CHAPTER 2
On charity towards each one without respect of person according to the law.
James 2:1-4 My brothers, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with bias to individuals. 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, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or "Sit here at my footstool," have you not shown partiality among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
" with bias to individuals ." For he who does something with respect to individuals fills himself with many blemishes and much reproach, afflicting his neighbor with disgrace, and also himself before him: for the treatment of a companion transmits what is done even to oneself.
" have you not shown partiality ." The conjunction, “And”, abounds, that is, you have corrupted the power of judging which was in you, making no inquiry as to whether he is to be honored, the poor man who is upright and industrious, or the rich man who is lazy: but without judgment and with respect to persons, you honored the one indeed because of his riches, but you held the other in contempt because of his poverty.
“ among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? ” That is, unjust judges, affected by jealousy out of respect for persons. In this place, the conjunction καὶ abounds, that is, “and”, as has been said, from the use of the former phrase. For since this discourse is a response to what has gone before, the conjunction is unnecessary. For the sentence should be arranged thus: For if a man wearing a gold ring, dressed in splendid clothing, enters your assembly, while a poor man in filthy clothing also enters, etc., you have not judged among yourselves and have become judges of evil thoughts: that is, corrupting the power of judging, you have chosen evil thoughts, honoring the one indeed, but holding the other in contempt: although yet the nature was the same in both.
James 2:5-9 Listen, my beloved brothers: has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him? But you have despised the poor. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that good name by which you are called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors .
Since poverty is a serious matter for many, when James said, " the poor of this world ," he immediately added, " rich ." But in what way are they rich? In faith and concerning faith. For so it is. Indeed, when the poor are not distracted by worldly things, once they come to faith, they become more diligent and more devoted to labor than the rich. Therefore, the Lord also chose such disciples, whom he declared to be heirs of the kingdom.
" They blaspheme the good name ." A good name is a new name according to the prophet saying: "To those who serve me, a new name will be called, which will be blessed over all the face of the earth." (Isa. 62:2) “According to Scripture." Deuteronomy says.
James 2:10-13 And whosoever shall keep the whole Law, but offends in one: is made guilty of all. For he that said, You shall not commit adultery, said also, You shall not kill. And if you do not commit adultery, but shall kill: you are made a transgressor of the Law. So speak, and so do, as beginning to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment without mercy to him that has not done mercy. And mercy exalts itself above judgment .
" but offends in one ." James said this concerning love, for the sake of which he also discussed all the preceding discourse at greater length for the sake of proof. But he said, " You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill ," for example. Consider, however, that the examples are from the law, insofar as it contributed to love. For he who loves his neighbor perfectly will neither commit adultery nor kill. For these are his who is affected with a hostile spirit towards his neighbor. Since it would not be said in this way, no one among men would be saved, since no one keeps the integrity of the commandments in all things. For he who has preserved chastity for the sake of the word has sometimes been overcome by anger; and he who is adorned with almsgiving has perhaps been obscured by envy. Therefore, it is not said of anyone who has no defect in virtues, but of love, that it should not be attained with defect due to respect for persons, but wholly. However, we also speak of these virtues. For one who has not perfectly adhered to modest or just matters, for example, but has used them with a deficiency, here, staggering in dealing with virtues, has been corrupted in the whole body of virtue. The law must therefore be understood as dealing with love, which is its chief aim. But the law of freedom says that it is without regard to persons: this is the law of Christ. For he who respects persons is not free, but a slave: “For by whom anyone is overcome, to him he is also enslaved." (2 Peter 2:19)
" For judgment without mercy to him that has not done mercy ." If we have forgiven our neighbors the sins they have committed against us, and have made the needy among us sharers in our alms, then God’s mercy will deliver us from judgment. God will also welcome the merciful. Indeed, it is a remarkable deed, just as on the other hand, a serious condemnation will be for those who have not been well and piously disposed towards the people of their own class. For those who remain unmoved by any feeling of sympathy towards their neighbors who have wronged them, the condemnation of the evil servant will embrace them, together with the retribution that the Lord's Prayer designates. For there we ask God to forgive us as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And those who are hard-hearted, moved by no feeling of mercy towards those who lack bodily comfort, will also receive judgment without mercy according to the present discourse.
“ mercy exalts itself above judgment .” For the merciful shall obtain mercy, according to the judgment of the Lord. (Matt. 5:7) Furthermore, if in an idolater's mercy towards the poor he can erase sins, as we learned in Daniel (Dan. 4:24), what would he not do in faithful men? But this mercy seems to me to accomplish something like this oil from the manna trees, anointed on athletes. For this enables them to escape, lest they be held by their adversaries: and so also in the universal judgment our mercy towards the needy will enable them to escape the attacks and dangers which will threaten us from the demons who accuse us. In another way.
