Expositional Study of James
MONEY
Scripture Reading: James 5:1-6 (KJV)
What a blessing; and what a curse. It all depends on the way we look at it, and the way we use it. Perhaps our first reaction on reading this passage is that it cannot have anything to do with Christians. In fact, some commentators say that these verses are addressed to non-Christians. But, as a whole, the Epistle, like all the Epistles, is certainly written to Christians, and would be seen and read only by such; so what would be the point of including a section to non-Christians?
Further, some call themselves Christians who have been so spoiled by the coming of riches that sadly the terms of this paragraph could be applied to them.
Let it be said straightaway that there is nothing necessarily, nor intrinsically, wrong in being wealthy. Joseph of Arimathaea must have been considerably well-off, or he could never have taken the place and part he did in connection with our Lord's burial. Barnabas was manifestly well-to-do, and surrendered no small a sum to the common fund of the earliest band of Christians. Many people think that there are indications in the story to suggest that Martha, Mary and Lazarus were at least comfortably placed. Certainly Abraham, "the friend of God," was a very affluent man. Yet, in no case is there the slightest hint that these were wrong in retaining wealth. The harm comes not from possessing riches, but riches possess us. That is how it was with the rich young ruler – "he had great possessions" – his possessions had him. That is the reason why he was told he must give them up, while others had no such leading.
Remember the grave warning Paul addressed to young Timothy? "But they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things..." (1 Tim. 6:9-11).
It seems difficult to imagine that so keen a young servant of Christ would need such a warning. Yet, who knows? Perhaps at one time Demas was no less keen; but he forsook the Way. Evidently, John Bunyan thought it was because of the love of riches. Remember his silver mine, which nearly stumbled Christian in the Pilgrim's Progress? Many have lost the fine keenness that they once had for the things of God because of the lure of money.
Once they loved His house, the Word, Prayer Meeting, and Open Air; once they were eager to win souls, and anxious to please God. But all that is a thing of the past, their "first love" cooled, and now they care "for none of these things" – because of Money! Money! Money! So, let us all take warning as we consider these verses concerning some who gained, or used, their riches unworthily. First, there was:
Idle wealth
Such is the teaching of verses 2 and 3. The riches of those days largely consisted of gorgeous apparel and precious metals. Think of Achan's confession, "I saw...a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight" (Josh. 7:21). Or, think of Naaman's conception of his curer's fee, "Ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment" (2 Kings 5:5). All this the rich men of our passage had laboriously accumulated, and studiously hoarded; and there it lay, almost all of it idle, with the result that "your garments are moth eaten; your gold and silver is cankered."
"The rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire." Rust is a symbol of disuse; and this verse may convict us not only of unused money, but also of unused gifts, which might have been so happily and fruitfully employed in God's service; of an unused Bible, whose inspired pages hold such mighty blessings, untasted because unturned; and, of an unused life, missing all the joy of His work here, and all the reward of it hereafter. Oh, how sad is "the rust of them." Rust is also a symbol of destruction; for nothing "eats" into the soul like the love of money – how cankered is the countenance of a miser. Remember Milton's lines describing the demon of greed?
Mammon the least erected spirit that fell
From heaven; for even in heaven his looks and thoughts
Were always downward bent, admiring more
The riches of heaven's pavement, trodden gold,
Then aught divine or holy else enjoyed
In vision beatific!
Here is, also:
Tainted wealth
So verse 4 makes clear. "The hire of the laborers" – by a merciful provision their wages were supposed to be paid each evening as they ceased work. On this point, consider Deuteronomy 24:15, "At his day [that is, at the end of his day] thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it." Then consider our Lord's parable: "when even was come, the Lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and yet, by these rich men, it was "Kept back by fraud" – paltry faults were found in their work, petty excuses were made for postponement of the payment, and no doubt it often happened that the wages were overlooked entirely, for there was little re-dress. By such despicable frauds was the "pile" of many a well-off employer of labor increased – and the little amounts that would mean so much to the humble laborer were "kept back." As a “side” thought: are we as careful as we ought to be about paying those little bills that mean so much to the small company where we bought goods on time?
Well, "the cries of them...are entered into the ears of the Lord" – rich men, says James, can cheat the laborers, but cannot cheat the Lord; those cries of disappointment and distress, against which they slam their doors and shut their ears, are heard by Him. Ever since we were told in Exodus 3:7 that He had "heard their cry," we have been assured that He always hears the cry of the oppressed. Think again of the rich man's money; it is -
Self-indulgent wealth
We see that in verse 5, "Ye have lived in pleasure... and been wanton." Their money was hoarded, squandered on self and sin. They saved, but not for any provident motive, i.e., for a rainy day, or to make provision for the benefit of others coming after, or to educate a son or daughter, but only that they might have a full store from which to feed their self-indulgence. Therein lay their folly, but beneath the folly lay the sin, and it is the sin that James denounces.
