The Poor Who are Rich and the Rich Who are Poor
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Introduction
Introduction
26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
PRAY
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
The Poor Who are Rich
The Poor Who are Rich
Let the lowly brother - James has an exhortation for believers. He writes of a brother, a member of the Christian community, and one who belongs to the family of God. James describes the brother as lowly. Lowly can mean multiple things based on context. It can mean humble, unimportant or poor. In this case, it means poor because of it contrast to the rich.
These brothers were likely poor because of their relocation away from Jerusalem due to persecution. There would be challenges re-establishing oneself economically in another place. These are poor economically. They were often despised and even oppressed. The poor were generally forgotten and left to struggle on their own. Their life was physically hard.
What is the exhortation? Boast in his exaltation - James tells the lowly brother to boast in his exaltation. He commands them to take pride in their high position. What are you talking about James? First, we thought pride and boasting was a sin. Second, we are poor. We are struggling to meet basic needs. Everyone ignores us or takes advantage of us. Where’s is this exaltation to proud of anyway?
It is true that pride and boasting is often categorized as sinful.
2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
23 One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
Even James calls a certain kind of boasting evil in James 4:16:
16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
However, the word is sometimes used with different object. If one glories or boast in God and the work of God, this boasting is acceptable.
23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
James tells the poor to boast in their exaltation. We conclude the cause for boasting is God’s work of redemption, which gives them hope in present but also the long future of eternity. How are the believers who are poor exalted? James is presenting to his readers the reality that Jesus changes everything. They are no longer destitute in hopelessness as others who are poor. They are rich in Christ. They are exalted in Christ. They are seated heavenly places in Christ.
5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
Here’s an example of James is referring to in Paul’s letter to the Philippians.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Peter echoes the same:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
The Rich Who are Poor
The Rich Who are Poor
And the rich - It is clear the rich are those who are financially wealthy. This is a person who is blessed with material abundance. These are those who are not concerned about the next meal except a choice from among delicacies. These are those who wear splendid apparel. These are those who own land, stock and business. These are those who simply put do not have physically lack.
That much is clear from the text. However, what is not clear is whether James is addressing those believers among this group that are wealthy or is he rather speaking to the rich that are unbelievers.
There has been much discussion among Bible students as to whom James is addressing. Honestly, this is another place where James’ letter does not submit to our Western, categorical sensibilities. However, we must do out best to get the sense of James’ meaning.
Those that conclude James is speaking to the unbelieving rich argue that James speaks negatively of the rich later in the letter. He speaks of the rich being treated with favoritism in gatherings even though they were oppressing the poor and even blaspheme God’s name (2:1-6) and there is a direct warning to the rich about abusing workers and trusting in riches.
In contrast, those that think James is speaking to wealthy persons who are Christians argue not all rich people are wicked. They cite many biblical characters. In addition, most importantly, they argue the grammatical structure supports that rich is also a modifier of brother that is parallel to lowly.
I tend to believe that in this case, James is addressing the believer who is wealthy.
In his humiliation - The command is parallel to the poor boasting in their exaltation in that both are called to boast. However, the rich are called to boast in their humiliation. The rich are called to take pride in their humbling or abasement or the fact that they will be brought low. Boasting in one’s humiliation is not a characterization of the rich normally. The rich tend to believe nothing will ever change.
Douglas Moo, If the one who is rich is a Christian, then James’s encouragement to that person to take pride in his low position will mean that the rich believer is to boast not in his wealth or his elevated social position, but in his identification with Christ and his people, a matter of “humiliation” in the eyes of the world
One might ask how the rich will be brought low or humbled?
Because like a flower of the grass he will pass away - James introduces a picture from nature. The justification for the rich man to boast in his humiliation is because it is certain. Just as the blooms of the flowers of the field wilt and blow away so will the rich. They will die and will no longer possess their possessions. James continues the simile for effect.
For sun rise with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower fades and its beauty perishes - The blooms or the flowers of the field is gorgeous and exquisite. They possess rich color and fine with vibrancy. They are a delight to the eye. However, the sun, the burning star of our solar system shines with intense radiance, scorching heat and the flower begins to lose life, and color. What was once beautiful and fine is now powdery brown dusty residue.
6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits - In the same manner with the same certainty and finally the wealthy man and his endeavors will cease. The language is powerful here. James tells his readers the rich will cease to exist while they are planning their next profitable venture.
New American Standard Bible For the sun rises with scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
The New International Version - For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
This is the humiliation of the rich. Temporal, physical wealth does not last. Death is the great equalizer.
16 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. 17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
Practical Application
Practical Application
We must embrace the upside-downness of the kingdom of God. The gospel of Jesus changes everything. It make the slaves free, and binds freemen to slavery. It makes the poor rich and the rich poor. It exalts the lowly, and humbles the exalted. It opens the mouths of the timid and closes the mouths of the articulate. You might ask, what impact has the gospel had on you that cannot be explained in any other way except, “God did it!”
For those who are Christians but have less.
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For they have no pangs until death; their bodies are fat and sleek. 5 They are not in trouble as others are; they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. 7 Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies. 8 They scoff and speak with malice; loftily they threaten oppression. 9 They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth. 10 Therefore his people turn back to them, and find no fault in them. 11 And they say, “How can God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.
For those who are Christians and have more.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”
There is equality in Christ.
11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
John MacArthur: Faith in Christ to supply his needs lifts the lowly believer beyond his trials to the great height of a position in the eternal kingdom of Christ, where, as God’s child, he is rich and may rejoice and boast. Faith in Christ does an equally blessed thing for the rich believer, whose riches are temporary; it fills him with the spirit of lowliness and true humility. As the poor brother forgets all his earthly poverty, so the rich brother forgets all his earthly riches. The two are equals by faith in Christ.
What can satisfy? Is riches, comfort and ease? No, It is the Lord and his steadfast love.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.