James 2:3

3 and if ye behold into him [and ye behold into him] that is clothed with clear clothing, and if ye say to him, Sit thou here well; but to the poor man ye say, Stand thou there, either sit under the stool of my feet [Stand thou there, or sit under the stool of my feet];

James 2:3 Meaning and Commentary

James 2:3

And ye have respect to him that wears the gay clothing
Take notice of him, and show favour to him, to the neglect and contempt of the other. This is an instance of respect of persons condemned and dissuaded from:

and say unto him, sit thou here in a good place;
the best place; whether it be in a religious assembly, or in a civil court of judicature:

and say to the poor, stand thou there;
or in a lower and meaner place:

or sit thou here under my footstool;
this also was contrary to the Jewish canons ^F20, that one should sit, and another stand, while their cause was trying; the law runs thus:

``one shall not sit, and another stand, but both shall stand; but if the sanhedrim, or court, please to let them sit, they sit; but one does not sit above, and the other below; but one by the side of the other.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Maimon. ib. sect. 3. vid. T. Bab. Shebuot, fol. 30. 1.

James 2:3 In-Context

1 My brethren, do not ye have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory, in acception of persons [in acception, or taking, of persons].

2 For if a man that hath a golden ring, and in a fair clothing, cometh in your company, and a poor man entereth in a foul clothing, [Forsooth if there shall enter into your covent, or gathering together, a man having a gold ring, in white, or fair, cloth, forsooth and a poor man shall enter in foul habit, or cloth,]

3 and if ye behold into him [and ye behold into him] that is clothed with clear clothing, and if ye say to him, Sit thou here well; but to the poor man ye say, Stand thou there, either sit under the stool of my feet [Stand thou there, or sit under the stool of my feet];

4 whether ye deem not with yourselves, and be made doomsmen of wicked thoughts?

5 Hear ye, my most dear-worthy brethren, whether God chose not poor men in this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, that God promised to men that love him?