The Passage
      v1. Turning to the subject of showing partiality, James asks a pointed question, "My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?", NRSV. Favoritism in relationships demonstrates a total disregard toward Christ.
      v2-4. Partiality, within the Christian fellowship, is described in the terms of discriminating in favor of someone on the basis of their wealth. To do this is to "become judges of evil thoughts", that is, judge in an evil way. By showing favoritism toward the wealthy we imply that they are more desirable than the poor person, when in fact, in God's eyes, both rich and poor are precious. Doing such breaks the law of God, ie. is evil, Deut.1:17.
      v5-7. James makes an observation about life. Those without status and wealth seem to be the very ones who respond readily in faith toward the Christian gospel and thus are incorporated into the kingdom of God. Therefore, showing favoritism to the rich is a bit of an insult toward a group that represents the majority of church members. Also, those with wealth and status have been the very ones to oppose the Christian faith and to slander the name of Christ.
      v8-9. To show favoritism is to break the divine rule of the kingdom of God - the law of love.
      v10-11. James reinforces the point by noting that his comments may seem to be making a mountain out of a mole hill, but when we break the law, in but one respect, for example by showing partiality, we have broken the law of love as a whole and are liable to God's condemnation. Disobedience at one point only makes us a lawbreaker.
      v12-13. Finally, James encourages his readers to motivate their love with mercy. God's perfect liberating law is administered under His gracious mercy, a mercy that should motivate us to show mercy. If we show favoritism within the Christian fellowship, does this not imply we have yet to experience God's favour? So, let us overcome favoritism with triumphant compassion.

Showing no partiality, no discrimination
      The issue before us is one which is not very complex. We are "all one in Christ" and we are bound to "love one another." To seek out the "beautiful" people in our congregation and give them honour because of wealth, status in society, looks, youthfulness, race, education, breeding, success..... is a most ugly way to develop a Christian fellowship. Favoritism is rife in society, let it not exist in our church.
      A number of related dangers present themselves:

1. A marketed religion
      Denominational churches, by their very nature, are tempted to promote a worldly image of "success" as a means of marketing the institution. Youthfulness, vigor, "bright" services, etc. are all promoted at the expense of genuine discipleship. The "electronic church" oozes success. If we have to sugar-coat Jesus with "success" to gain disciples then we had better give the game away now. So, for example, when we are selecting this person or that person for positions of responsibility in our church, what are the motives behind our selection? What are the motives behind our advertising style, behind our programing and the shape of our services? May they be the right motives.

2. A middle-class church
      As we saw in our passage for study, the Christian gospel is attractive to non achievers rather than those who have made it. This is not because God actually predetermines that only the poor will respond to the gospel, but rather that his called-out people is a foolish and weak people and is therefore unattractive to the "beautiful" people. Our heritage comes from a despised Jewish Nation, while our leader is an executed common criminal whom we claim rose from the dead.
      Given this, we may well wonder why Christianity in the West tends to be upper middle-class. In fact, survey results show us that the Christian gospel is widely accepted by this group of people. If we want to grow our church, then the target group to aim at is young professional, well educated, middle-class marrieds. This seems to fly in the face of James' argument.
      The problem is that Christianity has greatly influenced Western society. Middle-class values are by-n-large Christian values. It is therefore natural that people who espouse middle-class values will find the Christian church attractive. This will be especially so if the church markets itself effectively during a time of economic downturn when middle-class people feel most threatened.
      It is exceedingly easy to market middle-class acceptance and end up filling the church with socialized believers. Beware!

