Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of James 2:2
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
2. if there come unto your assembly ] Literally, into your synagogue, the old familiar name as yet, in that early stage of the Church’s life, being used for the Christian as for the Jewish place of worship. What is noted presented the most glaring and offensive form which the acceptance of persons had taken. Signs of the eagerness of men who aimed at a high religious reputation to obtain such honours are seen in Mat 23:6; and in a society so pervaded by worldliness as that of Juda, wealth, if accompanied by any kind of religiousness, was sure to be accepted as covering a multitude of sins. What grieved St James was that the same evil should have crept in even among the disciples of the Lord of Glory.
a man with a gold ring ] Literally, a gold-ringed man, implying, probably, more than one. The custom was one of the fashions of the Empire, and had spread from Rome to Juda. So Juvenal, in a portrait which unites the two forms of ostentatious luxury noted by St James, describes one who, though born as an Egyptian slave, appears with Tyrian robes upon his shoulders, and golden rings, light or heavy, according to the season ( Sat. i. 28. 30). So in Martial (xi. 60) we read of one who wears six rings on every finger, day and night, and even when he bathes.
in goodly apparel ] Better, in gorgeous, or bright apparel. The word is the same as that used of the robe placed upon our Lord in mockery (Luk 23:11), and of that in which the Angel appeared to Cornelius (Act 10:30). The primary idea is that of “bright” or shining, and this effect was often produced by a combination of gold embroidery with Tyrian purple and crimson.
in vile raiment ] squalid is perhaps the nearest equivalent to the Greek word. It is used in the LXX. of Zec 3:4, of the “filthy garments” of Joshua the High-Priest. In Rev 22:11 it is used of spiritual “filthiness,” as is the cognate noun in chap. Jas 1:21 of this Epistle.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For if there come into your assembly – Margin, as in Greek, synagogue. It is remarkable that this is the only place in the New Testament where the word synagogue is applied to the Christian church. It is probably employed here because the apostle was writing to those who had been Jews; and it is to be presumed that the word synagogue would be naturally used by the early converts from Judaism to designate a Christian place of worship, or a Christian congregation, and it was probably so employed until it was superseded by a word which the Gentile converts would be more likely to employ, and which would, in fact, be better and more expressive – the word church. The word synagogue ( sunagogen) would properly refer to the whole congregation, considered as assembled together, without respect to the question whether all were truly pious or not; the word church ( ekklesia) would refer to the assembly convened for worship as called out, referring to the fact that they were called out from the world, and convened as worshippers of God, and would, therefore, be more applicable to a body of spiritual worshippers.
It is probable that the Christian church was modelled, in its general arrangements, after the Jewish synagogue; but there would be obviously some disadvantages in retaining the name, as applicable to Christian worship. It would be difficult to avoid the associations connected with the name, and hence it was better to adopt some other name which would be free from this disadvantage, and on which might be engrafted all the ideas which it was necessary to connect with the notion of the Christian organization. Hence the word church, liable to no such objection as that of synagogue, was soon adopted, and ultimately prevailed, though the passage before us shows that the word synagogue would be in some places, and for a time, employed to designate a Christian congregation. We should express the idea here by saying. If a man of this description should come into the church.
A man with a gold ring – Indicative of rank or property. Rings were common ornaments of the rich; and probably then, as now, of those who desired to be esteemed to be rich. For proof that they were commonly worn, see the quotations in Wetstein, in loc.
In goodly apparel – Rich and splendid dress. Compare Luk 16:19.
A poor man in vile raiment – The Greek here is, filthy, foul; the meaning of the passage is, in sordid, shabby clothes. The reference here seems to be, not to those who commonly attended on public worship, or who were members of the church, but to those who might accidentally drop in to witness the services of Christians. See 1Co 14:24.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. If there come unto your assembly] . 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 and the prophets read, as they had formerly done, previously to their conversion to the Christian faith. But St. James may refer here to proceedings in a court of justice.
With a gold ring, in goodly apparel] The ring on the finger and the splendid garb were proofs of the man’s opulence; and his ring and his coat, not his worth, moral good qualities, or the righteousness of his cause, procured him the respect of which St. James speaks.
There come in also a poor man] In ancient times petty courts of judicature were held in the synagogues, as Vitringa has sufficiently proved, De Vet. Syn. l. 3, p. 1, c. 11; and it is probable that the case here adduced was one of a judicial kind, where, of the two parties, one was rich and the other poor; and the master or ruler of the synagogue, or he who presided in this court, paid particular deference to the rich man, and neglected the poor man; though, as plaintiff and defendant, they were equal in the eye of justice, and should have been considered so by an impartial judge.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For if there come unto your assembly; either church assemblies for worship, Heb 10:25; and in these we find some respect of mens persons, which may here be blamed: see 1Co 11:20-22. Or their assemblies for disposing church offices, and deciding church controversies, &c.; for he speaks of such respecting mens persons as is condemned by the law, Jam 2:9, which was especially in judgment.
A man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel; the usual ensigns of honourable or rich persons, Gen 38:18,25; 41:42; Luk 15:22; 16:19.
And there come in also a poor man; the word signifies one very poor, even to beggarliness.
In vile raiment; filthy and sordid, Zec 3:3,4, the sign of extreme poverty.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2, 3. “If there chance tohave come” [ALFORD].
assemblyliterally,”synagogue”; this, the latest honorable use, and the onlyChristian use of the term in the New Testament, occurs inJames’s Epistle, the apostle who maintained to the latest possiblemoment the bonds between the Jewish synagogue and the ChristianChurch. Soon the continued resistance of the truth by the Jews ledChristians to leave the term to them exclusively (Re3:9). The “synagogue” implies a mere assembly orcongregation not necessarily united by any common tie. “Church,”a people bound together by mutual ties and laws, though often it mayhappen that the members are not assembled [TRENCHand VITRINGA]. Partly fromJames’ Hebrew tendencies, partly from the Jewish Christian churchesretaining most of the Jewish forms, this term “synagogue”is used here instead of the Christian term “Church”(ecclesia, derived from a root, “called out,”implying the union of its members in spiritual bonds, independent ofspace, and called out into separation from the world); an undesignedcoincidence and mark of truth. The people in the Jewish synagogue sataccording to their rank, those of the same trade together. Theintroduction of this custom into Jewish Christian places of worshipis here reprobated by James. Christian churches were built like thesynagogues, the holy table in the east end of the former, as the arkwas in the latter; the desk and pulpit were the chiefarticles of furniture in both alike. This shows the error ofcomparing the Church to the temple, and the ministry to thepriesthood; the temple is represented by the whole body ofworshippers; the church building was formed on the model of thesynagogue. See VITRINGA[Synagogue and Temple].
goodly apparel . . . gayclothingAs the Greek, is the same in both, translateboth alike, “gay,” or “splendid clothing.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 Jas 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 of them became promiscuous q; the ancients used to wear but one r, as here but one is mentioned; and only freemen, not servants, might wear it: however, by this circumstance, the apostle describes a rich man, adding,
in goodly apparel; gay clothing, bright shining garments, glistering with gold and silver, very rich and costly, as well as whole, neat, and clean:
and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; mean and despicable, filthy and ragged: in the courts of judicature with the Jews, two men, who were at law with one another, might not have different apparel on while they were in court, and their cause was trying: their law runs thus s;
“two adversaries (at law with each other), if one of them is clothed “with precious garments”, (Myrqy Mydgb, “goodly apparel”,) and the other is clothed with , “vile raiment”, (the judge) says to the honourable person, either clothe him as thou art, while thou contendest with him, or be clothed as he is, that ye may be alike, or on an equal foot.”
q Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 29. r Isidor. Hispal. Originum, l. 19. c. 32. p. 171. s Maimon. Hilchot Sanhedrin, c. 21. sect. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
For (). An illustration of the prohibition.
