Ministry of Grace Church

But you dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?

Truth to Learn

It’s ironic that we tend to give the most consideration for the people who care the least about us.

Behind the Words

The Greek word that is translated here as “dishonored” is atimadzō. This is made up of the privative a, meaning “without,” and a form of timē, which means “honor.” Hence, atimadzō means “to treat without honor,” “to abuse,” or “to treat shamefully.”

“Poor man,” as we saw in verse two, refers to someone who “crouches or cowers like a beggar.” In its common usage it refers to someone who is extremely poor.

The Greek word translated “oppress” is katadunasteuō. This is made up of two Greek words, kata, which means “down” and dunastes, meaning “a ruler” or “an officer,” from which we get our English word dynasty. As we put these together we get the notion of putting someone down to rule over them or, “lord it over them.”

“Drag” is the translation of a form of helkuō, which means “to draw someone in (not necessarily by force).” It is the word that Jesus used when He said:

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all peopls to Myself. (John 12:32)

Meaning Explained

James is pointing out to the early Christians that they were treating the poor people shamefully and giving the rich people special honor, even though the rich people treated them badly and persecuted them.

The dramatic contrast between this verse and the previous one is obvious. How we treat others is often based on selfishness and pride. How God treats us is based on our heart.

Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, put it this way:

Perhaps it might be understood somewhat ironically: “You despise the poor, do you, and are disposed to honor the rich! Look then, and see how the rich treat you, and see whether you have so much occasion to regard them with any peculiar respect.”

Rich, powerful, and famous people are seldom satisfied with their money, position, or honor. They want more, and they want it for themselves. They nearly always have an elevated opinion of themselves and they tend to lord it over those who have less than they do. This is the sin nature at work and it is exacerbated by the world system we live in:

Because all that which is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:16)

Application

Some of the kindest, most humble, and most considerate people are poor in the eyes of the world. Likewise, some of the meanest, most arrogant, and selfish people are rich in worldly goods. If you could choose, which of these would you want to have as friends?