What is said in this passage seems to come out of a situation which the writer had seen in a church. He had already given a warning about the impermanence of riches (1:10) and he now turns to the problem of distinctions and prejudices relating to wealth and poverty in a church congregation. 2: 1-4 gives a vivid picture of the entrance into a church service of a rich man, very smartly dressed and obviously displaying his wealth; he is followed by an obviously poor man, dressed only in rags. The church office-bearers rush to find the best seat for the rich man but rudely order the poor man either to sit on the floor or to remain standing.

 James condemns this kind of prejudiced behaviour which is based not only on outward distinctions between people but on a false respect for worldly wealth. It goes entirely against the teaching (Luke 6:20-21) and example of Jesus Christ (Mark 12:14) whom the church members profess to follow as their Lord. In the Old Testament, Samuel was told that God does not judge by the outward appearance of the person but by what is in his inner self (1 Samuel 16:7). As Paul had said, God sees no distinctions between people; he sees only human beings of all kinds who need salvation and love (Galatians 3 :28, Romans 2: 11, Ephesians 6 :9).

In 2:5-7 James moves from a particular situation to the general relationship of the poor and the rich. 2:5 reminds us of the teaching of Jesus in Luke 6:20-21, Matthew 5:3, Luke 12:32. The gospels tell us that it was the ordinary, poor people of the villages and rural areas who crowded round Jesus to listen to his teaching about the Kingdom of God (Mark 6:34). In 2:6-7 James reminds his readers that it is not the poor people who cause trouble but the rich. It is therefore absurd that the followers of Jesus Christ should behave dishonorably towards the poor.

In 2:8 James refers to the 'royal' law or the law of the Kingdom, 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself,' quoted from Leviticus 19: 18 by Jesus, according to Matthew 22:39. In 2:9-11 he refers to the Jewish Law in a way similar to that of Paul in Galatians 3: 10 and Jesus in Matthew 5: 19-20. The Jewish Law condemned anyone who broke even one commandment; in failing to show love to others a person was guilty of sin, however many other commandments he obeyed. In Judaism, dishonorable treatment of the poor was a sin.

In 2: 13 James reminds his readers that they are free men, not governed externally by written laws but governed internally by love. This reflects the teaching of Jesus (Mark 12 :28-34), the teaching of Paul (1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:1, 14, Galatians 3:21-25) and 1 John 4:7-10.2:13 refers to one of the aspects of love, the attitude of mercy towards others. The mercy of God and the mercy which God expects his people to show to others, are very important ideas in the Old Testament (Micah 6:8, Hosea 6:6). We are reminded of the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 18:23-25 and 5:7. 'Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them' (Matthew 5:7).