v2
      gar "suppose" - for [if]. In combination with "if" gives the sense "for instance", REB.
      ean + subj. "suppose" - if [enters]. Introducing a conditional clause, 3rd class, where the condition stated in the protasis will possibly become a reality. The apodosis is v4. "For If a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into your assembly", RSV.
      anhr (hr droV) "a man" - It is reasonable to drop the sex, "a person", NRSV, and it is reasonable to emphasize the contrast established by James with the "poor man", "a rich person", CEV.
      sunagwghn (h) "meeting" - synagogue. Best to use the term for a Christian meeting place, so "church", "worship service", "meeting", Barclay, "assembly", NAB.
      lampra/ adj. "fine [clothing]" - shining, bright. Possibly in the sense of "clean", but also in the sense of "bright", as of cloth woven with gold thread.

v3
      "if" - repeated apodosis of a conditional sentence begun in v2, represented by subjunctive verbs "show special attention", "say" and "say".
      epibleyhte (epiblepw) aor. subj. "you show special attention" - you look attentively at, direct you attention to. "Show more respect to", TEV.
      kalwV adv. "[here's a] good [seat for you]" - good, well. Possibly meaning "please sit here", but more likely modifying seat, it's a "good" seat, as NIV. "Sit here, this is a good place", Goodspeed, "best seat", CEV.
      There are textual variants regarding the instructions to the poor man. Either, one of two commands, or possibly giving the poor man a choice. The NIV is one of two commands, while NJB gives a choice. "You can either stand or sit on the floor."
      uJpo to uJpopodiaon mou "by my feet" - under the footstool of mine. The sense is probably just "sit on the floor", CEV.

v4
      ou "[have you] not" - The negative in his question expects a positive answer.
      diekriqhte (diakrinw) aor. pas/mid. "have you [not] discriminated" - do you [not] judge, make distinctions, evaluate. Usually taken as middle voice, "judge between", "make distinctions", in the sense of discriminating in a negative way, so NIV. If a passive voice, then the sense is "having doubts", meaning torn between different actions; "do you not see that you are inconsistent and judge by false standards", NEB.
      en eJautoiV "among yourselves" - in your own. Possibly "among yourselves", "among your members", REB, which fits with "discriminated", but more naturally "in yourself", "in your own minds", Moffatt.
      ponhrwn adj. gen. "with evil [thoughts]" - of evil. The genitive is descriptive (quality). Not that they judge the evil in others, but that they are "evilly motivated / evil-minded judges", Davids.

v5
      akousate (akouw) aor. imp. "listen" - hear. "For do notice my brethren", Phillips.
      exelexato (eklegomai) aor. "chosen" - [did not God] choose [those who are poor?]. This phrase seems to imply that God actually calls out the poor of this world to be his children. If we hold that God chooses (chosen, selected, preferred) those whom he will save, then this is how we should interpret the verse. Yet, it's probably better to regard that God has chosen the weak and ineffective family of Abraham to be the channel of his blessings to all mankind. The foolishness and weakness of this people has tended to attract a response from those who are the dispossessed of our world. It is they who tend to respond to the gospel and become members of God's called out, chosen people. That is, individuals, of their own volition, choose to be members of God's set-apart down-trodden people, but those who so choose tend to be working class.
      tw/ kosmw/ (oV) dat. "in the eyes of the world" - in/by/for the world. Variant readings exist trying to make sense of this phrase, eg. the preposition "in" is added to give the phrase a local (place) sense. In another reading "the world" is genitive instead of dative, "of the world" = origin or possession; "the poor of the world." The dative may be locative, referring to place, "in the world", NRSV; it may be a dative of interest - advantage (commodi), ie. "for the benefit of the world." It may be a dative of reference, "with reference/respect to this world's resources." Yet, it is probably a dative of feeling (ethical), "the poor to this world" = "the poor as far as this world is concerned." Most commentators and translations opt for this sense, although define it as either a dative of interest (Adamson, Davids) or reference/respect (Johnson, ....). Like beauty, Greek grammar is all in the eyes of the beholder! "Poor in the view of the world", Davids.
      en pistei (iV ewV) "in faith" - The preposition may indicate a dative of interest/advantage implying that the poor possess an abundance of faith, but this is unlikely; "God has given a lot of faith to the poor", CEV. A dative of reference/respect may be indicated; although poor, in regard to their faith, they are rich, "rich in the sphere of faith", Davids. Possibly we again have a dative of feeling (ethical); they are rich as far as faith is concerned, ie. in the judgment of the divine realm of faith, as compared to the judgment of the world. "Rich in the realm of faith", TH.
      thV basileiaV (a) gen. "[inherit] the kingdom" - [heirs] of the kingdom. The genitive is descriptive (attributive, quality), defining what they are heirs of. Israel's inheritance was the Abrahamic promise = a kingdom. "He also promised them a share in his kingdom", CEV.
      ephggeilato (epagnellomai) aor. "he promised" - The NIV treats the aorist literally, but an English perfect seems appropriate, "he has promised", RSV.
      toiV agapwsin (agapaw) pres. part. dat. "those who love" - [which he promised] to those who love [him]. Dative of interest - advantage.

