5 Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn't God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said, "Blessed are you who are poor, For yours is the Kingdom of God.
Don't be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.
to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn't fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.
From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
that they do good, that they be rich in good works, that they be ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, Which didn't enter into the heart of man, These God has prepared for those who love him."
For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are:
I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me. With me are riches, honor, Enduring wealth, and prosperity. My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; My yield than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice; That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.
having the eyes of your hearts{TR reads "understanding" instead of "hearts"} enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
For thus will be richly supplied to you the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It was broken in that day; and thus the poor of the flock that listened to me knew that it was the word of Yahweh.
Therefore Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, I said indeed that your house, and the house of your father, should walk before me forever: but now Yahweh says, Be it far from me; for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
"Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, From the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
Who doesn't respect the persons of princes, Nor regards the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands.
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
"Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, For blessed are those who keep my ways.
The humble also shall increase their joy in Yahweh, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
But I will leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh.
When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
As they went on the way, a certain man said to him, "I want to follow you wherever you go, Lord." Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried.
I confer on you a kingdom, even as my Father conferred on me,
Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees?
and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come. All are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on James 2
Commentary on James 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
In this chapter the apostle condemns a sinful regarding of the rich, and despising the poor, which he imputes to partiality and injustice, and shows it to be an acting contrary to God, who has chosen the poor, and whose interest is often persecuted, and his name blasphemed, by the rich (v. 1-7). He shows that the whole law is to be fulfilled, and that mercy should be followed, as well as justice (v. 8-13). He exposes the error and folly of those who boast of faith without works, telling us that this is but a dead faith, and such a faith as devils have, not the faith of Abraham, or of Rahab (v. 14-26).
Jam 2:1-7
The apostle is here reproving a very corrupt practice. He shows how much mischief there is in the sin of prosoµpoleµpsia-respect of persons, which seemed to be a very growing evil in the churches of Christ even in those early ages, and which, in these after-times, has sadly corrupted and divided Christian nations and societies. Here we have,
Jam 2:8-13
The apostle, having condemned the sin of those who had an undue respect of persons, and having urged what was sufficient to convict them of the greatness of this evil, now proceeds to show how the matter may be mended; it is the work of a gospel ministry, not only to reprove and warn, but to teach and direct. Col. 1:28, Warning every man, and teaching every man. And here,
Jam 2:14-26
In this latter part of the chapter, the apostle shows the error of those who rested in a bare profession of the Christian faith, as if that would save them, while the temper of their minds and the tenour of their lives were altogether disagreeable to that holy religion which they professed. To let them see, therefore, what a wretched foundation they built their hopes upon, it is here proved at large that a man is justified, not by faith only, but by works. Now,