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 rare passages in which St. James breaks through his habitual reserve in speaking of the Master, and sh... [ Continue Reading ]
In the Jewish-Christian Church the place for worship is still the synagogue (Hebrews 10:25). At first strangers would be admitted (1 Corinthians 14:16).... [ Continue Reading ]
PARTIAL] better, 'divided' between Christian duty and worldly interests. JUDGES OF EVIL THOUGHTS] better, 'evil-thinking judges.' By showing undue preference to the rich man you judge, and judge wrongly, as to the relative merits of the rich and the poor man (see James 4:11). God, the Just Judge, g... [ Continue Reading ]
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 cruelty and oppression of the rich.... [ Continue Reading ]
WORTHY NAME] RV 'honourable name.' For baptism into the name of Christ see Acts 2:38. For the expression cp. Acts 5:41; (RV) Philippians 2:9. BY THE WHICH YE ARE CALLED] better, 'which was called over you,' i.e. probably at baptism.... [ Continue Reading ]
ROYAL LAW] see Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 5:43.... [ Continue Reading ]
It might be said that, even if a man transgressed the Law of Christ in the matter of respect of persons, he was only breaking a small part of that Law. Not so. The Law, like the Lawgiver, is one. To break any commandment is to violate the whole Law of love, the unity of which is marred by any disobe... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAW OF LIBERTY] better, 'a law of liberty.' There can be no true liberty without obedience. A Law of liberty is one which a man obeys freely, not because he must, but because it is a Law of love, which is gladly obeyed. To serve the Master, Christ, is 'perfect freedom.' To St. James even the OT.... [ Continue Reading ]
The meaning of the last phrase probably is, The unmerciful and unloving man is condemned without pity (Matthew 18:21), but the merciful man is triumphantly acquitted. The man who loves is 'justified' by God.... [ Continue Reading ]
A third instance of inconsistency—great profession of belief without practice. In order to understand this passage we must bear in mind that St. James is here using the word 'faith' in a sense opposite to that of James 1:3; James 1:6, and different also from that in which St. Paul uses it. To St. Pa... [ Continue Reading ]
If you have 'faith' without active piety to be its evidence, it is impossible for any one to be sure that you have faith at all.... [ Continue Reading ]
TREMBLE] better, 'shudder.' Even the evil spirits have a kind of 'faith'; and their faith bears fruit of a sort. It causes them profound fear: Mark 1:24; Luke 8:28. No doubt St. James has in his mind these incidents recorded in the Gospels. 20-25. The appeal to Scripture. Abraham's readiness to sacr... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHOUT] better, 'apart from.'... [ Continue Reading ]