My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 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, 3 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,” 4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? 5 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? 6 But you dishonored the poor person. Are not the rich oppressing you? And do they themselves not haul you off to court? 7 Is it not they who blaspheme the noble name that was invoked over you? 8 However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law, but falls short in one particular, has become guilty in respect to all of it. 11 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. 12 So speak and so act as people who will be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
James warmly addresses the Christian community as “brothers” and tells them not to show favoritism to anyone based on wealth or social status, but to hold fast to true faith in Christ which should lead to impartial treatment of others. He gave a hypothetical situation in which social status could be assumed from how individuals dressed and preference given based on status, but since there is no partiality with God (Rom. 2:11), all must be treated equally. If believers show servile favor to the wealthy but dishonor the poor, they would be biased judges with evil intent creating a division in the community. He reminded them that from OT times God took special care of the poor (Ex. 22:21; Lv. 23:22), and He often chose the poor to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom promised to those who love him (Lk. 6:20; 1 Cor. 1:28). They would be dishonoring the poor whom God often favors while being ill-treated by the wealthy whom they favor. The majority of the first converts were poor. The rich are characterized by their oppression of others and their irreverence towards God.
James referred to the commandment to love your neighbor which fulfills the whole law (Lv. 19:18; Mt. 22:39) as the royal law, and believers who treat others with equal love and respect fulfill this law. Showing partiality transgresses the law and transgression of one of the precepts of the law makes one a transgressor of all the precepts of the law. All serious transgressions of the law indicate contempt for the giver of the law. They must live and act according to the principles of God’s law in fraternal charity because they will be judged by the law of freedom. 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 mercy to us. Help us not to discriminate or be judgmental but to practice justice, mercy, and charity towards all. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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