The book of James is quote clear: those who are wealthy now face judgment in the eschatological judgment. They may be living a good life now, but the rich can only expect suffering and judgment in the future. James’s condemnation of the rich certainly resonates with the Sermon on the Mount, especially in the Lukan beatitudes (Luke 6:24-26).
Who are these rich people and what have they done to be attacked as the prophets once attacked Israel? Scot McKnight argues these are the wealthy who oppressed the poor members for the congregation in 1:19-27 and 2:14-17 (McKnight, James, 382, note 74). But these are not necessarily Christians: the prophets often addressed the nations. McKnight points out (rightly) we need to recognize James is not like a Pauline letter (addressed to a Christian community), but a prophetic letter sent to a broad range of Jewish readers, some of whom are not yet Christians.
It is possible the wealthy condemned in this paragraph would never hear James’s prophetic speech. If this is the case, then the function of the condemnation is to encourage the oppressed readers of the letter. But this too is similar to the prophetic literature. Did the nations condemned by Amos actually hear the words addressed to them?
James reflects both the prophetic tradition of Israel and the teaching of Jesus in his relentless attack on the rich who oppress the poor. Condemning the wealthy is one of the most prominent features of the early prophets (Micah 3:1-4; Hos 2:4-7; Isaiah 3:11-5:1) as well as the apocalyptic judgment in 1 Enoch 95.
Micah 3:1–4 (ESV) And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to know justice?— 2 you who hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people and their flesh from off their bones, 3 who eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones in pieces and chop them up like meat in a pot, like flesh in a cauldron. 4 Then they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face from them at that time, because they have made their deeds evil.
1 Enoch 95:6-9 “Woe unto those who build oppression and injustice! Who lay foundations for deceit. They shall soon be demolished; and they shall have no peace. 7 Woe unto those who build their houses with sin! For they shall all be demolished from their foundations; and they shall fall by the sword. Those who amass gold and silver; they shall quickly be destroyed, 8 Woe unto you, O rich people! For you have put your trust in your wealth. You shall ooze out of your riches, for you do not remember the Most High. 9 In the days of your affluence, you committed oppression, you have become ready for death, and for the day of darkness and the day of great judgment.
James attacks the rich in a series of short phrases which sound like apocalyptic judgement.
First, the rich will weep and wail because misery has come upon them. Weeping is a common word in the New Testament and is associated with mourning. Wailing (ὀλολύζω) is only used here in the New Testament, but in the LXX it is associated with apocalyptic judgment (Isa 13:6; 14:31; Zech 11:2; Amos 8:3). The Greek word sounds like a howl, and the Hebrew word it translates in Isa 13:6 (ילל) refers to an undulating wail or howl (cf., the Arabic walwala). It is often used in parallel to lament and for the wailing of an animal in the desert.
Misery (ταλαιπωρία) sometimes refers to extreme suffering (Job 30:3), but it is also associated violent destruction when the Lord Almighty comes to restore Israel (Joel 1:15). In LXX Ezekiel 45:9 the word is used for oppression by the rich (cf. LXX Psalm 11:6; ET Psalm 12:5). In fact, Ezekiel 45:9 is a possible intertext for James 5:1 “Enough, O princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression, and execute justice and righteousness. Cease your evictions of my people”
Second, their hoarded riches will rot away and the rich will burn. James says money and clothes will corrode and become moth-eaten. This immediately calls to mind Matthew 6:19, Jesus draws a contrast between treasures in heaven were rust cannot destroy and moths cannot destroy (both James and Jesus use the same word, “treasure” (θησαυρίζω). But Job 13:28 has a similar metaphor for the temporary character of material possessions and Isaiah 51:8 is also very close (McKnight, James, 386). Once again, James (and Jesus) stand on the foundation of a prophetic-wisdom tradition.
This should not be a pastor’s house
This hoarded wealth is the result of oppression of the poor (5:4). This verse claims the wealthy have robbed the poor of the proper wages. The verb (ἀποστερέω) refers to frau or embezzlement (BDAG). Leviticus 19:13 specifically forbids defrauding one’s neighbors and the general principle of the Law was paying the laborer at the end of the day (Deut 24:15; Jer 22:13). This is another case where James may know the parable of Jesus in Matthew 20:8, but the wisdom tradition regularly condemns the man who withholds wages.
