James 2:9

2:9 Favoritism violates the command to love one’s neighbor (2:8).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Jas 2:9. Προσωποληπτεῖτε, ye have respect to persons) The respecting of persons does not love all alike.—ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθε, ye commit sin) Your whole proceeding is sin. For, in Jas 2:10, has reference to this.—ἐλεγχόμενοι, convinced, convicted) on account of your having respect to persons, and thus incurring conviction.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jam_2:9 is in sharp contrast to Jam_2:8, calling the conduct of his readers, in opposition to their pretext, by its true name, and designating it directly as sin. The verb προσωποληπτεῖν is a complete ἅπ. λεγ.; James uses this word with reference to the exhortation in Jam_2:1. On ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθαι, see Mat_7:23; Act_10:35; Heb_11:33. Theile: gravius fere est quam ἁμαρτίαν ποιεῖν, ἁμαρτάνειν. For the sake of heightening this judgment, James adds the participial sentence ἐλεγχόμενοι κ.τ.λ.: being convicted by the law as transgressors. If the προσωποληπτοῦντες appealed to a law, it is precisely the law by which they are convinced as transgressors, so that they are without excuse. By ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου is meant not a single commandment, neither the above-mentioned law of love, nor specially a commandment forbidding respect of persons, as Deu_16:19 (Lange), but the law generally; so also παραβάται is general: not as transgressors of one commandment, but of the law generally.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jas 2:9 . προσωπολημπτεῖτε : see note on Jas 2:1 ; the word does not occur elsewhere in the N.T. nor in the Septuagint; cf. Lev 19:15 ; Deu 16:19 . ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθε : the strength of the expression is intended to remind his hearers that it is wilful, conscious sin of which they will be guilty, if they have this respect for persons on account of their wealth. It is well to bear in mind that the conception of sin among the Jews was not so deep as it became in the light of Christian teaching. ἐλεγχόμενοι : i.e. , by the words in Lev 19:15 ., μὴ θαυμάσῃς πρόσωπον δυνάστου . παραβάται : the verb παραβαίνω precisely expresses the Hebrew עבר “to cross over”; cf. Rom 2:25 ; Rom 2:27 ; Gal 2:18 ; Heb 2:2 ; Heb 9:15 , and see Mat 15:2-3 . To cross over the line which marks the “way” is to become a transgressor.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Respect of persons violates the command to love all alike "as thyself."

ye commit sin--literally, "ye work sin," Mat 7:23, to which the reference here is probably, as in Jam 1:22. Your works are sin, whatever boast of the law ye make in words (see on Jam 2:8).

convinced--Old English for "convicted."

as transgressors--not merely of this or that particular command, but of the whole absolutely.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 9. But if ye have respect to persons] In judgment, or in any other way; ye commit sin against God, and against your brethren, and are convinced, ελεγχομενοι, and are convicted, by the law; by this royal law, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; as transgressors, having shown this sinful acceptance of persons, which has led you to refuse justice to the poor man, and uphold the rich in his oppressive conduct.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

When, in the second place, he says, that those who had respect of persons were convinced, or reproved by the law, the law is taken according to its proper meaning. For since we are bidden by God’s command to embrace all mortals, every one who, with a few exceptions, rejects all the rest, breaks the bond of God, and inverts also his order, and is, therefore, rightly called a transgressor of the law.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(9) But if ye have respect to persons . . .—Translate, But if ye respect persons, ye work sin, and are convicted by the Law (i.e., at the bar of conscience) as transgressors. The first principle has been broken, and not a mere detail. De minimis non curat lex: the laws of men cannot concern themselves with trifles; but the most secret soul may be proven and revealed by some little act of love, or the contrary: and such is the way of the Lord “that searcheth the hearts” (Rom_8:27).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. but if ye have respect to persons] The Greek gives a compound verb which is not found elsewhere, If ye be person-accepting.

ye commit sin] The Greek is more emphatic, “It is sin that ye are working, being convicted by the Law.” However generally decorous their lives might be, yet through this one offence they failed to meet the requirements of the Law. The way in which they dealt with rich and poor was, in the strictest sense of the term, a crucial test.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, &c. This is not doing well, but is a transgression of the law, as every sin is; hence it follows,

and are convinced of the law as transgressors; which carries on a formal process against such persons; it accuses them of sin, and charges them with it; it proves it upon them, and convicts them of it; it pronounces them guilty, and curses them for it; and passes the sentence of condemnation and death upon them; wherefore care should be taken not to commit this sin, and so fall under the convictions and reproofs of the law.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

Ver. 9. Ye commit sin] That is flat; though ye have thought otherwise. {See Trapp on "Jas 2:4"}

And are convinced of the law as transgressors] This they held either no sin or a small one, a peccadillo. The Civilian indeed saith, De minutis non curat lex, the law makes no matter of small matters. But God’s law condemneth small faults: as the sunshine showeth us atoms, moths.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin - You transgress the plain law of God, and do wrong. See the references on Jam 2:1.

