SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:6
Mas vosotros habis afrentado al pobre. ¿No os oprimen los ricos con tiranía, y ellos os llevan con violencia a los juzgados?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - James 2:6
Verse 6. Do not rich men oppress you] The administration of justice was at this time in a miserable state of corruption among the Jews; but a Christian was one who was to expect no justice any where but from his God. The words katadunasteuousin, exceedingly oppress, and elkousin eiv krithria, drag you to courts of justice, show how grievously oppressed and maltreated the Christians were by their countrymen the Jews, who made law a pretext to afflict their bodies, and spoil them of their property.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. But ye have despised the poor , etc.] Or dishonoured, and reproached them, by showing respect of persons, in preferring the rich to them, and in distinguishing them in such a manner as was to their contempt and injury; which is a reproaching not only of them, but their Maker; and is in effect saying, that God has done either a weak or a wrong thing, in choosing them to be rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom, it being directly contrary to his conduct: do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats ? which may be understood either of rich men that were unbelievers; and these either the Heathen magistrates, who ruled over them in a tyrannical way, and with rigour, and often summoned them before them, and persecuted them with violence; or their own countrymen, the Jews, who stirred up the chief men of the Gentiles against them, and drew them to their judgment seats, as they drew Paul to the judgment seat of Gallio, ( Acts 13:50 18:12) or else of rich professors of religion, who assumed a despotic power over the poor brethren of the church, and loved to have the pre-eminence over them, as Diotrephes did, and set up tribunals in the churches, and tried and condemned them in an arbitrary way; or else upon civil accounts had them before heathen magistrates, and went to law with them in their courts, before unbelievers, which is a practice condemned in ( 1 Corinthians 6:1), and seeing now rich men used them so ill, the apostle mentions this as an argument to dissuade them from respect of persons; seeing they had but little reason to show so much regard unto them, who had treated them in so evil a manner: this is not to be understood of all rich men; nor is the apostle's design to destroy that natural and civil order there is among men, by reason of their different stations, offices, and circumstances; it being highly proper that honour should he given to whom honour is due, but not to the dishonour of another.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-13 - Those who profess faith in Christ as the Lord of glory, must no respect persons on account of mere outward circumstances an appearances, in a manner not agreeing with their profession of being disciples of the lowly Jesus. St. James does not here encourag 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 ever part of the holy life. Let us be more frequent in this, and in ever thing take occasion to discourse with our souls. As places of worshi cannot be built or maintained without expense, it may be proper tha those who contribute thereto should be accommodated accordingly; but were all persons more spiritually-minded, the poor would be treate with more attention that usually is the case in worshippin congregations. A lowly state is most favourable for inward peace and for growth in holiness. God would give to all believers riches an honours of this world, if these would do them good, seeing that he ha 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 ofte riches lead to vice and mischief, and what great reproaches are throw upon God and religion, by men of wealth, power, and worldly greatness and it will make this sin appear very sinful and foolish. The Scriptur gives as a law, to love our neighbour as ourselves. This law is a roya 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 goo 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 n obedience, past, present, or future, can deliver him. This shows us the happiness of those that are in Christ. We may serve him without slavis fear. God's restraints are not a bondage, but our own corruptions ar so. The doom passed upon impenitent sinners at last, will be judgmen without mercy. But God deems it his glory and joy, to pardon and bles those who might justly be condemned at his tribunal; and his grac teaches those who partake of his mercy, to copy it in their conduct.
Greek Textus Receptus
υμεις 5210 δε 1161 ητιμασατε 818 5656 τον 3588 πτωχον 4434 ουχ 3756 οι 3588 πλουσιοι 4145 καταδυναστευουσιν 2616 5719 υμων 5216 και 2532 αυτοι 846 ελκουσιν 1670 5719 υμας 5209 εις 1519 κριτηρια 2922
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. Despised (htimasate). Not strong enough. They had manifested their contempt; had done despite to them. Rev., correctly, dishonored. From the use of the aorist tense, ye dishonored, which the A.V. and Rev. render as a perfect, ye have dishonored, the reference would appear to be to a specific act like that described in vv. 2, 3.
Oppress (katadunasteuousin). Only here and Acts x. 38. The preposition kata, against, implies a power exercised for harm. Compare being lords over, 1 Pet. v. 3, and exercise dominion, Matt. xx. 25, both compounded with this preposition.
Draw (elkousin). Not strong enough. The word implies violence. Hence, better, as Rev., drag. Compare Livy's phrase, "a lictoribus trahi, to be dragged by the lictors to judgment;" Acts viii. 3, of Saul haling or hauling men and women to prison; and Luke xii. 58.
Judgment-seats (krithria). Only here and 1 Cor. vi. 24.
