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In this chapter the apostle condemns a sinful regarding of the rich, and despising the poor, which he imputes to partiality and injustice, and shows it to be an acting contrary to God, who has chosen the poor, and whose interest is often persecuted, and his name blasphemed, by the rich, Jam 2:1-7. He shows that the whole law is to be fulfilled, and that mercy should be followed, as well as justice, Jam 2:8-13. He exposes the error and folly of those who boast of faith without works, telling us that this is but a dead faith, and such a faith as devils have, not the faith of Abraham, or of Rahab, Jam 2:11-26.

This chapter is evidently made up of three parts, or three subjects are discussed:

I. The duty of impartiality in the treatment of others, James 2:1-9. There was to be no favoritism on account of rank, birth, wealth, or apparel. The case to which the apostle refers for an illustration of this, is that where two persons should come into an assembly of Christian worshippers, one elegantly dressed, and the other meanly clad, and they should show special favor to the former, and should assign to the latter a more humble place. The reasons which the apostle assigns why they should not do this are,

(a) that God has chosen the poor for his own people, having selected his friends mainly from them;

(b) because rich men in fact oppressed them, and showed that they were worthy of no special regard;

(c) because they were often found among revilers, and in fact despised their religion; and,

(d) because the law required that they should love their neighbors as themselves, and if they did this, it was all that was demanded; that is, that the love of the man was not to be set aside by the love of splendid apparel.

II. The duty of yielding obedience to the whole law in order to have evidence of true religion, James 2:10-13. This subject seems to have been introduced in accordance with the general principles and aims of James (see the Introduction) that religion consists in obeying the law of God, and that there can be none when this is not done. It is not improbable that, among those to whom he wrote, there were some who denied this, or who had embraced some views of religion which led them to doubt it. He therefore enforces the duty by the following considerations:

(1) That if a man should obey every part of the law, and yet be guilty of offending in one point, he was in fact guilty of all; for he showed that he had no genuine principle of obedience, and was guilty of violating the law as a whole, James 2:10.

(2) every part of the law rests on the same authority, and one part, therefore, is as binding as another. The same God that has forbidden murder, has also forbidden adultery; and he who does the one as really violates the law as he who does the other, James 2:11.

(3) the judgment is before us, and we shall be tried on impartial principles, not with reference to obeying one part of the law, but with reference to its whole claim; and we should so act as becomes those who expect to be judged by the whole law, or on the question whether we have conformed to every part of it, James 2:12-13.

III. The subject of justification, showing that works are necessary in order that a man may be justified, or esteemed righteous before God, James 2:14-26. For a general view of the design of this part of the Epistle, see Introduction, Section 5. The object here is to show that in fact no one can be regarded as truly righteous before God who does not lead an upright life; and that if a man professes to have faith, and has not works, he cannot be justified; or that if he have real faith, it will be shown by his works. If it is not shown by works corresponding to its nature, it will be certain that there is no true religion, or that his professed faith is worth nothing. The "stand-point" from which James views the subject, is not that faith is unnecessary or worthless, or that a man is not justified by faith rather than by his own works, in the sense of its being the ground of acceptance with God; or, in other words, the place where the apostle takes his position, and which is the point from which he views the subject, is not before a man is justified, to inquire in what way he may be accepted of God, but it is after the act of justification by faith, to show that if faith does not lead to good works it is "dead," or is of no value; and that in fact, therefore, the evidence of justification is to be found in good living, and that when this is not manifest, all a man's professed religion is worth nothing. In doing this, he:

(a) makes the general statement, by a pointed interrogatory, that faith cannot profit, that is, cannot save a man, unless there be also works, James 2:14. He then:

(b) appeals, for an illustration, to the case of one who is hungry or naked, and asks what mere faith could do in his case, if it were not accompanied with proper acts of benevolence, James 2:15-17. He then,

(c) by a strong supposable case, says that real faith will be evinced by works, or that works are the proper evidence of its existence, James 2:18. He then.

(d) shows that there is a kind of faith which even the devils have on one of the most important doctrines of religion, and which can be of no value; showing that it cannot be by mere faith, irrespective of the question of what sort the faith is, that a man is to be saved, James 2:19. He then.