v6
      de "but" - adversative.
      uJmeiV "you" - emphatic. "You, on the other hand", NJB.
      htimasate (atimazw) aor. "have insulted" - dishonored, humiliated, despised, shown contempt toward. Assuming that James has in mind no specific act of discrimination toward a particular poor person or group, the aorist is best translated as an English present tense and "the poor" as a general group. "But you humiliate the poor", Goodspeed.
      ouc "is it not" - not. The negation introduces a question expecting a negative answer. Although a single sentence in Greek, the NIV breaks the sentence up into two questions. "Is it not the rich who lord it over you and drag you into court?", Moffatt.
      katadunasteuousin (katadunasteuw) pres. "who are exploiting [you]" - oppress, exercise power over. "Treat you as tyrants treat their slaves", Barclay.
      krithria (on) "court" - [to] judgment-seat. Possibly the religious courts operating within the local synagogue is intended here.

v7
      autoi "they" - emphatic.
      blasqhmousin (blasqhmew) pres. "who are slandering" - [they] blaspheme, slander, abuse, speak evil of.
      kalon adj. "[the] noble [name of him]" - [the] good [name]. "The excellent name", NRSV.
      to epiklhqen (epikalew) aor. pas. part. "[to] whom [you] belong" - which having been named [over/upon you]. In the sense of give a name to someone and therefore identify possession of. The name "invoked over you", NRSV, is obviously "the glorious Lord Jesus Christ", 2:1. It is this name under which we are claimed by God. "The honorable name by which God has claimed you", REB.

v8
      ei + ind. "if" - Conditional clause, 1st class, where the condition stated in the protasis is a reality. "If, as is the case."
      mentoi "really" - This conjunction is either affirmative, "indeed / really / verily", as NIV, or adversative (probably more concessive), "however", cf. NAB. It is likely that v8 is being contrasted with v9 so an affirmative sense seems best; "if you really fulfill ......... if however you practice favoritism.....", Johnson. "
      basilikon adj. "royal [law]" - Possibly "royal" in that this law derives from God (from a king, so "the Law of the Great [Heavenly] King", Wesley), or "sovereign" in that it is authoritative, REB, or the first and most important law, "supreme", NJB. Some commentators suggest lex regina, "the Law of the Kingdom", ie. the law that governs the kingdom. It would seem that the law is as quoted, Lev.19:18, although some argue that "the royal law" is the Ten Commandments, of which duty to neighbor is summarized in the quote "love your neighbor ....". The fact that "law" is anarthrous (without an article) supports the argument that "the royal law" is the whole law. "You will be doing the right thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom", TEV.
      ton plhsion "neighbor" - the near one. An adverb used as a substantive. For a Jew, "the neighbor" is a fellow Jew, including Jews of the dispersion, even a syncretized Jew - a Samaritan (so Jesus). The proper Christian equivalent is "brother", a fellow believer (even of another denomination!).

