James 2

The apostle reproves accepting of person among Christians 2 The honoring of the rich only for his fine riches and garments and the despising of the believer because he is poor and meanly clad 5 Prove that this is unfitting considering the dignity of believers with God and the wickedness of many rich men 8 that it is also contrary to the love of our neighbor to make a men a transgressor of the law 10 yea though he kept other commandments 13 and declareth hat such one shall have an unmerciful judgment to expect 14 teacheth further against verbal Christians that a faith which bringeth firth no good works is no saving faith 15 even as love is no true love when it is shown only with words and not indeed 17 because such a faith is dead 18 can not be showed 19 that the devils also have such a faith,20 and testifieth tat men can not be justifieth by such a faith which he proves by the example of Abraham 25. and of Rachab 26 and by the similitude of the dead body without a soul.

1. My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ [that is the Christians faith whereof Christ is the foundation 1Corinthians 3.11] the Lord of glory [hereby is shown the dignity of the Christians faith of which hath no only respect to Christ crucified for us 1Corinthians 2.2 but also who was god from everlasting and sittethof lorry at the right hand of God in the highest place see 1Corinthians 2.8 Hebrews 1:3 1Peter3.22 others join this word of glory to the word faith chiefly respect to this that Christ by his suffering is entered into his glory and shall also bring all believers into the same and make them partakers of the same]with accepting of persons [that is of the outward condition of men which maketh nothing as the matter to the riches powers see hereof the annotate on Acts 10:34 Romans 2:12.]

2. For there if they come into your assembly [Gr synagogue whereby are understood the Jewish schools or synagogue were the Christians came n more to exercise their worship of God but all manner of the Christians came together to exercise the worship of God]a man with a gold ring on his finger [that is rich man who are preferred only by reason of their riches and worldly prompt amongst whom are often time found such as are described verse 6,7] in gay clothing [or glistering] and therein come also a poor man [namely he be honest and faithful]with mean habit [Gr in sordid clothing.]

3. And ye should respect [that is cast your eyes upon him and further reverence] him that wears the gay clothing and say unto him sit thou here in a honorable place [Gr well or honorable] and should say to the poor [namely who cometh into the poor see verse 2] stand thou there or sit here under my foot stool:

4. Have ye not then made a difference to yourselves? that is convinced in your consciences that ye do ill therein] and are became judges of evil reasoning ?[that is you have judged that your evil reasoning in this accepting of persons were good and fitting or ill reasoning judges that is perverse judging .]

5. Hear my beloved brethren hath not God [that is have ye not read ,heard or understood that God c] chosen[namely from everlasting before the foundation of the world Ephesians 11.4 and called in time] the poor of this world [not all but more poor then the rich 1Corinthians 1.26]to be rich in faith or to become rich in faith see the like phrase Romans 8:29 even as the following words necessarily require this sense] and heir of the kingdom [namely of heavenly good things although they have not the goods of this world]which he promiseth to them that love him ?[namely be they poor or rich which he adds that he rich might not think that they were wholly excluded from election and from kingdom.]

6. But ye have done dishonor to the poor [namely thereby that ye give such honor to a new man then to a poor believer whom ye despise] do not the rich offer violence ye? [he proveth tat such rich are now worthy of such honor because of their wickedness seeing they violently oppress the faithful]and do they not draw ye into the judgment seats /[namely thereby show of right falsely to accuse the faithful and unmerciful to cause them to be condemned see Matthew 10:17.]

7. Do they not blaspheme the good name [namely of the Lord Jesus Christ the son of God] which is invocated upon ye [namely when ye were baptized in his name or after which ye are surnamed namely Christians an Hebrew phrase see the like Genesis 48:16 Isaiah 4:1.]

8. If therefore ye fulfill [or observe for supposing that a man observed the whole Law of love of our neighbor, and he accepted the person as was said; he is a transgressor of the same Law: forasmuch as the love of our neighbour can have no place, where our neighbour is despised; as is declared in the following verse] the Royal Law, [that is, the chief and universal Law, under which all other are comprehended; as also a common high-way, is called the Kings-way, Numbers 21:22. or which God, as Lord and King over all, hath prescribed and commanded us] according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self, ye do well.

9. But if ye accept the person, [Namely, as is declared; before vers. 1. 2. etc.] ye commit sin [Gr. Ye work, i.e. do a work which is sin, as being contrary to the love of our neighbour] and are reproved of the Law [namely, rehearsed in the former verse.] as transgressors.