And are convinced of the law as transgressors - Greek “By the law.” The word convinced is now used in a somewhat different sense from what it was formerly. It now commonly refers to the impression made on a man’s mind by showing him the truth of a thing which before was doubted, or in respect to which the evidence was not clear. A man who doubted the truth of a report or a proposition may be convinced or satisfied of its truth; a man who has done wrong, though he supposed he was doing what was proper, may be convinced of his error. So a man may be convinced that he is a sinner, though before he had no belief of it, and no concern about it; and this may produce in his mind the feeling which is technically known as conviction, producing deep distress and anguish. See the notes at Joh 16:8. Here, however, the word does not refer so much to the effect produced on the mind itself, as to the fact that the law would hold such an one to be guilty; that is, the law pronounces what is done to be wrong. Whether they would be personally convinced of it, and troubled about it as convicted sinners, would be a different question, and one to which the apostle does not refer; for his object is not to show that they would be troubled about it, but to show that the law of God condemned this course, and would hold them to be guilty. The argument here is not from the personal distress which this course would produce in their own minds, but from the fact that the law of God condemned it.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin; the second part of the apostle’s answer, in which he sets persons in opposition to neighbour: q.d. If you, instead of loving your neighbour, which excludes no sort of men, poor no more than rich, choose and single out (as ye do) only some few (viz. rich men) to whom ye give respect, despising others, ye are so far from fulfilling the royal law, that ye sin against it.

And are convinced of the law; either by the particular law against respecting persons, Lev 19:15, or rather, by that very law you urge; your thus partially respecting the rich to the excluding of the poor, being so contrary to the command of loving your neighbour, which excludes none.

As transgressors; i.e. to be transgressors, viz. of the whole law, as fellows.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

9. Respect to persons—Honouring the wicked because rich and oppressive, spurning the poor in spite of piety and humbleness.

Commit sin—The reverse of do well.

Convinced—Detected, convicted.

The law—The royal law, which enjoins dealing according to merit, and, therefore, the whole law.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And are convinced, etc.; better, with R.V, being convicted by the law (ejlegcomenoi uJpomou). The Law of Moses directly forbade all respect of persons; see, Lev_19:15 (three verses above the passage just quoted by St. James) Ouj lhyh proswpon ptwcou oujde mhshv proswpon dunaston.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Being convicted - By that very law. Exod. xxiii, 3.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

sin

Sin. (See Scofield "Rom 3:23").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. But if ye have respect to persons. Such partiality as that described in verse 3 would break this law, and hence would be a sin, and the sinner would be convicted as a transgressor.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

9. τοῦ νόμου. Here the law of Christ which makes no distinction between rich and poor.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9.] but if ye respect persons, it is sin that ye are working (not obedience to this royal law), being (i. e. seeing that ye are) convicted by the law as transgressors (viz. by virtue of what I have already proved as wrong in your conduct. “Deus enim proximos jubet diligere, non eligere personas.” Calv.).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9. ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζεσθε, cf. 1:20 and note. Such conduct is sin, directly forbidden by the law, and hence cannot be excused as a fulfilment of the royal law.

ἐλεγχόμενοι ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου. Cf. Lev 19:15 οὐ λήμψῃ πρόσωπον πτωχοῦ οὐδὲ θαυμάσεις πρόσωπον δυνάστου, ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ κρινεῖς τὸν πλησίον σου, Deu 1:17, Deu 16:19.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ye have respect to persons [προσωπολημπτειτε] . Only here in New Testament. See on ver. 1.

Ye commit sin [αμαρτιαν εργαζεσθε] . Lit., "work sin." Compare Mt 7:23; Act 10:35; Heb 11:33. The phrase is rather stronger than the more common aJmartian poiein, to do sin, Joh 8:34; Jas 5:15; 1Pe 2:29. The position of sin is emphatic : "it is sin that ye are working."

And are convinced [ελεγχομενοι] . Rather, as Rev., convicted. The word, which is variously rendered in A. V. tell a fault, reprove, rebuke, convince, while it carries the idea of rebuke, implies also a rebuke which produces a conviction of the error or sin. See on John viii. 46. Compare Joh 3:20; Joh 8:9; 1Co 14:24, 25.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.