(e) appeals to the case of Abraham showing that in fact works performed an important part in his acceptance with God; or that if it had not been for his works - that is, if there had been no spirit of true obedience in his case, he could have had no evidence that he was justified, or that his works were the proper carrying out or fulfillment of his faith, James 2:20-24. He then:

(f) shows that the same thing was true of another case recorded in the Old Testament - that of Rahab James 2:25; and then observes James 2:26 that faith without works would have no more claim to being true religion than a dead body, without a soul, would be regarded as a living man.

We should not prefer the rich to the poor, nor show any partiality inconsistent with the Gospel of Christ, James 2:1-4. God has chosen the poor, rich in faith, to be heirs of his kingdom, even those whom some among their brethren despised and oppressed, James 2:5, James 2:6. They should love their neighbor as themselves, and have no respect of persons, James 2:7-9. He who breaks one command of God is guilty of the whole, James 2:10, James 2:11. They should act as those who shall be judged by the law of liberty; and he shall have judgment without mercy, who shows no mercy, James 2:12, James 2:13. Faith without works of charity and mercy is dead; nor can it exist where there are no good works, James 2:14-20. Abraham proved his faith by his works, James 2:21-24. And so did Rahab, James 2:25. As the body without the soul is dead, so is faith without good works, James 2:26.

INTRODUCTION TO James 2

In this chapter the apostle dissuades from a respect of persons, on account of outward circumstances; shows that the law is to be fulfilled, and that mercy is to be exercised, as well as justice done; and exposes the folly of such who boast of faith without works: he dissuades the saints from all partiality to the rich and poor, from their relation to one another, as brethren, and from their common faith, of which Christ, the Lord of glory, is the object, James 2:1 supposes an instance of it, either in a court of judicature, or a religious assembly, James 2:2 and then makes an appeal unto them, and expostulates with them about it, James 2:4 and makes use of an argument against it, taken from the divine conduct, and an instance of his grace in the choice of persons to eternal life, James 2:5 a conduct very different from some persons here blamed, James 2:6, and other arguments follow, dissuading from a respect of persons, taken from the characters of rich men, as oppressors of the poor, litigious and quarrelsome with their neighbours, and blasphemers of the name of God, James 2:7 and from the law of God, which requires the love of the neighbour, and which to fulfil is to do well, James 2:8 and from the breach of it, by having respect to persons, whereby its penalty is incurred, James 2:9 for which a reason is given; because whoever offends in one point of the law, is guilty of the whole, James 2:10 as is a clear case, since the same lawgiver that forbids one sin, forbids another; so that he that is guilty of either of them is a transgressor of the law, James 2:11 wherefore it is right both to speak and act according to it, since men will be judged by it, James 2:12 and he will have no mercy shown him that has shown none to the poor, but merciful ones will escape damnation, James 2:13 and then the apostle argues from the unprofitableness of faith itself without works, James 2:14 and which he exemplifies in the case of a poor brother or sister who are wished well, but nothing given them; which good words, without deeds, are of no profit, James 2:15 so in like manner, faith without works is a dead faith, James 2:17 nor indeed can it be made out that a man has faith, if he has not works, James 2:18 at least such a faith as has justification and salvation connected with it; his faith, at most, is no better than that of the devils, who are damned, James 2:19 and that such a faith is a dead faith, James 2:2 and that true faith is attended with, and evidenced by works, the apostle proves by two instances; the one is that of Abraham, whose faith appeared to be genuine, and he to be a justified person, by the works he did; particularly by offering up his son Isaac; in which way his faith operated, and showed itself to be sincere and hearty; and the Scripture was fulfilled that Abraham was a believer; and had righteousness imputed to him, and was a friend of God, and a justified person, James 2:21 and the other instance is that of Rahab, whose faith was also shown by her works, and so a justified person, by receiving the spies with peace, and dismissing them with safety, James 2:25, and then the apostle explains what he means, by saying more than once, that faith without works is dead; which he illustrates by the simile of a man's body being dead, without the spirit or soul in it, James 2:26.

CHAPTER 2

Jam 2:2. The genuineness of the article τήν before συναγωγήν (Rec. after A G K א, corr. Tisch.) is, since B C א, pr. omit it (Lachm.), at least doubtful.

Jam 2:3. Instead of the Rec. καὶ ἐπιβλέψητε, after A G א, several vss. Oecumenius, Bede (Lachm.), Tisch. has, after B C K, etc., adopted ἐπιβλέψητε δέ; which reading is the original cannot be determined.