10. For whosoever [Not that any man can perfectly keep the whole Law, but this is spoken conditionally, if there were any man, or if any one boast thereof, as the young man, Matthew 19:20.] shall keep the whole Law, [namely, except this one thing wherein he steps aside] and shall stumble in one, [that is, sin, a similitude taken from them, whom in walking or running stumble with their foot and fall. See afterwards chapter 3. 2.] he is become guilty of all. [That is, hath made himself guilty of the punishment, which the Law pronounceth against transgressors, Deut. 26. 27. cursed is he that continueth not in all things, etc. for he that dare contemn the Law-giver in one, he dareth to contemn him also in other, and he that woundeth one member of the body, is said to have wounded the whole body.]

11. For he that said, thou shalt not commit adultery, he also said, [That is, it is one and the same Lawgiver, who hath forbidden one as well as the other] thou shalt not kill. Now if thou shalt not commit adultery, but shalt kill, thou art become a transgressor of the Law.

12. So speak [Namely, without accepting of prisons] and so do, as being to be judged by the Law of Liberty. [That is, by the Gospel, whereby is published that we are by Christ made free from severity of the Law. See before chapter 1. 25. and consequently shall have the heavier judgement to expect, if we abuse this grace to unmercifulness. Others translate it, as who henceforward shall judge your brethren by the Law of liberty, i.e. according to the doctrine of the Gospel, without respect of persons.]

13. For an unmerciful judgement [That is, which is not mollified or tempered with mercy, or grace of forgiveness] (shall pass) upon him who hath showed no mercy; [that is, who shall have used or showed no love towards his neighbour, among whom also are they, who by accepting of persons despise the poor. See Mat. 25.] and mercy boasteth against judgement. [This some understand of the mercy of God, which boasteth against the severe judgement of the Law, as having overcome and taken the same way from all believers by Christ. But the foregoing words seem to require that it be understood of the mercy of man, which he hath showed to his neighbour. This boasteth, i.e. causeth the man who hath showed it, to boast and rejoice in Christ, against the judgement of condemnation, that it shall not come upon him, seeing it is certain that it shalt not come upon true believers, Job 5:24. Romans 8:1. 1 Cor. 15. 55. and he by the works of mercy and love is assured of the truth and uprightness of his faith, Matth. 25. 35. Galatians 5:6.]

14. What profit is it [Namely, for a man’s comfort and salvation] my brethren, if any one say [that is, outwardly profess and boast, whereas indeed he hath no true faith] that he hath faith, and hath not works? Can that faith [that is, such a faith which is without works] save him? [that is, justify him before God? He would say, in no wise.]

15. If now there should be a brother or sister naked, and should have need of daily food:

16. And any one of you should say unto them [That is, should show love to them only in words] go thy way in peace, be thou warm, and be satisfied, and ye should not give them the necessaries of the body, what profit is that? [he meaneth none, neither to the poor, nor to him that loveth only with words.]

17. Even so faith also, if it have no works, is dead by itself: [Or in it self, i.e. hath no profit to justification, nor no power to save, then a dead body without a soul hath power to produce any operations of life. See vers. 26.]

18. But some one [Namely, who hath a true and lively faith, which is effectual by good works] will say, [namely, Hypocrite, who boasteth of faith, and bringeth forth no good works] Thou hast faith, [namely, a faith that is without good works. Or thou saist that thou hast faith. Be it so] and I have works: [that is, a faith with works, or effectual by good works] show me thy faith, [that is, go to, if thou have a true faith, as thou boasteth and imaginest, show it by works, even as a tree by good fruits showeth that it is a good tree, Matthew 7:17, 18.] by thy works, [others read without thy works, which hath also a good sense. But most Greek copies have by thy works] and I will by my works [namely, as by the fruits of a true faith, and a certain evidence of the same] show thee my faith. [namely, that it is a sincere and true faith.]

19. Thou believest that God is an only (God) [That is, thou believest not as the Gentiles do that there are many Gods, but that there is but one God who hath revealed himself in his word, Deuteronomy 6:4. 1 Cor. 8. 6.] thou dost well: [namely, so far, that thou believest that article to be true, as it is also: but such a knowledge and assent to the Articles of the faith, is not enough to an upright and true faith. The proof followeth] the Devils believe it also [that is, know and assent also that there is but one God: and notwithstanding have not therefore a true faith] and they tremble. [Or quake. Namely, because of the fearful judgements of God whereunto they are reserved, 2 Pet. 2. 4. and trust not in the grace of God, neither seek to serve him as their father.]

20. But will thou know [That is, wilt thou be yet more clearly instructed in this point, I will yet prove it to thee more clearly by the examples of Abraham and Rachab] O vain man [That is, thou dissembling man, who vainly boasteth of faith, without showing the same by works] that faith without works [that is, if it be without good works, as ver. 17.] is dead?

