Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

2:12 the law of liberty. True freedom is freedom to obey God and do what pleases him. The law of Christ provides freedom from sin through the gospel. In the context of James's discussion of rich and poor (vv. 1-7), he may also be suggesting that God's law will set the poor free from prejudice, oppression, and exploitation. Every Christian will be judged by God (1 Cor. 3:12-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Pet. 1:17).

2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. This proverbial saying sums up the implications of vv. 1-12 and leads into the "faith without works" discussion in vv. 14-26. It was the core of Roman law (lex talionis, "the law of retribution"), but more importantly it is central to God's law: what you do to others will be done to you in the judgment (i.e., rewarded for good and punished for evil). Mercy triumphs over judgment does not, in this context, mean that God's mercy is extended to believers at the judgment. Rather, believers' acts of mercy (e.g., caring for the poor and hurting) will mean that they are vindicated at the judgment (cf. Matt. 25:34-40). Mercy was an essential OT requirement for dealing with the poor (Mic. 6:8; Zech. 7:9-10). Mercy is likewise a requirement of believers in the NT (e.g., Matt. 5:7; 6:15; 18:32-35), or they will experience God's judgment rather than his mercy.