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James 2:3
And 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:

Psalm 14:6
Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORDis his refuge.

Proverbs 14:31
He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

Do.

James 5:4
Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

Job 20:19
Because he hath oppressedand hath forsaken the poor;because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not;

Psalm 10:2,8,10,14
The wicked inhis pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined…

and.

James 5:6
Ye have condemnedand killed the just;and he doth not resist you.

1 Kings 21:11-13
And the men of his city,even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them,and as itwas written in the letters which she had sent unto them…

Acts 4:1-3,26-28
And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, …

Is it not the rich who oppress you
In the historical context of James' audience, the rich often held significant power and influence, which they sometimes used to exploit others. This oppression could include economic exploitation, social injustice, and legal manipulation. The Old Testament frequently condemns the oppression of the poor by the wealthy (Isaiah 3:14-15,Amos 4:1). The New Testament continues this theme, warning against the dangers of wealth and the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10). This phrase challenges believers to recognize the potential for injustice inherent in wealth and power.

and drag you into court?
Legal disputes were common in the ancient world, and the wealthy often had the means to manipulate the legal system to their advantage. This phrase suggests that the rich were using their influence to exploit the legal system against the less fortunate. The courts in the Roman world were often biased in favor of the wealthy, reflecting a broader societal injustice. This echoes Jesus' teachings on the dangers of favoritism and the need for justice (Luke 18:1-8). The call here is for believers to seek justice and fairness, aligning with the biblical call to defend the rights of the poor and needy (Proverbs 31:8-9).

- James has just reminded his readers that God “has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom” (James 2:5). Treating these believers as second-class citizens reverses God’s evaluation.

- Scripture consistently warns against slighting the needy: “Whoever oppresses the poor insults his Maker” (Proverbs 14:31); “You shall not show favoritism to the rich” (Leviticus 19:15).

- Jesus identifies with society’s outcasts (Luke 4:18;Matthew 25:40). To downgrade them is, in effect, to downgrade Christ.

- Practical ways to honor the poor:

• Offer the same warm welcome and prime seating you would give a dignitary (James 2:3;Romans 12:16).

• Share resources without hesitation (Acts 4:34-35).

• Value their insights in church life (1 Corinthians 12:22-23).

- James exposes the irony of currying favor with those who cause the congregation difficulty. Wealth often emboldens injustice (Psalm 73:6-8).

- Later James warns these oppressors: “Come now, you rich, weep and wail” (James 5:1-6).

- First-century believers regularly suffered at the hands of influential citizens (Acts 13:50). Showing partiality to such people denies trust in God’s ultimate justice (Psalm 37:7-9).

- Remember Jesus’ caution: riches can stifle spiritual life (Mark 4:19) and make kingdom entrance hard (Mark 10:25).

- Wealth grants leverage in legal arenas. Early Christians were hauled before magistrates by affluent antagonists (Acts 16:19-20;Acts 18:12-13).

- Jesus warned, “They will hand you over to councils” (Matthew 10:17-18). Paul endured this repeatedly (Acts 24:1-9).

- Giving deference to those who can litigate against us reveals fear of man (Proverbs 29:25) rather than confidence in the Lord (Psalm 146:5-9).

- Faithful responses:

• Refuse to seek status-based protection; God defends His people (Psalm 54:4).

• Maintain Christlike composure when sued (Matthew 5:40) while standing for truth (Acts 4:19-20).

• Handle internal disputes within the body to safeguard testimony (1 Corinthians 6:1-7).

James 2:6 rebukes believers for favoring the wealthy and sidelining the poor, thereby flipping God’s values upside down. Honoring those the world disdains and resisting the pull of status proves our faith is in the righteous Judge, not in human influence, wealth, or courts.

Do not rich men oppress you?--Or,lord it over you as a class; not assuredly that this can be said of each wealthy individual. It is the rich man, of the earth earthy, trusting in his riches (comp.Matthew 10:24), who makes them a power for evil and not for good. Here is presented the other side of the argument, used on behalf of the poor, viz., observe first how God regards them (James 2:5), and next, judge their adversaries by their own behaviour.

Draw you before the judgment seats?--Better,Do they not drag you into courts of justice?"Hale" you, as the old English word has it.Summum jus summa injuria--extreme of right is extreme of wrong--a legal maxim oft exemplified. The purse-proud litigious man is the hardest to deal with, and the one who specially will grind the faces of the poor. No body of laws could on the whole be more equitable than the Roman, but their administration in the provinces was frequently in venal hands; and besides, the large fees demanded by thejuris-consulti--"the learned in the law"--quite barred the way of the poorer suitors, such as, for the most part, were the Christians to whom this Letter was written.

(1) oppress you and

(2) blaspheme God and Christ.Poor... rich. In the Old Testament we occasionally find the term "poor" parallel to "righteous" (Amos 2:6;Amos 5:12); and "rich" to "wicked" (Isaiah 53:9). St. James's use here is somewhat similar (see on James 1:9, etc.). "Christiani multi ex pauperibus erant: pauci ex divitibus" (Bengel). The "rich men" here alluded to are evidently such as was the Apostle Paul before his conversion.

(1) They dragged the poor Christians before the judgment-seat (ἕλκουσινὑμᾶς εἰς κριτήρια). So Saul, "haling (σύρων) men and women, committed them to prison" (Acts 8:3). . . .

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