If there come in ( ). Condition of third class (supposable case) with and second (ingressive) aorist active subjunctive of .
Into your synagogue ( ). The common word for the gathering of Jews for worship (Lu 12:11) and particularly for the building where they met (Luke 4:15; Luke 4:20; Luke 4:28, etc.). Here the first is the probable meaning as it clearly is in Heb 10:25 ( ), where the longer compound occurs. It may seem a bit odd for a Christian church () to be termed , but James is writing to Jewish Christians and this is another incidental argument for the early date. Epiphanius (Haer. XXX. 18) states that the Ebionites call their church , not . In the fourth century an inscription has for the meeting-house of certain Christians.
A man with a gold ring ( ). “A gold-fingered man,” “wearing a gold ring.” The word occurs nowhere else, but Lucian has (gold-handed) and Epictetus has (golden seal-rings). “Hannibal, after the battle of Cannae, sent as a great trophy to Carthage, three bushels of gold-rings from the fingers of Roman knights slain in battle” (Vincent).
In fine clothing ( ). “In bright (brilliant) clothing” as in Luke 23:11; Acts 10:30; Rev 18:41. In contrast with “vile clothing” ( ), “new glossy clothes and old shabby clothes” (Hort). (late word from , filth, 1Pe 3:21) means filthy, dirty. In N.T. only here and Re 22:11 (filthy).
Poor man (). Beggarly mendicant (Mt 19:21), the opposite of (rich).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Assembly [] . The word synagogue is a transcript of this. From sun, together, and agw, to bring. Hence, literally, a gathering or congregation, in which sense the word is common in the Septuagint, not only of assemblies for worship, but of gatherings for other public purposes. From the meeting itself the transition is easy to the place of meeting, the synagogue; and in this sense the term is used throughout the New Testament, with the following exceptions : In Act 13:43, it is rendered congregation by the A. V., though Rev. gives synagogue; and in Rev 2:9; Rev 3:9, the unbelieving Jews, as a body, are called synagogue of Satan. As a designation of a distinctively Jewish assembly or place of worship it was more sharply emphasized by the adoption of the word ejkklhsia, ecclesia, to denote the Christian church. In this passage alone the word is distinctly applied to a Christian assembly or place of worship. The simplest explanation appears to be that the word designates the place of meeting for the Christian body, James using the word most familiar to the Jewish Christians; an explanation which receives countenance from the fact that, as Huther observes, “the Jewish Christians regarded themselves as still an integral part of the Jewish nation, as the chosen people of God.” As such a portion they had their special synagogue. From Act 6:9, we learn that there were numerous synagogues in Jerusalem, representing different bodies, such as the descendants of Jewish freedmen at Rome, and the Alexandrian or Hellenistic Jews. Among these would be the synagogue of the Christians, and such would be the case in all large cities where the dispersed Jews congregated. Alford quotes a phrase from the “Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs :” the synagogue of the Gentiles. Compare Heb 10:25, “the assembling together [] of yourselves.”
With a gold ring [] . Only here in New Testament. Not a man wearing a single gold ring (as A. V. and Rev.), which would not attract attention in an assembly where most persons wore a ring, but a gold – ringed man, having his hands conspicuously loaded with rings and jewels. The ring was regarded as an indispensable article of a Hebrew’s attire, since it contained his signet; and the name of the ring, tabbath, was derived from a root signifying to impress a seal. It was a proverbial expression for a most valued object. See Isa 22:24; Hag 2:23. The Greeks and Romans wore them in great profusion. Hannibal, after the battle of Cannae, sent as a trophy to Carthage, three bushels of gold rings from the fingers of the Roman knights slain in battle. To wear rings on the right hand was regarded as a mark of effeminacy; but they were worn profusely on the left. Martial says of one Charinus that he wore six on each finger, and never laid them aside, either at night or when bathing. The fops had rings of different sizes for summer and winter. Aristophanes distinguishes between the populace and those who wear rings, and in his comedy of “The Clouds” uses the formidable word sfragidonucargokomhtai, lazy, long – haired fops, with rings and well – trimmed nails. Demosthenes was so conspicuous for this kind of ornament that, at a time of public disaster, it was stigmatized as unbecoming vanity. Frequent mention is made of their enormous cost. They were of gold and silver, sometimes of both; sometimes of iron inlaid with gold. The possible beauty of these latter will be appreciated by those who have seen the elegant gold and iron jewelry made at Toledo, in Spain. Sometimes they were of amber, ivory, or porcelain. The practice of wearing rings was adopted by the early Christians. Many of their rings were adorned with the symbols of the faith – the cross, the anchor, the monogram of Christ, etc. Among the rings found in the catacombs are some with a key, and some with both a key and a seal, for both locking and sealing a casket.
Goodly apparel [ ] . Lit., bright or shining clothes. Rev., fine clothing.
Vile [] . Compare ch. 1 21; and see on 1Pe 3:21.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) If anyone come voluntarily into (Gr. eiselthe) a gathering place (Gr. sunagogen) of Christians wearing a “gold-fingered,” flashy ring, with bright clothes, and should there follow him one wearing vile clothes, of poor cloth, design and sewing – James raises a flag of warning to the Christian to avoid being influenced with respect and prejudice toward the “gold-fingered,” bright clothes, flashy person, plutocratically arrayed, while ignoring the person who may be in filthy, dirty or vile apparel.
2) This is a warning against respect of person in Christian conduct of public worship. Luk 14:11-14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
CHRISTS OPINION OF PEW RENTS
Jas 2:2-4.
THE subject to which we address ourselves this morning is by no means a new one. While the custom of pew-rentals was unknown to the early Church, it has been in vogue so long that the man who pleads for the free-pew system seems, to some at least, to be setting himself in opposition to ecclesiastical order.
