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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
2:1-13 The Sin of Partiality. The problem of the poor and the rich, already emphasized in 1:9-11, 27, now comes to center stage with this warning about discriminating against the poor in favor of the wealthy in the Christian assembly.
2:1-7 Preferring the Wealthy over the Poor in the Assembly. James shows the fundamental incompatibility of holding faith in Christ and showing partiality among people.
2:1 partiality as you hold the faith. There is no place for prejudice in the life of faith. "Partiality" combines a group of terms signifying "to accept/judge according to face" and refers to favoritism shown on the basis of status in society. Jesus, according to James, is the exalted and glorious Lord and Christ, and is always to be thought of as such.
2:2-4 Assembly probably refers to a Christian house church. Here two types of people arrive: one with a gold ring and fine clothing, and another with shabby clothing. The wealthy person is told to sit here in a good place, a place of honor, perhaps in the front, while the poor person is shown contempt and told either to stand (probably in the back) or sit down at my feet like a servant. Those who make such distinctions show themselves to be judges with evil thoughts. Christians are not to "judge" each other (Matt. 7:1-5; Rom. 14:4; 1 Cor. 5:12), and to do so can only mean one's mind is consumed with evil "thoughts" (Gk. dialogismos, which can mean "opinions," "reasoning," or "conclusions").
2:5 chosen . . . to be rich in faith. Using the language of election, James declares that the poor have a special place in God's economy of salvation. They are rich in an eternal sense because they are heirs of the kingdom (cf. "poor in spirit, . . . theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Matt. 5:3).
2:6-7 oppress you. This oppression, or exploitation, reflects a situation of radical social polarization in the , with merchants and landowners taking land and possessions from the poor (cf. 5:1-6). James challenges his Christian readers as to why they would honor the rich in the assembly when it is the rich unbelievers of the world who blaspheme the name of Christ. drag you into court. As frequently recorded in the OT (e.g., Amos 4:1; Hab. 1:4; Mal. 3:5), the wealthy often used the court system to steal from the poor. This situation was the primary reason for the revolts in Galilee that led to the war of .
