Wesley's Explanatory Notes
James 2:8
If ye fulfil the royal law — The supreme law of the great King which is love; and that to every man, poor as well as rich, ye do well. Leviticus 19:18.
If ye fulfil the royal law — The supreme law of the great King which is love; and that to every man, poor as well as rich, ye do well. Leviticus 19:18.
Verse 8. _THE ROYAL LAW_] νομον βασιλικον. This epithet, of all the New Testament writers, is peculiar to James; but it is frequent among the Greek writers in the sense in which it appears St. James...
IF YE FULFIL THE ROYAL LAW - That is, the law which he immediately mentions requiring us to love our neighbor as ourselves. It is called a “royal law,” or kingly law, on account of its excellence or n...
II. THE ROYAL LAW: FAITH AND WORKS CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The faith of Christ with respect to persons (James 2:1)_ 2. The royal law (James 2:6) 3. Faith must be manifested by works (James 2:14)...
This paragraph on Servility suits exhortation of Jews incomparably better than that of Christians, among whom not many rich were found for generations. The scene of James 2:2 is the synagogue, best ta...
If you perfectly keep the royal law, as the Scripture has it: "You must love your neighbour as yourself, you do well. But if you treat people with respect of persons, such conduct is sin and you stand...
RESPECT OF PERSONS (James 2:1) _ 2:1 My brothers, you cannot really believe that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, and yet continue to have respect of persons._ Respect of persons is...
ROYAL. Greek. _basilikos._ See John 4:46. ACCORDING TO. App-104. SCRIPTURE. Greek. _graphe._ The quotation is from Leviticus 19:18....
_If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture_ The Greek gives a particle which is not expressed in the English, "If, however, ye fulfil …" Nothing that the writer has said in disparagement o...
5–14. THE ROYAL LAW OF LOVE IS INFRINGED BY THE UNJUST AND SCORNFUL TREATMENT OF THE POOR DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING SECTION, AND THUS THE WHOLE LAW IS BROKEN...
ΜΈΝΤΟΙ, rare in N.T.; 5 times in St John; also 2 Timothy 2:19; Jude 1:8. It introduces a concession. IF HOWEVER YE FULFIL THE ROYAL LAW (which you transgressed by dishonouring the poor through προσωπο...
_GOD HAS A ROYAL LAW -- JAMES 2:8-13:_ Discrimination is contrary to the Royal Law which saves man from sin. James reminded Christians that God has a "Royal Law." James used the expression "royal law,...
ΜΈΝΤΟΙ (G3305) воистину. Эта частица имеет одновременно как противительное значение: "но" "однако" "тем не менее" так и утвердительное: "действительно" "в самом деле" (Ropes; Adamson). ΤΕΛΕΊΤΕ _praes...
IF YE FULFIL THE ROYAL LAW— The whole of the apostle's argument depends upon that sacred maxim so frequently introduced in a direct or indirect manner by the infallibly inspired writers of the New Tes...
WHY OVER-RATING RICHES IS SIN _Text 2:5-9_ James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promi...
CHAPTER IV _OVER-RATED RICHES_ James 2:1-13 _Introduction_ The ability to accumulate riches, in the minds of many people, seems to qualify any man for any position. Even though the acquisition of r...
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: [ Ei (G1487) mentoi (G3305)] 'If, however (in the honour, you pay the rich), ye are fulf...
VERSE 8 IF YE FULFILL THE ROYAL LAW. The royal law that is, the law made by Christ our King, in which he says: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." If you observe this, you shall do well, and in...
26 The outward form of divine service, the rites and ceremonies of the sacerdotal system of Moses, was but the exterior shell of truth. It was the letter: truth was the spirit. The ritual was full of...
2:8 thyself, (b-18) See Leviticus 19:18 ....
ROYAL LAW] see Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 5:43....
WARNINGS AGAINST RESPECT OF PERSONS. BELIEF AND PRACTICE 1. Another instance of inconsistency. JESUS CHRIST _the Lord_ OF GLORY] better, 'Jesus Christ the glory,' or 'the glorious one,' One of the ra...
WHAT *FAITH SHOULD DO JAMES _IAN MACKERVOY_ The word list at the end explains words with a *star by them. CHAPTER 2 RESPECT OF PERSONS 2:1-7 V1 My Christian brothers and sisters, you trust th...
IF YE FULFIL THE ROYAL LAW. — Better paraphrased thus, _If, however, ye are fulfilling the Law, as ye imagine and profess ye are doing, the royal law, according to the Scripture, “Thou shalt love thy...
CHAPTER 11 THE INIQUITY OF RESPECTING THE RICH AND DESPISING THE POOR-THE SOLIDARITY OF THE DIVINE LAW. James 2:5 ST. JAMES is varied in his style. Sometimes he writes short, maxim-like sentences, w...
μέντοι : “nevertheless” there is a duty due to all men, even the rich are to be regarded as “neighbours,” for the precept of the Law, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18), appl...
James 2:1-13 take up again the subject of the rich and poor which was commenced in James 1:9-11....
AVOID SERVILITY TO THE RICH James 2:1 This sin of making distinctions in God's house is as rife today as ever; and wherever it is practiced the divine Spirit departs. God's love is impartial, so far...
Proceeding, James dealt with the effect of faith on conduct. It makes it impossible to show any respect of persons on the ground of the possession of worldly wealth. To show such respect shows that th...
