'My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please,” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you dishonored the poor person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you? However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law, but falls short in one particular, has become guilty in respect to all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not kill.” Even if you do not commit adultery but kill, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment (Js. 2:1-13).'
Based on love of neighbor which fulfills the whole law (Lv,19:18; Mt. 22:39), the author strongly urged the community to show no partiality to anyone. He gave a hypothetical example to the nascent community in which social status could be assumed from how individuals dressed, but since there is no partiality with God (Rom. 2:11), all must be treated equally. From OT times God has taken special care of the poor (Ex, 22:21; Lv. 23:22), and in the NT the poor are rich because of their faith, and they will be heirs to the Kingdom (Lk. 6:20l; 1 Cor. 1:28). There is a relationship between God’s divine promise and the inheritance of the Kingdom, but one must respond to God’s will, in love. The rich are characterized by their oppression and their irreverence towards God. Transgression of one precept of the law makes one a transgressor of all the precepts of the law. Having been freed from slavery to sin and death the Christian must show forgiveness and mercy from the heart and have a free and full self-dedication to God’s new covenant. Jesus said, “But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions (Mt. 6:15).”
Almighty God, you forgive our transgression whenever we ask from our hearts, and without your mercy no one can stand in your presence. Teach us to show mercy as you have shown us mercy. Help us not to discriminate or be judgmental but to practice justice towards all. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
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