By Rony Kozman, Ph. D.
Assistant professor of Biblical Studies, Samford University
FAITH ON DISPLAY IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
James 2:1–13
Don’t play favorites based on outward appearances. (1–4)
In James’ moral economy, the rich will eventually fade away, and the poor will one day be exalted and vindicated (1:9–11).
Later, James will give a prophetic warning against the rich who oppress the poor by holding back their wages (5:1–6).
Given the way James condemns the rich and portends their future humiliation, he is shocked that as the poor followers of Jesus assemble, they favor the very people who oppress them — the rich (2:6).
James reminds the believers such favoritism is inconsistent with their faith in Christ.
What kind of favoritism is this?
The setting in view may be a judicial scenario, one in which members of James’ audience are judging cases with partiality and are perverting justice.
They see the fine clothing of the wealthy who come into their assembly, and they see the dirty clothes of the poor.
They do not seat them equally in the judicial assembly. Instead they seat them according to their wealth.
When they gather to judge specific cases, they favor the rich over the poor as they render judgments.
They are partial and corrupt judges.
Don’t play favorites by discounting those God desires to use. (5–7)
James counters their partiality to the rich by emphasizing God’s preference for the poor. Whereas they choose the rich, God has “chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the Kingdom.”
This is precisely what Jesus says in Luke’s Gospel: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (6:20).
And it is like Jesus’ statement that “it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:23).
James’ audience has dishonored those whom God has chosen — the poor — and instead has chosen those who scorn the name of Christ — the rich.
Don’t play favorites because we are called to love others. (8–13)
James warns them that when they judge with partiality against the poor, they are breaking the law that requires them to love their neighbor (Lev. 19:18). When they judge cases with partiality, they break the law, and they themselves will be judged by the law. If they judge without mercy (i.e., with bias against the poor), they also will be judged without mercy.
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