Tuesday, October 20, 2015


Word of God

Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God
Matthew 4:4

The Epistle of James 2:9
(Study notes by Matthew Henry Edited/Prefaced by Doktor Riktor Von Zhades)


9 But if ye regard the persons, ye commit sin, and are rebuked of the Law, as transgressors.

Brethren:
Continuing along the points of yesterday study we see the result of what happens when we become respectors of persons. In particular if we look at the outside of said person, but not contemplate the inside. The old adage of “to never judge a book by it’s cover” most certainly applies. Take heed also friends that coupled with the previous chapter the wisdom of being slow to speak and more circumspect about a situation or in this case a person would be of good advice with which one could usefully put into action. - Dr. R.V.Z

The apostle, having condemned the sin of those who had an undue respect of persons, and having urged what was sufficient to convict them of the greatness of this evil, now proceeds to show how the matter may be mended; it is the work of a gospel ministry, not only to reprove and warn, but to teach and direct. (See Colossians 1:28), Warning every man, and teaching every man.

However, notwithstanding the law of laws, to love your neighbour as yourselves, and to show that respect to them which you would be apt to look for yourselves if in their circumstances, yet this will not excuse your distributing either the favours or the censures of the church according to men’s outward condition; but here you must look to a particular law, which God, who gave the other, has given you together with it, and by this you will stand fully convicted of the sin I have charged you with.

Therefore the law itself, rightly explained, would serve to convict them, because it teaches them to put themselves as much in the places of the poor as in those of the rich, and so to act equitably towards one as well as the other. Hence he proceeds, to show the extent of the law, and how far obedience must be paid to it. They must fulfill the royal law, have a regard to one part as well as another, otherwise it would not stand them in stead, when they pretended to urge it as a reason for any particular actions: For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all.

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