Third, because the wealthy have lived lives of luxury in this life, they are “fattened for the Day of the Slaughter” (v. 5). The “day of slaughter is a vivid image drawn from the prophetic tradition of a great slaughter of God’s enemies when God fights for his people (for example, Zech 11:4-7; Isaiah 30:25, 34:2, Rev 19:17-19; 2 Enoch 50:2-6). Like the animals they fattened to be slaughtered in the Temple, these wealthy elites are about to be slaughtered.
These elites have lived a life of extreme luxury. The first verb (τρυφάω, only here in the New Testament) has the sense of revelry, carousing and the second (σπαταλάω) is “to indulge oneself beyond the bounds of propriety” (cf. 1 Tim 5:6, BDAG). The word is very rare, appearing only in the LXX in Ezekiel 16:49 to describe the indulgences of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is as if these wealthy elites led lives like the Romans!
If James is writing prior to the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, then this great fiery judgment likely refers to the slaughter of the rich and powerful in Jerusalem, people who have used the Temple to make themselves wealthy and have “fattened themselves” for the Roman slaughter of Judea and Jerusalem. In fact, this helps explain the next obscure line in verse 6. The rich condemned “the righteous person” (v. 6). If James is attacking the wealthy aristocratic priests who have oppressed the poor Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, then they are the very ones who condemned the righteous Jesus to death.
Both Jesus and James condemn those who have enjoyed wealth at the expense of the poor and use vivid language to describe their fate at the eschatological judgment. Does this mean James condemns all wealth as evil? Does Jesus expect the true disciples to live voluntary lives of poverty?
More chilling is the possible application of this teaching to the contemporary church. There are many examples of people who have enriched themselves through their churches, often harvesting money from the poor to support lavish lifestyles. Much of the American church is obviously under the sway of the “health and wealth” gospel, so are African and Asian churches. What would James have to say to us about our great wealth?
To read this section as a condemnation of the rich doesn’t seem to square well with OT narratives re. Abraham, Job, and Solomon, none of whom were condemned for their great wealth, arguably greater than any in James’ mind when he wrote. It seems much more likely that the issue in James is the WAY they got their wealth – through the mistreatment of the poor and dishonest wages (both condemned in the OT).
I’ve had some very wealthy people in my congregations who were also very generous with others and who supported the Lord’s work extensively. I was grateful for their wealth.
James is writing like an OT prophet here (and throughout the letter), and there is very little good to be said for the wealthy in the prophets. Certainly *how* they obtained their wealth is an issue, but (thinking like an eighth century prophet), what they thought their wealth meant is also important. In the context of the Micah quote above, the elite and wealthy assumed they were righteous, because God appeared to be blessing the with material blessings.That is how the blessing and cursing in the covenant works, after all!
The prophets (and James) break the connection between wealth and righteousness. Job is not rich because he is righteous, God simply blessed him. Solomon was not wealthy because he was righteous, God granted him that wealth. I think the same can be said for Abraham, God was going to bless him with wealth because that is what God wanted to do, not as a reward for covenant faithfulness.
By the way, I bought your book this morning, hopefully you will get rich from it!
Agree on all counts. I mis-read your post, or maybe went into it with a preconceived mind based on the title.
Rich? Not likely with Amazon’s royalty structure. Dinner out at McDonald’s? That’s a possibility.
I have high hopes for you, maybe a cup of coffee and your local shop.
The textbook, “Letters to the Church,” by Karen Jobes explains that the wealthy people that James talks about are the ones who gained their wealth from oppressing the poor. They did not earn their wealth. Jobes says, “By putting the accumulation of money above love for others, such people are the ‘adulterous people’ who stand in enmity against God because of their friendship with the world” (Jobes, 2011, pg. 170). Therefore, I do not believe that James condemns all wealth as evil. I believe James condemns wealth that was not earned or bought with the wrong intentions. It has to do with the heart and the character of the person more than the money. If James were here in this day I believe he would condemn some modern churches. There are modern churches that are greedy and take pride in their wealth. Sometimes in our churches there are corrupt leaders who manage the money. James would view this as loving the accumulation of wealth over
the love of people. There are many churches that do use their money for the Lord too. James would be both pleased and displeased.
