James 2:3

3 Suppose you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say to him, "Please have a seat." But you say to the poor man, "Stand over there," or "Sit on the floor at my feet."

James 2:3 Meaning and Commentary

James 2:3

And ye have respect to him that wears the gay clothing
Take notice of him, and show favour to him, to the neglect and contempt of the other. This is an instance of respect of persons condemned and dissuaded from:

and say unto him, sit thou here in a good place;
the best place; whether it be in a religious assembly, or in a civil court of judicature:

and say to the poor, stand thou there;
or in a lower and meaner place:

or sit thou here under my footstool;
this also was contrary to the Jewish canons ^F20, that one should sit, and another stand, while their cause was trying; the law runs thus:

``one shall not sit, and another stand, but both shall stand; but if the sanhedrim, or court, please to let them sit, they sit; but one does not sit above, and the other below; but one by the side of the other.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Maimon. ib. sect. 3. vid. T. Bab. Shebuot, fol. 30. 1.

James 2:3 In-Context

1 My brothers and sisters, practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ by not favoring one person over another.

2 For example, two men come to your worship service. One man is wearing gold rings and fine clothes; the other man, who is poor, is wearing shabby clothes.

3 Suppose you give special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say to him, "Please have a seat." But you say to the poor man, "Stand over there," or "Sit on the floor at my feet."

4 Aren't you discriminating against people and using a corrupt standard to make judgments?

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Didn't God choose poor people in the world to become rich in faith and to receive the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?