Expositional Study of James
THE SHORT-SIGHTED USHER
Scripture Reading: James 2:1-13 (KJV)
The "brethren" belong to a glorious brotherhood. They are a company of men and women who are united in a bond of union; they are the number of all those who have "the faith of [on] our Lord Jesus Christ." This same phrase, probably bearing the same meaning of "on" for "of" is found in Galatians 2:20. There are certain things that are wholly incompatible with such a "faith." One of those things is "respect of persons" – it simply will not mix; it is definitely unchristian. It is a fairly common feature in today's lifestyle, even of some who are members of the church of our Lord; but one is somewhat surprised to find its corrupting presence among these early "brethren." However, whether ancient or modern, the thing is wrong. To the always- practical Christian, James proceeds to show it up, and hopes to cast it out. It seems as if some specific trouble had recently arisen on account of the behavior of some person or some assembly – what a Help or Hindrance this one or group may be in a congregation.
He could not see beyond the superficial
On one occasion of worship two men came in wanting seats. There was a considerable difference between them, even a disparity. One was clothed in "goodly apparel;" the other in "vile raiment" – but we must not go wrong over that word "vile." It is used again in Philippians 3:21, referring to our "vile body." It merely means, humble, lowly. So that this second person who caught the usher's eye that day was – poorly dressed, a bit ragged, but nothing worse. It was easy to see which was the better man of the two. Yet, wait a minute Mr. Usher, are you quite sure that you are right in your estimation? Are you not a little shortsighted? Is your judgment superficial?
A man may wear goodly apparel – yet his soul may be garmented in "filthy rags," as Isaiah 64:6 says. This may not always be so; but the possibility is always there. The point is simple: we must not judge by the outside of a man. There is an old saying that "clothes make a man;" but no doubt the better is "Manners make a man."
A man may wear humble clothes – yet be the happy possessor of a most attractive wardrobe for the soul. "The robe of righteousness" that Isaiah 61:10 speaks of may be his. "The garment of praise," in the 3rd verse of the same chapter, may have been given him by his Lord – it is a lovely dress; "be clothed with humility," says 1 Peter 5:5, and that is a sartorial fashion greatly esteemed in the streets of Heaven. "The whole armour of God," so grandly described in Ephesians 6:14-18, occupies a place all to itself in his soul's dressing-room; and "above all these things put on charity," Colossians 3:14 reminds us, and that is a glorious overcoat more warming to the heart than any man-made material is to the body. What a well-stocked wardrobe this is; yet, it may be possessed by a person who outwardly has perforce to wear very shabby clothes.
We say, "maybe," because at this point we are anxious to guard against the idea that a poor man is necessarily good, and a rich man necessarily bad – the one may be as fine, or as evil, as the other. We repeat the simple, but monumental point: we are not to judge anyone by outside appearance. To dispense favor on this ground, to show "respect of persons" on this basis, is not only utterly wrong, but also uncommonly foolish – plus, it is extremely superficial. The eyesight of this usher will again reveal its shortcomings by the test that -
He could not see beyond the material
"A man with a gold ring...a poor man" – there is no question in the eyes of our Usher where his choice will lie, which one his preference will enjoy, where his best seat will be bestowed. Gold gets him every time: it is the highest he knows. He cannot see farther than the material – the spiritual is beyond him.
The distinction made is clean cut. The Poor – two words are used of him. He is both "chosen" and "despised." Which will be our attitude toward him? Before answering, think for a moment: it is God who is said to have "chosen" the poor. In the eternal counsels of the Triune Deity, when it was planned that "the Lord of Glory," as our first verse calls the Savior, should come to this earth and take human flesh, it was not to the stately home of the affluent that He went, not in the cushioned circumstances of the wealthy that He abode. No, it was a despised city, a humble home, a simple family – these were the circumscribed conditions of His swelling among men. God chose the poor. When He went forth on His three-year ministry, it was the less favored He called around Him, and who were attracted to His side – some were rich, but most were poor.
When He would illuminate the truth that He taught, it was to the lesser folks that He most often turned to enforce His lesson. To a Lazarus; to "a certain poor widow" who, by our standards, had little to contribute to the collection. God chose the poor. And when He recruited the army that was to carry His colors in the great campaign, it was from among the foolish, weak, base, despised, and the sheer nobodies that for the most part He filled the ranks, as 1 Corinthians 1:27- 28 tells us. God chose the poor; and shall this shortsighted usher despise them? Shall we despise them? They are not God's choice because they are poor; but they may be His choice although they are poor. The Rich – on the other hand had not, as a class, done any service to these early Christians to warrant their preferential treatment.
It is said in 1 Peter 4:16, "if any man suffer as [simply because he is] a Christian, let him not be ashamed" – the apostle did not say "afraid," because that was not the point of attack; but "ashamed," because it was the ribald ridicule of the world that their worthy name evoked. James' readers knew something of the jeering and sneering of Christ's adversaries; and they were reminded that more often than not such things emanated from the supercilious rich. The Christians of those days had little to thank them for – as a class there was little cause to pay them honor. How blind this usher was to do it.
