The next passage we deal with in James is 2:8-13, and it reveals that James -- like his brother and then also like Paul and John -- made direct use of the Shema + Lev 19:18, which I call the "Jesus Creed." Notice these words from James 2:8-13:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!
There's much to say; here's what comes to mind for me:
First, James is willing, again like Jesus and like Paul and like John, to reduce the Torah into love of neighbor. The point is that genuine perception of the Torah and all its separable commandments and prohibitions leads to seeing each and every command/prohibition as an instance of love (of others is James' emphasis). Of course, love must be defined properly, but the point James makes is the supreme importance of relationality to others in living before God.
Second, treating the poor with disdain -- by not treating them as equals -- and treating the rich as special are instances of not loving your neighbor as yourself.
Third, James calls this the "royal" law -- and this is not unlike the "perfect law of liberty" in 1:25. The law to love your neighbor as yourself is "royal" since it is the capital, most important, climactic law of them all.
If you follow the royal law of loving your neighbor as yourself, "you do well." I.e., you are doing what the Law intends.
This is serious stuff. Neither an escape nor a way of liberation to do what you want, the law to love others is death to self. It is the cross.
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Anders, yes that is a fine translation.
"... the law to love others is death to self. It is the cross."
A remarkable and profound statement. Thanks for this excellent blog, Scot!
I have been reading the practicing church blog recommended some time back. This passage really brings home the point of majoring in practice (of love) and minoring in beliefs.
I feel like I live the fuzzy mirror perspective Paul discussed. Like I almost have it but then lose the proper perspective. Living love towards our neighbor offers clarity at how far short I fall. This passage is encouraging and makes me squirm all at the same time. Thanks for sharing.
I have been thinking about loving others and Blue Parakeets. I have already met a new Blue Parakeet (I had a Freudian slip and referred to him as a Blue Parrot), and am using the shema + Others to sort out my feelings. My conclusion is that "as yourself" part implies you don't need to put up with behaviors that you would not accept for yourself (standard Al-Anon principles), but that you love the person and try to lovingly work with the behavior without becoming a doormat. This is a fine line and not an easy one.
Scot-- I love this line!
"This is serious stuff. Neither an escape nor a way of liberation to do what you want, the law to love others is death to self. It is the cross."
I totally agree with this. The law to love others is much more profound than what it is often reduced to. Much could be said about this. Thanks for these seed thoughts.
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