Ministry of Grace Church

You condemned, you murdered the righteous; he does not resist you.

Truth to Learn

Wealth can blind a person to justice.

 

Behind the Words

The word “condemned” is translated from katadikadzō, which is a compound word made up of kata, meaning “down” and dikadzō, meaning “to pass judgment.” Hence, this word means “to pass judgment down against” or “to condemn.”

“Murdered” is from the Greek verb phoneuō, meaning “to kill a person unjustly” or “to murder.”

The expression “the righteous” is from the Greek, ton dikaion, which means “the just one” or “the righteous one.” There are some who suppose that this is a reference to the Christ who was killed without resistance even though he was righteous. The text here does not really lend itself to such an interpretation, however. A better interpretation is that it refers to the way these rich men have treated the workers under them who acted righteously in their behavior toward the rich land owners.

 

Meaning Explained

James now concludes his condemnation of the rich people of his day (and of our day as well). He has already declared that the wealth that they had amassed is already wasting away and will do them no good when they stand before the Judge of all mankind. Especially, since they have garnered that wealth by withholding a fair wage from those who earned it by righteously serving them.

By holding back the wages of their workers and not paying them what they were due, the rich have effectively killed them and certainly condemned them to a life of poverty. They have passed judgment against their workers, determining that they are not as worthy as rich men like themselves.

It appears that in James’ day the rich were in control of the courts as well. This was certainly true in Jewish life, where the rich Pharisees had control of both the civil and the religious judicial systems. When the rich band together, they become a very powerful body that can sway the thinking of even many formerly righteous people. It is clearly evident in our society today just as it was true in the first century. Against such power a poor man, even one of the highest integrity, is powerless. But God is not!

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the churches in Galatia, expressed a similar idea:

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man may sow, that he will also reap. For the one sowing to his own flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will reap everlasting life from the Spirit. (Galatians 6:7, 8)

Also, keep in mind what James said only a few verses back:

Therefore, to him knowing what good thing to do and not doing it, it is sin to him. (James 4:17)

 

Application

Let us consider that we ourselves are rich compared to many in the world today. We can use that wealth in a manner that will yield us a reward in the hereafter, or we can selfishly hoard it and defraud others so that we can get more “stuff,” which will be of no value whatsoever on the other side of the grave?

What are you doing with your riches?