-McKenzie McCord-
I really enjoyed the ending of your second paragraph. I hadn’t thought of it like that before. Although the rich people James was never addressing may never read what he wrote- his condemnation- it can still be of comfort to the oppressed poor that were reading it. They can live knowing that someday their oppressors will pay for their wrong doings. I think that we can apply this to our lives in many ways. There are people who wrong us, and we may never get the chance to tell them how they hurt us. But we can live our lives knowing that God is just, he’ll punish anyone who needs it, and in the mean time all we can do is forgive them and let God be the judge. In looking for articles for my final paper, some said that rich/versus poor is the theme if James. However, Jobes spends much of chapter seven discussing the royal law. The rich treating the poor fairly would fall under the umbrella of the royal law. I think it makes more sense to say the royal law is the theme of James.
Oh boy! Here is an interesting topic. Today in 2018, we see this same truth throughout the western world and the globe in that rich people stereotypically aren’t the kindest people towards the poor. James gives the poor the comfort in knowing the rich will one day pay for their wrong doings. Jobes says that “Most people have a very short straight sighted view of the future for those beliefs might extend to living now in a way that meets their affordable comfortably retirement.” James as well as other verses throughout the Old and New Testament show that the afterlife is something to consider therefore live according to that truth. This whole topic reminds me of when Jesus says “He who loves his life will lose it, he who hates their life in this world shall keep it” in John 12:25
Looking through some of the comments I noticed Mr. MacDonald’s comments. I agree with some of the statements that were made, but I also think there could be more to the issue. “Wealth per se is not evil, and the Bible does not condemn having wealth. But because of the evil bent of fallen human nature… sway the rich to use their wealth in ways that serve their own interests…” (Jobes, 228). Money and wealth is an object, so in itself it can do no evil. However, the applications of wealth is what can be sinful and evil. Wealth can corrupt people, as seen in many cases with people who have been poor and become rich overnight. However, not all wealth is bad. Having wealth, making a large income and having a large sum of money in the bank account, in itself is not bad. The way people view and use wealth can be bad and sinful. I believe that if the owner of this wealth remains humble, having this wealth is not in itself a sin. In James it says, “…Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God…” (4:6-7). Wealth and money is simply a tool. If the user of this tool remains humble and submissive to God and his desires the tool of money will not become evil. Money can be used for many purposes that are honoring to God. Money can be given to church, charity, mission funds or even to poor people in the community. Even if the money is not all given away, it can still be used in unsinful ways. A few of these ways could be to pay off debts, go into a savings account for retirement or children’s education, or investing in other people and their companies. The use of wealth is not always black and white, however if the user of this wealth stays humble and uses this wealth to glorify God, it is not sinful.
Jobes brings up the idea of it being important to treat the rich how God sees the rich, not how the world sees the rich. The majority of the world sees wealth as one of the greatest goals and achievements in life, and even most Christians are terrified by the concept of truly living in poverty. While God might not necessarily want every Christian to be poor, although there are potential arguments for that, God hates disobedience and selfishness. In America, with wealth comes power, and with power comes many temptations that can turn one away from the Lord, such as fear of losing the obtained wealth, the ability to fulfill one’s dreams with finances, and the ability to have power and control over other people through wealth. Wealth does not guarantee selfishness, but it’s a lot easier to be selfish when you have stuff to be selfish with.
When it comes to the question, “Does this mean James condemns all wealth as evil?” I do not think James thought that all wealth was evil but back then there were a lot of wealthy people that oppressed the poor. And these are the kind of people that never really worked for their money. He just probably saw so much oppression by the rich that through his writings made it seem that he condemned all wealth as evil. According to our textbook Jobes explains, “Wealth per se is not evil, and the Bible does not condemn having wealth. But because of the evil bent of fallen human nature, greed, selfishness…the rich to use their wealth in ways that serve their own interests at the expense of the less fortunate” (Jobes, 409). As I already stated, this is the side of wealth that James only witnessed. It can cause people to lose their ways and make wrong decisions. Today, there are numerous wealthy people that donate money to help the poor and are not overcome with selfish desires. An example I can think of would be Bill Gates he owns his own charitable foundation which helps with emergency relief, poverty, and even education. Now, when it comes to the matters of the modern church I could definitely see James very disappointed. Because there are these “mega” Churches which generate so much money and do not share with those less fortunate. An example of this would be just last year during hurricane Harvey. There was one “mega” church that would not open its doors to people who needed shelter. They only opened their doors after a ton of backlash on social media platforms. Deuteronomy 15:11 states, “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.” We should always be ready to lend a helping hand especially those who are rich. Overall, I do not think James believed all wealth was evil because there are good people in this world who are wealthy and decide to share their wealth.
