James 2:13

2:1-13 Those who profess faith in Christ as the Lord of glory, must not respect persons on account of mere outward circumstances and appearances, in a manner not agreeing with their profession of being disciples of the lowly Jesus. St. James does not here encourage rudeness or disorder: civil respect must be paid; but never such as to influence the proceedings of Christians in disposing of the offices of the church of Christ, or in passing the censures of the church, or in any matter of religion. Questioning ourselves is of great use in every part of the holy life. Let us be more frequent in this, and in every thing take occasion to discourse with our souls. As places of worship cannot be built or maintained without expense, it may be proper that those who contribute thereto should be accommodated accordingly; but were all persons more spiritually-minded, the poor would be treated with more attention that usually is the case in worshipping congregations. A lowly state is most favourable for inward peace and for growth in holiness. God would give to all believers riches and honours of this world, if these would do them good, seeing that he has chosen them to be rich in faith, and made them heirs of his kingdom, which he promised to bestow on all who love him. Consider how often riches lead to vice and mischief, and what great reproaches are thrown upon God and religion, by men of wealth, power, and worldly greatness; and it will make this sin appear very sinful and foolish.

The Scripture gives as a law, to love our neighbour as ourselves. This law is a royal law, it comes from the King of kings; and if Christians act unjustly, they are convicted by the law as transgressors. To think that our good deeds will atone for our bad deeds, plainly puts us upon looking for another atonement. According to the covenant of works, one breach of any one command brings a man under condemnation, from which no obedience, past, present, or future, can deliver him. This shows us the happiness of those that are in Christ. We may serve him without slavish fear. God's restraints are not a bondage, but our own corruptions are so. The doom passed upon impenitent sinners at last, will be judgment without mercy. But God deems it his glory and joy, to pardon and bless those who might justly be condemned at his tribunal; and his grace teaches those who partake of his mercy, to copy it in their conduct.

He shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy (ἡ γὰρ κρίσις ἀνίλεως τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος) Lit., as Rev., judgment is without mercy to him that hath shewed no mercy. Both A. gr. and Rev. omit the article "the judgment," that, namely, which is coming. Hath shewed, or, lit., shewed (aorist tense). The writer puts himself at the stand-point of the judgment, and looks backward. Rejoiceth (κατακαυχᾶται) The simple verb καυχάομαι means to speak loud, to be loud-tongued; hence, to boast. Better, therefore, as Rev., glorieth. Judgment and mercy are personified. While judgment threatens condemnation, mercy interposes and prevails over judgment. "Mercy is clothed with the divine glory, and stands by the throne of God. When we are in danger of being condemned, she rises up and pleads for us, and covers us with her defence, and enfolds us with her wings" (Chrysostom, cited by Gloag).

Jam 2:13 . Ἡ γὰρ κρίσις , for the judgment ) That judgment of God respecting us, which no one shall escape, will be such towards every one, as every one shall have been: without mercy to him who hath showed no mercy .— ἔλεος , mercy ) This is synonymous with love , Jam 2:8 ; one common misery being presupposed.— κατακαυχᾶται , rejoiceth against ) An important word, and a memorable sentence. Judgment itself willingly bears this rejoicing . The apostles frequently omit the connecting particles. A proof of this is the great variety of particles which the copyists supply; as in this passage, some prefix καί , while others append δέ . The shorter reading, which stands midway between the two as their common starting point, is the genuine one. See App. Crit., Editio II., on this passage.[20]— ἜΛΕΟς , mercy ) Divine mercy, answering to that on the part of man. [20] A, Vulg. and later Syr. read δέ . Rec. Text, without any very old authority, prefixes και . C omits both; and so Lachm. and Tisch. B reads either καταχαυχᾶτε , or καταχαυχᾶ τε , according as the Uncial letters, which flow on without divisions, are divided.—E.

13. The converse of, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (Mt 5:7). Translate, "The judgment (which is coming on all of us) shall be without mercy to him who hath showed no mercy." It shall be such toward every one as every one shall have been [Bengel]. "Mercy" here corresponds to "love," Jas 2:8. mercy rejoiceth against judgment—Mercy, so far from fearing judgment in the case of its followers, actually glorifieth against it, knowing that it cannot condemn them. Not that their mercy is the ground of their acquittal, but the mercy of God in Christ towards them, producing mercy on their part towards their fellow men, makes them to triumph over judgment, which all in themselves otherwise deserve.

Verse 13. - A clear reminiscence of our Lord's teaching in the sermon on the mount ( Matthew 7:1 , etc.; Matthew 5:7): Μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται . Ἀνέλεος is certainly the right form of the word ( א , A, B, C, K), not ἀνιλέως (Receptus with L), and the καὶ of the Textus Receptus is entirely wanting in manuscript authority, and should be deleted. The subject is ended by the abrupt declaration, almost like a cry of triumph, "Mercy glorieth against judgment." James 2:13

For he shall have judgment without mercy; shall be judged according to the rigour of the law, by pure justice without any mixture of mercy. That hath showed no mercy; that hath been cruel and unmerciful to his neighbour here. And mercy rejoiceth against judgment; either, 1. The mercy of God rejoiceth and glorieth over judgment, being as it were superior and victorious in relation to those that show mercy, to whom the promise of obtaining. mercy is made, Matthew 5:7 . Or rather: 2. The mercy of men, i.e. of those that deal mercifully with others; their mercy having the mercy and promise of God on its side, need not fear, but rather may rejoice, and as it were glory against judgment, as not being like to go against them. Objection. Is not this to make some ground of glorying to be in men themselves, contrary to Psalm 143:2 Romans 4:2 ? Answer. Mercy in believers is an evidence of their interest in God’s mercy, which prevails on their belief against his justice; and so its rejoicing against judgment, is not against it as overcome by itself, but by God’s mercy. Thus both senses are included.

