02.02. Chapter 2 - Verse 07

James 2:7. Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called?

He proceedeth in reckoning up the abuses of riches. Who are the enemies of God and of religion, the scorners of the worthy name of Christians, but the rich? Do not they blaspheme.—Some interpret it of the carnal rich men that professed religion, as if, by the scandal of their practices, they had brought an odium and ill report upon Christianity itself. So that ‘they blaspheme,’ in their sense, is, ‘they cause to blaspheme.’ They think it is an Hebraism, kal for hiphil. The whole stream of interpreters run this way. They urge for it those parallel places: Romans 2:24, ‘Through you is the name of God blasphemed among the Gentiles;’ and 2 Peter 2:2, by them is ‘the way of truth evil spoken of;’ that is, by their means. And that in the 1st epistle to Timothy, 1 Timothy 6:1, Let servants be obedient, ‘that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed;’ and Titus 2:5, The wives should be discreet and chaste, ‘that the word of God be not blasphemed.’ Certainly religion is never more dishonoured than by the lives of carnal professors. But this is the great mistake of this context, to apply what is here spoken to rich Christians. The apostle only giveth an observation of the manners of the rich men of that age; they were usually such as were bitter enemies to Christianity; and thereupon inferreth that wealth was not a valuable consideration in the church to prefer men to places of rule and honour, or to further their cause whenever it came into debate. That worthy name, καλὸν, ‘honourable;’ as before, James 2:3.—καλὤς, ‘in a good place,’ is, in the original, honourably. By which ye are called.—In the original, τὸ ἐπικληθὲν ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς, ‘which is called upon you;’ and some interpret that thus, ‘which you call upon.’ It is made a description of Christians: 1 Corinthians 1:2, ‘All that call upon the name of Christ;’ and 2 Timothy 2:19, ‘Let him that nameth the name of Christ.’ Or else thus: Which is called upon over you; that is, in baptism, Matthew 28:19, and Acts 2:38. Or rather, as we translate, ‘by which ye are called;’ for that is the proper import of that phrase, ‘called upon you.’ It is applied to wives that are called after the name of the husband: Isaiah 4:1, ‘Let thy name be called upon us;’ or to children, as Genesis 48:16, ‘Let my name be called on them, and the name of my fathers,’ &c.; and so it implieth the name of Christ, which is put upon his people, who sustain these relations to him of spouse and children. The notes are these:—

Obs. 1. That wicked rich men, ahove all others, are most prone to blasphemy. They ‘set their hearts as the heart of God,’ Ezekiel 28:5-6. Riches beget pride, and pride endeth in atheism. Besides, they, enjoying a most liberal use of the creature, are apt to talk unseemly. When their hearts are warmed and inflamed with wine and mirth, they cannot contain, but must needs disgorge their malice upon the ways and servants of Christ. The merry and full-fed Babylonians must have a Hebrew song, Psalms 137:1-9. And it is no feast with many unless John the Baptist’s head be brought in a charger. Religion, or religious persons, must be served in to feed their mirth and sportiveness.

Obs. 2. They that love Christ will hate blasphemers. When he would work them into a disesteem of these ungodly wretches, he saith, ‘Do they not blaspheme that worthy name?’ Moses burned with a holy zeal when he heard that one had blasphemed God, Leviticus 24:13-14. And David saith, Psalms 139:20-22, ‘They speak against thee wickedly; thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them that hate thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.’ Love is tender of the least wrong done to the thing beloved. More especially will it sparkle and burn with a fiery zeal when such high contempt is cast upon it as blasphemy putteth upon Christ. Those Gallios of our time, that can so tamely, and without any in dignation, hear the worthy name of Christ profaned with execrable blasphemies, show how little love they have to him. David counted them his enemies that spoke wickedly against his God; but such are their darlings.

Obs. 3. That Christ’s name is a worthy name. Christianity will never be a disgrace to you; you may be a disgrace to Christianity. ‘I am not ashamed,’ saith the apostle Paul, ‘of the gospel of Christ,’ Romans 1:16. Many are ashamed to own their profession in carnal company, as if there could be any disgrace in being Christ’s servant. Oh! it is an honour to you. And as Christianity is an honour to you, so should you be an honour to it, that you may not stain a worthy name: ‘Adorn the gospel,’ Titus 2:10. The herd of wicked men they are ignota capita, persons unknown and unobserved; they may sin, and sin again, yet the world taketh no notice of it. But how doth it furnish the triumphs of the uncircumcised to see men of a worthy name overtaken in an offence? The Hams of the world will laugh to see a Noah drunk. Spots and stains in white are soon discerned.

Obs. 4. The people of Christ are named and called after Christ’s name; Christians, from Christ. The apostle saith, Ephesians 3:15, ‘From him the whole family, both in heaven and earth, is named.’ The name was first given them at Antioch, Acts 11:26. They were called ‘disciples’ before, but, to distinguish themselves from false brethren, they named themselves ‘Christians.’ They were called ‘Nazarites’ and ‘Galileans’ by their enemies; and about this time there was a sect of that name, half Jews and half Christians. Now the very name presseth us to care and holiness. Remember what Christ did: you are called after his name: 2 Timothy 2:19, ‘Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity:’ πᾶς ὁ ὀνομάζων, he that counteth it his honour to use the name of Christ in invocation. Alexander the Great said to one of his captains, that was also called Alexander, Recordare nominis Alexandri—see you do nothing unworthy the name of Alexander. So, see you do nothing unworthy the name of Christ. And, as another said, speaking of something unbeseeming, I could do it, if I were not Themistocles; so, I could do it, if I were not a Christian. Or, as Nehemiah, ‘Should such a man as I flee?’ Shall I, that am named by the name of Christ, do this? Again, this name is an argument which you may use to God in prayer for grace and mercy; his name is upon you, that endeareth you to his bowels. God’s promises are made to such, ‘If the people that are called by my name,’ &c., 2 Chronicles 7:14. And so there is a notable promise, Deuteronomy 28:10, ‘And all the people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of God, and they shall be afraid of thee.’ So you shall see the church pleading this, Jeremiah 14:9, ‘Yet thou, Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.’ So may you go to God: Lord, it is thus with us, but ‘we are called by thy name.’