I believe James would view Christian wealth as a means to care for the hungry and those in need. In the beginning of chapter 2, James asks the question if it is any good that someone wishes someone compared to actually caring for the needs they have. This makes me believe that James does not necessarily see wealth as wrong as long as it is being used to help the less fortunate. Epicureans of Greece may say that since pleasure is the goal in life (Pg. 206-207), one should stay away from giving to the poor for fear of discomfort. James condemns the rich in world, emphasizing how worthless building up treasures on earth is. (James 5:1) This reflects Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:19. James would agree that if one did not have wealth, they would not be able to give it. As long as Christians manage their funds well and do not use it for the sole purpose of “luxury and self-indulgence” (5:5), I think it is okay for Christians to have an abundance of wealth. They have to realize that the Lord could take away their wealth in a blink of an eye and that they should be okay if that in fact does happen. That would reveal whether or not their trust is in their God or the possessions they own.
I often struggle with the idea of people in full-time ministry being “rich” it seems counterintuitive somehow. There is really no example of a biblical hero that has great wealth except for maybe Job, but he lost everything. In fact, I think of the rich young ruler and what Jesus said about the rich entering the kingdom of heaven. I think that the writer of James would only want people to view wealth as something that belongs solely to God alone. God may endow some people with the authority to govern His wealth, but ultimately it all belongs to Him.
It is certain that Jesus and James both use vivid and bold language when referring to the rich/wealthy who look down at the poor and only enjoy a life centered around wealth. However, when it comes to the questions of if James condemns all wealth as evil i would say no. I do not think that wealth is the problem. Moreover, it is what wealth does and the effects that it has on a structural aspect. Society is corrupt because of wealth and the barriers it creates. It was back when Jesus and James walked the earth and it still is today. What wealth does is assign barriers within society. Communities can come to stand still due to wealth. Some believe their wealth puts them in a separate category. However, I believe true “wealth” is knowing and believing in God. When thinking about this post a quote in Jobes resonated with me. It states, “the criterion of wealth for assigning honor is false, and God will reverse it when the rich perish and the lowly are honored with their place in God’s kingdom” (Jobes, 267). Therefore, i don’t think James condemns all wealth. I think James condemns the barriers created by wealth and the actions it causes from individuals.
Looking into the lives of Old Testament characters we can see God bless them with wealth. This rules out the idea or presupposition that wealth is evil. God even re-payed Job double of everything that He took. Job was blessed by God in this. God chooses who to bless, but He cannot make you give that money away. The Bible in this sense declares us to give to the poor, and help to restore them. This for me personally does not mean giving them money but helping them with food and other things they may need. James does not condemn all wealth, but those who are irresponsible with the wealth that God has blessed them with. If James were to condemn all wealth He would be contradicting God. I think there are many in the church nowadays that would be condemned by James and even Jesus because of the selfish nature of the lives we live. We are focused on consumerism instead of restoring the lost and broken in practical ways.
As we grow older, it’s more and more difficult to tithe. Every cent we earn goes to paying bills and food. We always do so when we have other income coming in (few and far between.) I feel guilty for not putting an envelope in the collection plate, but I know that time and talent are also acceptable to God. Our dollars should first go to those in need – then to outreach and growth. We shouldn’t be like the government and look at big building or beautification projects. Those things will follow, but should never be the focal point. I belong to a very small congregation. The average age is somewhere in the 60s. We can do so much good without spending a cent, even though many of those good things cost money. Once we put the focus on how much we’re taking in as a church, rather than how much we’re reaching out to the community to bring others the good news of the Gospel, the monetary income will begin to flourish. We cannot out give God.
