James Chapter 5
Originally posted Tuesday November 4, 2008
James,
Chapter 5:1-6 Warning to Rich Oppressors
In the "Table of contents" at 1:9-11 James has given a glimpse
of his concern about the dangers of wealth. In 5:1-6 he expands on that introduction from the negative
perspective that the "oppressive" rich are doomed and they
should by weeping and wailing. In 4:13-17 James
condemned those who brag about their business acumen and all their plans
for making money. As with those who have "friendship with the world"
(4:7-10), he does leave a
"way out" in his warning that their boasting is evil and they do know
"the right thing to do." In the current passage James writes in the
fashion of the prophets such as Amos, Isaiah and Malachi (Mal. 3:5). Their
outcries depict the fate of the greedy and oppressive landowners
who defraud the day laborer, harvesters and mowers, from whom they
have withheld wages (see Lev. 19:13).
The context for this passage is rooted in the widespread
absentee ownership of farm land. This was always in the background of Jesus'
sayings about poverty in Galilee where vast land holdings were established by
foreclosures on poor farmers who could not pay off loans for seed and
equipment. These poor farmers and their families became the day laborers who
heard Jesus speak the words ofLk.
6:20-26, promising blessedness to the poor and woe to the rich. The same
oppressive system existed throughout the Roman Empire and many Jewish
Christians in Palestine and elsewhere would have identified with Jesus'
and James' words. Both held out the promise of God's reign: "The
first shall be last and the last shall be first."
James is particularly harsh in his condemnation
of these "rich oppressors." Paraphrasing Jesus' words, their
riches have rotted and their clothes are moth eaten. Their precious coins
have rusted (see MT. 6:19-20). That
which had defined their lives has become worthless in God's economy. These
are the treasures they gained by exploitation and have "laid up"
by fraud and oppression for their latter days of ease. But these
ill-gotten gains have become the evidence that condemns them on the last day (see LK. 12:16-21). God has heard the cry of the oppressed (Exod. 3:7), and God will maintain
their cause. Their luxury and self-serving pleasure will be their end.
In vs. 6 James
ends with a verse that has been interpreted several ways. Some writers see this
as related to 2:6 in which
James writes of the rich who "drag" the poor into court to cheat them
of their wages (and land). In the Wisdom literature there is a connection
between defrauding the poor and murdering them (not literally) since to defraud
them is to steal their livelihood which sustains them (see Sir.34.22). The phrase "righteous one" often was used
to refer to the innocent poor who had been oppressed by the rich. However,
taken with vs. 6b, "who
does not resist you," we could read an allusion to Jesus' crucifixion
which he did not resist and was a collusion of Jewish and Roman
authorities. This reminds us of Jesus' parable of the wicked tenants of MT 21:33-41 in which the son
of the owner came to collect the proceeds of the harvest and was killed by
those who the absentee landlord had placed in charge. The connection
between murder and non-resistance is a tempting reference to Jesus' death
at the hands of the authorities. Given James' frequent adaptation of
Jesus' sayings this latter interpretation seems more appropriate. At the very
least the parable probably serves as the basis for James' defense of the poor
in the face of oppression.
James,
Chapter 5:7-12 Patience in Suffering
The use of "therefore" means this is a
continuation of the previous passage, now addressing the poor who have been
oppressed and defrauded. They are the "beloved," a term often used as
a reference to believers. He urges them to be patient waiting for the return of
Christ. Using a farm analogy set in parabolic form, James gives
the image of a farmer (God) who patiently waits for the "precious
crop" (believers) after the early and late rains of the season. The
readers also must be patient and use their time productively, strengthening
their faith in anticipation of and readiness for the Parousia. He exhorts
the "beloved" not to "Grumble against one another" by
judging for "the judge (Christ) is standing at the door" (the last
day is drawing near). He calls to their mind the endurance of the prophets and
of Job whose faith did not waver. Their endurance should be their
model for it is a testing of their faith which leads to their
spiritual maturity (1:3-4) and
receiving the promise offered in Christ, the purpose of God.
The prohibition of oaths is taken from Jesus' saying
preserved in MT 5:33-37. The
point of avoiding oaths is two fold. Oaths in the name of God, if broken, would
be in violation to the commandment against taking the name of God in vain.
Oaths referring to earth, heaven or anything else would be the same
as being made in God's name since all things belong to God.
James is calling for honesty among the believers whose word - yes or no, should
be good enough and trustworthy.
James,
Chapter 5:13-20 The Prayer of Faith
James emphasizes the importance of prayer as a benefit to
the prayer as well as to the solidarity of the community. The
sufferer prays to God rather than seeking retaliation against the one who has
caused the suffering. The cheerful also can pray through songs of praise
(without waiting for Sunday morning). James puts a novel twist on praying
for sick members. The ill member (or member's family) is responsible for
notifying the Elders who will visit the home and "pray over them, anointing
them with oil in the name of the Lord." Anointing with oil was a well
attested Jewish practice applied as part of healing rituals (MK 6:13). Because illness was often
connected with a person's sins, prayer is accompanied by confession. With the
anointing and confession one's sins were forgiven. James considers confession
and prayer for one another within the community to be an important source of
healing which he would understand as both physical and relational healing. The
idea of confessing to one another is not part of most modern church communities
although it is part of our Wesleyan heritage. John Wesley saw such prayer and
confession as necessary to maintain the spiritual "power" of the
Methodists in their evangelistic enterprise. He understood that prayer not
only reached to God but through prayer God reached to us. Prayer brought
God into the work of the community and into the life of the individual as well.
James adds that the prayer of the righteous was particularly
effective, citing the example of Elijah's prayer for drought and then rain (1 Kings 17:1-7). We might also cite the
story of Jesus' Disciples who could not heal a child. Jesus remarked to them
that the particular illness could not be healed except with prayer.
Whatever our thoughts are of the connection between prayer
and healing, we can take the lesson from James that prayer for one another
within the community is important to the spiritual health of the congregation.
Prayer puts us in touch with God, ourselves and those persons for whom we
are praying. The experience of small groups where the group prays
"over" the individual is especially meaningful. It is a powerful
demonstration of Christ's command that we love one another and a reminder that
before God we are truly one in Christ.
James extends the disciple's responsibility for the
spiritual well being of others to include seeking out those who have
"strayed from the truth." Usually this meant those who had
"dropped out" of their relationship with the community. Such a person
would be considered a sinner and the re-establishing of such a person's
connection with the community was an event of healing. Therefore, James
not only calls us to be in prayer for one another, he calls us to be shepherds
who share in the tending of the flock. He believes we should be
vigilant, noticing those who have walked away from the
sheepfold and to make every effort to bring them home.
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