James Expounds on Faith Volume 20

Avoid, Abstain, & Abhor the Sin of Partiality Part 3

James 2:6-7 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? KJV

The warning rendered by the Apostle James in the previous verse was a general one to all of those scattered Jewish believers back then and all of us today and of every era and generation. However, the Apostle James has received a 'word of knowledge' from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that some of those believers back then (and today and in all ⌚ times) have literally been doing the very thing that he is now warning all believers to not do by what he declares here with these very next words, "But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?" (James 2:6) (KJV). The English word 'despised' used here by the Apostle James is translated by the Greek word atimazō and it means exactly what our English definition of despised means which is to render infamous, that is, (by implication) contemn or maltreat: - despise, dishonour, suffer shame, entreat shamefully. In other words, to treat a brother or sister 'in Christ' shamefully or with dishonor simply because he or she is poor in erathly things is seen by our Father in heaven as reprehensible, repugnant, and repulsive. This is why the Apostle James is writing these words wanting to remind them and us that it is the rich unbelieving world (back then and in all times) who treat those of us who are followers of our Lord Jesus Christ with hatred and contempt calling us bigots and unloving simply because of our trust in the Lord Jesus and our belief that He alone is God and He alone is the only way to heaven for any sinner (John 14:6) and that His Word is the Only truth for humanity, remember what the Lord Jesus said about those who trust in earthly riches from Volume 19 (Mark 10:23-27). It is in large part the unbelieving rich of the world who have in the past and are in the present and will continue in the future to do all they can to silence true believers by violence and by making laws that declare the Bible to be taken out of schools (already done) and in every other way they can to stop the truth of the Word of God being spoken, 📝 written, or taught anywhere, even in the ⛪ Church and private homes or businesses. The rich are the primary oppressors of Christians because they hate and mock the true God of the Bible and their goal is to silence those who declare His truth, therefore, according to the Apostle James it is stupid, sick, and sorry for any individual or group of believers to show favoritism to any who are rich over the poor (even if the rich man 👨 or woman 👩 has become a believer). The English word 'oppress' used by the Apostle James in verse 6 is translated by the Greek word katadunasteuō meaning to exercise dominion against, that is, oppress. The Apostle James wanted to remind those believers back then and warn we believers today that those who are rich and have influence over local, state, and federal government have made it their prority to silence true believers, so the Apostle James asked this question to them and now to us, "Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?" (James 2:7) (KJV). The English word 'blaspheme' is translated by the Greek word blasphēmeō meaning to vilify; specifically to speak impiously: - (speak) blasphememously, defame, rail on, revile, speak evil. The rich unbeliever because he or she has not faith in the True God (Jesus Christ) mock Him as being nothing to them or to the world and they have made His beautiful and holy and precious Name into a curse word that flows out of their mouths with the ease of a knife 🗡 slicing through butter and they think 🤔 nothing of it and see their defaming and railing and reviling Christ Name as a joke, for they see Him now as of no consequence to them on earth 🌎 or even after their death (how wrong they will find themselves to have been).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 2:6-7, "Respecting persons, in the sense of this place, on account of their riches or outward figure, is shown to be a very great sin, because of the mischiefs which are owing to worldly wealth and greatness, and the folly which there is in Christians' paying undue regards to those who had so little regard either to their God or them: Consider how commonly riches are the incentives of vice and mischief, of blasphemy and persecution: consider how many calamities you yourselves sustain, and how great reproaches are thrown upon your religion and your God by men of wealth, and power, and worldly greatness; and this will make your sin appear exceedingly sinful and foolish, in setting up that which tends to pull you down, and to destroy all that you are building up, and to dishonour that worthy name by which you are called. The name of Christ is a worthy name; it reflects honour, and gives worth to those who wear it." Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of James 2:6-7, "The administration of justice was at this time in a miserable state of corruption among the Jews; but a Christian was one who was to expect no justice any where but from his God. The words καταδυναστευουσιν, exceedingly oppress, and ἑλκουσιν εις κριτηρια, drag you to courts of justice, show how grievously oppressed and maltreated the Christians were by their countrymen the Jews, who made law a pretext to afflict their bodies, and spoil them of their property. They took every occasion to asperse the Christian name and the Christian faith, and have been, from the beginning to the present day, famous for their blasphemies against Christ and His religion. It is evident that these were Jews of whom St. James speaks; no Christians in these early times could have acted the part here mentioned." Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of James 2:6-7, "Or dishonoured, and reproached them, by showing respect of persons, in preferring the rich to them, and in distinguishing them in such a manner as was to their contempt and injury; which is a reproaching not only of them, but their Maker; and is in effect saying, that God has done either a weak or a wrong thing, in choosing them to be rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom, it being directly contrary to His conduct: Which may be understood either of rich men that were unbelievers; and these either the Heathen magistrates, who ruled over them in a tyrannical way, and with rigour, and often summoned them before them, and persecuted them with violence; or their own countrymen, the Jews, who stirred up the chief men of the Gentiles against them, and drew them to their judgment seats, as they drew Paul to the judgment seat of Gallio, Acts 13:50 or else of rich professors of religion, who assumed a despotic power over the poor brethren of the Church, and loved to have the pre-eminence over them, as Diotrephes did, and set up tribunals in the Churches, and tried and condemned them in an arbitrary way; or else upon civil accounts had them before heathen magistrates, and went to law with them in their courts, before unbelievers, which is a practice condemned in 1 Corinthians 6:1, and seeing now rich men used them so ill, the Apostle mentions this as an argument to dissuade them from respect of persons; seeing they had but little reason to show so much regard unto them, who had treated them in so evil a manner: this is not to be understood of all rich men; nor is the Apostle's design to destroy that natural and civil order there is among men, by reason of their different stations, offices, and circumstances; it being highly proper that honour should be given to whom honour is due, but not to the dishonour of another."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…