Further, "Ye have nourished your heart as in a day of slaughter." The picture is that of a beast who is unconsciously fattening himself for the shambles. When that dreadful day of slaughter arrives, these who have made themselves fat with all their shameful indulgence, will be the first to attract attention of the slaughterer, and the first taken by him. Thus it fell out in course of time. Meanwhile, note this once more as -
Ruthless wealth
This is the point of verse 6. It brushes aside everything and everyone that stands in its way. "Ye have condemned and killed" – the word "condemned" suggests that these tyrants have recourse to the courts in securing their nefarious ends. Some wretched charge will be preferred, some "trumped-up" case against the supposed offender; a verdict will be secured; a sentence of death will be passed. To get money they have not hesitated to take the most extreme measures.
All this barefaced robbery and murder is against "the just" – men who are decent, true, and upright; whose only crime is that they stand in the way of their rapacious tormentors. What care do these latter have for the suffering and loss they inflict on others as long as they themselves are enriched?
And "he doth not resist you" – he cannot, poor fellow. He is in no position to stand up to such a powerful person; and surely the helplessness of the victim aggravates the offence. But these ill- gotten gains are -
Perishable wealth
Let us go back to verse 1 and verse 3. "Weep and howl for your miseries which shall come upon you" – "Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." This is the demonstrative Oriental fashion of showing distress. Matthew Henry's comment is exceedingly vivid, if not scrupulously polite: he says: "Those who live like beasts are called to howl like such." The great and over- whelming trouble that James was prophesying seems to be the impending judgment on Jerusalem, a catastrophe affecting not only those who at the time were actually resident in Jerusalem, but also those Jews who had become scattered abroad – for whom, as we have seen, this Epistle was particularly written. It is to be noted that the wealthier Jews everywhere lost everything. They had, indeed, "heaped treasure together," but what did it profit them, what did they gain for all their pains? "The last days" of that age would bring complete loss, and they were fast running out as James was writing.
Thus, it was a pity that they had material riches, and had devoted no thought to becoming "rich in faith," (James 2:5), or "rich toward God" (Luke 12:21). Yes, what a pity – among all their "heaped treasure" there was no "treasure in heaven," where, as the Master said, "neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal" (Matt. 6:20). This latter is imperishable wealth, and its acquisition abundantly justifies all our strivings, prayers, and sacrifices. To heap this up "for the last days" is to provide for our great comfort, richest joy, eternal blessedness, and our Master's glory.
Still, the Holy Spirit inspires James to write about material riches; and his words are a stern and solemn warning to give heed to the manner in which we use the money we have – whether much or little. Almost instinctively, one thinks of the Master’s words, "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations" (Luke 16:9). At first it may seem to be a somewhat cryptic utterance; but careful consideration of its terms will no doubt make its meaning clearer. Understanding its implications provides the finishing points of this lesson on the use of money.
Let us very briefly consider some of the words and phrases in the verse: "of" means "by means of" – "the mammon of unrighteousness" is a term for money, because of the mischief it is capable of unleashing in the realms of sin and self, and because "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Tim. 6:10, R.V.). "When ye fail" means when we die; "receive you" is another way of saying "welcome you" – "everlasting habitations" refers to the eternal dwelling- place. So much for the actual words employed.
Having now arrived at the probable significance of our terms, we are in a position to get the drift of the whole passage. In the light of what we have said, perhaps a paraphrase will be the most helpful thing at this point. This is how Moffatt's translation puts it: "Use mammon [money]...to make friends for yourselves, so that when you die they may welcome you to the eternal abodes."
Here is somebody who out of his substance (small or great) contributes, in some way, to the spread of the preaching of the Gospel. Through that gift, the Gospel reaches the ears, heart, and life a lost soul, who is consequently born again, and subsequently ushered into His everlasting habitation. What a welcome that redeemed soul will have ready in Heaven for that presently unknown somebody who by his money made possible the preaching of the Gospel that reached him.
In the words of the old hymn, "Was that somebody you?" How worth-while it is to use our substance for furthering the ministry Gospel, whether through individuals, missionaries, or through a local congregation of the Lord's people – what eternal friends are thus make by such use of our money.
Next in importance to this primary duty of the Christian, comes that other happy burden to use as much of our means as possible for helping God's poor – seeking to be wise and discriminating; sympathetic and understanding, in our help. So, both by the teaching of our Lord and the inspired writing of James, we are urged not to hoard money, not to spend it on the indulgence of self, but to invest it in heavenly and abiding securities. Not least among the returns that such investments will bring will be the glad and grateful welcome up yonder from the poor we have helped, and from sinners we have helped to save.
Money – what a blessing it can be.