v9
      de "but" - but, and, now. "However", Johnson.
      ei + ind. "if" - A second contrasting conditional clause, 1st class.
      proswpolhmpteite (proswpolhmptew) pres. ind. "you show favoritism" - show partiality, discriminate. Hapax legomenon - once only use in NT. "If you treat some people better than others", CEV.
      tou nomou (oV) "the law" - Which law? Is James referring to "the law of love", or God's law in general, the Torah? The kingdom call for love, for compassion, summarizes all neighborly law.
      parabatai (hV ou) "lawbreakers" - transgressors, offenders. Referring to rebellion against God's law, literally: "breaking the fence of the Torah."

v10
      oJstiV + subj. "whoever [keeps] - whoever. The particle an is missing and would normally stand in front of the subjunctive to properly form this relative conditional clause, "whoever obeys the whole law", Moffatt.
      oJlon ton nomon "the whole law" - Again, we are unsure what law James is referring to, although the law of love, summarizing the law toward neighbor, seems likely.
      ptaish/ (ptaiw) aor. subj. "stumbles" - trips, slips, falls. "But fails to keep it in one particular part", Barclay.
      eJni "[at just] one point" - [in] one. Presumably in the sense of breaking one element of the law of love, eg. discrimination.
      pantwn enocoV "guilty of breaking all of it" - subject, liable, guilty of all. The sense is presumably that a person who has broken one element of the law is liable to the penalty for breaking the law as a whole. That is, a person who discriminates against a brother is liable to the penalty for breaking the law of love. "Remember that a man who keeps the whole law (of love), but for a single exception, is none the less a lawbreaker", Phillips.

v11
      gar "for" - Indicating that this sentence serves to explain why it is that a person who breaks one of God's commandments is guilty of breaking the law as a whole.
      mh moiceush/V (moiceuw) aor. subj. "do not commit adultery" - Hortatory subjunctive, as with "do not murder."
      ei + ind. "if" - Possibly concessive, "although", but more likely introducing a conditional clause 1st class where the stated condition is a reality, "even if", TEV. If we don't break one command, but break another, we "have become a lawbreaker."
      parabathV (hV ou) "a lawbreaker" - a transgressor [of law]. "You have become a breaker of God's whole law", Phillips.

v12
      ouJtwV "-" - thus, so. Introducing a concluding exhortation that sums up James' instruction on this matter. "In such a way / with this in mind", Davids.
      mellonteV (mellw) pres. part. "those who are going [to be judged]" - being about to be judged. Not in the sense of "near", but rather "will definitely come." "Act as men who are going to be judged", Barclay.
      dia + gen. "by" - through, by means of. "According to the law of liberty."
      nomou eleuqeriaV (a) "the law that gives freedom" - the law of freedom. The genitive is obviously descriptive; the law is a vehicle of liberation. It is difficult to describe the Torah, in particular neighbor law, as liberating. Yet, it is possible to describe the consequences of compliance as liberating, although compliance itself is not liberating. Clearly, compliance as a means of escaping judgment cannot be intended, unless James is speaking of compliance in and through Christ. Given the context of this phrase in 1:25, it is possible that James is saying nothing more than that compliance with God's ethical guidelines is a very liberating experience and thus it is possible to describe the law as God's "perfect/flawless and liberating law." On the other hand, it is more likely that the descriptive "of freedom/liberty" for the law is prompted by the link between justice and mercy, an idea drawn out in v13. Divine judgment under the law is not without mercy and thus it is possible to describe the law as a "liberating law." "The law that sets us free", TEV, etc. goes a touch too far and can be misleading. "The law that treats men as free", Goodspeed, Williams, is an interesting translation, but it doesn't work in 1:25. "The law of liberty" possibly means "the law of the gospel", or "the law of Christ", in the sense of either "the law of love" or "the law of grace." All three possibilities have a long history in the world of Biblical interpretation. See Adamson for his law / grace argument - "the law of ordinances / the law of liberty", although it seems unlikely that James is into Pauline theology here. "God's liberating law."