Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren. He proves now by a two-fold argument, that they acted preposterously, when for the sake of the rich they despised the poor: The first is, that it is unbecoming and disgraceful to cast down those whom God exalts, and to treat reproachfully those whom he honors. As God honors the poor, then every one who repudiates them, reverses the order of God.
This respect of persons, favoring the rich and scorning the poor, has corrupted Christian nations and societies from the earliest days. If you profess faith in Christ the Lord of glory, you cannot measure men by their gold rings and fine clothes when the poorest saint shares equally in the glory you claim to believe in. To cloud His glory by exalting the wealthy is a heinous sin.
AI summary
Commenting on James 2:1-7
Hearken, my beloved brethren,.... As to a matter of importance, and worthy of attention and regard; being an instance of the divine conduct towards the poor, and carries in it a strong argument against respect of persons: hath not God chosen the poor of this world?