Jobes mentions that the reason James brings up the conflict between the rich and the poor and she mentions the key idea that both classes were trying to think about their future (Jobes, 225). This concept is important because it determined how the people viewed their giving. James is speaking about the idea that we have become more consumed with taking and keeping, and our futures will be destroyed because of our choices for riches now. It is appropriate that James makes these remarks within this his writings because of the topic previously brought up in the gospels. Mark 10:23 brings up the idea that it is extremely hard for rich men to enter the kingdom of Heaven, and this brings up the best problem in James, the rich think that they have no need for assistance. The poor realize their need for help, but the rich have no acknowledgment that they need help from anyone, therefore they will not go to God for help. Their view of God were more focused around dualism because God was merely the concept of good or evil rather than idea that God would deliver when they needed him.
It is interesting to read about James’ view on the rich and their sorrows. I had not thought about the rich that James is referring to being the religious leaders of the time. Interesting to see how religious leaders are compensated for their work today, or lack of compensation. Karen Jobes in “Letters to the Church” points out that during the time in which James who this book 90% of the Roman Empire was living in poverty. That means the rich were in the minority and they still continued to weep when they were faced with hardship. This reaction of the rich makes me almost upset at the thought of them only thinking about themselves and their current hardship when almost all of the people around them are constantly living in an impoverished situation. James 5 is all about James calling out those rich people and telling them that how ridiculous they should when they weep about their temporary hardships. James goes on in the next section to speak about how times of suffering is only temporary, I believe that he did this in order to reach all believers who were struggling through hardships of the time, both the rich and the poor.
The last question you ask is what James would say to us and I think he would say much of the same thing he says in James 5. Everyone is constantly looking for the next success or the next big thing to make them rich and famous. Everyone, in some way, wants to be known for something and in this culture it’s money and talent. According to Jobes, 90% of the population in the Roman Empire was in poverty by our standards (228). Yet James is not talking about rich in money but how they pursue wealth over God. The “poor” mentioned could very well include those who have some wealth but do not boast in what they have but rather what they are in Christ (229). The “rich” do everything they can to become wealthy or known in the eyes of their peers and their friends, often using the poor as a step stool to achieve what they want. I do not think Jesus and James condemn all wealth as evil but I think there is a great measure of warning in what they say. We know the story of the rich young ruler in the gospels. The young man couldn’t imagine giving up everything he had worked for on this earth to be forever rewarded in heaven. I think this is what a temporal mindset looks like. The rich get rich because it’s all they have to live for. They only get this life. The eternal mindset changes the way we look at success. Our rewards on this earth will fade away but the value of the treasures in heaven are exponentially greater and more satisfying than anything in this lifetime.
I think a very important distinction needs to be made when reading this passage. James 5:1-6 is a warning against the rich who oppress others. I think it is foolish to assume that the Bible condemns someone simply because they are considered rich by others. If this were the case, all the rich Kings such as David and Solomon would be lumped into this group of condemnation. Also, who decides what rich is? People from relatively poor countries would see even someone in relatively low financial standing in a country such as the USA as being wealthy when compared to themselves. By this standard, we would all be considered rich and thus we are all fattened ready and waiting to be slaughtered. It is a relative term; thus, I do not think this is what the Bible is trying to say.
Having wealth is not inherently a bad thing. What you do with it, how you have received it, and the actions that result from it are what is important. For example, many pastors of the prosperity gospel use the Bible, the church, and people eager to live lives of riches and wealth as a means to fatten their own pockets. They desire to use religion and faith as a shortcut to a life of luxury. Their true concern is not to further the gospel and bring others to Christ but rather to make a buck. This is terribly sad and an abuse of their position.
Finally, in regard to having nice things, when does something become too nice to have? Why is it okay for some people to have certain things while for others it is not? I think it is way too easy for people to judge what others have and to share their opinions about what others should do with their money. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what someone else thinks. If a person is honoring God, giving to others, and being a good steward, why is it bad that they have a nice house, a nice car, or a nice watch, etc.? It isn’t. At the end of the day, I think this contempt from others saying, “they shouldn’t have this” or “they shouldn’t have that” stems from jealousy and quite frankly is of no concern to them. What a person does with the gifts God has given them is between them and God. It is our focus, our heart, and our stewardship that matters. As long as we are truly desiring to follow God and truly are living in that way, I find it hard to be faulted for something as silly as material things.
