Loving God (v. 5) and loving one's neighbor are the greatest requirements of the law. All the law hangs on these (Matt. 22:36-40).

Lit., work.

The word in vv. 8-11 indicates that the Jewish believers at James's time were still practicing the keeping of the Old Testament law. This corresponds with the word in Acts 21:20 spoken to Paul by James and the elders in Jerusalem. James, the elders in Jerusalem, and many thousands of Jewish believers were still in a mixture of the Christian faith and the Mosaic law. They even advised Paul to practice such a semi-Judaic mixture (Acts 21:17-26). They were unaware that the dispensation of law was altogether over and that the dispensation of grace should be fully honored, and that any disregard of the distinction between these two dispensations would be against God's dispensational administration and would be a great damage to God's economical plan for the building up of the church as the expression of Christ. Thus, this Epistle was written under the cloud of a semi-Judaic mixture, under a background that was obscured. Many who practice religion according to their natural concept neglect the background seen in this book.

So refers to what follows, not to what has gone before.

The law of freedom here and in James 1:25 refers to the same law, the law of life. Verses James 2:8-11 and James 4:11 speak of keeping the law of letters. This verse speaks of the believers' being judged by the law of life. The believers should speak and do things according to the law of life, which transcends the law of letters. They should live according to the law of life. This kind of living surpasses the keeping of the law of letters. The unbelievers will be judged at the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15) by the law of letters, which is the law of Moses; the believers will be judged at Christ's judgment seat (2 Cor. 5:10) by the law of life, the law of freedom, which is the law of Christ.

Or, boasts over, boasts against.

The royal law is the commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." This is the king of all laws, and it covers and fulfills all laws (Gal. 5:14; Rom. 13:8-10).

Lit., which is called upon you. See Acts 15:17 and note.

Lit., good. This is the honorable name of Jesus Christ.

Or, tribunals.

We believe in the Lord for our salvation (Acts 16:31); we love God (1 John 2:5, 15) for our overcoming, that we may receive the promised kingdom as a reward (see note Heb. 12:28^1a and note Heb. 10:35^1b).

The kingdom of God here is also the kingdom of Christ, which will be inherited by the overcoming believers in the coming age (Eph. 5:5; Gal. 5:21; 1 Cor. 6:10; Rev. 20:4, 6). The reality of this kingdom (see note Matt. 5:3^4b) should be practiced not in the Jewish synagogue but in the Christian church, which is the Body of Christ (Rom. 14:17).

Or, to; i.e., in the world's esteem.

Or, in.

The distinctions that existed between the rich and the poor among the Christian brothers and that resulted in discrimination were a shame to the Lord and to the salvation of His divine life.

The Greek word is composed of together and to bring; hence, a collecting, gathering, congregating; and thence, the place of gathering. It was used in the New Testament to denote the congregation of the Jews (Acts 13:43; 9:2; Luke 12:11) and their congregating place (Luke 7:5), where they sought the knowledge of God by studying the Holy Scriptures (Luke 4:16-17; Acts 13:14-15). In Jerusalem there were numerous synagogues for different groups of Jews (Acts 6:9). James's use of this word here may indicate that the Jewish believers considered their assembly and assembling place as another of the synagogues among the Jews. If so, this bears, as does the whole Epistle, a Jewish character and may indicate that the Jewish Christians regarded themselves as still a part of the Jewish people, the chosen people of God according to the Old Testament, and that they lacked a clear vision concerning the distinction between God's chosen people of the Old Testament and the believers in Christ of the New Testament. See note James 1:1³.

Most translators add, the Lord.

Or, faith in our Lord...; cf. note Rom. 3:22¹. This indicates that this Epistle, and especially this chapter, was written to the New Testament believers in the Lord Jesus Christ of glory.

According to the context, this is to be saved from the judgment at Christ's judgment seat that is without mercy (v. 13). We must have works of mercy and love toward the believers. Only then can we be saved from the judgment that is without mercy.

The verb indicates that they have been in this condition for some time.

Lit., Go away.

It is shameful for the necessities of the poor saints to be neglected in the church life. However, James's word here, given to strengthen his view of practical Christian perfection, carries the flavor of the Old Testament concern for needy people (Deut. 15:7-8).

Faith is of life; it is living and operates through love (Gal. 5:6). Otherwise, it is a dead faith and is not genuine (vv. 20, 26).

Lit., according to.

Or, barren. Some MSS read, dead.

To be justified by faith is for the receiving of the divine life (Rom. 5:18); to be justified by works is through living the divine life. Since the living is the issue of life, to be justified by works is the issue of being justified by faith. Abraham's offering of Isaac and Rahab's receiving of the messengers and sending them out are works that issued from their living faith. A living tree surely brings forth fruit. Being justified by works is not inconsistent with being justified by faith. The latter is the cause, bringing forth the former; the former is the effect, the outcome and proof, of the latter.

This chapter begins with the matter of having no respect of persons (vv. 1-13) and arrives at the practical care for the necessities of the poor saints, which is the justifying work of faith (vv. 14-26). These virtues, according to James's view, can be considered characteristics of practical Christian perfection.

Lit., thrust them out.

The spirit gives life to the body (Gen. 2:7); the works indicate and express the life that is in the faith.