The rule obtaining was to be the same for each alike: both rich and poor were to be treated in accordance with the law of love. "The royal law," it is called; not because it is the first of laws – love to God occupied that premier position – but because the King of kings made it. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" – it has a royal air about it; and, if it is made the basis and guide of our thoughts, words, and actions, toward others, "ye do well." Our relationship both to the rich and to the poor is to be governed by this portion of "the law of liberty." By all means, let us make a fuss of the rich; if by the operation of "the royal law" it is going to help him. But, we must not do it at the expense of the poor – if this latter be the case, then a just reckoning will inevitably supervene.
The judgment coming is plainly and solemnly underlined for our instruction and warning. Two things are said concerning this man's commission of the fault of "respect of persons," and this assembly's acquiescence in it. First, "convicted" (v 9). This thing is said to be not merely a breach of manners, but definitely a "sin" – and though a man were able to declare that he has kept "the whole law" with this solitary exception, yet by this he is convicted by "the law" as being "guilty of all."
Adultery, murder, "respect of persons" – it is all and equally, sin. Second, "judged" (v 12). The Christian needs to bear in mind that "we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" (Rom. 14:10). It is blessedly true, that the child of God does not have to face the judgment of the Great White Throne, of which Revelation 20:11 speaks – his eternal relationship with God and his everlasting bliss in Heaven are both gloriously assured, in response to his obedient faith in our Lord Jesus Christ mentioned in our first verse. But, for all that, he has a judgment on his works and behavior, since becoming a Christian – that judgment which is so vividly described in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, and whose severity is plainly indicated by verse 13 of the 2nd chapter of James. Perhaps we had not realized that this habit of "respect of persons" was so serious – but it is always serious to break "the law of liberty," always serious to hurt "the poor," always serious to dishonor "the Lord of glory." Too often, some of us are rather inclined to a lax view of sin, seeing that by the grace of God and through the blood of Christ we have been saved from its penalty and eternal doom. Makes one wonder if sin in a Christian is not infinitely more culpable than in an unbeliever – as a black ink stain is far worse on a white garment than on a black one. No doubt, we deeply need to pray for a sensitive conscience. It is one particular sin that is here under review, and the altogether false estimate of values underlying it.
Let us further consider the wealth commanded – spiritual riches: open to the materially rich and poor alike. "The poor of this world," that one whom we perhaps have been despising, may be enormously "rich in faith," and even an "heir of the kingdom."
Such wealth is not stored up in any earthly bank: these are "treasures in heaven" that Matthew 6:20 speaks about. Good deeds, done in Christ's name, earnest prayers, services rendered, souls won, days and powers spent for Him – these things, and others like them, pass for valuable currency in that place whose gates are of pearl, and whose streets are of gold. The obituary notice will say of some rich man that he left a million dollars; while of some poor man, if he is a child of God, a Christian, and faithful servant of his Lord, it may be asserted not that he has left, but that he has received a fortune that cannot be reckoned in terms of earth – "laid up" for him in Heaven. How truly ignorant it is to judge folks by their material possessions. Yet, this usher of ours was unfortunately so shortsighted that he could not see any further than the material; and here is another thing,
He could not see beyond the temporal
No doubt, before the service began that day our splendid and worthy usher was on the alert about his duties. He probably quickly summed up these two strangers as they entered: he has a very clean-cut method of differentiating among people, as any good "respecter of persons" has. He knows the respective value of each, beyond, as he thinks, any possibility of mistake – unaware of the defect in his eyesight. Watch him as he puts them each in his place.
"Sit thou here in a good place." The particular word "assembly" in our text was, really a Synagogue. So here is a congregation of the Lord's people meeting in a synagogue, perhaps belonging to Christian Jews. If it were furnished and appointed in the usual way of such buildings at that time, "the chief seats in the synagogue," which are referred to in Matthew 23:6 as the places so eagerly coveted by the Scribes and Pharisees, would be that row of seats set with their backs to the Ark, where the scrolls of the Law were kept, and which faced toward the congregation – dutifully honoring the distinguished personages who occupied such a conspicuous and exalted situation. This "good place" seems to the usher the most becoming seat for our expensively bedecked and be-ringed visitor. The usher would not be concerned to know whether or not he has any spiritual quality to justify his pre-eminence.
"Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool." He need not be offered any particular consideration. He is only a poor man; anything is good enough for him. If he does not care to stand during the whole service, he can sit on the floor. After all, he will not put much in the collection, so it does not matter if he never comes again. Perhaps we are doing the usher an injustice in attributing such thoughts to him – but, it is his own fault; he should not have acted in such a way.
So, he has put those two in their place. Yet, if he could only have looked beyond the temporal, and seen the eternal places of the men, he might have felt both a surprise and shock. Many a humble person here will change places and become an honored person hereafter – "many that are first shall be last; and the last first," said the Savior, in Mark 10:31. Simple, faithful, unthought- of souls, scattered about in, almost lost in, the congregation, how we envy you the place that He will assign you hereafter – and how ignorant of us to have imagined that your present lowly place was anything other than just temporal.
