James 5 - IVP New Testament Commentaries

Canonical Context

We can look for confirmation or contradiction of this conclusion from other biblical writings that have a demonstrated background or affinity to James.

First, a survey of Old Testament references to the rich and wealth shows that riches are judged favorably in the Law as a blessing from God. The Writings have the largest volume of Old Testament references, especially concentrated in the Wisdom literature, where riches are generally valued and approved. It is in the Prophets that we find a significant amount of criticism of the rich as a class of people.

Perhaps the most important prophetic reference is Jeremiah 9:23-24, because of its use of both kauchastho and plousios in the Septuagint. James certainly knew the Jeremiah passage and could have applied it as Paul did in 1 Corinthians 1:31--"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." Instead, James's emphasis is on the destruction of the rich. He seems to expect the rich to continue in their materialism only to find themselves brought low in the end, as in the common prophetical denunciations of the rich. It is a description of the rich as unbelievers.

Second, it can be shown that James's letter is saturated with a knowledge of Jesus' teachings, especially his sermons in Matthew 5--7 and Luke 6 (well documented by Mayor, Davids and Kistemaker). This gives us reason to examine the references to rich people and wealth in the teachings of Jesus to get a very important picture of what was informing James's thinking.

1. Matthew 6:19-24. Treasures on earth are not of lasting value. "You cannot serve both God and Money."

2. Matthew 13:22. Wealth has a harmful influence on people in the parable of the sower.

3. Matthew 19:23-24. It is very hard for the rich to enter the kingdom.

4. Matthew 27:57. Joseph of Arimathea is a rich man who is a friend to Jesus.

5. Mark 12:41. The rich are compared unfavorably to the poor widow who could give only a little.

6. Luke 1:53. Mary thanks God for caring for the poor and sending the rich away empty.

7. Luke 6:20, 24. "Blessed are you who are poor. . . . But woe to you who are rich."

8. Luke 12:16-21. The rich man in the parable is declared a fool.

9. Luke 14:12-14. Jesus tells his host to invite not his rich neighbors but the poor.

10. Luke 16:1-15. Jesus warns against love of money, and the Pharisees are characterized as ones "who loved money."

11. Luke 16:19-31. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man is in torment in hell, while the poor man Lazarus is blessed to be at Abraham's side.

In these references (and their Synoptic parallels, which are not listed) there is a consistently negative picture of wealth and of the rich. The one exception is the loyalty of Joseph of Arimathea. The demonstrated saturation of James's mind with the teachings of Jesus makes still more likely the conclusion that James is thinking of the rich primarily as non-Christians.