A common theme in the book of James is that of the rich and poor. James is very clear that using your wealth for personal gain is not what God wants or desires for us. James and Jesus are both very clear on how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. James seems to take it a step further and speak to the harshness of the punishment to which those who are rich will endure. Does this mean that Jesus wants all of his followers to live a life of voluntary poverty? I do not think that is the case at all. However, I do think it is important that we do not let worldly possessions get in the way of how we view people and how we love them. First and foremost though we must love God and if anything takes that place as believers than we have a major problem. Our relationship with God should be our number one priority in our lives. The problem with saying that you as a believer in Jesus Christ have to be voluntarily poor is the fact that what classifies rich from poor? In the United States of America, we are all considered rich in the rest of the world. So where do you draw the line? What income level and amount of possessions is considered rich? There are so many grey areas when it comes to separating the poor from the rich. I think the main thing we should focus on is loving God and loving others and let all other things fall in line behind that.
I don’t believe that James is saying that all wealth is evil, or that Jesus necessarily wants his disciples to live a life intentionally poor. I believe that Jobes shares this opinion when she writes about rich and poor in chapter 7. Jobes states very clearly in the chapter that, “The very wealth they have accumulated unjustly is actually a corrosive agent that will bring their lives to destruction.” (p 229) The key word being unjustly. It’s not the wealth itself the God despises; it is how that wealth was acquired.
Jobes also makes a valid point about the rich when drawing a line back to James speaking out against favoritism. She explains that James is also warning about coveting a rich person’s possessions and treating a rich person differently then one would treat a poor person. So, in this message we can also understand that wealth has another dynamic that can cause us to sin aside from just exploiting the poor to retain riches.
As for James’ feelings regarding American churches growing their wealth at the expense of other poorer countries, I believe that much of what he already wrote in this book is a perfect response to this exploitation. This is exactly what James was warning against.
As Jobes says, James teaches that “financial resources or the lack of them are irrelevant to one’s standing with God and one’s inevitable future” (p. 170). Whether one has money or not, they will still die and either go to Heaven or Hell. But where James does make judgement is when the rich exploit the poor. Because they have “condemned and murdered the innocent one” (James 5:6), “misery” is coming to them (v. 1). Jobes describes this situation as “putting the accumulation of money above love for others” (p. 170), which is one of God’s greatest commandments, to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). In breaking this commandment, it makes me wonder if these people are truly Christian. Likewise, in todays world, there are many people who take advantage of the church to make money for themselves. The main problem I have with this is when they keep that money and use it, in P. Longs words, to “support lavish lifestyles”. Had they taken that money and given it back to the poor or invested it into groups who are in need of it, there wouldn’t be a problem.
Of course, I am sure that many of them would say that they do invest into charities, missions, etc. However, if they do this and still have a lot of money left over, it seems as though they could do even more for their communities. Because, as Jesus says, the things we store up on earth will be destroyed and stolen, but instead one should “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-21). We cannot take the things we earn on this earth up to heaven with us, but we will “give an account of ourselves to God” (Romans 14:12).
I had never realized the prophetic and eschatological implication of the first part of James 5 before. In reading it over previously, I simply took away the implication that one should not oppress or hurt others because of one’s wealth. It has been interesting to dive deeper into that concept, but looking at it in a different context. Jobes, 2011, points out “James does, however, issue a prophetic denouncement of these rich who have accumulated their wealth by the oppression and exploitation of others” (p. 170). It is in this context that the rich are condemned and will suffer judgment. James goes as far to say that these people have missed the point of the gospels, and that their wealth will be a testament and witness against them in the days of trial (Jobes, 20011, p. 170).
This holds as a good reminder for the American church. In this day and age it is all about the platform, astatic, and lifestyle held by these “influencers” for the gospel. There is nothing inherently wrong with working hard, and reaping the rewards of that labor, but when it comes at the expense of others that is a problem. I think about this a lot in the church setting. As followers of Jesus there is a certain command or expectation to further advance the kingdom with the monetary blessings that the Lord has provided. This is good, and often it is given in the form of a tithe to one’s local church. This money comes from people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and is often used to pay for the various church expenses. But how often it is used to pay for private jets and all-expense paid trips for the staff members. Again there is nothing inherently wrong with this, it can just bring into question the mission of the church.