And yet, let it be remembered that from the day when the first pew was put on sale, to this present moment, there have been protestants, and I question whether the number of these protestants was ever so large and influential as now, and my prayer is that this protest may speedily succeed in rendering a custom, which I believe has little in common with the spirit of Christ, obsolete. It is to aid in hastening that end that I bring to you the theme and text of this hour.
In pleading for a free pew, I want to make some statements from which I doubt if any will dissent.
THE FREE PEW IS FRATERNAL
It represents the higher sentiment of humanity. As most of you know, I am not accustomed to preaching the Gospel of humanism. To me humanity is a sinner and not a Saviour; and yet I find in this sinner some sentiments that bespeak his unfallen state, some finer feelings which have clung to him, coming down from the day when humanity was sinless; and among these sentiments and feelings is this one of fellowship as between man and man, without respect to difference in riches, social standing, breeding or birth.
I refer to that sentiment which Charles Kingsley expressed in writing under the non de plume of Parson Lot:
I was looking in at the windows of a splendid curiosity shop in Oxford Street, at a case of humming birds. I was gloating over the beauty of those feathered jewels, and then wondering what was the meaning, what was the use of it all, why those exquisite little creatures should have been hidden for ages, in all their splendors of ruby and emerald and gold, in the South American forests, breeding and fluttering and dying, that some dozen out of all those millions might be brought over here to astonish the eyes of men. And as I asked myself, Why were all these boundless varieties, these treasures of unseen beauty, created? my brain grew dizzy between pleasure and thought; and, as always happens when one is most innocently delighted, I turned to share the joy, as Wordsworth says, and next to me stood a huge, brawny coal-heaver, in his shovel hat and white stockings and high-lows, gazing at the humming birds as earnestly as myself. As I turned he turned, and I saw a bright manly face, with a broad, soot-grimed forehead, from under which a pair of keen, flashing eyes gleamed into mine. In that moment we felt ourselves friends. If we had been Frenchmen, we should, I suppose, have rushed into each others arms and fraternized upon the spot. As we were a pair of dumb, awkward Englishmen, we only gazed a half minute, staring into each others eyes, with a little delightful feeling of understanding each other, and then burst out at once with Isnt that beautiful? Well, that is! And then both turned back again to stare at our humming birds.
I never felt more thoroughly than at that minute (though, thank God, I had often felt it before) that all men were brothers; that fraternity and equality were not mere political doctrines, but blessed God-ordained facts; that the party walls of rank and fashion and money were but a paper prison of our own making, which we might break through any moment by a single hearty and kindly feeling; that the one spirit of God was given without respect of persons; that the beautiful things were beautiful alike to the coal-heaver and the parson; and that before the wondrous works of God the rich and the poor might meet together, and feel that whatever the coat or the creed may be, A mans a man for a that, and one Lord the Maker of them all.
And if there is any place in the world where the man of means and the man without, the man of learning and the unlearned man, should meet together and touch elbows, and feel what Kingsley felt, namely, that all men are brothers, it ought to be in Gods house.
The sane man must admit that the free pew assists this fellowship.
It also recognizes the brotherhood in Christ. The truest fraternity is not to be looked for in the world. It is not to be expected that mammon will volunteer to claim kin with poverty, or civilization with heathenism. But the truest fraternity should be found in the Church of God, for, as Paul writes to the Galatians:
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:26-28).
That was the mind of the Master. As John Watson says: Jesus realized that the tie which binds men together in life is not forged in the intellect, but in the heart. * * Love is the first and the last and the strongest bond in experience. It conquers distance, outlives all changes, bears the strain of the most diverse opinions. * * Unity is possible wherever the current of love runs from Christs heart through human hearts and back to Christ again. But who can imagine that Christs prayer for His disciples, that they all may be one, as He and His Father were one, will ever be answered by a system of church administration which makes it possible for him who has purchased one of the best seats in the house of God to pluck out of it the man who has preceded him to the sanctuary, or to exclude from it the man, who, coming after, wishes to share in it.
I know it is easy to say that the man who pays for a pew has a better right in it than the one who contributes nothing, but I also know that there are two answers to this claim, either one of which would be adequate. The first is thisWill any man admit that his pew rental is a business bargain of so much money for so much comfort? If so, then where does Christs gift come in, and where is the mans sacrifice to the cause?
Again, it is not Christianity to stand on ones rights. I teach my boys that brothers ought not always to demand their rights, but may show the sweeter spirit of self-sacrifice in the interest of others. Shall the blood-related behave better than the blood-bought? If so, all our pretentions touching the sacrificial spirit in Christianity are vain, and all our boasted brotherhood but show-bills, published for the purpose of deceiving the people into supposing us what we are not.
I do not hesitate to say that wherever you find a thorough-going Christian, a man who will remind you of his Master, you will find one who is willing to share his pew, and if need be, even surrender it for Christs sake; and I find such a spirit on the part of most of Gods people. I believe the majority of those who go to make up the membership of the average church know something of that fraternity in Christ of which my brother, and former co-laborer Louis M. Waterman, once sang:
O wondrous brotherhood!Sweet bondage of the heartThy golden chains no power Hath might to tear apart!O miracle of love!What marvel thou hast done;Ten thousand lives In Christ shall be as one:
O happy fellowship!Thine ecstasy the earth May never match in all Her palaces of mirth:In thee, O love of Christ,Such strange, sweet joy belongs As one might know who feels The thrill of angel songs:
O unity supreme!Of Father, Spirit, SonIn kindred mystery With Jesus we are one.Grant us, O Triune God,A fellowship like ThineA peacepure, fathomless;A joyserene, Divine!
The free pew also anticipates the fellowship of Heaven. The men who expect to live together hereafter ought at least touch each other in the now. You remember Paul wrote to the Ephesians, That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him. And I certainly believe that the closer the fellowship here, the sweeter the fellowship there.
One November, years ago, James Farrington went from Iowa Falls, Iowa to New Brunswick, N. J. to make a visit to his brother Patrick. They had not seen each other since 1853, and the meeting was one of such joy to both of them that the New York newspapers made mention of it, and said the neighbors in New Brunswick had never looked upon a more affecting scene than that of the meeting of these two men.
Why such demonstrations of love? Why such overflow of joyful feeling? There is but one answer: they were brothers! Forty-seven years before they had dwelt together and learned to love, and if we are to meet in the hereafter, who questions that our meeting will be more sweet, if on earth we have felt the fellowship of the saints, that fellowship in Christ which means the obliteration of every barrier, the equality of children of a common Father? Just so long as churches are without the free pew, which puts the high and the low, the rich and the poor, upon the same basis of a common welcome in the house of God, they are without the conditions that conserve the fraternity, and anticipate the fellowship of Heaven.
Again,
THE FREE PEW IS SCRIPTURAL
It issues a common invitation to the rich and the poor, and makes good Solomons Proverb: The rich and the poor meet together: the Lord is the Maker of them all (Pro 22:2).
