Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - James 2:1-7

The apostle is here reproving a very corrupt practice. He shows how much mischief there is in the sin of prosopolepsia?respect of persons, which seemed to be a very growing evil in the churches of Christ even in those early ages, and which, in these after-times, has sadly corrupted and divided Christian nations and societies. Here we have, I. A caution against this sin laid down in general: My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 2:5-7

2:5-7 Listen, my dear brothers. Did God not choose those who are poor by the world's valuation to be rich because of their faith and to be heirs of the Kingdom which he has promised to those who love him? But you dishonour the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and is it not they who drag you to the law-courts? And is it not they who abuse the fair name by which you have been called? "God," said Abraham Lincoln, "must love the common people because he made so many of them."... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 2:6

But ye have despised the poor ,.... Or dishonoured, and reproached them, by showing respect of persons, in preferring the rich to them, and in distinguishing them in such a manner as was to their contempt and injury; which is a reproaching not only of them, but their Maker; and is in effect saying, that God has done either a weak or a wrong thing, in choosing them to be rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom, it being directly contrary to his conduct: do not rich men oppress you, and draw... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 2:7

Of Christ, or Christians; by the which ye are called ? and which, as before, may design either unbelieving rich men, whether among Jews, or Gentiles, who blasphemed and cursed the name of Christ, and compelled others to do so likewise; or such who professed the Christian religion, who by their supercilious and disdainful treatment of their poor brethren, and by their dragging of them to the tribunals of the Heathens, and distressing them with vexatious law suits there, caused the name of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 2:6

Do not rich men oppress you - The administration of justice was at this time in a miserable state of corruption among the Jews; but a Christian was one who was to expect no justice any where but from his God. The words καταδυναστευουσιν , exceedingly oppress, and ἑλκουσιν εις κριτηρια , drag you to courts of justice, show how grievously oppressed and maltreated the Christians were by their countrymen the Jews, who made law a pretext to afflict their bodies, and spoil them of their... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 2:7

Blaspheme that worthy name - They took every occasion to asperse the Christian name and the Christian faith, and have been, from the beginning to the present day, famous for their blasphemies against Christ and his religion. It is evident that these were Jews of whom St. James speaks; no Christians in these early times could have acted the part here mentioned. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - James 2:6

Verse 6 6Do not the rich. He seems to instigate them to vengeance by bringing forward the unjust rule of the rich, in order that they who were unjustly treated, might render like for like: and yet we are everywhere bid to do good to those who injure us. But the object of James was another; for he only wished to shew that they were without reason or judgment who through ambition honored their executioners, and in the meantime injured their own friends, at least those from whom they never... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - James 2:7

Verse 7 7Worthy, or good name. I doubt not but that he refers here to the name of God and of Christ. And he says, by, or, on, the which ye are called; not in prayer, as Scripture is wont sometimes to speak, but by profession; as the name of a father, in Genesis 48:16, is said to be called on his offspring, and in Isaiah 4:1, the name of a husband is called on the wife. It is, then, the same as though he had said, “The good name in which ye glory, or which ye deem it an honor to be called by;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - James 2:1-7

Respect of persons. In the closing sentences of the preceding chapter James has been speaking of the true cultus or ritual of the Church; and here he warns his readers against a violation of it which they were in danger of committing, and of which indeed they had been already guilty, even when assembled for public worship. I. THE EVIL HERE CONDEMNED . (Verse 1) It is that of Pharisaic contempt of the poor. The apostle does not, of course, mean that social distinctions are... read more

Group of Brands