The αὐτῷ of the Rec. (after G K) is already rightly omitted by Griesb.; A B C א, etc., do not have it; it was inserted for the completion of the expression (against Reiche). In the second clause of the verse the Rec., after C** G K א, reads στῆθι ἐκεῖ ἢ κάθου ὧδε; in A C* ὧδε is wanting (Lachm. Tisch.); B reads στῆθι ἢ κάθου ἐκεῖ. The latter reading is recommended by the sharper contrast of στῆθι to the preceding κάθου; but it is also possible that in this lies the reason of its origin; if ἐκεῖ belongs to στῆθι, ὧδε after κάθου could be easily inserted, partly from the preceding κάθου ὧδε καλῶς, partly to introduce the antithesis to ἐκεῖ; but, on the other hand, the original ὧδε might also be omitted as superfluous (on account of the following ὑπὸ τὸ ὑποπ.). Nothing can with certainty be decided.

For the addition of μου before τῶν ποδῶν, adopted by Lachm., only A and the Vulg. chiefly speak. Almost all other authorities are against it.

Jam 2:4. According to the Rec. this verse commences with καὶ οὐ διεκρίθητε (thus G K, etc., Tisch. 7); in A B** C א, many min. and vss. καί is wanting (Lachm. Tisch. 2); οὐ is also wanting in the original text of B: the omission of καί may indeed be more easily explained than its insertion, on account of which Reiche and Bouman consider it as genuine; but the most important authorities are against it; the reading in B is to be considered as a correction (Buttmann).

Jam 2:5. τοῦ κόσμου (τούτου) is a reading evidently explanatory (against Reiche, Bouman), instead of τῷ κόσμῳ, whose genuineness is, moreover, attested by A* B C* א; the same also with the reading ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ.

Jam 2:10. Instead of the reading τηρήσει … πταίσει, attested almost only by G K, the conjunctives τηρήσῃ … πταίσῃ are to be read, with Lachm. and Tisch. (against Reiche and Bouman). Jam 2:11. The Rec. εἰ δὲ οὐ μοιχεύσεις, φονεύσεις δέ, found only in K, several min. Theoph., Tisch. and Lachm. read the present μοιχεύεις, φονεύεις; thus A C א; according to Tisch. also B, but according to Buttm. B has μοιχεύεις, φονεύεις. Reiche and Bouman retain the Rec. as the original reading.

Jam 2:13. The Rec. ἀνίλεως (after G, etc.) is, after A B K א, very many min. Oecumenius, to be changed with the certainly entirely unusual form ἀνέλεος (Lachm. Buttm. Tisch.); in the mode of writing this word there is, however, great variation, the forms ἀνήλεος, ἀνίλεος, ἀνείλεος, ἀνήλεως, ἀνήλιος occurring in different MSS. It is surprising that no MS. has the classical form ἀνηλεής or ἀνελεής.

According to the Rec. κατακαυχᾶται is connected with the preceding by καί, which, however, is found only in min.; A, some min. etc., have instead of it, after κατακ. the particle δέ (Lachm. ed. min.), which, however, appears only to have been inserted to avoid the asyndeton. There are many variations of κατακαυχᾶται; A has κατακαυχάσθω; C**: κατακαύχασθε, readings which owe their origin to the difficulty of the thought.

Instead of ἔλεος (after κατακαυχᾶται), Rec., after A B (ed. Mai) א, etc. (Lachm. Tisch. Buttm.), C G K and B (apud Bentley), and many min. have the form ἔλεον, a nominative form which occurs indeed in the classics, but not in the N. T.

Jam 2:14. Instead of the Rec. τί τὸ ὄφελος, attested by A C** G K א, almost all min. Theoph. Oecumenius, Lachm. has adopted τί ὄφελος, after B C. On the distinction, see exposition.

Whether after the Rec. we are to read, with Tisch., λέγῃ τις, or, with Lachm., τις λέγῃ, cannot with certainty be decided; B G K א attest the former, A C the latter reading; yet the latter appears to be a correction.

Jam 2:15. After ἐάν the particle δέ is omitted in B א; since its later insertion is not easy to be explained, the Rec. is to be retained as the correct reading. After λειπόμενοι Lachm. (after A G, etc.) reads ὦσιν, which, however, is a later addition.

Jam 2:16. Also here Lachm., after B C**, has omitted the article τό before ὀφελος.

