Page 15 - General Epistles (James through Jude) Textbook

wearing filthy old clothes by telling them to stand there or sit on the floor by their (Jewish Christians’)
feet. By doing so, James rebuked them for having discriminated and become judges with “evil thoughts.”
James is not encouraging his audience to lose respect to their leaders among them. James is not
teaching that the leaders among them should not be allowed to seat on nice chairs. Contextually, he is
revealing the problem of the exercise of partiality (caused by evil motives) based on outward
appearance which goes counter against God’s own character who “sees not as man sees, for man looks
at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7 [NASB]; cf. Luke 16:15). James
is discouraged by those Jewish Christians because they did not live up to their Gospel calling which calls
for the exercise of love regardless of who we are or how we look outwardly.

Wickedness of Favoritism (Jas. 5:5-7).
Why was this bad (Jas. 2:5-7)? First, those poor men who were being neglected are the very ones God
chose in order for them to be rich in the faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised to those who love
him. Beginning with the Old Testament, not only has God shown to us that He is concerned with the
rich, but also the poor. The author of Exodus notes that God commanded the farmers to not plant their
fields nor vineyard, thus, allow the poor among them and animals to eat whatever remained (Exod.
32:11; cf. Ps. 12:5; Luke 6:20; 1 Cor. 1:26-28). The writer of 1 Samuel says that God “lifts the weak from
the dust; he raises the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes and to bestow on them an
honored position” (1 Sam. 2:8 [NET]).

James is not teaching that God’s election is for only the poor (see Jas. 1:10-11) but rather stresses the
“New Testament theme” where we find that God “delights especially to shower his grace on those
whom the world has discarded and on those who are most keenly aware of their own inadequacy.
James calls. . . the church to embody a similar ethic of special concern for the poor
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and the helpless.” The Kingdom of God is for both the poor and the rich which
should be achieved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:8-9). James reminds
them that those who were being honored were the same people who were
exploiting them, that is, taking “advantage of” them “financially” and suing them in
courts in order to take all they have. These same people were blaspheming the
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noble name to whom those Jewish Christians belong. Blaspheming here “connotes a
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violation—usually in speech—of God’s own person (cf. Matt. 9:3; 26:65).”

Somehow today (and evidentially in Africa [if not in the whole world]), the church has exercised (and is
exercising) favoritism indirectly. Some churches have separated the offering baskets. Some offering (or
tithing) baskets (or plates) are for those people with high notes of any given currency (e.g., Kr100, $100
etc.). Those people are considered to be rich. While others are for those people with lower notes of any
given currency (e.g., Kr1, cents etc.). These are considered to be poor. Also, the title and manner of
respect rendered to those who are rich and poor are distinct. Some wealthy Christians have embraced
this culture while others still fight against it. Some churches continue to enjoy practicing indirect
favoritism while others do not. James’ caution and admonition are for the former and those Christians
who embrace discrimination.

Secondly, the exercise of favoritism was bad because it did not portray obedience to the royal law found
in the Scripture (Jas. 2:8-11). It is referred to as the royal law because “it is decreed by the King of kings,
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is fit for a king, and is considered the king of laws.” This loyal law is love your neighbor as yourself
quoted from Leviticus 19:18 and was affirmed by Jesus Christ in Matthew 22:39-40 as the second
greatest commandment (cf. Matt. 7:12). So, it seems clear that the actions by James’ audience toward
the poor demonstrated their lack of love. Hence, they were sinning and therefore convicted as law

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