Tiago 2
William MacDonald · Citado em PreceptAustin
Tiago 2
William MacDonald - Probably the most glaring example of it in the church today is the discrimination shown against people of other races and colors. Black believers have been ostracized in many instances or at least made to feel unwelcome. Converted Jews have not always been accepted cordially. Oriental Christians have tasted discrimination in varying degrees. It is admitted that there are enormous social problems in the whole area of racial relations. But the Christian must be true to divine principles. His obligation is to give practical expression to the truth that all believers are one in Christ Jesus. (Believer's Bible Commentary: Second Edition - Page 2309) Craig Keener has an interesting historical note on favoritisim in the courts - Roman laws explicitly favored the rich. Persons of lower class, who were thought to act from economic self-interest, could not bring accusations against persons of higher class, and the laws prescribed harsher penalties for lower-class persons convicted of offenses than for offenders from the higher class. Biblical law, most Jewish law and traditional Greek philosophers had always rejected such distinctions as immoral. (See Pdf page 677 The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament) John
Tiago 2
William MacDonald - What James is saying is, “As believers, you are no longer under the law of bondage, but you are under the law of liberty—liberty (ED: FREEDOM) to do what is right. The Law of Moses required you to love your neighbor but did not give you the power, and condemned you if you failed. Under grace, you are given the power (ED: Php 2:13NLT+) to love your neighbor and are rewarded when you do it. You don’t do it in order to be saved but because you are saved. You do it, not through fear of punishment, but through love for Him who died for you and rose again. When you stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, you will be rewarded or suffer loss according to this standard. It will not be a question of salvation but of reward.” (Believer's Bible Commentary: Second Edition - Page 2311) C. Leslie Mitton: This is the law which operates, not by outward enforcement, but when the love of Christ inwardly constrains. It is part of the freedom of the children of God, which issues in glad and spontaneous obedience to Him, for the sake of pleasing Him who has done so much for them, and in the glad assurance that what He commands is life's surest guide to deep and lasting happiness. Warren
Tiago 2
William MacDonald - Let us test ourselves then on this important subject of partiality. Do we show more kindness to those of our own race than those of other races? Are we more kindly disposed to the young than to the old? Are we more outgoing to good-looking people than to those who are plain or homely? Are we more anxious to befriend prominent people than those who are comparatively unknown? Do we avoid people with physical infirmities and seek the companionship of the strong and healthy? Do we favor the rich over the poor? Do we give the “cold shoulder” to “foreigners,” those who speak our language with a foreign accent? (Believer's Bible Commentary: Second Edition) Judgment (justice)(2920)(krisis from krino = to judge, decide) means a decision or judgment, verdict, justice, court (tribunal). The first use is by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount declaring "‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court." ("in danger of judgment") (Mt 5:21+, cp Mt 5:22+) Mt 10:15, 11:22, 24 all describe Jesus' sobering warning to the Jews of a specific future and frightening "day of judgment." (cp "sentence [krisis] of hell" Mt 23:33, see related uses of krisis in 2 Peter 2:9+, 2 Peter 3:7+) Krisis is also used by James in James 5:12+. Merciless (415)(aneleos from a = without + eleos = mercy) means unmerciful, merciless, pitiless, without compassion. This is the only use in Scripture and describes God's judgment. And this is so sad because one of God's great attributes is in fact Mercy. Mercy (compassion)(1656)(eleos) is the outward manifestation of pity and assumes need on the part of those who are recipients of the mercy and sufficient resources to meet the need on the part of those who show it. The idea of mercy is to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need or to give help to the wretched, to relieve the miserable. Here the essential thought is that mercy gives attention to those in misery. Wuest that eleos is used of God it describes "God’s “kindness and goodwill toward the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire to relieve them” (Vincent). Grace meets man’s need in respect to his guilt and lost condition; mercy, with reference to his suffering as a result of that sin." Triumphs (2620)(Katakauchaomai from kata = against + kauchaomai = to boast) means to boast against. The basic idea of the verb is of exulting in being able to prevail over something or someone else. Used with this meaning it is used positively in James 2:13 and negatively in James 3:14+. Louw-Nida says it means "to boast about something by downgrading something else." It is an expression of a feeling of one's comparative superiority and so to look down upon another, boasting at the expense of another (negative sense in