2:1 My 1 brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus
Christ, [the Lord] of a glory, with respect of persons.
(1) The first: charity which proceeds from a true faith, cannot
exist with the respecting of people: which he proves
plainly by using the example of those who, while having
reproach or disdain for the poor, honour the rich.
(a) For if we knew what Christ's glory is, and esteemed it
as we should, there would not be the respecting of
people that there is.
2:3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and say unto him, Sit thou here in a b good place; and say
to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my
footstool:
(b) In a worshipful and honourable place.
2:4 Are ye not then partial in c yourselves, and are become
judges of evil thoughts?
(c) Have you not within yourselves judged one man to be
preferred over another (which you should not do) by means of
this?
2:52 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the
d poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the
kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
(2) He shows that those who prefer the rich over the poor are
wicked and disobedient judges, since God on the other hand
prefers the poor (whom he has enriched with true riches)
over the rich.
(d) The needy and wretched, and (if we measure it after the
opinion of the world) the most degraded of all men.
2:6 But ye have despised the poor. 3 Do not rich men oppress
you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
(3) Secondly, he proves them to be fools: since the rich men
are rather to be held detestable and cursed, considering
that they persecute the church, and blaspheme Christ: for
he speaks of wicked and profane rich men, as most of them
have always been, beside whom he contrasts the poor and
degraded.
2:7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are
e called?
(e) Literally, "which is called upon of you".
2:84 If ye fulfil the f royal law according to the
scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do
well:
(4) The conclusion: charity which God prescribes cannot agree
with the respecting of people, seeing that we must walk in
the king's highway.
(f) The law is said to be royal and like the king's highway,
in that it is simple and without changes, and that the
law calls everyone our neighbour without respect,
whom we may help by any kind of duty.
2:105 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend
in one [point], he is guilty of g all.
(5) A new argument to prove the same conclusion: Those who
neglect some and ambitiously honour others do not love
their neighbours. For they do not obey God if they remove
from the commandments of God those things that are not
convenient for them. Rather they are guilty of breaking
the whole law, even though they observe part of it.
(g) Not that all sins are equal, but because he who breaks
one small part of the law, offends the majority of the
given law.
2:116 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do
not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou
kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
(6) A proof: because the Lawmaker is always one and the same,
and the contents of the law cannot be divided.
2:127 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by
the law of liberty.
(7) The conclusion of the whole treatise: we are upon this
condition delivered from the curse of the law by the mercy
of God, that in the same way we should maintain and cherish
charity and good will towards one another, and whoever does
not do so, shall not taste of the grace of God.
2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed
no h mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
(h) He that is harsh and short with his neighbour, or else
does not help him, he shall find God a hard and rough
judge to him.
2:148 What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he
hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
(8) The fifth place which follows very well with the former
treatise, concerning a true and living faith. The
proposition of the place is this: Faith which does not
bring forth works is not that faith by means of which we
are justified, but an false image of that faith, or else
this: they who do not show the effects of faith are not
justified by faith.
2:159 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily
food,
(9) The first reason taken from a comparison: if a man says to
one who is hungry "Fill your belly" and yet gives him
nothing, this is not true charity. If a man says he
believes and does not bring forth works of his faith, this
is not true faith, but truly a dead thing called with the
name of faith, of which no man has room to brag, unless he
will openly incur reprehension, since the cause is
understood by the effects.
2:18 Yea, i a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works:
shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee
my faith by my works.
(i) No, by this every man will be eaten up with pride.
2:1910 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well:
the devils also believe, and tremble.
(10) Another reason taken from an absurdity: if such a faith
were the true faith by means of which we are justified,
the demons would be justified, for they have that, but
nonetheless they tremble and are not justified, therefore
neither is that faith a true faith.
2:2011 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without
works is dead?
(11) The third reason from the example of Abraham, who no doubt
had a true faith: but he in offering his son, showed
himself to have that faith which was not without works,
and therefore he received a true testimony when it was
laid, that faith was imputed to him for righteousness.
2:21 Was not Abraham our father k justified by works, when he
had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
(k) Was he not by his works known and found to be
justified? For he speaks not here of the causes of
justification, but by what effects we may know that a
man is justified.
2:22 Seest thou how faith l wrought with his works, and by
works was faith made m perfect?
(l) Was effectual and fruitful with good works.
(m) That the faith was declared to be a true faith, through
works.
2:23 And the scripture was n fulfilled which saith, Abraham
believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
n Then the Scripture was fulfilled, when it appeared
plainly how truly it was written about Abraham.
2:2412 Ye see then how that by works a man is o justified,
and not by p faith only.
(12) The conclusion: Only he who has faith that has works
following it is justified.
(o) Is proved to be just.
(p) Of that dead and fruitless faith which you boast of.
2:2513 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by
works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent
[them] out another way?
(13) A forth reason taken from a similar example of Rahab the
harlot, who was proved by her works that she was justified
by a true faith.
2:2614 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead also.
(14) The conclusion repeated again: faith does not bring forth
fruits and works is not faith, but a dead carcass.