Jam 2:17. Instead of the Rec. ἔργα ἔχῃ, ἔχῃ ἔργα is to be read, with Griesb. Lachm. Tisch. etc., after almost all authorities.

Jam 2:18. The Rec. ἐκ τῶν ἔργων is attested by too few authorities (G K, some min.) to be considered as genuine; Griesb. has consequently correctly adopted χωρὶς τῶν ἔργ., attested by A B C א, etc. Almost all recent critics and interpreters, also Bouman, retain χωρὶς as the original reading; Reiche and Philippi certainly judge otherwise. With the reading ἐκ falls also the pronoun σου after ἔργων, which Lachm. and Tisch. have correctly omitted; it is wanting in A B א, several min. vss. etc., whilst C G K, etc., have it.

Also after τὴν πίστιν Tisch., after B C א, etc., has rightly omitted the pronoun μου (A G K, Lachm.); it appears to be added in order to bring more prominently forward the contrast to the first τὴν πίστιν σου.

Jam 2:19. The Rec. is ὁ Θεὸς εἷς ἐστι; so G. In the most important MSS., however, εἷς stands first; so in A B C א in favour of this reading is also the line of thought; yet the difference is found that ἐστιν in A א precedes (Lachm.), and in B C follows ὁ Θεός (Tisch.); which reading is the original cannot be decided, yet the former appears to be a correction. B omits ὁ before Θεός.

Jam 2:20. Instead of the Rec. νεκρά, after A C** G K א, several min. vss. Theoph. Oecumenius, Lachm. and Tisch. have adopted ἀργή, after B C* etc., which is preferred by Wiesinger, Brückner, Lange; whereas Reiche and Bouman prefer the Rec. It is possible that, in order to avoid the frequent repetition of νεκρά (see Jam 2:17; Jam 2:26), the word ἀργή = ἀεργη, as corresponding to χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων, was substituted; but it is also possible that the reference to that verse occasioned the displacement of ἀργή; it is difficult to arrive at a sure decision.

Jam 2:24. The particle τοίνυν after ὁρᾶτε is already correctly omitted by Griesbach, being wanting in A B C א, etc.

Jam 2:25. Instead of ἀγγέλους, C G, etc., have κατασκόπους, which, however, is evidently borrowed from Hebrews 11:31.

Jas 2:1-26.

THE SIN OF RESPECT OF PERSONS: DEAD, UNWORKING FAITH SAVES NO MAN.

James illustrates "the perfect law of liberty"

(Jas 1:25)

in one particular instance of a sin against it, concluding with a reference again to that law

(Jas 2:12, 13).

1. brethren--The equality of all Christians as "brethren," forms the groundwork of the admonition.

the faith of . . . Christ--that is, the Christian faith. James grounds Christian practice on Christian faith.

the Lord of glory--So

1Co 2:8.

As all believers, alike rich and poor, derive all their glory from their union with Him, "the Lord of glory," not from external advantages of worldly fortune, the sin in question is peculiarly inconsistent with His "faith." BENGEL, making no ellipsis of "the Lord," explains "glory" as in apposition with Christ who is THE GLORY

(Lu 2:32);

the true Shekinah glory of the temple

(Ro 9:4).

English Version is simpler. The glory of Christ resting on the poor believer should make him be regarded as highly by "brethren" as his richer brother; nay, more so, if the poor believer has more of Christ's spirit than the rich brother.

with respect of persons--literally, "in respectings of persons"; "in" the practice of partial preferences of persons in various ways and on various occasions.

My brethren - Perhaps meaning brethren in two respects - as Jews, and as Christians. In both respects the form of address would be proper.

Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ - Faith is the distinguishing thing in the Christian religion, for it is this by which man is justified, and hence, it comes to be put for religion itself. Notes, 1 Timothy 3:9. The meaning here is, "do not hold such views of the religion of Christ, as to lead you to manifest partiality to others on account of their difference of rank or outward circumstances."

The Lord of glory - The glorious Lord; he who is glorious himself, and who is encompassed with glory. See the notes at 1 Corinthians 2:8. The design here seems to be to show that the religion of such a Lord should be in no way dishonored.

With respect of persons - That is, you are not to show respect of persons, or to evince partiality to others on account of their rank, wealth, apparel, etc. Compare Proverbs 24:23; Proverbs 28:21; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 1:17; Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Psalm 40:4. See the subject explained in the Acts 10:34 note; Romans 2:11 note.