Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

11:25). James’ illustration is once again vivid. In fact, point and counterpoint
could not have been presented more graphically. While the Greek presents it
as a hypothetical situation, it is certainly not “a contrived event” (Dibelius,
74; contra Brosend, 56). It sadly implies an actual state of affairs, in which
situations, such as described by James, occur only too frequently (Grosheide,
1955, 369). James simply is not known to be a man who would mince words
or waste time about irrelevant and non-existing situations.
We are introduced to a man with considerable wealth as well as a considerable
social status. His gold rings (plural) are indicative of both aspects
(Laws, 98). They also may suggest power and arrogance (Johnson, 221). The
man obviously “ranks” highly in more than one way! Furthermore, his gorgeous
clothes match his rings! They are “splendid,” literally “shining” (See
Lk 23:11; Laws, 98) like an angel (Acts 10:3; Rev. 15:6), and fit for a “king.”
They mirror the garments of Christ’s bride (Rev. 19:8). Who would not be
impressed with this “show-case”? “Opulence and ostentation” (Martin, 61) is
written all over him! The counterpart of this “well-dressed stranger” is in everything
his opposite. This man resembles a beggar, utterly destitute, and his
clothes are ragged and filthy, indicating the degree of his abject poverty. The
condition of the clothes resembles, if not matches, the filth of sin described
earlier (Jam. 1:21). In a word, he is downright pitiful, if not repulsive as “an
unkempt, maybe smelly, tramp” (Motyer, 92; see also Brosend, 58)!
Both decide to attend a public “assembly” (synagoge), to be interpreted
as a congregational meeting (or Assembly Hall) of the distinctively Christian
community (“your” synagoge) for official worship (Laws, 100-101; Kistemaker,
73). Since the word synagogue has no definite article, the reader
gets the impression that they may decide to amble into any stated service, as
the habit of occasional visitors is. The problem of discrimination between rich
and poor seems to be endemic.
It is less than likely that James has a Church court session in mind,
where Church officials customarily handle judicial affairs and dispense justice
in spite of some parallels with rabbinic scenarios (See also Martin, 57-58;
Moo, 1985, 89-90; Brosend, 62, 63-64). This interpretation is supposedly
suggested by James 2:6, where the rich haul the poor in court, supported by
the Jewish custom to execute justice, inclusive of physical punishment, in the
synagogue (Mt. 10:17; Acts 22:19; 26:11), and reinforced by the legal procedure
that does allow the rich to be seated, while the poor must be content to
stand during the judicial process (Manton, 187; Henry, III, 1392). However,
two features in the text militate against this. First, in James 2:6 the author
speaks about two classes of people, but in James 2:2 about two individuals.
Second, in James 2:6 the one class of people hauls the other class in court, but
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