9
they “had all things common”. Now, it seems,
there were both rich and poor brethren and
sisters in the ecclesias. Seeking to console the
poor, James exhorted them: “Let the brother
of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
but the rich, in that he is made low: because
as the flower of the grass he shall pass away”
(1:9,10). The poor can rejoice
in the riches of the Truth and
all its blessing, but the riches
of the rich will do them no
good; they “pass away”. It
seems that the rich trusted in
their riches, respected those
that were wealthy, and de-
spised the poor. This is the
theme of chapter 2 of the let-
ter, and James pointed out that such conduct
meant that they were failing to fulfil the royal
law: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy-
self” (:8).
We also have to realise that there is no guar-
antee in riches, and that the future is com-
pletely uncertain for all of us. As James
warned: “Go to now, ye that say, to day or to
morrow we will go into such a city, and con-
tinue there a year, and buy and sell, and get
gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on
the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a
vapour, that appeareth for a
little time, and then van-
isheth away” (4:13,14). Of
course, we today live in a
world where the rich prosper;
and this seems to have been
the case also when James was
writing, since he went on to
speak against rich men in
general: “Go to now, ye rich
men, weep and howl for your
miseries that shall come upon
you… ye have lived in pleas-
ure on the earth, and been
wanton” (5:1,5). This is, I
think, a condemnation of all
the rich, not merely the rich
brethren and sisters in the
ecclesias.
It can, of course, be very disturbing to watch
the wicked prosper, and making themselves
rich, but what one needs to do is to bring to
mind their ultimate destiny, and compare this
with the glorious future that lies ahead for the
faithful children of God. James recognised
this, exhorting us to patience: “Be patient
therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the
Lord” (:7). Psalm 37 also takes up this theme:
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither
be thou envious against the
workers of iniquity. For they
shall soon be cut down like the
grass, and wither as the green
herb” (:1,2). By contrast, “the
meek shall inherit the earth”
(:11). So we should not be
upset at what we see around
us: it will all come to an end.
As the Psalmist says: “I have
seen the wicked in great power, and spreading
himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed
away, and, lo, he was not” (:35,36).
The letter of James is full of practical advice
concerning our day-to-day life in the Truth, as
indeed are all the letters of the apostles. Most
of this advice is very clear and easy to under-
stand. We can all appreciate, and should heed,
the warning to keep our tongue, to seek peace
with one another; but there is one aspect of
his advice which we may find rather difficult,
and that is his advice concerning prayer.
James adopted a very positive approach to
prayer, asserting that “The effectual fervent
prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. In
“Rejoice always, pray
without ceasing, in
everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thess. 5:16-18
~ continued ...