References
Jobes, K. H. (2011). Letters to the Church: A Survey of Hebrews and the General Epistles. Zondervan.
As James makes it clear, the rich are boasting and living well right now. On judgment day, the rich will not be rich. Being physically and economically rich on Earth will mean nothing to God. None of these things will be taken with them after they die. Professor Long states “James says money and clothes will corrode and become moth-eaten.” (Long, 2018) The rich have already lived great lives, this leads them to being fattened on slaughter day. What would James say to us about our riches today? I think it would be along the same lines of what he has already said about being rich. None of it will matter when the Lord comes for us. Society today is so focused on making the most money, having the best items, and looking for that next step to being rich. It is important to not get caught up in wealth and forget who God is. God has provided all of that wealth for us. I think you can be well set with money and still pursue God. It is when you put money and fame over God and set aside your spiritual relationship with Him. When people tend to chase money, it turns them into somebody that God did not intend them to be. The rich also tend to use the poor as a way to keep building their status and revenue. I have seen the church be used by many people so that they can make money from it. Once you get money you want to keep on increasing it and lose sight of God in the process. I do not believe that James and Jesus condemn all who have enjoyed wealth as evil. It is more of a warning for believers. What we have here will not be able to be taken with us into the Kingdom of God. It is important to live out our lives in God’s glory and to do things that are pleasing to Him by not getting caught up in ourselves.
“There hoarded riches will rot away, and the rich will burn.” This quote is not directly speaking on all the rich but those who enjoy wealth at the expense of the poor. If you are wealthy and use your wealth for the betterment of the kingdom of God there is nothing sinful or wrong about this. James warns against wealth because of what 1 Timothy 6:10 says stating how money is the root of all evil. The answer to the question of if James condemns all the wealthy people in the world is not true. Jesus does not condemn people who are wealthy in fact, I believe that God blesses money to those who know what to do with it as well as money to others to test them. Therefore, Jesus does not expect us all to live lives of poverty only to live lives that are honoring him. “Wealth per se is not evil, and the Bible does not condemn having wealth” (562). James to our great wealth would likely have little good to say. There is so much evil in the world today that it is hard to judge who is doing right with their wealth and who is doing wrong. James would likely call out churches that use their money to flaunt a building and a “hey were a big church” rather than financially providing for ministries.
James uses the idea of the rich and the poor to show a very strong contrast. Towards the poor there is hope and for the rich there is condemnation. While it is easy to think of rich and poor on the most surface level of monetary and material wealth this idea of poor and rich in James might be a little deeper. Jobes suggests that this poor and rich situation is a form of eschatology that is “indented not to predict the future but to motivate right living in the present. For how we live today depends largely on what we believe about the future” (Jobes, 2011). Jobes suggests that James is calling out the wealthy who have oppressed the poor to gain their wealth, or who have forgotten their need for God in the midst of their wealth. When a person has wealth, they are more likely to feel that they are providing for themselves and forget God rather than trust in him. Jobes makes a point that the poor in Roman times were thought to be closer to God because God was the one hope they had. I think that James probably means a mix of both literal rich and poor, but also is making a nod to the idea of humility and arrogance, to the idea of focusing on the heart and focusing on the outward appearance.
It is interesting to think about how the wealthy whom James is speaking to in his letter may have not even heard what he was saying due to them not being Christians. This is important to note because it is alluded that those who were reading James’s letter were the ones who were being oppressed as Long (2018) states. James implies that the rich are evil individuals and what he states about the wealthy tends to leave a scary implication in my mind. Long (2018) implies that James states the rich will weep because of the misery that is upon them and the wealthy’s riches will rot away and they will burn. This seems a little too aggressive for me because I feel that James is implying that all of those who are rich are not good people and more specifically are not good Christians if they were. Those who were rich at the time of James’ letter, could have had a more greedy tendency which could be a result of why James states what he does about the wealthy.
