James 2:1 "My brethren, [ adelphoi {ad-el-fos'} = from the same womb, a brother, one of the same nature, one of equal rank and dignity ] have not the faith or our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons." [ prosopolempsiais {pros-o-pol-ape-see'-ah} = partiality, favoritism, respect of persons, snobbery ]

     James now speaks to another subject that was (and still is) affecting believers; favoritism. Kenneth Wuest translates this verse like this, "My brethren, stop holding your faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of the glory, in connection with an act showing partiality [to anyone]." They were showing favoritism toward some people at the expense of others. James states that as Christians, we should have the same attitude toward people as God does.

Romans 2:11 "For there is no respect of persons with God."

Ephesians 6:9 "And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him."

James 2:2 "For if there come unto your assembly [ sunagogen {soon-ag-o-gay'} = A Christian assembly or congregation, assembly, synagogue ] a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;"

James 2:3 "And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay [ lampran {lam-pros'} = splendid, magnificent, sumptuous, gorgeous] clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, [ ptocho {pto-khos'} = to crouch, a beggar, poor, indigent ] Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:"

     In verses 2 and 3, James gives us an illustration of the abuse that was taking place. The point of this illustration was not that there were rich and poor people attending the same church, but the way believers treated them. The rich person was given preferential treatment in speech and in seating. But the poor person was treated rudely, and was told to sit on the floor. "James is giving us a clear prohibition against preferential treatment of people based on economic, social or even racial status".

     Favoritism takes many forms, and may not be just an issue of rich and poor. Education, race, social position, or employment have all created the same problems within church bodies. We all need to be aware of favoritism's influence upon our actions and attitudes.

James 2:4 "Are ye not then partial [ diekrithete {dee-ak-ree'-no} = to make a distinction mentally, to discriminate, judge, be partial ] in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?"

     Having given this illustration, "James now asks a rhetorical question in which the answer should be yes". The question is, if a judge in a court of law were to make his decision based upon the person's economic or social status rather than the facts of the case, would the judge be guilty of a miscarriage of justice? "Yes", he would and not only that he would be guilty of an evil act. It is the same for Christians who make prejudicial distinctions based upon the worldly standards of economics, race, social status, education, culture, sex, etc.

     If our faith doesn't make a difference in the way we treat people, then our faith has made no significant difference at all. The world judges people by such standards, but God doesn't and we shouldn't be either.

I Samuel 16:7 "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart"

James 2:5 "Hearken, [ akousate {ak-oo'-o} = to hear, to attend to (use the faculty of hearing), exhortation to consider what is or has been said, understand ] my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor [ ptochous {pto-khos'} = to crouch, a beggar, poor, indigent ] of this world rich [ plousious {ploo'-see-os} = wealthy; rich, abounding in, distinguished for ] in faith, and heirs [ kleronomous {klay-ron-om'-os} = an inheritor, a possessor, heir ] of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

     In verse 5 we are reminded that God has chosen the poor. James tells them to "harken" or "pay attention" to this fact. If they would have looked around for themselves this fact would have been oblivious.

     When James says that God has chosen the poor, he's not talking about the doctrine of election (although it would be included in this), but rather the poor are generally more open to receive the gospel because of their current conditions. There is a humbling effect when you don't have much and have to accept help from others. God has a special place in His heart for the poor because they have found hope in the gospel and have turned to it in great numbers (Job 5:15; 36:15; Psa.9:18; 12:5; 14:6; 68:10; 69:33; 72:12-13; 102:17; 140:12; Isa.11:4; 25:4). While the poor may be poor in material things, they can be eternally rich in spiritual things.

James 2:6 "But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw [ elkousin {hel'-ko} = to draw, to drag a person forcibly and against his will, drag off ] you before the judgment seats?" [ kriteria {kree-tay'-ree-on} = a standard or means by which to judge, criterion, a court of justice, a tribunal]

James 2:7 "Do not they blaspheme [ blasphenousin {blas-fay-meh'-o} = to speak reproachfully (chide, condemn, criticize, rebuke, reprimand), rail at, revile, speak evil ] that worthy name by the which ye are called?"

     In verses 6 and 7, James shows the foolishness of showing favoritism toward those who are rich. First he says they have shamefully treated the poor among them, in order to show special honor to the very people who mistreat Christians the most. James seems to be implying that the rich used the legal system for their own gain at the expense of those who were poor. James' point in all this is simply, why show favoritism to people just because they are rich? John Calvin summed this up like this, "Why honor your executioners?"

