Bible Commentaries
James 2

Verses 1-19

26 The outward form of divine service, the rites and ceremonies of the sacerdotal system of Moses, was but the exterior shell of truth. It was the letter: truth was the spirit. The ritual was full of precious meaning. But most ritualists feed on the husks and throw away the kernel. It should have its counterpart in a righteous and beneficent life. With us, who serve God in spirit, and have no confidence in flesh, ritual is a relapse into the shadows, when we have the substance in Christ. We are warned against it in the epistle to the Colossians. "Now let no one be arbitrating against you who wants, in humility and the ritual of the messengers, to parade what he has seen, feignedly, puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding the Head. . ."

( Col_2:18 ).

2 The word "synagogue" is translated "assembly" in the A. v. As it occurs over fifty times and is always (except once "congregation", Act_13:43 ) rendered "synagogue" elsewhere, there is no real reason for rendering it otherwise here. It is significant of the fact that we have here, not an ecclesia, or called-out company, but a gathering based on physical relationship. For the synagogue was the gathering center of Jews, and Paul invariably separated his converts from it.

2 The scene here depicted could hardly be imagined outside the traditional synagogue of that early day, for the ecclesias or "churches" had not yet become as like the synagogues as those we know today. One of the signs of present apostasy is this spirit of toadying to the rich and despising the poor. It can have no place where our position in Christ is appreciated. A rich man who enjoys God's grace is pained by such partiality.

8 James writes to those under the law. Showing partiality to the rich and offending the poor is an infraction of the precept to be loving your associate as yourself But the law is not only intersocial. It has a divine side. A single transgression, no matter what it is, brings in a breach between the One Who gave the law and the culprit. The breaker of one commandment is not "guilty" of all, but enters into the same condemnation as those Who commit all the other crimes in its category.

14 James looks at faith entirely from the human side, Paul from the divine. What a man says he has, if he has it not, cannot, of course, save him. But James is not speaking of a pretended faith. He insists that faith apart from works is dead. He boldly says, " That faith cannot save him." Yet Paul is affirming that righteousness is through faith, that it may accord with grace ( Rom_4:16 ). And he insists that if it is grace, it is no longer out of works, else grace comes to be no longer grace ( Rom_11:6 ). The salvation to which James refers does not include justification, hence there is not the necessity for grace. Paul speaks of grace continually, and refers to it over a hundred times in his epistles. James only mentions it twice in one passage ( Jam_4:6 ). James is dealing with a nation in covenant relationship with God, and an administration in which faith and works are mingled, whereas Paul is connected with the dispensation of unadulterated grace to those who have no claim on God whatever. Such a combination as James insists on would do away entirely with all the blessings which have come to the nations on the ground of grace, for it is impossible for grace to operate except through sheer, unaided faith. It will not do to say that such faith is vital and must manifest itself in works. This is true, yet such works are in no sense the root of righteousness. They are the fruit. To add works to a dead faith would not vivify it. Briefly, the differences between Paul and James are not to be explained away. They are irreconcilable contradictions if we take them to refer to the same divine administration and the same people. Left to their own time and place, there is no reason why they should agree. God is continually changing His methods, to conform to the various objects He has in view.

18 The solid foundation stands with this seal: "The Lord knew those who are His" ( 2Ti_2:19 ). Suppose we do not know? That does not affect their salvation. God knows the heart and does not need any demonstration. Not so with men. Before we accept a man's faith we demand that he depart from iniquity. This is the ground of James. It is not what appears to the Lord, but to men.

Verses 20-26

20 The case of Abraham is most helpful in further defining the distinct viewpoints of Paul and James. The former refers us to the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, the latter to the twenty-second. In the fifteenth chapter Abram's spiritual seed alone is in view, for Abram is taken outside his tent and shown the stars of heaven. And the Lord said to him, "So shall your seed be." And he believed the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness. This was followed by the unconditional covenant. The twenty-second chapter is a trial of the faith which he had, in that the seed through whom his promised posterity should come was to be sacrificed and slain. Here we have the perfecting of his faith and the fulfillment of the previous passage. The fifteenth chapter deals with Abram before circumcision, and his spiritual seed, and their justification. The twenty-second chapter deals with Abraham after his circumcision, and his physical seed (some of whom would be spiritual also), and their blessing, as well as their becoming a channel of blessing to the other nations. Paul cannot take the latter passage because he speaks of faith righteousness to the uncircumcised in an era when no blessing flows through Abraham's physical seed. James naturally and rightly takes it because it is the one which refers especially to the twelve tribes to whom he is writing. It was Abraham's faith combined with his obedience which was the basis of their blessing, and it is their faith combined with works which saves them. The works of Abraham were meritorious only as an evidence of faith. Let us leave this to those who belong to the Circumcision, who are Abraham's seed according to the flesh, and who live under the kingdom administration. We have an immeasurably better and higher place than can be accorded those who mix their own efforts with God's beneficence. His undiluted grace brings blessings which are possible only when God is left to carry out the dictates of His heart unhindered by human help. It seems almost incredible to find such a low moral standard in this epistle, especially as works are demanded for salvation. The untamable tongue, cursing, jealousy, strife, battles and fighting are all spoken of as common amongst the twelve tribes. They are charged as being friends of the world, sinners, impure of heart and double souled. What a contrast is this with such epistles as Philippians and Thessalonians, even though these are written to those who, but a short time before, were steeped in heathenism and idolatry! The pure grace of God, unaided by legal precepts or other inducements, is far more potent in producing conduct which is pleasing to God than all the efforts prompted by the desire for salvation or controlled by the terrors of the law.

9 Our conduct should accord with God's attitude. Now that grace reigns, we are told to bless and not to curse ( Rom_12:14 ). But James seems to have no such precept in his royal law. The law curses all who break its commandments, and did not forbid cursing, so we should not be surprised when James includes the saints, "we are cursing men."

12 The fig, the olive, and the vine, are all symbols of Israel. The fig speaks of national righteousness. When our Lord saw a fig tree on the road He sought some figs, but finding none, He cursed the tree and it withered away. So He came seeking national righteousness. As there was none the nation has withered away. The olive, being the source of the illuminating oil in the holy places, is a symbol of the light of God's revelation, which comes through Israel. The olive tree is Israel, the nations are simply temporary grafts, while Israel is apostate. God's word is confided to our keeping only until Israel is restored. Israel was an empty vine. They did not cheer the heart of God or man. Christ came as the real Vine. In the kingdom, as in Cana of Galilee, there will be spiritual joy and gladness from the vine Jehovah planted.

4 There can be little doubt that the adultery here referred to is defined in the next statement. In the Hebrew Scriptures, an alliance with the world was often spoken of in this way. Its fullest and most fitting application will be in the time of the end. Israel, as a nation, was to be separate and holy to the Lord. Now that they are scattered among the nations they are not only in the world but of it. Their chief object is to get as much of this world's goods as possible, and they are ready to make any alliance to accomplish this end. There will be a strong temptation for the believers among them in that day to fall in with this prevailing apostasy. Some of them will be found in great Babylon when it is destroyed.