As Jobes (2011) states it is historically known that the rich have exploited the poor and were unconcerned with the amount of effects that the poor’s oppression has (p. 226). This is an important piece of information because this describes those who were rich and the acts of selfishness and hatred that they gave to those who were poor. Even to this day wealth and poverty is still prevalent within our communities and I feel that James would have a lot of criticism about that. From what he stated in his letter, that was harsh, and if he had seen what was still occurring to this day with many of us having large sums of wealth, he would be greatly disappointed from my understanding. There are many ways that we as Christians can use the gospel to help with the issue of the oppression of the poor and James even states what will be done to those who are wealthy and are doing the actions of oppressing the poor.
James was right when he said that we must rely on God, but it was also right for him to criticize the wealthy since they are prepared to live without God. James provided that sin could come from the desire for wealth. There are so many rich people in this world, and some people know more about God, and they praise God more than before. But some rich people forget about God when God blesses them with wealth, and they use their money for pleasure and entertainment but not for God. Some rich people commit more sins, are selfish, and have pride. It is so easy for poor men to get into the kingdom of heaven, but for rich people, it is hard. It is better to go to heaven as a poor man on earth than to be a rich man on earth and go to hell after death. How we live on earth is so important because it matters after death.
I think pride is so dangerous because there was a fall because of it. Lucifer’s pride was too great, but he was cast out of heaven because of his pride. Later in rich people’s lives, their wealth will be revealed as ruined and damaged. James warned that later in life, God would judge those who had lived in an arrogant, self-centered way. James wanted us to build wealth in heaven rather than on earth. In Luke 18:22, it says, ” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” There are so many poor in this world, and they are suffering and crying, but we can see in James that God hears their cries and defends them but punishes the wicked.
It is interesting for me to see James point out the problem of wealth even back in the Biblical times because it is obviously still a problem today. We often hear in churches today that wealth is not something in itself that turns someone evil, but it’s the love for hoarding wealth that turns a heart evil. I do believe that this is true and I think it goes along with James 5:4 which says, “Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.” (James 5:4). In this scenario that James is explaining we see that the “boss” has fallen into such a love for his money that he does not look to the needs of the people who work for the money. It is also a very interesting point that Long brings up that most of the wealthy people would not want to hear this message he has for them because of their love for their money. Why would they want to listen to James that they will be punished for the wealth that they currently have if they’re already living a happy life? This is where James warns them that there will be a slaughter of the wealthy once their earthly lives come to an end.
Greed is a sin, this is completely and utterly true. There is most likely some background context here as well in this time. However, while reading through the passage, a part of James 5:4 stood out to me. “Behold, the wages of the of laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of host” (James, 5:4, ESV). This sounds like a particular instance of something.
Yes, I would agree that this passage is a warning to the rich, but it also sounds as if the rich in this passage are deliberately holding back money to the laborers, and perhaps the church itself, not giving money to the poor. If, by some chance, I was granted more money than I could ever want, I would gladly give it my church or other church related organizations. By some metric somebody may consider me rich, and yet, I am still giving, because as Christians, we have been called to take care of the poor and to follow what God has set in store for us.
However, we live in a sinful world, and greed can take over the hearts of many. I certainly would say that the rich people James is talking about here would count, along with others in history that fell to greed. However, you can also have Christians who do have a lot of money, and freely gives it out to people, the church, and different organizations. The line here, is when it crosses over from giving freely, to hoarding, living expensively and hedonistically, and giving in to complete greed.
Judgement will come in the form that we give others. If we judge based on appearance, we also will be. This was a huge problem in the early church, that is treating others according to such mindsets. The thing is, if we allow ourselves to get carried away by the things of this world, then we won’t reap the benefits that God has for us. The verse about building up riches in heaven is for a good reason. It goes on to say that moth and rust will not destroy and thieves can’t break in a steal. God has treasures in store for us that the world cannot take away. Satan also cannot.
A cushy life seems nice but not at the expense of our relationship with God. The talk about being fattened for the Day of Slaughter made me think of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel. Under the king, they had access to all kinds of food. But because the food had been sacrificed to idols, the men did not partake. In the end, they were more lean and muscled from their persistence and hard work while the rest of the men under the king were fattened up. If the four of them had broken Torah and eaten the food, t would have been dishonoring. Even thought it was ”good food,” it was not worth it. They were rewarded in the end. Daniel became a member of the king’s court and the other three were spared from a fire.