21. Abraham our Father [That is, who is a father of all true belivers, Rom. 4. ver. 1, 11, 16. whose spiritual children therefore are justified by no other faith, then whereby Abraham was justified] was he not justified by works [this seems to contradict that which Paul saith, Rom. 4. and Gal. 3. where he teacheth and proveth that Abraham was justified, not by works, but by faith: which hath caused some, yea of the ancient Teachers, to doubt whether this Epistle of James ought to be acknowledged for holy Scripture. But if the matter be well looked into, there is no contradiction at all. For Paul’s scope is to teach contrary to the false Apostles, that a man is not justified before God by his own righteousness, consisting of the works of the Law which we have done, but only by faith, that is, by the righteousness of Christ received by true faith, Romans 3:28. Galatians 2:16. Philippians 3:9. Titus 3:4, 5. Hebrews 10:38. and this he proves by the example of Abraham, Rom. 4. but the scope of James is to teach, contrary to the verbal Christians, that faith whereby we are justified before God, is not only a knowledge with assent, or an outward profession of the articles of faith, but also a firm confidence of the heart in the grace of God in Christ, which stirs up and brings forth good works in true believers, whereby they are assured, and show before others, that they have true saving faith, and are justified before God. And to this end he also here produceth the example of Abraham, and shows that his faith whereby he was justified before God, was such a faith, and that this appears principally by that great work of faith, when he would have offered up his son Isaac. Both these doctrines, as well of Paul as of James, are true and agreeable to Scripture, and are in no wise contradictory. Therefore when James saith here that Abraham was justified by works, i.e. as he himself declares, by that work when he offered up Isaac, he understands by these words, by works, that Abraham by his works showed that he had a true and lively faith, and that by good works as fruits of the same, he showed before God and men, that he was truly justified before God. So that James doth not take the word justified in that signification which Paul doth, when he speaketh of man’s justification before God; but for a showing forth of that justification before God and men: as also by the word faith, when he denieth that we are justified thereby only, ver. 24. he understandeth a naked assent and profession of the Christian faith, which is not accompanied with assiance, nor with good works, like as the true saving faith. For that, to speak properly, Abraham was not justified before God by that work, appears clearly out of Genesis 15:6. where it is said, that for some years before, ere he offered up his son, when he believed the promise of this son, Abraham was justified by God through faith, as James testifies here also, ver. 23.] when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? [that is, would have offered, or was about to offer him: which work was a clear evidence of a true and very strong faith, Rom. 4. ver. 18, 19, 20.]

22. Seest thou [Or thou seest then] that faith wrought together [Namely, powerfully to show and to testify by good works, that he was justified before God] with his works, that he was justified before God] with his works, and faith was perfected by his works? [that is, declared and showed to be a faith that had all its parts, and was perfect and upright: as this word to be perfect is also taken for, to be showed so, 2 Cor. 12. 9.]

23. And the Scripture was fulfilled [That is, by that work showed to be true that which the Scripture saith for him, that he was justified by faith, forasmuch as by this work it appears that he had the true justifying faith, and was justified before God properly not to works, but to faith which shows itself by works] which saith, and Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness, [See the exposition hereof, Romans 4:3.] and he was called a friend of God. [These words are not found, Gen. 15. but the thing may be collected from that which is said, gen. 22. ver. 12. 16, 18. and he is so called, 2 Chron. 20. 7. Isaiah 41:8.]

24. Seest thou now then [Or thou seest now then, as ver. 22.] that a man is justified by works [that is, is testified and shown to be justified by good works] and not only by faith? [that is, not only by such a faith, which is without good works, or that bringeth forth good works withal.]

25. And likewise also Rahab. The harlot [See of this word, Hebrews 11:31.] was she not justified by works [see the exposition, ver. 21. And it appears also from hence, seeing she could not properly be justified before God by this one good work; that therefore these words must be improperly understood, namely that by this work she showed that her faith was a true and justifying faith. See Hebrews 11:31.] when she received [namely, with peace, Hebrews 11:31. without mentioning or discovering them, but affording them all help] those that were sent [or, messengers, namely, who were sent to spy out of the Land of Canaan] and let them out by another way? [namely, to escape the danger. See Josh. 2.]

26. For as the body without the spirit [That is, without the enlivening soul, which moves it, and produceth operations of life, as Psal. 104. 29. Isaiah 2:22. i.e. without breath or motion] is dead, even so also faith [that is, the knowledge and assent to the articles of faith: or the outward profession of the same] without works [that is, when it is not accompanied with good works. See ver. 17. 20.] is dead.