Tiago 2
John Phillips · Citado em PreceptAustin
Tiago 2
Phillips - After C. S. Lewis became a Christian, he decided that it would be appropriate for him to join a local church. There he found himself in the company of that very collection of his neighbors he had formerly sought diligently to avoid. The local grocer came sidling up to him to unctuously present him with a hymnbook. He looked around him and noticed that the man over there had boots that squeaked, the woman in front of him was wearing a ridiculous hat, and the man behind him sang off-key. He found himself drawing the unwarranted conclusion that these peoples' faith must somehow be ridiculous. Only later did he learn that some of these people were, in fact, devout, well-taught, and valiant Christians—believers whom Satan himself had reason to fear. It is a great mistake to judge people by their appearance. (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary - Page 70) Have you not made distinctions (1252)(diakrino from diá = separation, "thoroughly back and forth" + kríno = distinguish, decide, judge) basically means to separate wholly, to judge "back and forth" between two and thus divide between two. To face both ways, to be divided against oneself, to waiver, to distinguish. James used this same verb in James 1:6+ writing that one "must ask (James 1:5) in faith without any doubting (diakrino), for the one who doubts (diakrino) is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind." Positively diakrino can refer to close-reasoning (discrimination) or negatively as in James 2:4 to "over-judging" or going too far. The primary idea of diakrino is that they would be differentiating between rich and poor by separating (and they literally did separate them!). In other words they have discriminated and made unjustified divisions in their assemblies, in effect making social distinctions.
Tiago 2
Phillips on transgressors - The word here for "transgressors" means literally "one who oversteps." A transgressor breaks through a boundary. He goes too far. He breaks God's law. God does not want cliques in His church. Those who belong to cliques go too far. (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary - Page 75) Show partiality (only here in Bible)(4380)(prosopolempteo from prosopon = face + lambano = receive) means to accept or respect persons and in this context means to show partiality or favoritism by treating one person better than another. Zodhiates adds that it is "Equivalent to the Hebraism prósōpon lambánō (prosopon = face, presence, person; lambano = to receive, take into account), to show favor or partiality (Lk 20:21+ "You [JESUS] are not partial" ~ "You do not receive face"). See Septuagint (Lxx): Lev. 19:15+ = "you shall not be partial to the poor"; Mal. 2:9+ = "you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction." (Borrow The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) Committing (Accomplishing,Performing, Producing) (2038) ergazomai from ergon = work) means to engage in an activity involving considerable expenditure of effort. To work effectively. The NT uses ergazomai in a literal (to do manual labor) and figurative (especially spiritual - see below) sense. To labor, do work. Ergazomai speaks of "an action as something that stands in contrast to inactivity or talk." (Richards) Ergazomai "emphasizes the process of an action, carrying with this the ideas of continuity and repetition. It means “to labor, to be active, to perform,” with the idea of continued exertion being included." (Wuest) Sin (266)(hamartia) literally conveys the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow (in Homer some hundred times of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe). Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His good and acceptable and perfect will - Ro 12:2+) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." Convicted (exposed)(present tense) (1651)(elegcho a primary verb but related to elegchos = bringing to light) means to bring to the light (to reveal hidden things) with the implication that there is adequate proof of wrongdoing. To expose, to reprove, to shame or disgrace and thus to rebuke in such a way that one is compelled to see and to admit the error of their ways, in this case that they are demonstrating favoritism. The idea also has implicit the summons to the transgressor to repent. This verb is preeminently used of the Holy Spirit producing conviction in the heart, that inner conviction which convinces us that we have missed God's mark and have missed His approval. We constantly need the Holy Spirit to convict us about what is right as well as what is wrong so we don't hate what is wrong more than love what is right! This same verb elegcho is used in Hebrews 12 to describe the chastening or discipline of sons and daughters by our Father, the writer of Hebrews declaring that "you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM." (Heb 12:5+) Elegcho is used in John 3 which helps illustrate the meaning of this verb. Jesus explains that "everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed (elegcho)." (John 3:20) Transgressors (3848)(parabates from pará = beyond or contrary to + baíno = to go; cf parabasis) describes one who steps on one side and thus goes beyond or steps across a line. A transgressor is a violator of the God's law, one who goes beyond the law. It refers to the the person who steps beyond a fixed limit into forbidden territory. The point is that the royal law draws the line that should not be crossed or "stepped over" and discrimination against anyone, whether on the basis of dress, race, social class, wealth, sex, etc., is a clear violation of the royal law.
Tiago 2
Phillips - we should speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of liberty, by the fact that God has set us free from sin and free from the legalism that so many people embrace. (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary) Remember that the context for James issuing these commands is the danger of showing favoritism or partiality. In that context the POSB comments that "Who a person is—his social standing and wealth, clothing and appearance—are to have no effect upon us whatsoever. We are to receive people, actually reach out to them through our speech and behavior, no matter who they are. God is going to judge us on the basis of how we have loved and reached out to people, regardless of who they are." (Borrow The Preacher's outline & sermon Bible) Charles Swindoll - Speak not and act not out of natural, superficial, cultural conditioning. To speak and act that way makes believers into lawbreakers, subjecting them to God’s discipline. Believers will never fall under condemnation by God (Ro 8:1), but they will be judged and rewarded on how they conduct themselves in this life. James reveals the standard by which all believers will be judged: “by the law of liberty” (Jas. 2:12). In the context of 2:8–11, we know the law James had in mind—the liberating, royal law that excludes all prejudice and puts away all partiality—“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Insights on James, 1 & 2 Peter - Page 52)