James 2:2-4

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 2:2-4

2:2-4 For, if a man comes into your assembly with his fingers covered with gold rings and dressed in elegant clothes and a poor man comes in dressed in shabby clothes, and you pay special attention to the man who is dressed in elegant clothes and you say to him: "Will you sit here, please?" and you say to the poor man, "You stand there!" or, "Squat on the floor beside my footstool!" have you not drawn distinctions within your minds, and have you not become judges whose thoughts are evil? ... read more

John Gill

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

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 2:3

And ye have respect to him that wears the gay clothing ,.... Take notice of him, and show favour to him, to the neglect and contempt of the other. This is an instance of respect of persons condemned and dissuaded from: and say unto him, sit thou here in a good place ; the best place; whether it be in a religious assembly, or in a civil court of judicature: and say to the poor, stand thou there ; or in a lower and meaner place: or sit thou here under my footstool ; this also was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 2:4

Are ye not then partial in yourselves ,.... That is, guilty of such partiality as must appear to yourselves, and your own consciences must accuse you of; or do not ye distinguish, or make a difference among yourselves, by such a conduct, towards the rich and the poor: and are become judges of evil thoughts ; or "are distinguishers by evil thoughts"; that is, make a distinction between the rich and the poor, by an evil way of thinking, that one is better than the other, and to be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 2:3

Sit here under my footstool - Thus evidently prejudging the cause, and giving the poor man to see that he was to expect no impartial administration of justice in his cause. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 2:4

Are ye not then partial - Ου διεκριθητε· Do ye not make a distinction, though the case has not been heard, and the law has not decided? Judges of evil thoughts? - Κριται διαλογισμων πονηρων· Judges of evil reasonings; that is, judges who reason wickedly; who, in effect, say in your hearts, we will espouse the cause of the rich, because they can befriend us; we will neglect that of the poor, because they cannot help us, nor have they power to hurt us. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - James 2:4

Verse 4 4Are ye not then partial in yourselves ? or, are ye not condemned in yourselves. This may be read affirmatively as well as interrogatively, but the sense would be the same, for he amplifies the fault by this, that they took delight and indulged themselves in so great a wickedness. If it be read interrogatively, the meaning is, “Does not your own conscience hold you convicted, so that you need no other judge?” If the affirmative be preferred, it is the same as though he had said, “This... 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

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