Samson’s “going to a prostitute” is once again indicative of his lack of regard for God’s law. Moreover, he goes to Gaza, a Philistine city, which requires his traveling through the length of Philistia. This certainly speaks to intent. This is not a slip-up, a case of falling into sin. This is a deliberate rebellious act on Samson’s part. His insolent act endangers him (16:2). The people of the city discover his presence even though “going to a prostitute” usually involves stealth. Is he so blatant in his approach to the prostitute that he gives himself away? [Even his escape] is completely self-serving. Not that Samson should not have acted to save himself. But it is precisely this: Samson only acts to save himself. He has not delivered one Israelite from the hands of the oppressors, the Philistines. -Lawson Younger

James [1:21] “Laying aside” or “putting off” is the term used for taking off a garment (in preparation for vigorous physical activity), and the image of putting off evil is common in moral exhortation (in the NT, see Rom. 13:12; Eph. 4:22, 25; Col. 3:8; Heb. 12:1; and especially 1 Pet. 2:1, which bears close similarity to the present text), usually in apposition to a positive command. The garment to be put off is metaphorical “filth.” The term for the “filth” (ῥυπαρία, rhyparia) that believers are to shed is a rare word that connotes sordidness (BDAG 908). It occurs in the NT only here, and the cognate adjective for “filthy” (ῥυπαρός, rhyparos) is also almost unique to James. James may be using an OT image from Zech. 3:3–4, where the angel commands someone to remove the high priest Joshua’s “filthy garments”, which are his iniquities, and to clothe him with clean vestments. The use of this term, together with the reference to the “abundant malice” or overflowing of evil, shows James’s awareness of the extreme horridness of the human predicament, recognizing as well that even “brothers” (fellow believers) must be exhorted to put it aside. “In meekness” could be taken either as modifying “receive” or “laying aside”. In my judgment, the phrase seems to fit more naturally with “receive,” but since “laying aside” is syntactically dependent on “receive,” it is not crucial to resolve the question. Since “in meekness” stands in contrast with anger, it may not so much be describing the way in which the word is received as noting an essential circumstance of its reception. That is, the one who receives the word must be characterized by meekness in all of his or her activity. Meekness stands in contrast with anger (cf. Titus 3:2) and registers the attitude of faith. It is the attribute commended by Jesus in the third beatitude: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). Meekness, along with righteousness and truth, is one of the triad of virtues that the king rewards in Ps. 44:5 LXX (45:5 MT; 45:4 ET). It is also one of the fruits of the Spirit in Gal. 5:23. Many commentators and preachers have rightly challenged the notion that meekness means taking on a “doormat” personality, allowing oneself to be trampled on. They point out that Jesus refers to himself as meek and lowly in heart (Matt. 11:29), but he never permitted anyone to trample on him.[6] But the fact that meekness is not “doormatness” is no excuse for arrogance. In Matt. 5:5 (echoed in James 2:5) Jesus declared the meek to be the inheritors of the earth, precisely in opposition to the way things appear. The world neither rewards nor respects gentleness, meekness, and humility, but these are the key to proper reception of God’s word and the implementation of God’s righteousness. Worldly wisdom admires arrogance, self-assurance, and the captaincy of one’s own soul, but the entirely different wisdom of God is meek (James 3:13), for it is the attitude of the poor. - Dan McCartney