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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

James 2:6-7

JAMES—NOTE ON James 2:6 Oppress you reflects terrible social injustices in the first century. Merchants and landowners were taking land and possessions from the poor (see James 5:1). drag you into court. As frequently criticized in the OT, the wealthy often used the court system to steal from the poor (Amos 4:1; Habakkuk 1:4; Malachi 3:5). This situation was the primary reason for the revolts in Galilee that led to the war against Rome in A.D. 66–70.

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See also James 2:6-7 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 6. _DO NOT RICH MEN OPPRESS YOU_] The administration of justice was at this time in a miserable state of corruption among the Jews; but a _Christian_ was one who was to expect no justice any wh...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BUT YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR - Koppe reads this as an interrogation: “Do ye despise the poor?” Perhaps it might be understood somewhat ironically: “You despise the poor, do you, and are disposed to h...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    II. THE ROYAL LAW: FAITH AND WORKS CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The faith of Christ with respect to persons (James 2:1)_ 2. The royal law (James 2:6) 3. Faith must be manifested by works (James 2:14)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    This paragraph on Servility suits exhortation of Jews incomparably better than that of Christians, among whom not many rich were found for generations. The scene of James 2:2 is the synagogue, best ta...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    RESPECT OF PERSONS (James 2:1) _ 2:1 My brothers, you cannot really believe that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, and yet continue to have respect of persons._ Respect of persons is...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Listen, my dear brothers. Did God not choose those who are poor by the world's valuation to be rich because of their faith and to be heirs of the Kingdom which he has promised to those who love him? B...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HAVE. Omit. DESPISED. shamed. Greek. _atimazo._ See Acts 5:41. POOR. Singular, as James 2:2. OPPRESS. See Acts 10:38. DRAW. themselves drag. Greek. _h_ elko. See...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _But ye have despised the poor_ Better, YE HAVE DISHONOURED, or DONE DISHONOUR TO, the word implying the outward act that expressed contempt. The Greek tense may point to the special instance just giv...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἨΤΙΜΆΣΑΤΕ. The aorist points to the particular instance cited by the Apostle. You dishonoured the poor man—deprived him of his due τιμή or rank and dignity in the kingdom of heaven. The more technical...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    5–14. THE ROYAL LAW OF LOVE IS INFRINGED BY THE UNJUST AND SCORNFUL TREATMENT OF THE POOR DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING SECTION, AND THUS THE WHOLE LAW IS BROKEN...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _GOD HATES DISCRIMINATION -- JAMES 2:1-7:_ The Christian religion will not allow a person to practice discrimination. Discrimination is an example of inconsistency between faith and action. In the thi...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΉΤΙΜΆΣΑΤΕ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΆΤΙΜΆΖΩ (G818) обращаться бесчестно, позорить, ΤΌΝ ΠΤΩΧΌΝ (G4434) бедный. Артикль может указывать на конкретного человека, или используется с _adj._, чтобы подчеркнуть к...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    WHY OVER-RATING RICHES IS SIN _Text 2:5-9_ James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promi...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER IV _OVER-RATED RICHES_ James 2:1-13 _Introduction_ The ability to accumulate riches, in the minds of many people, seems to qualify any man for any position. Even though the acquisition of r...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? The world's judgment of the poor contrasted with God's. YE - from whom better things might have b...

