Word Studies:
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RESIST - ANTHISTEMI - (anth-is-tay-mee)
FLEE - - PHEUGO - (fyoo-go)
"Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7
LEXICONS:
RESIST
STRONG'S - #436 - Oppose - withstand - stand against.
BULLINGER - Set one's self against, either in words or deeds or both.
DONNEGAN'S - To place against, or opposite, in opposition, as in battle. To stand in opposition, oppose, resist, hold out against.
KUBO - To set against, oppose, resist, stand against.
LAMPE - withstand
OESTERLY - Middle voice equals, "Do this for yourself. Take the initiative - it's within your competence."
PARKHURST - To stand against; to resist whether in deed or word. From "anti" (against) and "histemi" (to stand).
VINE'S - To set against, withstand, oppose, resist.
ZONDERVAN'S - oppose, resist, stand out against.
FLEE
STRONG'S - #5343 - vanish - run away - by implication, shun.
ARNDT & GINGRICH - Seek safety in flight.
ARNOT - Seek safety in flight.
BLOOMFIELD'S - To flee, to betake onself to fight - to flee away, vanish suddenly, escape from, etc...
DAWSON - Flee, fly from, avoid.
THAYER - Flee because of inspired fear and threatened danger.
LIDDELL-SCOTT - Run off as quickly as possible.
VINE - Our English words, "fugitive" and "subterfuge" are derived from this word.
COMMENTARIES
ADAMSON, JAMES (1976) New Intn'l. Comm. On The N.T., Eerdmans
This verb is regularly used of submission to human authority, but only here, of submission to God. The notion here is of complete humble subjection (Calvin), modeled on the pattern of Christ.
AMERICAN COMM. - Christ was prepared by gifts of the spirit for that dread encounter, so the tempted believer may be assured that God will impart all the grace He needs for spiritual conflicts.
BARNES - You are to resist and oppose him in whatever way he may approach you by allurements, by flattering promises, by temptation, by the fascination of the world, or by threats. The true way of meeting him is by direct resistance rather than by argument, and when opposed manfully, he flees.
BENGEL - This is a word of joy. The enemy is proud and especially tempts men by pride, but the enemy will flee as overcome.
BROWN, J.F. - Stand bravely against the devil, and he shall flee worsted, as he did from Christ.
CENTURY BIBLE - The devil is the representative of the world. Do not fear the powers of evil, for they are easily vanquished if you resist them.
CLARKE, ADAM - Strong as he is, God never permits him to conquer the man who continues to resist him. He cannot force the human will. He who opposes the devil in the name of Jesus is sure to have a speedy and glorious conquest. He flees from that name and from his conquering blood.
DAVIDSON - By faith we submit to God in a fuller, deeper surrender to his will. At the same thing our powers of resistance are strengthened and multiplied.
ELLICOTT - Another proof of the personality of Satan. No amount of figures of speech cold otherwise interpret it. The devil can fight, but he cannot conquer. If you resist him, he will flee beaten and ashamed.
KISTEMAKER, SIMON J. (1986) Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI
When James says "submit," it actually means obey. In the Greek Luke uses the same verb when he describes the twelve-year-old Jesus who "was obedient" to Mary and Joseph (see Luke 2:51). When we keep God's law, Satan seeks to interfere by leading us into temptation. Therefore, James adds the injunction "resist the devil."
LENSKI - The tense, as well as the verb, implies that we can successfully withstand the devil and he will flee from us like a defeated enemy. Although he is great and mighty, we can put him to flight.
LUTHERAN - When sin develops itself as self-exaltation, the more closely man comes to resemble the devil and his angels. Though he is at the root of this worldly spirit and fanning its flame, we need not be under his dominion.
MARTIN, RALPH - James has launched into a staccato burst of rapid commands to help his readers to see the foolishness (and seriousness) of demonic behavior. James is confident that the devil can be resisted. This is an idea known in Christian and Jewish thought alike. Failing to resist the devil is to act like the double-minded person. The direct consequence of resistance is that the devil will flee. This conclusion may be supported grammatically [in this verse] as "kai" in the middle of a complex sentence with an initial imperative has the effect of turning the second verb into a conditional future: [so the grammar of the sentence indicates the thought] As you do...so it will be.
MacARTHUR, JOHN - His [God's] redeeming grace is greater than the power of sin, greater than the power of the flesh and the world, greater than the power of Satan. No matter how sinful a person may be, no matter how much he may love and follow the world, no matter how enslaved to the lusts and passions for the things of the world he may be, God's grace has more than sufficient power to save, redeem, purify, and sanctify. Contrary to what is taught in some circles today, there simply is no such thing as trusting Christ as Savior without at the same moment submitting to Him as Lord. Whereas the believer was once under the lordship of Satan, through saving faith he eagerly places himself under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
TRAPP - He is but a coward. In all other fights the first encounter is sharpest, but here the easiest. The old serpent having his head bruised and crushed cannot now so easily thrust in his mortal sting.
WHEDON - Temptations repelled disappear, and when habitually kept at a distance, cease to exist.
WILLIAMS - He is not wiling to flee, but his is a promise that he will flee.
WORRELL - He is not afraid of us except as we have Christ in us. The thing to do is to resist him in the name of Jesus. He fears the name of Jesus.
Archived Word Studies:
Hebrews 12:2 - shame
James 5:16 - effectual fervent
Jeremiah 29:11 - plans
Romans 8:26 - helpeth