     The very people they looked up too were blaspheming (speaking evil of) the name of Christ by their mistreatment of the poor believers. Christ addressed this in Matthew:

Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me"

James 2:8 "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:"

     James now tells us that one reason why we shouldn't show favoritism is because of the "Royal Law" This is the supreme or ultimate Old Testament law found in Leviticus:

Leviticus 18:18 "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD."

Leviticus 18:34 "But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God"

     Christ also spoke of the "Royal Law" in Matthew 22:34-40:

Matthew 22:34-40 "But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets<"

     The "Royal Law" for the believer is the law of love which is a moral law that still abides under the New Covenant. We are to equally love all our neighbors (poor, rich, and all those in between).

James 2:9 "But if ye have respect [ prosopolempteite {pros-o-pol-am-pe-teh'-o} = to accept or respect the person of any ne, to pay regard to external appearance, condition, circumstances, to show partiality ] to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors." [ parabatai {par-ab-at'-ace} = transgressor , violator of law]

James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, [ nomon {nom'-os} = a law, a rule, standard, of the Mosaic law (referring to the context) ] and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all:"

James 2:11 "or he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law."

     In verses 9 through 11, we are told that when a believer shows favoritism it is a sin. To break any part of the Law is to violate the will of God, and therefore it means we are guilty of sin. The great truth here is a man may be in many aspects a morally good man, yet he can spoil it all by one fault (sin). While Christians are not under the Law that was given in the Old Testament, we are to still speak and act according to the law of love written in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We violate this principle when we show favoritism.

James 2:12 "So speak ye, and so do, [ poieite {poy-eh'-o} = to act rightly, do well ] as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty:" [ eleutherias {el-yoo-ther-ee'ah} = freedom from the dominion of corrupt desires so that we do by free impulse of the soul what the will of God requires ]

James 2:13 "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed [ poiesanti {poy-eh'-o} = to show one's self ] no mercy; and mercy [ eleos {el'-eh-os} = benefit which results from compassion, kindness, mercies, blessings, tender mercy ] rejoiceth [ katakauchatai {kat-ak-ow-khah'-om-ahee} = to vaunt (exalt, glory, triumph) one'self against, to glory over, to assume superiority over ] against judgment."

     James concludes this section with a solemn warning. The Law of Liberty (the gospel) frees us from the curse of the Law, so therefore we should be free to love and obey willingly. This is the higher standard to which we will be held. There is coming a time when believers will all give account for their actions at the Judgment Seat of Christ (for reward or loss of rewards only).

Romans 14:10 "But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

II Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

     James is saying, since we know that we will all stand before the Lord, and we will all give an account for what we have said and done, then our behavior should reflect that. Verse 13 carries the same idea that Christ taught in Matthew 7:1-2,

Matthew 7:1-2 "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again"

     Jesus was speaking to the issue of judging people based upon the standards they set (not God's standards), and if they did judge people by their own standards then God would judge them by their own standards. The point is they couldn't live up to their own standards, let alone anyone else. Likewise here in verse 13, those who replace God's standards with their own will be judged by the same amount of mercy they had shown to others. A Christian's outward actions show clearly what is on the inside. The person who shows mercy knows the mercy of God, but the person who shows no mercy knows nothing of real faith.

Study Notes & Questions

Is the Christian free from the Judgment of God? (James 2.12; Romans 14.10; II Corinthians 5:10) The Doctrine of God's Judgment The line is drawn between Children of God: (John 3.36, 18) Unbelievers have two appointments: one with death, the other with Judgment: (Hebrews 9.27) All shall declare Christ as Lord, some willingly, while others are forced to this acknowledgment: (I Corinthians 15.24-28) The Last Judgment is depicted: (Revelations 20.12-15) Christians, as Children of God, are not only prone to Judgment before the Throne of Jesus for reward or loss, but are also disciplined as Children by the Father. The Doctrine of God's Discipline Of The Believer Christians in sin are punished because God loves them: (Hebrews 12.5-6; Revelation 3.19) Confession of sin removes the discipline: (I Corinthians 11.31-32) Stages of discipline: Warning stage: (James 5.9; Revelation 3.20) Intensified stage: (Psalms 38.1-14; 2 Thessalonians 2.11) Dying stage: (I John 5.16; Revelation 3.16) A backslidden state produces it's own punishment: (Psalms 7.14-16) There is no discipline in Heaven: (Revelation 21.4) Sins of the tongue produce a type of feedback discipline: (Matthew 7.1-2)

Go To James Chapter 2 (Part Two) - Click Here!

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