James 2:2

For (gar). An illustration of the prohibition. If there come in (ean eiselqh). Condition of third class (supposable case) with ean and second (ingressive) aorist active subjunctive of eisercomai. Into your synagogue (ei sunagwghn umwn). The common word for the gathering of Jews for worship ( Luke 12:11 ) and particularly for the building where they met ( Luke 4:15 Luke 4:20 Luke 4:28 , etc.). Here the first is the probable meaning as it clearly is in Hebrews 10:25 (thn episunagwghn eautwn), where the longer compound occurs. It may seem a bit odd for a Christian church (ekklhsia) to be termed sunagwgh, but James is writing to Jewish Christians and this is another incidental argument for the early date. Epiphanius (Haer. XXX. 18) states that the Ebionites call their church sunagwgh, not ekklhsia. In the fourth century an inscription has sunagwgh for the meeting-house of certain Christians. A man with a gold ring (anhr crusodaktulio). "A gold-fingered man," "wearing a gold ring." The word occurs nowhere else, but Lucian has crusoceir (gold-handed) and Epictetus has crusou daktuliou (golden seal-rings). "Hannibal, after the battle of Cannae, sent as a great trophy to Carthage, three bushels of gold-rings from the fingers of Roman knights slain in battle" (Vincent). In fine clothing (en esqhti lamprai). "In bright (brilliant) clothing" as in Luke 23:11 ; Acts 10:30 ; Re 18:41. In contrast with "vile clothing" (en ruparai esqhti), "new glossy clothes and old shabby clothes" (Hort). Ruparo (late word from rupo, filth, 1 Peter 3:21 ) means filthy, dirty. In N.T. only here and Revelation 22:11 (filthy). Poor man (ptwco). Beggarly mendicant ( Matthew 19:21 ), the opposite of plousio (rich).