James 5:1-6 –Be just

Here, in the opening six verses of chapter 5, James’ target was probably the ungodly rich who were exploiting the poor. James called on them to view wealth and work with proper perspective. He explained that unused and ill-gotten wealth would be evidences that God would use to indict and condemn them, for their unjust practices. He implored them not to exploit the poor workers and hoard the pay due to them. Furthermore, they should not use the wages due to their workers to indulge in themselves. James openly rebuked the wealthy landowners and warned them sternly of the dangers they would face in the impending judgment. Here, he highlighted four crimes they had committed.

Firstly, they had hoarded their resources and neglected the poor who worked the land. Here, we see the wealth described in three aspects: the rotting riches, moth-eaten garments, and rusted gold and silver. In hoarding the riches, they deprived others of their daily necessities.

Secondly, they exploited the poor. Verse 4 describes how the poor were exploited. Those rich landowners took advantage of their workers, cheating them of wages, delaying compensation, and failing to pay them a reasonable income. In those days, laborers would be paid at the end of each day. They virtually had no savings to fall back on. Their daily wages was hardly sufficient to provide the family for the day’s necessity. The poor and their family would be hungry for that day if the landowners refused to pay them their due. James wanted those exploiters to know that the Lord was fully aware of their offense against the poor workers.

Thirdly, they lived an indulgent lifestyle. James painted a picture of how the rich lavish in indulgence in verse 5. They lived luxuriously, pursing wanton pleasure to gratify their carnal desires. While the rich lived luxuriously at the expanse of the peasants, the latter could barely survive with the meager wages. However, they did not know that they were like calves being fattened for the slaughter on the Judgment Day.

Fourthly, they betrayed the honest peasants. In verse 6, James harshly told them that they “have condemned and put to death the righteous man, he does not resist you.” Some have suggested that this could be referring to Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of the Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. James could be comparing the underhanded ways the rich were treating the peasants to that of Judas’ betrayal of the Lord. However, here we see the peasants being abused and their rights were cheated away by the landowners. In that sense, they had betrayed the very people who enabled them to obtain wealth.

With the blessing of wealth, God expects responsible stewardship to be exercised. James highlighted here that as with all blessings in life, God will call us into accounting for the wealth, however gotten. James drew a very bleak picture for the rich who abused their wealth. He foretold of the miseries they should anticipate for their merciless acts.  In talking about rotting, moth-eaten and rusting, James wanted them to know that ultimately they would lose everything. Plainly put, all those things were earthly and temporal, and had no everlasting security. In fact, they could ultimately become the enemy of their souls and haunt them at the Judgment Seat of God. James reminded them that finally they still would have to face the Lord of the Sabbath, the Almighty One. Then, they would stand to lose everything.

In our days the poor are still exploited. The church is not only God’s moral compass in the world, it is also His voice for the oppressed. We must not seek to exploit others, especially the poor, but where possible, let us speak out on their behalf!