l/'AdsXtpo/ poo, my brethren) The equality of Christians, as indi- cated by the name of brethren , is the basis of this admonition. — sv) The phrases, sv ‘rpogu^oXr^/aic sysiv, and sv s<ziyv&<ssi sysiv, Rom. i. 28, are similar. — npcxrMxo'kyj'^/aig, receivings of persons) The one
• 1 yvuaTYi; tu)V lu tu> vopccp cciroppyiTav xccl dxptf 3vj;
2 These two things are joined together in a similar way, Eccles. v. 1, 2 : “ Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God.” And that Book of Solomon agrees with this Epistle of James in this respect especially, that they both urge moderation in all things. Compare Matt. xii. 34, “ Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” The tongue sins in reproaches, perjuries, lying, jesting, false promises, murmuring, etc. — V. g.
3 See Append, on Synecdoche.
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(manner of receiving) has reference to the rich who are strangers to the faith ; the other, which is widely different, has reference to the poor who are Christians. — kIgtiv, faith ) in which the poor abound. — rrjg bogrjg, of glory) The pronoun our seems to show, that this (of glory) does not depend upon the word Lord . It is therefore put in apposition, so that Christ Himself is called 55 dog a, the Glory . Comp. Luke ii. 32; Is. xl. 5; Eph. i. 17; 1
Pet. iv. 14. The Glory is Christ Himself. Thus James both de- clares Him to be the Son of God, and publishes His resurrection from the dead, as it becomes an apostle. Christ is Glory ; and therefore faith in Him is glorious, and the faithful are glorious. This glory of the faithful is far above all worldly honour ; no re- specter of persons acknowledges it.
2. E/<rsXfy, shall enter) as an unknown stranger. — GuHzyuyw) assembly , and that a sacred one; for he adds, your . The name of synagogue is transferred from Jews to Christians. — avrip yjvGo- ba xrvXiog, a man with a golden ring) The use of rings was formerly much more uncommon than now. The antithesis is simply a poor man. — Xa^rpa, splendid) bright and new, of whatever colour it may be.
3. ’E‘r/j8Xe4'jjrg, ye look upon) with admiration. — rov (popovvra , him that weareth) although you are ignorant who he is ; when perhaps he may be a heathen. — <ri) — <n), thou — thou) This has here the force of a proper name. — naOov aids, sit here) The antithesis is, stand there. — xaXug) I'tSH ; Septuagint, xuXaig, honourably. — he?, there) at a distance from us.
4. Ka; ov, nor) If, of ver. 2, has its Apodosis in this verse : y.a) ov, xat, u both ye. do not discriminate aright, and .” — ov biaxpthrs) Though you make that difference ( discrimination ) between the rich and the poor, u you do not discriminate” with just hesitation, con- sideration, and weighing, that which should have been given to the poor man, rather, or at any rate not less, than to the rich. A iexp/6ri occurs in an active sense also in Pom. iv. 20. AiowpiveaQou is used in this passage of James in a good sense. [But Engl. Yers. takes it in a bad sense, and with an interrogation, u Are ye not partial ? ”] To this compound word the simple xpirai is opposed, which word denotes those who settle any subject definitely. A idxp/Gig (discri- mination) ought to precede xp'nug (judgment) ; whereas you omit the former and exercise the latter. — %pira) bioiXoyiGfjjuv Kovripaiv) judges , approvers of evil thoughts ; that is, of the rich, who have outward splendour, but abound with evil thoughts. They
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