the Week of Proper 23 / Ordinary 28
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James 2:2
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Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes.
For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
Yf ther come into youre company a man with a golden rynge and in goodly aparell and ther come in also a poore man in vyle rayment
For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your assembly, and there come in also a poor man in filthy clothing;
For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and is dressed in bright clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in,
Suppose someone comes into your church meeting wearing nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes.
For if there comes into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there comes in also a poor man in vile clothing;
For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,
For if a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your assembly, and there come in also a poor man in filthy clothing;
in fine apparel, and there come in also a poor man in dirty raiment,
For suppose a man comes into one of your meetings wearing gold rings and fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man wearing shabby clothes,
For if a man `that hath a goldun ring, and in a feire clothing, cometh in youre cumpany, and a pore man entrith in a foul clothing,
For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
Suppose a rich person wearing fancy clothes and a gold ring comes to one of your meetings. And suppose a poor person dressed in worn-out clothes also comes.
For if a man comes into your meeting place wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in,
For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
For if a man comes into your Synagogue in fair clothing and with a gold ring, and a poor man comes in with dirty clothing,
Suppose a man comes into your synagogue wearing gold rings and fancy clothes, and also a poor man comes in dressed in rags.
for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel,
Suppose a man wearing gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly,synagogue">[fn] and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in.
For if there come into your congregation a man who hath rings of gold or beautiful vestments, and there come in a poor man in sordid vestments,
For if there come into your assembly a man with rings of gold or splendid garments, and there come in a poor man in sordid garments;
For if there come vnto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poore man, in vile raiment:
For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes.
What if a man comes into your church wearing a gold ring and good clothes? And at the same time a poor man comes wearing old clothes.
For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in,
For if there come into your copany a man with a golde ring, and in goodly apparell, and there come in also a poore man in vile raiment,
For if there should enter into your synagogue a man with gold rings and costly garments, and there should also enter a poor man in soiled clothing;
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, -
For if there shall come into your assembly a man having a golden ring, in fine apparel; and there shall come in also a poor man in mean attire:
For yf there come into your companie a man wearing a golde ryng, clothed in goodly apparell, and there come in also a poore man in vile rayment:
Suppose a rich man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes comes to your meeting, and a poor man in ragged clothes also comes.
For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in,
For 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;
For if someone enters into your assembly in fine clothing with a gold ring on his finger, and a poor person in filthy clothing also enters,
For if a gold-fingered man in splendid clothing comes into your synagogue, and a poor one in shabby clothing also comes in;
for if there may come into your synagogue a man with gold ring, in gay raiment, and there may come in also a poor man in vile raiment,
Yf ther come in to yor copany a ma wt a golde rynge and in goodly aparell, & ther come in also a poore man in vyle raymet,
For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes,
For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
If one fella comes in with boots and a hat, and another walks in with raggedy short britches and worn out toe-thong sandals,
For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
assembly: Gr. synagogue
gold: Esther 3:10, Esther 8:2, Luke 15:22
goodly: Genesis 27:15, Matthew 11:8, Matthew 11:9
in vile: Isaiah 64:6, Zechariah 3:3, Zechariah 3:4
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 1:17 - ye shall hear Deuteronomy 25:3 - vile unto thee Proverbs 22:2 - rich Ecclesiastes 9:16 - the poor Isaiah 3:21 - rings Mark 12:39 - General Luke 11:43 - for John 12:6 - not James 5:2 - your garments
Cross-References
But Jesus answered them, my father works without intermission, and so do I.
of which in a certain place relating to the seventh day, 'tis said, "and God did rest the seventh day from all his works."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For if there come unto your assembly,.... The place of religious worship where saints are assembled together for that purpose; though some think a civil court of judicature is intended, and to which the context seems to incline; see James 2:6
a man with a gold ring; on his finger, which shows him to be a man of dignity and wealth; so those of the senatorian and equestrian orders among the Romans were distinguished from the common people by wearing gold rings; though in time the use of them became promiscuous q; the ancients used to wear but one r, as here but one is mentioned; and only freemen, not servants, might wear it: however, by this circumstance, the apostle describes a rich man, adding,
in goodly apparel; gay clothing, bright shining garments, glistering with gold and silver, very rich and costly, as well as whole, neat, and clean:
and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; mean and despicable, filthy and ragged: in the courts of judicature with the Jews, two men, who were at law with one another, might not have different apparel on while they were in court, and their cause was trying: their law runs thus s;
"two adversaries (at law with each other), if one of them is clothed "with precious garments", (Myrqy Mydgb, "goodly apparel",) and the other is clothed with בגדים בזויין, "vile raiment", (the judge) says to the honourable person, either clothe him as thou art, while thou contendest with him, or be clothed as he is, that ye may be alike, or on an equal foot.''
q Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 29. r Isidor. Hispal. Originum, l. 19. c. 32. p. 171. s Maimon. Hilchot Sanhedrin, c. 21. sect. 2.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For if there come into your assembly - Margin, as in Greek, “synagogue.” It is remarkable that this is the only place in the New Testament where the word “synagogue” is applied to the Christian church. It is probably employed here because the apostle was writing to those who had been Jews; and it is to be presumed that the word synagogue would be naturally used by the early converts from Judaism to designate a Christian place of worship, or a Christian congregation, and it was probably so employed until it was superseded by a word which the Gentile converts would be more likely to employ, and which would, in fact, be better and more expressive - the word church. The word “synagogue” (συναγωγὴν sunagōgēn) would properly refer to the whole congregation, considered as “assembled together,” without respect to the question whether all were truly pious or not; the word “church” (ἐκκλησία ekklēsia) would refer to the assembly convened for worship as called out, referring to the fact that they were called out from the world, and convened as worshippers of God, and would, therefore, be more applicable to a body of spiritual worshippers.
It is probable that the Christian church was modelled, in its general arrangements, after the Jewish synagogue; but there would be obviously some disadvantages in retaining the name, as applicable to Christian worship. It would be difficult to avoid the associations connected with the name, and hence it was better to adopt some other name which would be free from this disadvantage, and on which might be engrafted all the ideas which it was necessary to connect with the notion of the Christian organization. Hence the word “church,” liable to no such objection as that of “synagogue,” was soon adopted, and ultimately prevailed, though the passage before us shows that the word “synagogue” would be in some places, and for a time, employed to designate a Christian congregation. We should express the idea here by saying. “If a man of this description should come into the church.”
A man with a gold ring - Indicative of rank or property. Rings were common ornaments of the rich; and probably then, as now, of those who desired to be esteemed to be rich. For proof that they were commonly worn, see the quotations in Wetstein, in loc.
In goodly apparel - Rich and splendid dress. Compare Luke 16:19.
A poor man in vile raiment - The Greek here is, filthy, foul; the meaning of the passage is, in sordid, shabby clothes. The reference here seems to be, not to those who commonly attended on public worship, or who were members of the church, but to those who might accidentally drop in to witness the services of Christians. See 1 Corinthians 14:24.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse James 2:2. If there come unto your assembly — εις την συναγωγην. Into the synagogue. It appears from this that the apostle is addressing Jews who frequented their synagogues, and carried on their worship there and judicial proceedings, as the Jews were accustomed to do. Our word assembly does not express the original; and we cannot suppose that these synagogues were at this time occupied with Christian worship, but that the Christian Jews continued to frequent them for the purpose of hearing the law and the prophets read, as they had formerly done, previously to their conversion to the Christian faith. But St. James may refer here to proceedings in a court of justice.
With a gold ring, in goodly apparel — The ring on the finger and the splendid garb were proofs of the man's opulence; and his ring and his coat, not his worth, moral good qualities, or the righteousness of his cause, procured him the respect of which St. James speaks.
There come in also a poor man — In ancient times petty courts of judicature were held in the synagogues, as Vitringa has sufficiently proved, De Vet. Syn. l. 3, p. 1, c. 11; and it is probable that the case here adduced was one of a judicial kind, where, of the two parties, one was rich and the other poor; and the master or ruler of the synagogue, or he who presided in this court, paid particular deference to the rich man, and neglected the poor man; though, as plaintiff and defendant, they were equal in the eye of justice, and should have been considered so by an impartial judge.
