The Letters · New Testament

James 2

James 2: the rich man's seat and faith without works

General context

Holding the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons is forbidden, and a case is put. Two men come into the assembly, one with a gold ring and goodly apparel, one poor in vile raiment; the well dressed man is given a good place and the poor man is told to stand or sit under a footstool. Those who do this are called partial, judges of evil thoughts. The argument follows: God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, yet the readers despise the poor, while the rich oppress them, drag them before judgment seats and blaspheme the name by which they are called. Loving the neighbour as oneself is called the royal law according to the scripture, and respect of persons is called sin that convicts them, since anyone who keeps the whole law and offends in one point is guilty of all, the same speaker having forbidden both adultery and killing. They are to speak and act as those to be judged by the law of liberty, and judgment is without mercy to the one who showed none. A second argument begins with a question about profit, comparing faith without works to telling a naked and hungry brother to depart in peace without giving anything. Such faith is called dead, and belief that there is one God is said to be shared by devils, who tremble. Abraham is cited as justified by works when he offered Isaac, and the scripture about believing God is said to have been fulfilled then. Rahab the harlot is cited for receiving the messengers and sending them out another way. The chapter ends by comparing such faith to a body without the spirit.

Cited passages: James 2:1, James 2:2, James 2:3, James 2:4, James 2:5, James 2:6, James 2:7, James 2:8, James 2:10, James 2:11, James 2:12, James 2:13, James 2:14, James 2:16, James 2:17, James 2:19, James 2:21, James 2:23, James 2:25, James 2:26

James 2 (KJV)

¹My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

²For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

³And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

⁴Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

⁵Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

⁶But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

⁷Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

⁸If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

⁹But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

¹⁰For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

¹¹For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

¹²So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

¹³For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

¹⁴What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

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 ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

¹⁷Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

¹⁸Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

¹⁹Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

²⁰But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

²¹Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

²²Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

²³And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

²⁴Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

²⁵Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

²⁶For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

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Historical context

The chapter gives the clearest picture in the letter of the readers' situation. They have an assembly where seating is assigned, and both rich and poor come into it. The letter says rich men oppress them and take them to court, and that the poor are despised among them. It names no city, no court and no person. Three quotations appear. The command "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" is attributed to "the scripture" and called "the royal law"; the same words stand in Leviticus 19:18. The two commands at verse 11 are given as "Do not commit adultery" and "Do not kill", where Exodus 20:13 reads "Thou shalt not kill" and Exodus 20:14 reads "Thou shalt not commit adultery". The line about Abraham, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness", stands beside Genesis 15:6, "And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness". The further statement that Abraham "was called the Friend of God" is made by this letter without a source. Abraham is called "our father", and Rahab is named "the harlot" and credited with sending the messengers out another way.

Cited passages: James 2:2, James 2:6, James 2:8, Leviticus 19:18, James 2:11, Exodus 20:13, Exodus 20:14, James 2:23, Genesis 15:6, James 2:25

Literary context

The chapter argues twice, and both times it starts from a scene rather than a principle. The first scene is staged with direct speech: "Sit thou here in a good place" against "Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool". The second is a refusal dressed as a blessing, "Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled", followed immediately by what was withheld. Questions carry the argument, four of them in verses 4 to 7 and more after, each expecting the reader to answer against himself. The word dead repeats at verses 17, 20 and 26 and closes the chapter with the body and spirit comparison. The two examples chosen at the end sit oddly together on purpose, since one is "Abraham our father" and the other "Rahab the harlot", and the same verdict is given to both. The word works appears throughout without ever being defined, and the illustrations supply the definition instead: an offered son, hidden messengers, and clothes and food given to someone who needs them.

Cited passages: James 2:3, James 2:16, James 2:14, James 2:17, James 2:20, James 2:21, James 2:25, James 2:26

Key moments

Two visitors, two seats (James 2:3). A well dressed man is seated well and a poor man is put aside.
God chose the poor (James 2:5). The letter says God chose the poor to be rich in faith.
The royal law (James 2:8). Loving the neighbour is quoted as the standard being broken.
Guilty of all (James 2:10). Breaking one point of the law is said to make a transgressor.
Be ye warmed and filled (James 2:16). A blessing without food or clothing is shown to be worthless.
The devils believe (James 2:19). Bare belief in one God is said to be shared by devils.
Abraham and Rahab (James 2:25). Two very different figures are given the same verdict.

For reflection

The letter tests belief by what happens when a poor stranger walks in and when a hungry brother asks. What makes those two moments a harder test than a stated conviction?