of great recompense to rescue from death the flesh sooner or later to die, of what high merit is it to free the soul from death, to live without end in the heavenly country?

  Morals on the Book of Job 19.31