  • Commentary on the Minor Epistles by Caton

    VERSE 6 BUT YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR. Since you have been guilty of despising the poor, let MG inquire why you show such high regard for the rich as such, because, in considering the answer to this...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    26 The outward form of divine service, the rites and ceremonies of the sacerdotal system of Moses, was but the exterior shell of truth. It was the letter: truth was the spirit. The ritual was full of...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WARNINGS AGAINST RESPECT OF PERSONS. BELIEF AND PRACTICE 1. Another instance of inconsistency. JESUS CHRIST _the Lord_ OF GLORY] better, 'Jesus Christ the glory,' or 'the glorious one,' One of the ra...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Josephus ('Ant.' 28.8) speaks of the cruelty of the rich Sadducees to the poor in Jerusalem: cp. also Isaiah 3:15; Amos 4:1, and many other passages from the prophets of the OT. denouncing the cruelt...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    WHAT *FAITH SHOULD DO JAMES _IAN MACKERVOY_ The word list at the end explains words with a *star by them. CHAPTER 2 RESPECT OF PERSONS 2:1-7 V1 My Christian brothers and sisters, you trust th...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BUT YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR. — Better, _ye dishonoured the poor man_ — _i.e._, when, as already mentioned (James 2:2), you exalted the rich unto the “good place” of your synagogue. Thus whom God had...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 11 THE INIQUITY OF RESPECTING THE RICH AND DESPISING THE POOR-THE SOLIDARITY OF THE DIVINE LAW. James 2:5 ST. JAMES is varied in his style. Sometimes he writes short, maxim-like sentences, w...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἠτιμάσατε : _Cf._, though in an entirely different connection, Sir 10:23, οὐ δίκαιον ἀτιμάσαι πτωχὸν συνετόν (δίκαιον is absent in the Hebrew); the R.V. “dishonoured” accurately represents the Greek,...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    James 2:1-13 take up again the subject of the rich and poor which was commenced in James 1:9-11....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    AVOID SERVILITY TO THE RICH James 2:1 This sin of making distinctions in God's house is as rife today as ever; and wherever it is practiced the divine Spirit departs. God's love is impartial, so far...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Proceeding, James dealt with the effect of faith on conduct. It makes it impossible to show any respect of persons on the ground of the possession of worldly wealth. To show such respect shows that th...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    THE POOR ARE OFTEN RICH IN FAITH The simple truth is that the poor in this world are much more likely to have that rich faith which moves them to obey the gospel call (James 2:5). They do not have so...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    But ye have despised the poor. (3) Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? (3) Secondly, he proves them to be fools: since the rich men are rather to be held detestable a...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. (2) For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    To the reader who enters on the consideration of the epistle of James from the epistles of Paul, the change is great and sudden, and by no means least of all from the epistle to the Hebrews, which, in...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    6_Do not the rich_. He seems to instigate them to vengeance by bringing forward the unjust rule of the rich, in order that they who were unjustly treated, might render like for like: and yet we are ev...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The apostle now enters on the subject of those who professed to believe that Jesus was Christ the Lord. Before, in Chapter 1, he had spoken of the new nature in connection with God: here the professio...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR,.... Or dishonoured, and reproached them, by showing respect of persons, in preferring the rich to them, and in distinguishing them in such a manner as was to their conte...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Ver. 6. _Ye have despised the poor_] _Pauper ubique iacet._ Zephaniah 3:12, afflicted and poor are...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Hearken_ As if he had said, Stay, consider, ye that judge thus. Does not the presumption lie rather in favour of the poor man? _Hath not God chosen the poor_ That is, are not they whom God hath chose...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    DO NOT RICH MEN OPPRESS YOU; unbelieving rich men: as much as to say, Why show such partiality to the rich? Are not they your chief persecutors?...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR. DO NOT RICH MEN OPPRESS YOU, AND DRAW YOU BEFORE THE JUDGMENT-SEATS?...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    DEAD FAITH COMPARED WITH LIVING FAITH. Caution against partiality:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The first 13 verses of this chapter form a second division of the book, dealing with the faith of Christ as being above all personal considerations, perfectly true and impartial. To mix the faith of C...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    How do we dishonor some people? What does the term “disrespect” mean as we describe how others treat us? How do rich people oppress us? Why does James say that the rich drag us into courts? Is the le...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "But you have dishonored the poor man. It is not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?"But you have" -The situation described in the previous verses wasn't hypothetical, these C...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-13 Those who profess faith in Christ as the Lord of glory, must not respect persons on account of mere outward circumstances and appearances, in a manner not agreeing with their profession of being...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BUT YE HAVE DESPISED THE POOR; God's poor, viz. by your respecting persons. DO NOT RICH MEN? Either those that were unbelieving Jews or heathen; or such as made a profession of Christianity, but were...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    James 2:6 But G1161 you G5210 dishonored G818 (G5656) man G4434 not G3756 rich G4145 oppress G2616 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?' James then makes a further point. He is not necessarily saying that this is true of that particular rich man. But his p...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Listen, my beloved brothers, did not God choose those who are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingly Rule which he promised to those who love him? But you have dishonoured...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CHAPTER 2. FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. The Fact That Faith Without Relevant Action Is Dead Is Illustrated (James 2:1). It Will Be Brought Into Judgment (James 2:8,) And The Case Is Argued Scriptural...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    James 2:6. BUT YE, in contrast to God's estimate of the poor. God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, whereas ye, on the contrary, HAVE DESPISED THE POOR: not so much the poor gener...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    James 2:1-13. In this passage, St. James proceeds to caution his readers against showing respect of persons, especially in their religious assemblies; for by doing so they would violate their Christia...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    BUT YE HAVE DISHONOURED THE POOR MAN (υμεις δε ητιμασατε τον πτωχον). First aorist active indicative of ατιμαζω, old verb from ατιμος, dishonoured (Matthew 13:57). In the act of partiality pictured...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The tests of brotherly love and good words. Justification before men by our works. CHARACTERS: Christ, James, Abraham, Isaac, Rahab. CONCLUSION: Those who are possessors of Christ's salvat...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    James 2:1. _Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons._ See James 1:1. The whole of this chapter turns on charity, which is the excellence of pure religio...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    BUT YOU DISHONOR THE POOR! "Contrary to the example set for you by God himself, you create distinctions and allow evil motives to influence you." WHO ARE THE ONES? The Bible usually speaks of the rich...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    SINS OF PARTIALITY, ETC. _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ James 2:1. HAVE NOT.—Better, “hold not.” _Webster_ translates, “Without showing degrees of deference, maintain ye your faith.” THE LORD OF GLO...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JAMES 2:1 WARNING AGAINST RESPECT OF PERSONS. JAMES 2:1 The translation is doubtful, two renderings being possible. (1) That of the A.V. and R.

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now my brothers, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons (James 2:1). This is so difficult. It is so easy for us to fall in the trap of respecting pers...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 11:22; 1 Kings 21:11; Acts 13:50; Acts 16:19; Acts

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Despised [η τ ι μ α σ α τ ε]. Not strong enough. They had manifested their contempt; had done despite to them. Rev., correctly, dishonored. From the use of the aorist tense, ye dishonored, which the A...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Do not the rich often oppress you — By open violence; often drag you — Under colour of law....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Our apostle here charges them downright with that sin which he had been before condemning, namely, an undue respect of persons, despising the poor whom God himself had chosen and honoured: BUT YE HAVE...

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