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In the Authorized Version both words are translated 'receive' and the
difference between them is therefore unobserved. The two words occur again
in Luke 22:17 which Rotherham translates:
'And (accepting a cup) giving thanks He said -- Take this and divide it
among yourselves',
where the difference between dechomai 'accepting' and lambano 'taking' is
recognized.
In 2 Corinthians 11:4 the Authorized Version recognizes this
difference, and reads:
'If ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another
gospel, which ye have not accepted'.
The difference can be seen in Philippians 3:12 as compared with 4:18.
In the former passage a position is attained, whereas in the latter, gifts
are received. So in Colossians 4:10 we must observe the difference between
'receiving' commandments lambano, and 'receiving' or 'welcoming' Mark,
sister's son to Barnabas. James uses the verb lambano in 1:7 and 1:12 of
'receiving anything' and 'receiving a crown' and so his choice of dechomai in
verse 21 is intentional.
For the Word to be effectual, we must receive, embrace, welcome the
truth. But even this does not exhaust all the qualifying conditions given by
James. This welcoming must be with 'meekness', and the word thus received is
called 'the engrafted Word' (James 1:21). Heathen philosophy had magnified
the virtue of megalopsuchia 'greatness of soul', but high sounding as these
words are to us, they were often allied with pride and self -assertion. The
Gospel lifted the despised 'humbleness of mind' into a place of honour,
enforcing its superiority by a reference to the condescension of the Lord
Himself. Midway between these two extremes stands the virtue of 'meekness'.
Today, the world looks upon 'meekness' as though it were a synonym of
'weakness'. The context of the words 'I am meek and lowly in heart' (Matt.
11:29) shows that the word indicates an uncomplaining resignation to the
Divine will, a complete absence of self -assertion, but by no means a
weakness either of spirit, mind or body. When we learn from Galatians 5:23
that 'meekness' is one of the fruits of the Spirit, as contrary to the works
of the flesh, it seems obvious that James has a believer in mind. This too
seems to be demanded by the character of the Word, which is thus to be
embraced or received.
'Engrafted'. The original of this word is derived from the root phu,
which enters into the English language as phy, in such words as physic, from
phusis 'nature'. The root word means 'to shoot, spring, or sprout' as
plants, in the first stages of their growth. This meaning is demonstrated by
Luke 8:6 where phuo is translated 'as soon as it was sprung up'. From this
has come the word phule 'a tribe', as sprung from a common stock or ancestor
(Matt. 19:28), and those early evidences of growth called the 'leaves' of a
plant, are in the Greek phullon. Perhaps the word emphutos used by James,
can be understood by comparing it with ekphuo used by Matthew, 'When his
branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves' (Matt. 24:32). Matthew
speaks of something that is breaking 'out', James speaks of something that is
'within'.