Evidently that was the point of these verses from the second chapter of James. In James opinion, poverty was no reason for relegating a man to a place in a corner, behind a post, or under a footstool, any more than riches was a reason for pointing out to its possessor the best pew in the house. James reminded the ushers of his day, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom.
You have heard the fable of the kind-hearted king, who, while hunting in a forest, found a blind orphaned boy, living there like a beast. His pitiable estate touched the kings heart and he took him to his home and taught him all that could be learned by one who was blind. When he reached his twenty-first year, the king, who was also a great physician, restored his sight; and leading him into his palace, presented him to the nobles and proclaimed him his own son and commanded all to give him their honor and love. What lord then dare treat with indifference this adopted child? What brother in the house had any right to look down upon him, when the king had lifted him above the first and to a level with the second? And I confess that I cannot understand how any member of the family of God, no matter how poor he has been, can be neglected, when God adopts him; when God introduces him, he is forever after the child of the King, and worthy not only to share the best in the synagogue, if it be his pleasure, but to sit with the Lamb Himself upon His throne.
We do not believe in communism of wealth, in communism in social matters; we do not ask the rich to make their social friends among the poor. We dont know that any profit would come out of that; there would be little pleasure to either party. But unless I read our Bible wrongly and utterly misunderstand our Christ, the Church of God presents the one place, and the Christianity of Jesus Christ the one faith where men should meet and forget every difference of station, every difference of cloth; yea, even despising the blood in their own veins, remember that they are alike bought by the Blood of Jesus Christ, and in that Blood are made brethren.
Again,
THE FREE PEW IS SCRIPTURAL
In sittings it is no respecter of persons. The purpose of the free pew system is not to say unto the man that weareth gay clothing,
Sit thou here m a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool.
We say with the late Dr. Deems that if ushers are to make any difference in escorting people to seats, that difference ought to be in favor of the poor, not because they are poor, but because they are more sensitive and more in need of the cordial welcome.
Christ was exceeding careful to warn Pharisees at this point. One day He was invited to a Pharisees house to dinner:
And He put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when He marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted (Luk 14:7-11).
And God in His own dealings with men has perfectly illustrated this parable. When He wanted to select men to positions of honor, He chose Moses, the despised Hebrew babe, and exalted him; Joseph, the hated brother, and lifted him to eminence, and others likewise.
Dr. Henry Van Dyke says: He has made Apostles and saints out of men and women that the world would have thrown away as rubbish. Witness Peter, the weak and wayward; Mary Magdalene, the defiled; Zacchaeus, the worldly; Thomas, the despondent; Paul, the persecutor and blasphemer.
Who could imagine the early Church making a distinction against these Apostles of the faith because they were poor, and in favor of Nicodemus, Joseph, Lazarus and his sisters, because they were well-to-do, until one could determine the relative financial standing of the members of the Church in Jerusalem by studying the map of the ground floor of the building, and noting the names written against the best seats.
Again, the free pew keeps the church-door open to Christ Jesus. When Christ had finished His Epistles to the Seven Churches of Asia, He ended by saying: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me (Rev 3:20). What a plea for a free pew!
Do you remember in that wonderful dream of Dr. Gordons, entitled, How Christ came to Church, the good man said: Though there had been misgivings and questions about our system of pew rentals, the matter had not come home to me as a real and serious question until Christ came to church on that morning. Judging by His dress and bearing it was evident that were He to become a regular attendant, He could not afford the best pew in the house, and this was distressing to think of since I knew from Scripture that He has long since been accorded the highest place in Heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him.
And is not Jesus Christ a regular attendant at church? If not, God pity the church from which He is absent, and cause us to remember that even touching that church He says, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. Every humble man, every lowly woman, who looks at the Church of God with wistful eyes and is afraid to enter it, because its pews are rented and they have not the price, is none other than Jesus Christ standing without, knocking and waitingwaiting to be invited in to share the seat of some saint, or rather to occupy a place in His own Fathers House.
I trust every one present here has read In His Steps by Sheldon, and if so, you have not forgotten the scene in that First Church when Henry Maxwell, the pastor, had finished his sermon from the text: For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps (1Pe 2:21); and the quartette had risen to sing, All for Jesus, all my beings ransomed power, when the congregation was startled by a mans voice, and the next moment this pale-faced man is making his way from his place under the gallery to the open space in front of the pulpit, where he asked the privilege of speaking and told the story of no work, of having lost his wife a few months before, of having sent his little girl to stay with a printers family until he could support her, and as he went on telling how he had grappled with poverty, and had seen his wife practically die of starvation, he said, I heard some people singing at a church prayer-meeting the other night,
All for Jesus, all for Jesus,All my beings ransomed powers;All my thoughts, and all my doings;All my days and all my hours,
and I kept wondering as I sat on the steps outside just what they meant by it. It seems to me there is an awful lot of trouble in the world that somehow would not exist if all the people who sing such songs went out and lived them out. I suppose I dont understand, but what would Jesus do? What do you mean by following in His steps? It seems to me sometimes as if the people in the city churches had good clothes and nice houses to live in and money to spend for luxuries and could go away on summer vacations and all that, while people outside of the churches, thousands of them I mean, walk the streets for jobs or die in tenement houses, and never have a piano or a picture in the house, and grow up in misery and drunkenness and sin. At that point he grew paler still, and lurching forward he fell heavily upon the floor. The services were at an end, but the question remained in Henry Maxwells mind, What would Jesus do? and he turned himself about to follow his Masters steps as never before. And you know what revolutions it wrought. And I want to tell you that whenever I raise the question touching whether every pew should be opened to every man that would enter the house of God, I know what Jesus would do; and I also know what we should do or else shut the Saviour from His own sanctuary. Read afresh the 25th chapter of Matthew, and know that in the Judgment we shall stand or fall according to our treatment of the lowly of earth, for, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, Christs brethren, ye have done it unto [Him].
Finally,
THE FREE PEW IS SUCCESSFUL
It elicits the best support. So far as my knowledge goes, I am not familiar with a single church which has accomplished the greatest work, a work like that of this church, or the Tremont Temple, Boston, or the Grace Temple, Philadelphia, which has been supported by pew rentals. And if you will study the history of the churches which hold a second rank such as the three or four larger ones of every great city, you will find that no one of them is supported in any considerable degree by pew rentals. I do not know the exact figures, but I doubt if one-third of the current expense account is met in that way. It is said sometimes that you cannot support a church liberally without this arrangement, but we wonder how those who make this argument are able to overlook so much of church history.
Years since, the Rams Horn had an article upon this subject, in which Mr. Chas. H. Mills, pastor of the Pilgrim Congregational Church, Cleveland, Ohio, told their experience of nine years with a free church. In that time its membership had grown from 300 to 848; its gifts had been most generous to work at home and abroad; it had supported a reading room, gymnasium, boys recreation rooms, daily kindergarten, sewing-school, young mens club, a course of educational lectures and concerts.
