Warning Against Favoritism
Study note
James paints a vivid scene: a wealthy person in fine clothing receives preferential seating in the assembly, while a poor person is told to stand or sit on the floor. This favoritism contradicts the gospel, because God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith. Meanwhile, it is often the wealthy who oppress believers and drag them into court.
1 My brothers and sisters, you believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So do not play favorites with people. My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 Someone walks into your meeting wearing nice clothes and a gold ring. Right behind them comes a poor person in worn-out clothes. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 You give the rich person a great seat and say, "Please, sit right here!" But you tell the poor person, "You can stand over there," or "Sit on the floor." And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 When you do that, you have already made an unfair judgment between them, and your thinking is completely wrong. Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Think about this, my dear brothers and sisters: God chose people who are poor in this world to be rich in faith. They are the ones who will receive the kingdom he promised to those who love him. Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But you treat poor people badly! Is it not the rich who push you around and drag you into court? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Are they not the ones who trash the good name of Jesus that was given to you? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
The Royal Law and Mercy
Study note
James calls the command to love your neighbor as yourself the royal law. Showing favoritism violates this law and makes a person a lawbreaker, because whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at one point is guilty of all of it. James reminds believers they will be judged by the law of liberty and encourages them that mercy triumphs over judgment.
8 You do right when you follow this top rule from Scripture. "Love others the same way you love yourself." If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if you show favoritism, you are breaking God's law, and the law calls you out as a rule-breaker. But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 If you obey every rule but break just one, you are guilty of breaking the whole thing. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 The same God who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you have not committed adultery but have murdered someone, you have still broken God's law. For 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.
12 So talk and act like people who know they will be judged by the law that brings freedom. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 If you do not show mercy to others, you will not be shown mercy when you are judged. But mercy always wins over judgment. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
Faith and Works Together
Study note
James poses his central rhetorical question: what good is faith without corresponding action? If a brother or sister lacks food and clothing and you merely offer words of comfort without meeting their need, your faith is useless. Even the demons believe in one God and tremble, yet their belief produces no righteous fruit. Faith without works is dead.
14 What is the point, my brothers and sisters, if someone says they have faith but never does anything to show it? Can such faith rescue them? What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 What if a fellow believer has nothing to wear and no food to eat? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And you say to them, "Best wishes! Stay warm and eat well!" but you do not lift a finger to help -- what good did your words do? And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 That is exactly how it is with faith. If your faith never leads to action, it is not truly alive. It is dead. Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Someone might argue, "Well, you have faith and I have actions." Go ahead and try to prove your faith without doing anything. I will prove my faith by what I do. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 You believe there is one God? Good for you. But even the demons believe that, and they shake with fear. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 Do you need proof, you foolish person? Faith that never leads to action is worthless. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Abraham, Rahab, and Living Faith
Study note
James cites Abraham offering Isaac on the altar as proof that faith and works operate together, and that by works Abraham's faith was made complete. The Scripture that declares Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness was fulfilled through his obedient action. Rahab the harlot likewise demonstrated living faith when she sheltered the Israelite spies. Just as a body without a spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.
21 Think about Abraham, our ancestor. God accepted him because of what he did when he placed his son Isaac on the altar. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 See how it worked? His faith and his actions were partners. His actions took his faith and made it complete. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 This is exactly what the Scripture means when it says, "Abraham trusted God, and God counted that trust as making him right." Therefore Abraham was called God's friend. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 So you can see that God accepts people because of what they do, not because of what they believe. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 It was the same with Rahab, a woman with a sinful past. God accepted her because she took action -- she welcomed the scouts and helped them escape by a different route. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 A body that has no breath in it is dead. In the same way, faith that never leads to action is dead. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.