James 2:2

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;

What a marvelous insight this gives into the early Christian assemblies. They were open meetings, in which men of all classes and conditions might enter.

Synagogue ... This is the only place in the New Testament where this name is given for a Christian meeting place; but as Roberts said, "The literal meaning of the word had no religious connotation, being used in Genesis 1:9 for the gatherings of water."[8] In time, however, the word came to have very definite religious overtones, John referring to "the synagogue of Satan" (Revelation 2:9). It appears from the usage of the word here that in Jerusalem, from which James presumably wrote, the Jewish name of the meeting house was currently used by Christians of their own meeting houses, a usage which, at that time, had no doubt already disappeared in most other places.

Gold ring ... fine clothing... Lenski paraphrased James' thought here thus: "Are you Christians still impressed by a gold ring and a bright rag?"[9] Deriving his information from Seneca, Barclay wrote:

The more ostentatious of the ancients wore rings on every finger except the middle one, and wore far more than one on each finger. They even hired rings to wear when they wished to give an impression of special wealth[10]

Clement of Alexandria justified the wearing of one ring by Christians that it might be used as a seal, but said that it ought to have a religious emblem on it, such as a dove, fish or anchor.

It is a very vivid picture which James brings to our minds in this passage. The Christians have assembled for worship; and suddenly there walks in this distinguished looking man with a gold ring and obviously expensive clothes. He creates quite a stir. Someone, one of the ushers perhaps, bows him into a good place; and then, when a working man, still wearing his work clothes, comes in, he is told to sit on the floor or stand! Such conduct, either then or now, is disgraceful. But does it still happen? Who can deny that it does?

[8] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 70.

[9] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 564.

[10] William Barclay, The Letters of James and Peter (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 64.