CHAPTER 2

(A.D. 60)

BROTHERLY LOVE

¹My Brethren, have not the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory (should have been translated, My Brethren, you have not the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ; in other words, the ones James was writing to were not conducting themselves as the Lord), with respect of persons. (If the Lord doesnt show respect of persons, then we should not as well!)

²For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel (addresses the rich), and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment (refers to the obvious);

³And you have respect to him who wears the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit you here in a good place (show him partiality); and say to the poor, you stand there, or sit here under my footstool (proclaims a terrible attitude and spirit):

⁴Are you not then partial in yourselves (answers itself), and are become judges of evil thoughts? (To show respect of persons is looked at by God as evil.)

⁵Hearken, my beloved Brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which He has promised to them who love Him? (This demands a positive answer. Not many mighty, not many noble, answer the Call [I Cor. 1:26-29].)

⁶But you have despised the poor. (This refers to the fact that some Christians had despised those whom God had chosen.) Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? (This proclaims a worldwide problem that has existed from the beginning of time, and continues unto this present hour.)

⁷Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which you are called? (Those who place their Faith and trust in money will ultimately blaspheme the Name of the Lord.)

⁸If you fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture (Lev. 19:18; Mat. 22:39), You shall love your neighbour as yourself, you do well (show favor to everyone, whether rich or poor):

⁹But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin (there are many things of this nature which God constitutes as sin, but to which many Believers pay little heed), and are convinced of the Law as transgressors. (Refers to the Law of Moses, which was the only acceptable moral Law in the world of that day. To be sure, its moral precepts continue to be binding on the entirety of the human race, but Jesus fulfilled them in totality.)

FAITH AND WORKS

¹⁰For whosoever shall keep the whole Law (Law of Moses), and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (This proclaims in no uncertain terms the impossibility of the Believer finding Victory through the Law, whether the Law of Moses, or any type of Law. It simply cannot be done!)

¹¹For he who said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you are become a transgressor of the Law. (The breaking of even one Commandment puts the person in the position of a transgressor.)

¹²So speak ye, and so do (what we say, we ought to do), as they who shall be judged by the Law of Liberty. (This pertains to the coming Judgment Seat of Christ.)

¹³For he shall have judgment without Mercy, who has shown no Mercy (if we withhold Mercy here, or whatever that is right, we will face the same at the Judgment Seat of Christ); and Mercy rejoices against Judgment. (This presents the fact that one who shows Mercy in this life will have nothing to fear at the Judgment Seat of Christ.)

¹⁴What does it profit, my Brethren, though a man say he has Faith, and have not works? (This presents the fact that proper Faith will always produce proper works.) can Faith save him? (This should have been translated, is that Faith able to save him? The truth is God will not recognize that type of Faith.)

¹⁵If a Brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

¹⁶And one of you say unto them, Depart in Peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit? (This refers to claimed Faith which blesses no one, simply because its not true Faith. True Faith will help the person.)

¹⁷Even so Faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone. (As stated, proper Faith will produce proper works. If not, the Holy Spirit says here that it is dead faith.)

¹⁸Yes, a man may say, You have Faith, and I have works (proclaims the efforts by some to divide the two): show me your Faith without your works, and I will show you my Faith by my works. (This proclaims the fact that the profession of a lifeless Faith is profitless.)

¹⁹You believe that there is one God (presents the type of Faith held by hundreds of millions, but in which there is no saving grace); you do well (you think you do well!): the devils also believe, and tremble. (Simply believing there is a God says no more than what demons believe. Proper Faith will accept the Lord as ones Saviour.)

²⁰But will you know, O vain man, that Faith without works is dead? (In effect, James bluntly says anyone who trusts in an empty Faith has, in effect, an empty head.)

²¹Was not Abraham our father Justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the Altar? (Any Faith that doesnt have the Cross as its proper Object is dead Faith. The Holy Spirit had James choose this example of Abraham offering Isaac to portray one of the most vivid illustrations of the Sacrifice of Christ.)

²²Seest thou how Faith wrought with his works, and by works was Faith made perfect? (James is making it clear that he is not talking about works as the sole source of Abrahams Justification as Verse 21, if taken out of context, might lead one to believe. Abrahams Faith and his actions were working together.)

²³And the Scripture was fulfilled which said (Gen. 15:6), Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness (proclaims the fact that Abrahams Faith was genuine): and he was called the Friend of God (Isa. 41:8).

²⁴You see then how that by works a man is Justified (could be better understood by saying, You see then, how that by works a mans Justification is proven), and not by Faith only. (This must be understood in the context of the entire Passage. The Apostle is merely saying that no one can claim Justification on the basis of Faith alone, which produces no qualifying works. Such an individual is deceiving himself.)

²⁵Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot Justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? (This presents one of the most beautiful stories of Faith found in the annals of human history. This was proper Faith, which produced proper works.)

²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so Faith without works is dead also. (In closing our comments on this Chapter, I must remind you with Paul that works without dynamic living Faith in the Lord Jesus cannot produce Salvation or Victory. On the other hand, I must also remind you with James that Faith in the form of declaring a dogma or confessing a creed, which fails to produce life and labor according to the Word of God, will likewise condemn you.)