The First Baptist Church of Minneapolis never reached $20,000.00 per annum under the rented pew system, but under free pew it has exceeded $200,000.00 per annum for years.
When that grand man, George Mueller, was called from Teignmouth to Bristol, after days of earnest consideration of the call, he replied, I will accept the call on the condition that the pew-rent should be abolished. The eminent success of that work became known around the wide world, and praised in Heaven.
The free pew gives the greater satisfaction. It does not militate against the family sitting, for he would be a blundering usher who paid no regard to having a family sit together and sit in one place as far as compatible, and it does provide against offending the poor, putting up a barrier against the laboring classes, relegating to the gallery some of Gods men, who once expended thousands upon His cause, but who, through adversity, have too little left to pay the price of a pew.
No condition ought to exist in the Church of God that would ever make it possible for a man who, in the days of financial success, sacrificed grandly for his church, to ever go without a seat in the house of God that he can call his own, because it is his Heavenly Fathers; and no man, who has given much less than him, can come in and mortgage it. Think of the condition in this city! There are hundreds of men in these Protestant churches who, up until 1893, were pouring their wealth daily into these churches, hundreds and thousands of dollars they laid upon the altar of love. Their money went in the crash succeeding that summer. Not a few of them are old now. Send them under the gallery or into it? God forbid! Every church in Minneapolis should do the Masters will and declare free pews and instruct the ushers to pilot such noblemen to the best places in the house, so long as they shall live, and, while not mortgaging anything to them, make evident their welcome.
The free pew is successful in soul winning. We do not claim that to declare free pews would insure this result. A dead church may declare for what it will, and nothing comes of the declaration; but we do say that where the church is moved by the spirit of Jesus Christ, who so loved the world that He gave His life for it, and in that spirit is willing to make sacrifices of sittings that souls may be reached, God gives them success.
There is no church so attractive to the unsaved as the church wherein they find themselves loved, wherein the people put themselves out that they may know them, that they may instruct them, that they may show them the Christ. The cordial handshake has been the beginning of many a mans salvation. The sharing of the pew with the stranger presents the very best opportunity to speak to him of his soul; and pleased as I would be to sit with the wife and the children on the Sabbath,
I would willingly sacrifice that privilege forever if, by doing so, I could sit with unsaved men and women and by a word show them the salvation of God.
Think what it means to them when they are saved. Think what it means to their friends, if you shall show them the way! Think what it means in Heaven when the salvation of a soul is announced there! Think what it means to God when the recording angel writes down a new name in the Lambs Book of Life!
You remember when the steamer Atlantic struck Mars Head she went down and the dreadful message of destruction was sent throughout the land, and by and by the Associated Press published a telegram which had been sent to some friends in Detroit by a man who was known to have been on board that ill-fated steamer. It contained but a single word, and yet it thrilled thousands and thousands of the land, for that word was Saved. Oh the joy in his own house! Oh the rejoicing among friends and acquaintances! Saved!
And I think there are some here today who have been driven against the rocks of disaster and tossed on the waves of sin, and yet, if only we could bring them to see that Christ is present, that He has been accorded a place in this sanctuary, and that His hand is now outstretched to snatch all such men from the wreck, there might be made an announcement in Heaven that would start every heart, and engage every soul in song, for there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley
(2) For if there come unto your assembly (literally, synagogue).This is the only place in the New Testament where the Jewish word is used for a Christian congregation.
A man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel.Better, a man golden-ringed, in bright apparel. Roman satirists had much to say upon the fops and dandies of their time, with all their fingers laden with rings; some, if we may trust the sneer of Martial, having six on each; and others with heavy gold or light, according to the oppressiveness of the season; no doubt, the fashions set in Rome extended to Jerusalem. Goodly apparel is, rather, gorgeoussplendid in colour or ornament; the same two words are translated gay clothing in the following verse.
And there come in also a poor man in vile raiment.Squalid, even dirty, as from work and wearthe exact opposite of the idle over-dressed exquisite.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. If St. James puts the case with an if. Yet he graphically narrates it in the ( aoristic) past historic tense, as Jas 1:10-11, (where see note,) as a transaction that had happened, (note on Heb 6:4-6,) and so might customarily happen.
Unto your assembly Or, as it is in the Greek, your SYNAGOGUE. See note on Mat 4:23. The Jewish-Christian conservatism of St. James is strongly marked by his use of this word. The pentecostal Church continued to share in the Jewish service, and it is probable that Jewish synagogues sometimes were converted into Christian churches. Act 3:1; Act 4:1. The word, then, may have long been retained among the twelve tribes of Jas 1:1. There were five synagogues of foreign Jews in Jerusalem. Act 6:9. In the Apocalypse the word is used of heretics. Rev 2:9; Rev 3:9. And in Heb 10:25, we have episynagogues. St. Ignatius applies the word to Christian churches, and Alford quotes from the post-apostolic “Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs” the phrase, “in the synagogues of the Gentiles.” The term here indicates that the epistle was written after Christian houses of worship were established and customary.
A man He may be a Christian, or he may not; that does not vary the principle. But Jas 2:6-7 clearly show that such are not to be supposed Christians, but really persecutors and blasphemers of Christ. The visitor’s apparel, though doubtless conspicuously different, is not set in contrast with that of the rest of the assembly, but in contrast with that of the poor man. Gold ring Literally, a man golden-ringed, in splendid dress.
For if there come into your synagogue (assembly) a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing,’
He gives the example of two men entering the ‘synagogue’, that is the ‘assembly’ (compare Pro 5:14 LXX where sunagowgos (syanagogue) and ekklesia (church) are paralleled as ‘the congregation and the assembly’). The use of the term suggests an early date when the church and the synagogue were closely related. One of these two men is wearing a gold ring (indeed probably a number of gold rings) and fine clothing. He is displaying his ‘glory’ . But how pathetic it appears in comparison with the glory of the Lord, Jesus Christ, (and is intended to). It is as dust. Indeed in the eyes of YHWH he is wearing ‘filthy garments’ (Zec 3:3).
The other is wearing ‘vile clothing’. He is dirty, he smells of the field or the workshop or the tannery or even worse. He has taken an hour or so away from his labours to worship his God. (But he is rich in faith, and in God’s eyes he is clothed in ‘rich apparel’ with a ‘crown turban’ on his head – Zec 3:5-6).
Jam 2:2. Unto your assembly That here the apostle speaks of consistories for civil judicatures, is argued, 1st, From the accepting of persons, Jam 2:1 which in the Old Testament and the New, as often as it is applied to men, respects human judicatures. 2nd, From the footstool mentioned, Jam 2:3 which obtained in their judicial consistories, and which was proper to princes on their thrones, and judges on their tribunals. 3rdly, From the judges mentioned, Jam 2:4 and the judgment-seats mentioned, Jam 2:6. And lastly, from the canon of the Jews, by which it is provided, that, “When the rich and poor have a suit together in their consistories, either both must sit, or both stand, to avoid all marks of partiality.” See R. Levi Barcinon, 50: 142. Juris Hebraici.