“ judgment without mercy .” The cause of restitution is against those who have shown pride and arrogance with great cruelty towards the lower classes with respect to persons. Therefore, it softens their cruelty and hardness, with this terrifying sentence, as if it were saying: The law commands you to love your neighbor as yourself: just as no one regards a person with respect to themselves (for that would be insane), so neither should you regard a person. But if, out of arrogance and hardness, you deviate towards respect for persons, fear that in some way you too might receive similar treatment from a just judge, and exclude from yourself that mercy: for judgment without mercy, etc.
“ And mercy exalts itself above judgment .” That is, it conquers, subdues, dulls, or blunts.
That man is justified not by faith alone, but also by works, and not by one separately, but by both together.
James 2:14-19 What shall it profit my brethren, if a man say he has faith: but has not works? Shall faith be able to save him? And if a brother or sister be naked, and lack daily food: and one of you say to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled: but you give them not the things that are necessary for the body: what shall it profit? So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself. But some man says, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without works: and I will show you by works my faith. You believe that there is one God. You do well: the demons also believe and tremble .
Notice the spiritual understanding. For James did not only say: If you have faith, but also: What is the benefit? As if he were saying: Show me the work from which I can judge that this title suits you: for that is the benefit of faith.
“ So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself.” These things are not opposed to blessed Paul, since the name faith is applied to two meanings. (Rom. 4:1) For we often say that faith is a simple approval, according to that which we also know the demons believed, that the Son of God was Christ. (Matt. 4:3; Luke 4:1) And again, when we call the consequence proceeding from affection with firm acceptance the name of faith; indeed, James says that simple acceptance is a dead faith and devoid of living works; however, Paul says that it is that which is from affection and is in no way lacking in deeds: for it could not arise without honorable deeds. Indeed, Abraham did not attain this unless a contest was first held, by which he would be expelled from his paternal kinship, for which contest faith was declared as the reward: but Paul placed this before works, namely the observance of the Sabbaths according to the law, circumcision, and other purifications. Indeed, two meanings are also seen in works. For certain works are said to confirm faith, without which faith is dead. And again, works are said to be those of the law, without which both Abraham and all who follow Christ are justified. For who would deny that it is true that faith would in no way approach the impure? But I speak of true faith. For neither would an ointment be stored in a vessel that was full of mud, nor would faith be imparted by God to an impure man. Therefore, the holy apostles are not contradictory, but each, operating in a different meaning, directs and leads to the use of its own meaning that is proposed to it.
James 2:20-26 But will you know O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Abraham our father was he not justified by works, offering Isaac his son upon the altar? see that faith did work with his works: and by the works the faith was complete? And the Scripture was fulfilled, saying, Abraham believed God, and it was reputed him to righteousness, and he was called the friend of God. Do you see that by works a man is justified: and not by faith only? And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and putting them forth another way? For even as the body without the spirit is dead: so also faith without works is dead .
James called a man vain who boasts of a bare faith, when he has obtained nothing of substance for completion through works.
“ Abraham our father .” Both Paul (Rom. 4:12) and James take Abraham as an example in their discourse on faith: Paul, indeed to show that faith is superior to works, while James, on the other hand, asserts that works are more excellent than faith through the same Abraham. And indeed, it has been said above that concerning the dual meaning of faith, each one brings forth what is beneficial to the explanation of their own purpose. Some of the Fathers, however, understood this matter in this way. For they say that the same Abraham bore the image of both faiths at various distinct times, and that the faith which is before baptism does not require works, but only faith and the confession of salvation and the word by which we are justified, believing in Christ; and that which follows baptism is connected with works. Thus, it does not appear that the spirit who spoke in the apostles is different; but that this faith indeed justifies the one who approaches by confession alone, if he immediately departs from a sinful life (for to him there are no works, but purification through baptism is a sufficient remedy), while that which is required from one who has already been baptized also demands the display of good works. With this sense, Paul also agrees in another place, saying and teaching that faith after baptism requires perfection through works, when he says: "Neither circumcision benefits anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which works by love.” (Gal. 5:6) And love needs lengthy practice to be perfected.
In another way. Abraham was indeed an image of the justification which is by faith alone, when it was imputed to him for righteousness that he believed (Gen. 15:6); but of that which is by works, when he offered his son upon the altar. (Gen. 22:10) If anything, he not only completed the work but also remained in faith that through Isaac his seed would be multiplied like the stars, considering that God could even raise the dead. (Heb. 11:17-19) Yet Paul also brings David as a witness (Rom. 6:6), wisely confirming his own. For he knew through the Spirit that faith which was to come in future times through Christ: therefore he said: "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Ps. 31:2)
“ faith without works is dead .” James says faith which is after baptism. For faith without works profits nothing, except that it makes us liable to a still greater punishment, who indeed have received the talent, yet have not returned the gain. From which the Lord also teaches us that after baptism good works are necessary for us, since after being baptized by John he went to the desert and undertook struggles against the Devil. (Matt. 4:1) Paul also exhorts those who had already received the mysteries, saying: “Let us strive to enter into that rest.” (Heb. 4:4) As if faith were not enough, but purity of life should also be added, and great diligence should be applied to this.