James 5:1-6
Your Riches are Rusting Away
When we reach chapter five it is clear that it
is the rich who are condemned. James offers none of the hope for
conversion from chapter four here in this passage. In 4:17 those
who know what is right, but fail to do it are committing sin. In
5:1 the punishment for that sin begins. The rich are condemned for
their wealth, but also for their use of the wealth. (Moo 210). In
James 4:9 we lament and mourn and weep as a sign of our repentance,
but the weeping and wailing in James 5:1 is from suffering in the
last days, not from repentance.
These passages are linked to 4:13-17 by the opening words: come
now or now listen. The message is urgent, in the style of the prophets
condemning the nations (Moo 210). The tense of the verbs in verses
2 and 3 imply that the rotting and rusting has already begun, even
though the wealthy may be unaware of this (Moo 213). Scholars make
extensive efforts to explain why James would use the word rust for
silver and gold, which do not rust. However I suspect his point
is that even the safest of our treasures are not safe from the ravages
of God’s judgment. Human fire will not destroy silver or gold,
but the fires of God’s judgment destroy all human treasures.
Is everyone with human treasures condemned? Moo argues it is not
the owning itself that is the sin, but rather our focus on earthly
treasure instead of heavenly treasure (Moo 214). This connects to
4:13 where the sin is planning our life around wealth. Yet James
5:4 makes it clear that the wealth these landowners have has been
created by oppressing the poor. The image of withholding wages is
linked to Leviticus 19:13, and thus, once again, to James’
focus on the law.
Withholding wages from a subsistence laborer is to risk their very
lives. The first century conflict between landowners and workers
was acute (Moo 210). In Deuteronomy 24:14-15 the Israelites are
called to pay wages before sunset every day. James makes no distinction
between one who obtained their wealth without oppression, and those
whose wealth was gained at the expense of those who are poor. Perhaps
the question for middle class citizens of first world countries
is whether wealth today is different from the wealth of the first
century?
Writing to a first century community, James presumes that wanton
pleasure, or self-indulgence, described in verse 5 comes from the
condemnation of the righteous one in verse 6. Like James 2:6 the
language of 5:6 (especially the word condemned) presumes a court
setting or judicial procedure (Johnson 217). Early Christian commentators
presumed that the righteous one was Jesus, but it is generally understood
to be the innocent or perhaps the typical Christian who is condemned.
There is some question as to who is not resisting this condemnation.
The text offers no subject other than he, which most likely would
refer to the righteous one. This suggests that the Christians are
helpless victims of the legal actions the wealthy take against them
(Moo 220). Another possibility is that it is God who does not oppose
the wealthy (Johnson 217), at least until the day of slaughter.
This would fit the pattern throughout James 5:1-6, where the behavior
or the rich is contrasted with God’s response. The verb here
is the same as that in 4:6 where it is God who resists the proud.
God is clearly on the side of the humble and poor in James 5:1-6.
The entire letter has built up to this climax. Yet this text is
not included in the Revised Common Lectionary, and therefore is
not read during worship in most North American congregations. Elsa
Tamez believes this is part of the effort to intercept the letter
(Tamez 5). What do you think?
Luke Timothy Johnson, The Letter of James in The New
Interpreter's Bible Volume XII, Leander E. Keck et al, editors.
(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000).
Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James in The Pillar
New Testament Commentary, DA Carson, general editor. (Grand
Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000).
Elsa Tamez, The Scandalous Message of James: Faith Without
Works Is Dead. John Eagleson, translator. With Study Guide
by Pamela Sparr. (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2002).
Discussion Questions
- What does this text say to our congregation?
- What does this text say to North American churches today?
- What does this text say to you individually?
Optional Activity
This text is not included in the Revised Common Lectionary.
Take a half hour to plan a worship service around this text in your
small group. What hymns would you sing? What would the prayer of
confession and the pastoral prayer look like? What would be the
main topic of the sermon?
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