Jas 2:2-3 . In these verses the conduct of the readers, which occasioned the exhortation of James (Jas 2:1 ), is described; hence the confirming . Both verses together form the protasis, on which Jas 2:4 follows as the apodosis; whilst they in form appear by their connection with (according to the Rec. by ) as co-ordinate sentences, in thought Jas 2:2 is subordinate to Jas 2:3 ; Jas 2:2 assigning the circumstances under which the conduct described in Jas 2:3 occurred.
Hammond, Homberg, Baumgarten, Michaelis, and Herder assign even Jas 2:4 to the protasis; but incorrectly, as in that case the conjunctive would be required in that verse as in Jas 2:2-3 . As regards the matter itself, the fault is not directed against the rulers of the congregation , the presbyters and deacons (Grotius, Pott, Schulthess, Hottinger), but, as the address (Jas 2:1 ) shows, it is entirely general. It was not the custom in the time of James for the deacons to point out places to those who entered their assemblies ( Constit. Apost. ii. 56, 58).
The instance ( ) which James states is, as regards the matter, not a hypothetical assumption, but a fact; and certainly not to be regarded as a solitary instance which only once took place, but as something which often occurred, that even in their religious assemblies the rich were treated with distinction, and the poor with disdain. It is not surprising that James in the description employed the aorist, since he generally uses that tense to represent that which is habitually repeated as a single fact which has taken place; see chap. Jas 1:11 ; Jas 1:24 .
The words ] show that it is an entrance into the religious assemblies of the congregation that is here spoken of. It cannot be inferred from the usual signification of the word that a Jewish synagogue is here meant (Semler, Schneckenburger, Bouman); opposed to this is ; besides, the Christians would certainly not have the right to show seats to those who entered into such a place of worship; but, on the other hand, by here is not to be understood the religious assembly (de Wette). The whole description, both and the pointing out of seats, shows that denotes the place where the Christian congregation assembled for worship. [111] That James calls this by the word which was appropriate for Jewish places of worship, cannot be regarded in his mouth as anything surprising. Hammond, Baumgarten, Storr, Herder, and others most arbitrarily understand by the judicial assemblies of the congregation and their elders. According to Lange, the name of the Jewish place of worship is here a symbol “of the religious fellowship of the entire Jewish Christian dispersion;” this opinion is not less unjustifiable than the view connected with it, that “a literal understanding of what follows cannot be thought of.”
The rich man is here described as , and the poor man as , the difference between them being represented to the eye in their clothing.
] a purely . . = (Lucian, in Tim.: ; in Nigrin.: ). On , used of clothes, see, on the one hand, Luk 23:11 (comp. with Mat 27:28 ), and, on the other hand, Rev 15:6 . Raphelius: nullum certum colorem declarat, sed splendidum, clarum, nitidum sen rubrum seu album sit, seu alius generis. The counterpart of the is the . of the poor man.
] in its proper meaning only here in N. T.; in Zec 3:3-4 , it is also used of garments. Are Christians or non-Christians meant by these incomers? Most expositors consider them to be Christians only, whether they belonged to the congregation or came there as (guests). But the following reasons decide against this view: 1. They are distinguished by James from the brethren addressed, and are not indicated as brethren, which yet, particularly in reference to the poor (Jas 2:5 ), would readily have suggested itself as a strong confirmation of their fault. 2. In Jas 2:6-7 , the rich are evidently opposed to Christians ( , , ), and reprimanded for their conduct towards Christians (not merely toward the poor), which if rich Christians had been guilty of, would certainly have been indicated as an offence against their Christian calling. That those who were not Christians might and did come into the Christian religious assemblies is a well-known fact; see 1Co 14:22-23 . The view of Weiss ( Deutsch. Zeitschrift f. christl. Wissensch. etc., 1854, No. 51), that the rich man was not a Christian, but that the poor man was a Christian, is supported by no feature in the description; in that case James would certainly have indicated the dissimilarity of relation; then “must Jas 2:5 ff. bring it forward as the gravest offence, that the brother chosen by God is slighted for the sake of the rich who were not Christians” (Wiesinger [112] ).
[111] The word occurs in the N. T. in both meanings; usually it designates the religious place of meeting of the Jews; but that it also denotes the assembly , Act 13:43 shows; see also Rev 2:9 . In the Apocrypha of the O. T. it has only the last meaning, and, indeed, in a general sense; see Wahl, Clav. Apocryph. .
[112] Lange considers the mode of expression symbolical; by the rich man is meant the Jewish Christian, who, as wearing a gold ring, boasts of his covenant rights; and by the poor man is meant the Gentile Christian. According to Hengstenberg, the meaning is precisely the reverse. Both opinions are unjustified.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
Ver. 2. For if there come, &c. ] It is probable, saith an interpreter here, that the primitive Christians, the better to ingratiate with the richer pagans, gave them very great respect, contrary to that, Psa 15:4 . But I rather think the apostle speaketh in this text of wealthier Christians, unworthily preferred before better but poorer persons.
2 4 .] Hypothetical example , to explain to them that to which he especially points. The hypothesis carries however in itself a foundation of fact, and appeals ( ) to the consciences of the readers whether it were not so.
2 .] For (q. d. that which I mean, is) if there chance to have come (aor. because the entrance is accomplished when that which is alleged takes place. This is better than to account for the aor., with Huther, by its being St. James’s manner to designate by aorists a fact habitually repeated; the examples which he gives, ch. Jas 1:11 ; Jas 1:24 , resting on another ground: see there) into your assembly (some have too hastily inferred from the word that the Jewish synagogue is meant. This, in the face of the organization of the church implied in ch. Jas 5:14 , would be impossible. The word may well be understood of a Christian assembly, so in Test. XII. Patrum, p. 747, , or as merely an assembly in general, cf. ref. Heb., . But it is most likely here, from the allusions to sitting and standing below, a place of Christian worship, the name being a natural one, considering by whom the Epistle was written and to whom it is addressed) a man with gold rings (this is expressed by in Lucian, Timon, 20. Wetst. has accumulated evidence of the practice of overloading the fingers with rings: e. g. Lucian, Somn. (Gall) 12, . : Martial xi. 60, “Senos Charinus omnibus digitis gerit, Nec nocte ponit annulos, nec dum lavatur”) in a splendid garment (glittering, either in colour, or with ornaments), and there have come in also a poor man in a vile garment (reff.),
Jas 2:2 . : as the Epistle is addressed to the twelve tribes of the Dispersion no particular synagogue can be meant here; it is a general direction that is being given. In the N.T. the word is always used of a Jewish place of worship; but it is used of a Christian place of worship by Hermas, Mand. , xi. 9. . Harnack ( Expansion i. 60) says: “I know one early Christian fragment, hitherto unpublished, which contains the expression: ”. This latter may well refer to a place of worship in which converted Gentiles and Jewish-Christians met together. And this is probably the sense in which we must understand the use of the word in the verse before us. The Jewish name for the synagogue was (“house of assembly”); according to Shabbath , 32 a , the more popular designation was the Aramaic name (“house of the people”); Hellenistic Jews used the term = as well as . , etc.: Cf. Sir 11:2 , , . For see note on Jas 2:7 . does not occur elsewhere in the N.T. nor in the Septuagint; cf. Luk 15:22 . , probably in reference to the fine white garment worn by wealthy Jews. : occurs elsewhere in the N.T. only in Rev 22:11 ( cf. 1Pe 3:21 ) and very rarely in the Septuagint, see Zec 3:3-4 ; in the Apoc. of Peter we have, in 15, There is nothing decisive to show whether the rich man or the poor man (presumably not regular worshippers), who are thus described as entering the Synagogue, were Christians or otherwise; on the assumption of an early date for the Epistle they might have been either; but if the Epistle be regarded as belonging to the first half of the second century non-Christians are probably those referred to; but it would be futile to attempt to speak definitely here, for a good case can be made out for any class of worshipper.
