#BibleStudy Thoughts on Study Questions from James Ch 5 on 08/30/2020
For as many Sundays as needed, my Sunday school class will explore the context and content of the practical content of the Letter from James.
This is Wednesday. What follows are bits and pieces of the discussion in class on the questions posted two days ago.
If you miss getting the questions on Mondays, I invite you to go back. Copy, and paste the questions from those posts into a word.docx and fill in blanks or answer questions on your own. You can compare your thoughts to those of my class members each Wednesday. If your answers don’t match my class’s answers, that doesn’t make your answers wrong. If you like more information about what was said in class, email me at the address at the end of this post.
I hope you enjoy exploring this practical book along with us. Each Sunday's discussion ends at the last question in black print. Photos included are of the "whiteboard" list I generated during the discussion and are nothing but time savers for me.
Questions in this print were answered in previous weeks.
I invite you to check this blog site on Friday when my Expressions of Faith posts are from James. Here's last week's link's URL.
You’re also invited back to these "Questions" blogs next week!
Chapter 5
Verses 1-6
Chapter 5 begins with James' 4th blast against the rich: verses 1-6
- 1:9-11 – The rich should feel humiliated by their wealth and act humbly.
- 2:1-13 – Rich people oppress the poor and take them to court making their lives even worse. The poor are blessed.
- 4:1-10 – Rich people enjoy their friendship with the world. They always want more things. They covet. They must be humbled and focus on submitting to God.
- Luke 12:13-34 – Parable of the rich fool. “Eat drink and be merry” is the fool’s motto. The rich are instructed to sell possessions, give to the poor, and not worry about their futures.
- Luke 16:19-31 – Story of Rich Man and Lazarus. There are eternal consequences of caring only for oneself.
What is it about certain rich people that James is denouncing in these verses?
- See above.
What are the similarities in these passages?
- See above.
- In general, being greedy for luxuries destroys one’s soul from within.
Are they all directed at the "same" rich people?
Ecclesiastes 5:13
13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
Ezekiel 7:19
“‘They will throw their silver into the streets,
and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean.
Their silver and gold
will not be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s wrath.
It will not satisfy their hunger
or fill their stomachs,
for it has caused them to stumble into sin.
and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean.
Their silver and gold
will not be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s wrath.
It will not satisfy their hunger
or fill their stomachs,
for it has caused them to stumble into sin.
- I think so.
- There are humble rich people who give.
- Rich treat people as means to an end.
Luke 6:34
34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.
Why does James say what he does here?
- The poor were being cheated and were victims of fraud.
- Jews are focusing on themselves as individuals.
- Boaz was a good rich person.
- Get it. Get it. Save! Save! Get more… repeat. Many of today’s rich are the same.
- Maybe James is prophetic here. Roman conquest took the rich Jews down.
- Don’t give to been seen. Give in secret.
Why would this topic be important enough to be addressed 4 times in 5 chapters?
- Humans easily become “natural men,” and are born selfish.
- We have to learn to NOT live like that.
- Part of this is learning scriptural responses.
Matthew Henry’s Commentary on James 5:1-6
(Read James 5:1-6)
Public troubles are most grievous to those who live in pleasure, and are secure and sensual, though all ranks suffer deeply at such times. All idolized treasures will soon perish, except as they will rise up in judgment against their possessors. Take heed of defrauding and oppressing; and avoid the very appearance of it. God does not forbid us to use lawful pleasures; but to live in pleasure, especially sinful pleasure, is a provoking sin. Is it no harm for people to unfit themselves for minding the concerns of their souls, by indulging bodily appetites? The just may be condemned and killed; but when such suffer by oppressors, this is marked by God. Above all their other crimes, the Jews had condemned and crucified that Just One who had come among them, even Jesus Christ the righteous.
WE GOT THIS FAR THIS WEEK.
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