(13) For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy. —Better, For unmerciful judgment shall be to him that wrought not mercy. Here again are the clearest echoes of our Saviour’s words ( Matthew 6:1-2 , et seq. ) , and a reference, we can hardly doubt, to His well-known parable ( Matthew 18:21-35 ); and we must remember, further, that “the unforgiving temper, apart from all outward wrong, constitutes the sin of the unmerciful servant;” opportunity only being lacking for its full effect. The pitiless are usually cowards, and may well be moved by fear, if they will not by love: “I will repay, saith the Lord” ( Romans 12:19 ). Mercy rejoiceth against judgment.—There can hardly be a fitter comment on this text than that which must be present in every reader’s mind—the speech of Portia in The Merchant of Venice, “The quality of mercy is not strained;” &c. —(Acts 4 scene 1.) But let the words of the Greek, John the Golden Mouthed, be added, for their exceeding beauty also. “Mercy is dear to God, and intercedes for the sinner, and breaks his chains, and dissipates the darkness, and quenches the fire of hell, and destroys the worm, and rescues from the gnashing of teeth. To her the gates of Heaven are opened. She is the queen of virtues, and makes men like to God, for it is written, ‘Be ye merciful as your Father also is merciful’ (Luke 6:36).

She has silver wings like the dove, and feathers of gold, and soars aloft, and is clothed with divine glory, and stands by the throne of God; when we are in danger of being condemned she rises up and pleads for us, and covers us with her defence, and enfolds us in her wings. God loves mercy more than sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13).

13 . For he shall have judgment ] There is something more emphatic in the actual structure of the sentence. For the judgment shall be merciless to him that wrought not mercy . The axiom presents one aspect of the great law of divine retribution, and, like so much of St James’s teaching, is an obvious reproduction of that of the Sermon on the Mount ( Matthew 7:1 ). The reference to that discourse suggests the thought that the “law of liberty” of which St James speaks is not the law given by Moses, but the new Law, full of grace and truth, which was given by Christ. See note on James 2:8 . On this assumption the supposed contrast with St Paul dwindles into nothing. mercy rejoiceth against judgment ] The verb is found in Romans 11:18 . The abruptness of the original, where the maxim stands with no connecting particle, is singularly forcible, mercy glories over judgment . The law holds good universally. It is true of man’s judgment, but also of God’s, that mercy triumphs over severity, when it finds a willing object. The truth has seldom found a nobler utterance than in the familiar words which remind us that “Earthly power doth then shew likest God’s, When mercy seasons justice.” Shakespeare. Merchant of Venice , iv. 1.

Jam 2:13 . ἡ γὰρ κρίσις ἀνέλεος , etc.: Cf. Matthew 5:7 ; Matthew 7:1 ; Matthew 18:28 ff; Matthew 25:41 ff. For the form ἀνέλεος see Mayor, in loc . The teaching occurs often in Jewish writings, e.g. , Sir 28:1-2 , ὁ ἐκδικῶν παρὰ Κυρίου εὑρήσει ἐκδίκησιν , καὶ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ διαστηριῶν διαστηρίσει . ἄφες ἀδίκημα τῷ πλησίον σου , καὶ τότε δεηθέντος σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου λυθήσονται . Test. of the Twelve Patriarchs , Zeb. viii. 1–3: “Have, therefore, yourselves also, my children, compassion towards every man with mercy, that the Lord also may have compassion and mercy upon you. Because also in the last days God will send His compassion on the earth, and wheresoever He findeth bowels of mercy He dwelleth in him. For in the degree in which a man hath compassion upon his neighbours, in the same degree hath the Lord also upon him” (Charles); cf. also vi. 4–6. Shabbath , 127 b : “He who thus judges others will thus himself be judged”. Ibid. , 151 b : “He that hath mercy on his neighbours will receive mercy from heaven; and he that hath not mercy on his neighbours will not receive mercy from heaven”. Cf. also the following from Ephraem Syrus, Opp. , 1. 30E (quoted by Resch. op. cit. , p. 197): καὶ μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήσαντες , ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἐλεηθήσονται · καὶ οὐαὶ τοῖς μὴ ἐλεήσασιν , ὅτι οὐκ ἐλεηθήσονται .— ποιήσαντι : this use of ποιεῖν is common in the Septuagint and corresponds to the Hebrew עשׂה ; it is often used with חסד (“kindness”).— κατακαυχᾶται : “triumphs over”.