James 1:9-11: The Brother of Low Degree
2024-05-12
James 1:9
Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: (James 1:9)
The subject here is the “brother of low degree.” By “brother,” we would infer a fellow believer. By “low degree,” we see it translated elsewhere as “lowly,” “low estate,” “cast down,” “base,” and “humble.” These are the downtrodden in society. This contrasts with the next two verses, who discuss the rich. Those of “low degree” therefore are most likely poor.
The Beatitudes tell us, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). And again, “Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). The Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain teach subtle differences here. Jesus on the mount teaches us the poor in spirit have the Kingdom. Jesus on the plain teaches us that the poor (without any qualification) have the Kingdom. The Lord has much esteem for both the poor in spirit and the financially poor. Jesus came as a poor person in this life, not a wealthy nobleman. He condescended to the lowest men and became one of them.
Some of us are poor. We should not seek wealth. We should rejoice in that poverty. Being empty of this world’s good makes all the room for the riches of heaven.
Some of us are not poor. Consider also, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psalm 41:1). When the Spirit says this, it is not only compassion; it is because the Lord Himself identified with the poor more than any other. These were the ones that would rule the coming kingdom. We need to acknowledge the poor also.
In what should the poor rejoice? “...in that he is exalted.” Notice that the poor are already and continue to be exalted. In Christ, the poor have been exalted with Christ to the heavenlies. There is no waiting until the resurrection and the kingdom for this.
Isn’t this true of everyone who is in Christ? It is. However, for the poor Christian, who having nothing to cling to in this life, know it better than the average Christian.
Herein is a theme for consideration. The way up is down. The way to exaltation is debasement and humility. “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). “Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:9-10). As with Christ, so with us all. The way up is down.
Recall that we saw how divers temptations lead to rejoicing. Those hard things contribute to our growth. So it is with the Christian. The more that is lost for Jesus’ name’s sake, the more humility, the more poverty, the lower we go, indeed the higher we go. Comparing the degree of success of the world and of Christ are exact opposites; mathematically, it is the negative for the positive.
James 1:10-11
But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. (James 1:10-11)
Along this thinking, the rich are made low. Flowers and grass are scorched early in the day as the sun is not far in the sky. Something so aesthetically pleasing is short-lived. The flower and grass become an unattractive brown. They turn into dust and are no more. The rich and their attractiveness are also short-lived. Everything they worked so hard for is gone. The wealth they obtained fades in time along with their lives.
Recall that riches are diametrically opposed to our Lord and Savior. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). “Stuff” takes us away from the Master. Being lifted up in this life makes us low before the Lord.
The concept of the grass and flowers representing something ephemeral is replete throughout the Scriptures. The Spirit through the brother of the Lord sums the usages of the metaphor in these verses, applying them to the rich.
The Spirit through the psalmist says, “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children” (Psalms 103:14-17).
Here, grass and flowers represent the short lifespan of humankind. The metaphor also shows that our lives are precarious. A bit of wind, and the grass is gone. A bit of sickness, an accident, or some other misfortune, everything that we are and that we treasure perishes in a night. It is those that trust in the Lord who will last forever.
The Spirit through the prophet says, “The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:6-8).
Here, we see how we deteriorate over time. Since Adam, we all were born dying. We grow only to age and fall apart, and then we die and rot in the ground. However, the Word abides forever, and so does everyone who has been begotten of the Word. We will discuss this when we get to James 1:18. The apostle Peter tells us that this Word is the Gospel (1 Peter 1:25).
The Lord Jesus Christ says, “And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30).
The beauty of lilies is superior to anything man can create, but these perish to the point of being “cast into the oven.” However, the perishing grass and lilies are contrasted with the people of God, who are taken care of by their Creator and Savior.