THE ROYAL LAW James seemingly anticipated their response. Perhaps they would say they were only following the law, fit for kings, which said they should love their neighbor as themselves (Leviticus 19...
(4) If ye fulfil the (f) royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: (4) The conclusion: charity which God prescribes cannot agree with the respecting...
If then you fulfil the royal law,...thou shalt love, &c. you do well. By these words, the apostle explains what he had said before of the particular respect paid to rich and powerful men, that if thes...
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. (2) For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come...
To the reader who enters on the consideration of the epistle of James from the epistles of Paul, the change is great and sudden, and by no means least of all from the epistle to the Hebrews, which, in...
Now follows a plainer declaration; for he expressly points out the cause of the last reproof, for they were officiously attentive to the rich, not from love, but on the contrary, from a vain desire of...
The apostle now enters on the subject of those who professed to believe that Jesus was Christ the Lord. Before, in Chapter 1, he had spoken of the new nature in connection with God: here the professio...
IF YE FULFIL THE ROYAL LAW,.... Which is the law of love to men, without distinction of rich and poor, high and low, bond and free; and is so called, because it is the law of the King of kings; hence...
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: Ver. 8. _If ye fulfil the royal law_] Acknowledging God's sovereignty, and sending a lamb...
Jam. 2:8. "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well." Probably so called because the law of love was by way of specialty the law of C...
_If ye fulfil the royal law_ The supreme law of the great King, which is love; and that to every man, poor as well as rich; _ye do well_ The phrase, νομος βασιλικος, _royal law_, here admits of three...
THE ROYAL LAW; the law of love, called royal by way of preeminence. Compare Matthew 22:37-40. Real and ardent love is the best guide to a proper treatment of our fellow-men....
DEAD FAITH COMPARED WITH LIVING FAITH. Caution against partiality:...
IF YE FULFILL THE ROYAL LAW ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF, YE DO WELL;...
The first 13 verses of this chapter form a second division of the book, dealing with the faith of Christ as being above all personal considerations, perfectly true and impartial. To mix the faith of C...
What is the “royal law” in the Scriptures? What “scriptures” are intended here? Explain: Love your neighbor. Explain: As yourself. Who is my neighbor? Study Luke 10:25-37. Is our neighbor one who live...
Anticipated Argument It would appear that James is answering in these next verses (James 2:8-13) an argument that these Christians have put forward. It appears that his readers are defending their act...
1-13 Those who profess faith in Christ as the Lord of glory, must not respect persons on account of mere outward circumstances and appearances, in a manner not agreeing with their profession of being...
IF YE FULFIL; or, perfect; the word signifnies to accomplish perfectly, but no more is meant by it than sincerity in observing the duties of the law in an indifferent respect to one as well as another...
James 2:8 If G1487 G3305 fulfill G5055 (G5719) royal G937 law G3551 according G2596 Scripture G1124 love...
THE REASON THAT THEIR TREATMENT OF RICH AND POOR IS TO BE CONDEMNED AND WILL COME INTO JUDGMENT IS NOW GIVEN (JAMES 2:8). Having opened with an illustration so as to seize the attention, James now app...
‘If you really (or ‘however, if you') fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself, you do well, but if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, bei...
James 2:8. IF. The connection has been variously understood. Some suppose that St. James is anticipating an objection of his readers, that by showing respect of persons to the rich, they were obeying...
James 2:1-13. In this passage, St. James proceeds to caution his readers against showing respect of persons, especially in their religious assemblies; for by doing so they would violate their Christia...
HOWBEIT (μεντο). Probably not adversative here, but simply confirmatory, "if now," "if indeed," "if really." Common in Xenophon in this sense. See the contrast (δε) in verse James 2:9.IF YE FULFIL...
CONTENTS: The tests of brotherly love and good words. Justification before men by our works. CHARACTERS: Christ, James, Abraham, Isaac, Rahab. CONCLUSION: Those who are possessors of Christ's salvat...
James 2:1. _Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons._ See James 1:1. The whole of this chapter turns on charity, which is the excellence of pure religio...
THE RIGHT THING. This has always been God's _law,_ both through Moses and through Christ. The quotation is from Leviticus 19:18; also Romans 13:9; and see Galatians 4:14....
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 2:8 ROYAL LAW refers to God’s decree in Leviticus 19:18 (“love your neighbor”; compare...
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 2:1 The Sin of Favoritism. The problem of the poor and the rich, already emphasized in James 1:9,...
SINS OF PARTIALITY, ETC. _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ James 2:1. HAVE NOT.—Better, “hold not.” _Webster_ translates, “Without showing degrees of deference, maintain ye your faith.” THE LORD OF GLO...
EXPOSITION JAMES 2:1 WARNING AGAINST RESPECT OF PERSONS. JAMES 2:1 The translation is doubtful, two renderings being possible. (1) That of the A.V. and R.
Now my brothers, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons (James 2:1). This is so difficult. It is so easy for us to fall in the trap of respecting pers...
1 Kings 8:18; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 2 Kings 7:9; Gala
Fulfill the royal law [ν ο μ ο ν τ ε λ ε ι τ ε β α σ ι λ ι κ ο ν]. The phrase occurs only here and Romans 2:27. Telein, fulfill, is stronger than the more common word threin, observe or keep, which ap...
Observe here, 1. The honourable title put upon the law of God. ROYAL LAW: Royal in its author, Jesus Christ, Hebrews 12:25. Christ's voice shook Mount Sinai: Royal in its precepts, the duty it require...