JAMES
CHAPTER 2
God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith—Salvation gained by keeping the whole law—Faith without works is dead.
[note in the discussion in 2:1-13 while the blatant topic is the sin of being a respecter of persons, the underlying thought James is ferreting out is what is the person's motive for behaving in this manner (2:4)? And he again does the same in 2:14-26 where the blatant themes are faith and works, when what he is really addressing is hypocrisy. And so on throughout the book. ]
1 MY brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, [ In Hebrew, "El Hakkavod." James uses the title once as well, (James 2:1 ) These are the only two times Christ is ever called the "Lord of Glory" in the entire Bible. But the origin of this title is actually the apocryphal Book of Enoch, where it is used no fewer than nine times. (1 Enoch 22:14, 25:4; 27:3; 36:4; 40:3; 63:2; 75:3; 83:8) ] with respect of persons. [IV "and yet have respect to persons" - What is a respecter of persons? How do they behave? They are out for gain, hoping they will be promoted in the world by paying special attention to those who are powerful in the world. The IV/JST makes it clear the person who is a respecter of persons is "evil in [their] thoughts". ]
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, [The ring on the finger and the splendid garb were proofs of the man's opulence;] 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: [a symbolic meaning that your are benieth me therefore don't expect an impartial judgement - prejudgement because of being poor]
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? [IV- "evil in your thoughts?" - why? because you begin to place value of one above the other, usually because of worldly good or power, you become the judge of who is good and who is bad and that is simply not our decision.]
5 Hearken, [ Hebrew "Shema" is translated here as hearken which means to "listen" and "obey". ] , my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, [is it not the wealthy and powerful men of the world that typically rule - So it essence it is stupidity to worship those who would abuse you in the end - be respecters of God instead.] and draw you before the judgment seats?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, [if you break even one of the commandments then you are guilty of sin] he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? [works to do what? to not become a hypocrite - to prove by your actions that you do believe, by doing the right thing instead of just saying the right thing to do. When one's walk does not match one's talk then he needs to reconcile the two.]
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? [if someone is hungry and you just dismiss them without feeding them it does not matter how you feel about them or what you say to them they are still hungry. Interesting symbolism employed here, it is that of food. The Jewish mind equates the Torah, or the Law of Moses, with food per Deut. 8:3. Just as one would physically starve to death without food, so would they spiritually starve to death without the word of God. There could be a little double meaning to this as well, as James may be insinuating that those who teach the word of God without having a godly walk are in fact teaching words which leave the listeners empty, cp. Amos 8:11-12.]
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe,[the adversary and his angles know
of the reality of God and the confess that Jesus is the Christ (cp. Matt. 8:29, Luke 8:28), yet they oppose Them and promote evil at every opportunity. And, so, to believe is simply not enough, one must also behave accordingly.] and tremble.
of the reality of God and the confess that Jesus is the Christ (cp. Matt. 8:29, Luke 8:28), yet they oppose Them and promote evil at every opportunity. And, so, to believe is simply not enough, one must also behave accordingly.] and tremble.
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, [ Simply stated the law of Justification is thus:"all covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oahths, vows. performances, connections, associations, or expectations" (D&C. 132:7, in which men must abide to be saved and exalted, must be entered into and performed in righteousness so that the Holy Spirit can justify the candidate for salvation in what has been done. (1 Ne. 16:2;Jac. 2:13-14; Alma 41:15; D&C.98; 132:1,62. So an act that is justified is one that is radified and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. See DocNT Commentary Vol 2 pg 230. ] when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
[ The same comparison is evident in the New Testament, where the Greek word used by James to describe Abraham's faith being made "perfect" (teleioun) when he offered up Isaac (James 2:21-22), is the same word used in the gospel of John when Jesus prays that His disciples may be "perfect" in one (John 17:23), and yet again the same word used by John to describe the crucifixion of Jesus as bringing scripture to "complete fulfillment." (John 19:28) ]
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works [ What works is he speaking of here? ] a man is justified, [ That is, to justify means to ratify, approve, confirm, or give authorized sanction of an action. All actions relative to the gospel, such as repentance, baptism, temple marriage, etc., must be justified through the Holy Ghost or they are not enforce after this life is over. The Lord has stated: "All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by revelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power . . . are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead" (D & C 132:7). Therefore when an action is "sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise" it is approved or ratified by the Holy Ghost as being legitimate.
In General Conference, Elder Bruce R. McConkie, gave the following instruction regarding justification:
"Now, to justify is to seal, or to ratify, or to approve; and it is very evident from these revelations that every act that we do, if it is to have binding and sealing virtue in eternity, must be justified by the Spirit. In other words, it must be ratified by the Holy Ghost; or in other words, it must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise.
"All of us know that we can deceive men. We can deceive our bishops or the other Church agents, unless at the moment their minds are lighted by the spirit of revelation; but we cannot deceive the Lord. We cannot get from him an unearned blessing. There will be an eventual day when all men will get exactly and precisely what they have merited and earned, neither adding to nor subtracting from. You cannot with success lie to the Holy Ghost.
"Now let us take a simple illustration. If an individual is to gain an inheritance in the celestial world, he has to enter in at the gate of baptism, that ordinance being performed under the hands of a legal administrator. If he comes forward prepared by worthiness, that is, if he is just and true, and gains baptism under the hands of a legal administrator, he is justified by the Spirit in the act which has been performed; that is, it is ratified by the Holy Ghost, or it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. As a result it is of full force and validity in this life and in the life to come.
"If an individual thereafter turns from righteousness and goes off and wallows in the mire of iniquity, then the seal is removed, and so we have this principle which keeps the unworthy from gaining unearned blessings. The Lord has placed a bar which stops the progress of the unrighteous; he has placed a requirement which we must meet. We must gain the approval and receive the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost if eventually and in eternity we are to reap the blessings that we hope to reap.
"The same thing that is true of baptism is true of marriage. If a couple comes forward worthily, a couple who is just and true, and they enter into that ordinance under the hands of a legal administrator, a seal of approval is recorded in heaven. Then assuming they do not thereafter break that seal, assuming they keep the covenant and press forward in steadfastness and in righteousness, they go on in the next world as husband and wife; and in and after the resurrection, that ordinance performed in such a binding manner here has full force, efficacy, and validity." (Conference Report, April 1956, p.65) ] and not by faith only.