James 2:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But we act as though we had suffered some great offense. We treat those who ask with contempt and turn away from them. You give nothing and cause grief.

Paul said, admonish them (2 Thess 3:15) as brothers (ἀδελφούς), “and do not revile them as enemies” (οὐχ ὑβρίζετε ώς ἐχθρούς).

One who admonishes his brother does this not openly and does not display arrogance. He does it privately, with great care, sorrowing and with tears in his eyes.

Therefore we give from a brotherly soul and instruct with a brotherly disposition. We do not grieve over the gift, but lament that he has transgressed the commandment, contrary to his own benefit.

If you insult while giving, you spoil the joy of the gift. But if you do not give and also revile, what evil you do to that poor, unfortunate man!

Since for many it is hard even to hear of poverty, after saying "the poor of this world," he immediately added, "rich." Rich in what? In faith. For the inalienable peace of the poor, when they pass over to faith, makes them stronger than the rich. Therefore the Lord chose such men as disciples and revealed them as heirs of the Kingdom.

Thus, in choosing, He makes men rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom. It is rightly said that He chose in them what He Himself had created, and for this He chose them.

Some think this testimony concerns the consolation of the poor, who are driven away from the houses of the rich or have settled in the cheapest place. Rich in faith. Even if they are poor in material things, they can be rich in faith.

Worldly temptations do not distract the poor. Therefore, when they turn to faith, they are more active and zealous than the rich.

Since poverty is a hard and bitter thing for many people, even merely to hear of it, the divine James first says here, “the poor of this world,” and then immediately calls them rich. In what respect? In piety and in faith.

The poor lack the anxieties that come from many worldly things. This creates in them readiness and fervor for receiving the faith of Christ.

Thus the divine Apostles, because they were poor and were fishermen, came to Christ and immediately received the faith. Christ chose such men and promised to give them the Kingdom of Heaven as an inheritance.

Those who have great faith in Christ are truly rich, indeed very rich, even if they are poor in money. They greatly surpass those who are truly poor in faith, though rich in money.

"Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom?" This expression is entirely equivalent to the Lord's words: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"; Mt 5:3. Poverty does not exclusively lead to the Kingdom of God, but it does so preferentially. Therefore the Evangelist means spiritual poverty. The Apostle wants to say that those whom the world considered poor proved rich in faith. This thought is confirmed by the history of the calling of the Apostles. They were poor men, yet they surpassed all their contemporaries in the wealth of faith. It is also confirmed by the history of the first Christians, who belonged chiefly to the lower and poorer classes of the people; compare 1 Cor 1:27-28. Yet they became heirs of the Kingdom of God.

The Apostle further and more fully reveals how inconsistent such partiality is with the perfect law. He rebukes this disposition of the community, though with love for his readers and with special warmth of heart.

This is clear from his address to them: “Listen,” that is, attend and consider, “my beloved brethren”; compare Jas 1:16.

The Apostle points out that partiality is inconsistent with the will of God concerning the poor, as expressed in their calling. He also points to the conduct of the rich themselves in the Christian community.

“Has not God chosen the poor of this world,” and so on. By “chosen” is meant God’s calling them to faith in Christ or into the Church of Christ; compare 1 Cor 1:26-27.

Having spoken at the end of the first chapter about the care of widows and orphans, the Apostle now speaks of the poor, of unjust treatment toward them, and of partiality in general.

Persuading his readers to put aside partiality and the preference of the rich over the poor, he reminds them of God’s chosen ones. In both the Old Testament, among the prophets, and the New, among the Apostles, they were chiefly poor in the world, yet rich in faith.

“God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor 1:27), says the Apostle Paul.