Boasts of the Rich & the Lowly

My in-laws have a large garden although my husband will be quick to say that it is not nearly as big as it was when he and his siblings were kids and could help provide labor. Part of the garden is rows and rows of strawberries. My husband’s parents gave us several plants to get our strawberry patch going. In Montana, a garden needs to be fenced in with a ten-foot fence to keep the deer out. We haven’t built an official garden area, so we grow a few things on our deck where the deer have not yet ventured. Our little strawberry starters did ok the first year, but the following year they were dead. This happened several years in a row.

Turns out strawberries need water even through the snowy winter. In the summer with the hot sun, I knew they needed water, but I didn’t know they needed water even in the cold winter. There wasn’t enough moisture from snow in the planter boxes on our deck to nourish the plants while dormant. The strawberries are dependent on water in heat and cold.

Some commentaries suggest that James meant verses 9-11 of chapter 1 as a separate thought from faith in trials (James 1:2-8). I certainly don’t know James’ intent, but I would lean towards the verses being connected to faith in trials because verse 12 returns to the theme of trials. I think we will also notice as we work through the verses that James is still addressing the issue of faith.

9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.[1]

James 1:9-12

Daniel Doriani notes the connection to trials. “James wants the church to live out its faith in the crucible of life, in all its tests. This includes tests born of hardship, such as accidents, sickness, poverty, and anxiety, but it also includes trials that spring from prosperity, such as wealth, knowledge, skill, and high position. Both hardship and prosperity test our faith. Either one can prove a profession of faith to be genuine or specious [misleading]. Hardship brings obvious trials, but success sifts us too.”[2]

Agur also emphasized the trials of both the lowly and the rich. “Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9).

We might read these verses in James and assume that James is contrasting poor Christians with rich unbelievers. Scripture does in places depict the rich as “godless oppressors” (Douglas Moo). However, there is support in the syntax for brother to apply to both the lowly and the rich. In addition, the phrases “pass away” and “fade away” are never used with final judgment, so we cannot apply them here as condemnation of the rich man.

Let’s break down a few of the words and then bring it back together.

“lowly” – There was a known famine during the time of James’ writing in the region where he addressed his letter. Jewish Christians, as we mentioned before, were already ostracized by both Greeks and Jews. They would have been seriously impacted by the famine as low people on the totem pole.

“boast” – The Greek differs from our idea of boasting out of self-importance. Moo explains, “the joyous pride possessed by the person who values what God values.”[3] Paul expresses the same idea: “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).

“exaltation” – Used to identify the heavenlies that Jesus ascended to, and the Holy Spirit descended from. It signifies both our present status and our future hope. “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

“the rich” and boasting in “humiliation” – We can understand this better by looking at Philippians 2:5-11:

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.[4]

Jesus, fully God, dwelling in glory, all things belonging to Him, and yet He humbled Himself to take on flesh. He willingly chose to set aside all that was His to be born into a poor and shamed family. He said of Himself that He had no place to lay His head. He was scorned, betrayed, and persecuted. From the time of His inception, His earthly life was a march to suffering and death on a cross, but He trusted His Father implicitly. He never used His divine power to relieve His suffering and bring earthly comforts.

Likewise, the rich should not cling to their riches. The world’s definition of being rich and successful do not matter. God’s perspective is all that matters.

James gives us a picture of earthly treasure in verse 11. “Scorching heat” is an image familiar to the Jewish Christians of the hot East desert wind. Earthly riches can quickly vanish. James is giving a warning to guard against trusting in earthly treasures.

So, what is James’ point in these verses? Both the lowly and the rich need God’s mercy. Both are sinners saved by God’s grace. Both are dependent on God who supplies their needs. Both have their identity in Christ and their citizenship in heaven. Both must place their faith in God alone and not in earthly things or people.

With Paul we should say, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

James then brings his teaching full circle in verse 12: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Blessed is the Greek makarios meaning happy. This happy is a deep, lasting joy from God. Trials are difficult, but God promises His blessing of joy to those that are steadfast in their trials.

When you read “crown of life,” you may envision a beautiful golden crown arrayed with sparkling jewels. In Scripture, when “crown of “ is used, God is giving not a literal crown but the thing that follows of. For example, “crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8). In James, the one who remains steadfast in trials will receive the crown of life or eternal life with God. Pause for a moment to reflect that Jesus bore a crown of thorns that we might have a crown of life.

At the end of verse 12, James shares the source for remaining steadfast in trials: “those who love him.” There is an insane hike in Zion National Park called Angel’s Landing. In 2.5 miles you climb 1,488 feet through switchbacks and narrow ridges with sheer-drop offs of 4000+ feet. I could barely breathe going up. The only thing that pushed me to the top was not wanting to admit to others that I had quit. We do not remain steadfast in trials out of our own grit. We remain steadfast because we love God and continue to love God through the trials.

Don’t seek to escape your trials but instead seek spiritual growth. Your trials, whether they be common (i.e., illness, relationships, etc.), persecution, lack of wisdom, lack or plenty, are lovingly purposed by our giving God as an opportunity to grow in our faith, grow in spiritual maturity, and to exercise our love and trust in God to provide what we truly need.

Reflection

1. What temptations have you faced in times of lack? How did you respond?

2. What temptations have you faced in times of plenty? How did you respond?

3. Thanksgiving is a primary way to cultivate contentment in plenty or hunger, abundance, and need. What are you thankful for in your trial?

4. What “God is…” or “God does…” truths encourage you in either times of lack or times of plenty?

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jas 1:9–12. [2] Daniel M. Doriani, James, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2007), 15. [3] Douglas J. Moo, James: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 16, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 69–70. [4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Php 2:5–11.