The difference here in the James passage is that the metaphor is applied to the rich, not humanity in general. The Spirit brings up the rich in a few places in this letter (James 2:6-8; 5:1-6). One gets the feeling that the rich are behind the persecution of the saints receiving James’ letter. Surely, not all rich people are unsaved, and not all unsaved people are rich. However, there seems to be a tendency for rich people to be unsaved and enemies of the Gospel.
Consider Mark 10:17-31. The rich man thought that his ability to keep the Ten Commandments would guarantee him entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven and have eternal life. Now, we all know that he really did not keep any Law or Ten Commandments. We all know that nobody ever has. Let us pretend that he did for a moment. We see that the Achilles’ heel of this man was his bank account and his luxuries. He did not want to part with those things.
Maybe also he did not want to give to the poor. Maybe he saw the poor as people inferior to him. We are not so sure, but this feeling does exist in some.
He wanted treasure that he could see. Jesus said that by parting with earthly treasure to help those who had nothing would gain the man treasure also, just in another location, that is, in heaven.
The cross also offends many, and perhaps this also offended the man. The cross is the instrument of violent death. We must come to an end of ourselves before the Lord can do anything with us. This thought may have also frightened him.
What is the man’s reaction? He was “grieved.” For eternal life, I have to renounce everything that feeds my life here on earth?
Jesus says, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” The disciples were astonished. Maybe the Lord misspoke though, right? Abraham was rich, Job was rich, David and Solomon were rich. If so many righteous people in ages gone by were rich, surely it is the same now, right?
But Jesus knew His statement did not get the full impact, so He says again, “Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:24-25).
With this, “they were astonished out of measure.” They heard correctly. The Lord does not make mistakes. “Who then can be saved?” The Lord expands His scope and shows how being saved is impossible with anyone. “And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27).
Let us be clear. Some commentator out there somewhere said something about the “eye of a needle” referring to a hypothetical gate in Jerusalem, where the beast entering the city had to kneel down to enter. There is no evidence of that. The metaphor was to show the impossibility of human salvation. It is intentionally ridiculous imagery. There is no way any normal sized camel is going through any normal needle’s eye.
However, with God, anything becomes possible. The Gospel made the impossible possible. Here we are now, saved. The blood of Christ took the penalty of our sin far away from us.
But why was the rich man singled out? Why the rich and not all human beings? Though the way to salvation was opened by the blood and cross of Christ, the rich still have all this extra baggage that dulls the need for a Savior and eternal life.
Recall that the parable of the sower shows that the rich (or those who want to be rich) are ensnared because of those desires. “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). “And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19). “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection” (Luke 8:14).
I have heard arguments that say these are not saved and some say that they are. One common theme in each is unfruitfulness. The Word itself is unfruitful in Matthew and Mark; the person brings no fruit to perfection in Luke. However you interpret this, riches choke the possibility of one bringing forth fruit to Christ.
Riches include physical wealth; that much is certain. There are some related things here. “...cares of this world.” People concern themselves with wealth and security. They worry about them and order their lives around protecting themselves from these worries.
We also see “lusts of other things.” This is a catch-all for anything in the world that captures our affections more than Christ.
Again, we see “pleasures of this life.” This is anything that brings pleasure to us in this world.
A key adjective to consider is “deceitfulness of riches.” We think that riches shall bring us comfort and joy and security. They don’t. They dull the faith and our perception of spiritual things. They teach us to rely on this world’s good.
Riches are also deceitful because we sometimes assign virtue to the rich. The rich are usually worldly educated, more refined, and have professions esteemed by society. These things do not equate to godliness. We see the contrary to this assumption in James 2:6-7.
Does anybody else get disturbed by these passages? The average American person reading this is likely not rich or poor by American standards. However, being in one of the wealthiest countries in the world, how guilty are we of living like the rich? Later, we will consider the adversarial language used towards the rich in James 5:1-6. Does any of this apply to us? We must rely on the Lord, looking into His perfect law of liberty, and ensure that we do not hold on to our riches so tightly. We also must esteem the poor brothers in the Lord as those rich in faith and help them when they need it.