assembly = synagogue. Greek. sunagoge. App-120.
man. App-123.
with a gold ring. Literally gold-ringed. Greek. chrusodaktulios, Only here.
goodly = bright, or shining. Greek. lampros. Here, Jam 2:3 (gay). Luk 23:11. Act 10:30. Rev 15:6; Rev 18:14; Rev 19:8; Rev 22:1, Rev 22:16.
apparel. Greek. esthes. In this and in the next verse translated by three different words, “apparel”, “raiment”, “clothing”. Compare Luk 23:11. Act 1:10; Act 10:30; Act 12:21.
also, &c. = a poor man also.
poor. App-127.
vile. Greek. rhuparos. Only here. Compare Jam 1:21.
2-4.] Hypothetical example, to explain to them that to which he especially points. The hypothesis carries however in itself a foundation of fact, and appeals () to the consciences of the readers whether it were not so.
Jam 2:2. , shall enter) as an unknown stranger.-) assembly, and that a sacred one; for he adds, your. The name of synagogue is transferred from Jews to Christians.- , a man with a golden ring) The use of rings was formerly much more uncommon than now. The antithesis is simply a poor man.-, splendid) bright and new, of whatever colour it may be.
assembly: Gr. synagogue
gold: Est 3:10, Est 8:2, Luk 15:22
goodly: Gen 27:15, Mat 11:8, Mat 11:9
in vile: Isa 64:6, Zec 3:3, Zec 3:4
Reciprocal: Deu 1:17 – ye shall hear Deu 25:3 – vile unto thee Pro 22:2 – rich Ecc 9:16 – the poor Isa 3:21 – rings Mar 12:39 – General Luk 11:43 – for Joh 12:6 – not Jam 5:2 – your garments
Jas 2:2. This verse merely describes two men in different classes as to their possessions and personal appearance. Nothing is said of character or anything that pertains to actual merit.
Jas 2:2. For if there come. St. James does not here mention a mere hypothetical case, but what must frequently have occurred.
unto your assembly. The word employed in the Greek is synagogue, Some understand it of the Jewish synagogue, from which believers had not yet separated themselves; but against this opinion is the pronoun your, nor would Christians in a synagogue not their own be permitted to give any preference of place to those who entered. Others think that the reference is to the judicial assemblies which the Christians, in imitation of the Jews, held in their places of meeting, and that the caution is against showing partiality in the administration of justice; but this is an arbitrary opinion for which there is no reason. The reference is undoubtedly to the Christian places of assembly, for worship. To denote these places of assembly, the word synagogue was employed, because it was more familiar to St. James and the Jewish Christians than the corresponding Greek term. We read in the Acts that there were numerous synagogues in Jerusalem (Act 6:9), and among them there would be the synagogue of the Christians; and the same would be the case in all the large cities where the Jews of the dispersion congregated.
a man with a gold ring: literally, gold-ringed, wearing many rings. Formerly persons of distinction wore only one signet ring; but at the time when this Epistle was written, as we learn from Roman writers, it was the custom for the wealthy to wear many rings. Such rings could only be worn by free citizens, and were consequently a symbol of rank or riches.
in goodly apparel. The gorgeous dresses of the Orientals may be here alluded to. In that age of luxury the rich prided themselves on the extravagance of their dress.
and there come in also a poor man in vile or shabby raiment. The description is in St. James graphic style. Into their place for religious assembly two men entered, the one gorgeously arrayed with jewelled fingers and a great display of riches; the other a poor man in shabby apparel, soiled with his daily manual occupations.
Verse 2
Your assembly; the assembly for public worship.
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
This principle of seating is a Jewish thing from the looks of Pro 26:6-7 “Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great [men]: 7 For better [it is] that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.”
Now, I know something about this one. In my early college days we were very poor. We had children to cloth, tuition to pay and a junk car to maintain. We were on the barest of menu at the dinner table. We were not starving, but we were not doing well either.
In the area of dress, I had a nice knit sweater that I always wore over a white shirt and tie at church. With the nice dress slacks I thought I was passable. I did wear nice cowboy boots because that is all that I had. I had neither shoes nor even another pair of boots. Barefooted would have been my alternative and I didn’t think it would look good with dress slacks. I did not own a suit nor a sport jacket and would have had to stop buying food for several weeks to purchase one so had opted to eat instead.
One day I received a call from one of the men in the church. He explained to me that I had some spiritual problems that he and the pastor wanted to talk to me about. I felt there was something really fishy coming, so questioned him. He would not answer any of my questions, just kept wanting to make an appointment with me to talk about the problems.
Finally since he wasn’t going to tell me what the problems were I drove down to the church area and called the pastor from a pay phone and asked to meet him at the church. It was late in the evening, but he agreed to meet.
Now, this pastor is one that seldom wore a suit, and had breath that would derail a freight train. We sat down, not that close together, and began to talk. I told him of my call and asked what my SPIRITUAL problems were.
He beat around the bush awhile then suggested that my dress was lacking for church. He told me that this was the city and that cowboy boots were not appropriate for church wear. He continued that I should wear a suit and that the sweater was totally inadequate if I really wanted to be proper.
I sat there and smiled at him trying to contain my laughter. He was so serious and so smug about his reporting to me of my spiritual problems. I asked him if that was all, and when he said it was I left the church.
That was the last that was said on the subject and we continued to attend the church, sweater, boots and all. I suppose he did not appreciate it, but I had no choice at the time and we felt the church is where the Lord wanted us to attend. Naturally I was soon asked to teach children in Sunday school rather than the adults. The children met downstairs and I wouldn’t be seen – it was so that I could gain more experience however when I talked to the Sunday school superintendent. Again, I thought something was fishy and I quietly asked the pastor if there was a problem with my teaching and off he went again, telling me of my many errors of content in my class.