Ro 11:18, James 3:14). In James 2:13 the idea expresses what is better or victorious, that which wins out over. The force of katakauchaomai is to brag about oneself in comparison with others. The meaning is clearly illustrated by an inscription on a grave in Asia Minor. The monument cites a gladiator as he gloats over a defeated foe. Katakauchaomai emphasizes one’s superiority over others with whom one is being compared (Bauer). Katakauchaomai - 3x - arrogant(2), arrogant toward(1), triumphs over(1). - Ro 11:18, James 2:13, James 3:14. Romans 11:18+ do not be arrogant (present imperative with a negative only possible to accomplish this by continually relying on the Holy Spirit to obey) toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. James 3:14+ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. QUESTION - What does it means that mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13)? ANSWER - James 2:13 says, “Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” When looking for the meaning from any passage, it is always important to look at the context. This chapter, and indeed the whole book of James, is a letter from the apostle James to the Church about practical Christian living. Not only does it deal with how to respond to God, but also how to maintain a Christlike relationship with others. The first half of chapter 2—which includes verse 13—addresses the favoritism some believers were showing toward the rich at the expense of the poor (verses 1–9). James then goes on to speak about the Law and how breaking even one of God’s commands makes one guilty of breaking all of them—one infraction is all it takes to make one a lawbreaker (verses 10–11). While some in the church may have seen favoritism as a “lesser” sin, James informed them that any sin, no matter how small it seems, constitutes breaking the entirety of God’s Law for His people. James 2:12–13 fit right into the flow of the previous verses. Verse 12 says, “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.” This liberty, which comes through the gospel of Christ, gives us freedom from the power of sin. James reminds the believers that they are no longer held under the old Law; instead, they are under a new law of freedom that was established through Jesus’ death and resurrection—born-again believers are under the New Covenant. This liberty, which comes through the gospel of Christ, gives us freedom from the power of sin. Live your life in such a way, says James, that proves that you expect to answer to God some day for your actions. No believer will be able to excuse his sin by saying, “I couldn’t help it,” because the cross of Christ did away with that bondage. We are under the law of liberty now. In James 2:13, the thought is continued: “Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful.” We dare not violate the law of liberty in our hearts by withholding mercy from others. If we who have been shown such great mercy act unmercifully toward our neighbors, then we will be dealt with in similar fashion. Jesus made the same point in the parable of the unforgiving steward (Matthew 18:23–35). And the principle goes back to Solomon’s time: “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered” (Proverbs 21:13). James’ mention of “mercy” here corresponds to his mention of “love” in verse 8: the “royal law” is to love your neighbor as yourself. “Cursed are the unmerciful, for they will be shown no mercy.” In the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaims, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). James gives the converse of that statement in James 2:13, saying, in essence, “Cursed are the unmerciful, for they will be shown no mercy.” A Christian is not under God’s curse. One of the qualities of the Christian is that he shows mercy and compassion toward others. This brings us to the final statement of James 2:13, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” The idea is that mercy “glories” or “boasts” against judgment, knowing that, where mercy and judgment seem to conflict, mercy wins. The good news for every child of God in Christ is that God’s mercy toward us will triumph over His judgment of us (see Romans 8:1). Our sins may argue against us, but Christ is our loving Advocate who argues for us and prevents us from receiving the judgment we deserve. We, in turn, display God’s type of mercy toward others. In essence, James 2:13 tells us that, since God will judge us with mercy, we should judge others with mercy. Being merciful is an act that shows our thankfulness for all God has done, and it is made possible through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling. Lehman Strauss - Let us remember that "mercy rejoiceth against judgment." This means that mercy triumphs over judgment. If I show mercy to the needy instead of sitting in judgment upon them, I shall triumph in the end at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The Apostle John says that love has boldness in the day of judgment (1 John 4:17). Outward actions show very clearly what a man is at heart now, as well as what his reward will be hereafter. When a Christian shows compassion on others at all times, he looks forward to the judgment with calm confidence. A heart full of mercy has no fear of the day of judgment but rejoices in the face of it. J