I had made a comment that the Roman Catholic was a powerful force in many public school systems, which is true and was verifiable at the time. One of the deacons had brought a Roman Catholic to Sunday school with him. I did not know it, nor was the comment offensive to the woman since she joined into the discussion of the class and told me after the class how much she had enjoyed being there. Anyway “class distinctions” do exist in our local churches.
Later on I was given a sport jacket and I wore it most of the time, though I did notice that if I wore it I was asked to assist in gathering the offering, but if I went back to my sweater, I was not asked. Yes, I tried it a number of times just to test my theory. Now, that might be a spiritual problem.
Now, that I finally have had some good years of income I have amassed three suits and some nice shirts and ties and you know what has happened. When I go to church in my suit and tie I am looked down upon as overdressing. Go figure. In fact one day the assistant pastor approached me and said that I was really dressed up. This is after a year or two of seeing me in a suit every Sunday. He said that I looked nice and that I made him feel like a bum. I didn’t think any comment was necessary. Yep, that may be another spiritual problem.
James would have made some hay with these people in his illustration database if he were living today. They might well have been his illustration for this principle of not being prejudiced as a believer.
The comparison here is about as drastic as you can get. At one end the finest of fine and at the other end the dirtiest of dirty – even vile. Now, that comparison might relate well to the thought of close Christian fellowship. How do you have a close relationship with a person that is in vile clothing? It is not the easiest thing to do but we should.
It was interesting; recently I saw a news report about a unit in Iraq that had been on patrol for several weeks. The news man mentioned that they did not have a closeness that he had seen in other units. Later in the report he mentioned that they had not washed their clothes in weeks and that they had not been able to shower in over a week. Now, I wonder why they aren’t as close a unit as others. How could they be? Their clothing would have been doing the marching for them. They must have been well rested.
It is rather natural to place the better dressed above the rest, for they are usually the higher income people and in some churches the people with money are the leaders. It is the people with money that do the giving, so it is they that often do the decision making as to how the finances are spent. It is also rather natural for the poor to be in the background. Not only might they be pushed there, but often they feel inferior and tend to migrate into the background to stay out of the way.
Both ought to feel just as comfortable in the church as the other. This should be a priority with the church today. We are seeing a widening of the rich – poor gap and we need to assure that gap is not visible in the church. We are all born of the same blood and are brothers and sisters in Christ.
The last phrase is of interest. The American Standard Bible clears up the meaning a little. “Do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” The person is judging good and bad by thinking evil thoughts. They are determining for themselves who are better than the other, a job better left to God.
The implication is this is a self-imposed right to judge – in other words the person has set himself as judge over all that come into the church and to determine where they will sit, which in essence is determining which will be honored and which will not.
When ministering with a Christian organization, we used to have pot lucks. When we were last in line, we would sit with the group. When we would be first in line, we would sit down at a table and when it was over we would be sitting at the table alone. Not that I cared that much, I was usually quite interested in the great food. At the time we were on a very limited budget and our diet was not well versed.
We, more than once would get in line first to see if the thesis was correct. At all times if first we were alone, if last Id guess they were seeking an inner seat so they wouldn’t have to sit with us.
What an arrogant person one must be to try to seat people by their appearance and supposed honor. For that matter, one must wonder at the honored for taking the most honored position.
The question for a church today is to consider whether they are somehow fostering this sort of activity in the church. It might be a topic for the ushers to discuss, though I doubt it is a real problem in most churches.
How else might we apply this passage for our own situation in history?
1. We might consider our “fellowship” activities. Are there free activities as well as those that require a spending of money? We settled into a Sunday school class in a new church and liked the session until they started talking about their upcoming class social. We thought it would be a good time for us to get to know some of the people. This was a short-lived thought as they quickly started talking of the bowling alley that they would meet at for bowling, and then there would be a pizza feed at the local pizza shop. Since only one of us was working at the time, we decided this wasn’t the class for us.
Do the activities require equipment that ALL would have access to? These are some things to think about.
2. Consider how your Sunday school classes are divided. Is there equal opportunity for new comers to make their way into a class that fits their need or are they kept out of some because of the cliques that have formed over the years?
3. How do you take your offerings? Are you doing anything that might make a poor person feel uncomfortable? I have always been partial to the offering plate or box at the back door where people can drop in their giving on the way out of the church.
4. How are the teaching and preaching? Is it on a level where all can understand? How are the illustrations? Do they relate to all classes of people? We heard a sermon and the pastor mentioned he was making over thirty thousand dollars a number of years prior, and he quipped that “Back then thirty thousand dollars was a lot of money.” At the door I reminded him that to many people thirty thousand dollars was still a lot of money. At the time we were making much less than his big money.
5. You might consider your church building. Is it too impressive for a poor person to feel comfortable in? We need to have nice buildings to present a good testimony, but impressive is not needed.
We don’t need to cater to the poor, but we need to make them comfortable in the church services. A balance is needed. After all we don’t want to be so low in character and appearance that the rich feel uncomfortable.
The church should be a safe and comfortable place for all to come and meet with brothers and sisters and share their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was His blood that bought us and He desires that we all feel comfortable with one another.
6. Consideration of your church purpose statement might be good as well. Is there anything within it that would show any prejudice? Is there any way that you could include anything that would assist in your overall purpose not to prejudice?
7. What about your deacon’s fund policy. Is there any built in prejudice? Are you shutting some of your church people out, while including others?
I am NOT saying you must be politically correct, I am saying as James, don’t be people of faith while determining to be prejudiced against or for anyone. There is an important note there, either for or against – both are prejudice and neither have place within the church.
2. The present improper practice 2:2-4
The situation James described in Jas 2:2-3 presents what some have called "the case of the nearsighted usher." Some interpreters believe this was a hypothetical situation that James constructed. [Note: E.g., Davids, p. 107.] Others believe it was a real situation that he knew about. [Note: E.g., Martin, pp. 60, 63.] There is no way of knowing now, and whether the situation was hypothetical or real is insignificant.
"Assembly" is literally "synagogue." In the early history of the church Jewish believers met in Jewish synagogues until their unbelieving Jewish brethren forced them out. This reference suggests that James probably wrote this epistle early in the history of the church.
There is some debate among the commentators about whether a public worship service or a congregational meeting for the purpose of hearing a judicial case is in view. [Note: Adamson, p. 105, argued for the first option and Martin, pp. 59, 61, for the second.] The term "synagogue" meant a public worship service in early Christian literature, but the following verses may suggest a judicial setting. This issue does not affect the meaning of the passage significantly.
". . . in its early days the Church was predominantly poor and humble; and therefore if a rich man was converted, and did come to the Christian fellowship, there must have been a very real temptation to make a fuss of him, and to treat him as a special trophy for Christ." [Note: Barclay, The Letters . . ., p. 76.]
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)