The Bible and Prejudice

James on Prejudice: Chapter 2: 1-10 Amplified Bible in Italics

From the very first verse of James’ second chapter, he tells us very directly; ‘Don’t even THINK about practicing the faith of Jesus with that kind of snobbery.’

Vs 2 (AKJV) “My brethren, pay no servile regard to people {show no prejudice, no partiality}. Do not [attempt to] hold and practice the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ [the Lord] of glory [together with snobbery]!”

Being born and reared in the shadow of the “City of Brotherly Love,” [that would be Philadelphia, for the uninitiated] with its’ friendliness and famous outspoken ‘directness’ regarding the practice of fairness; I have a special mouthy-activists’ warmth for James and the Book of James.

I’ve often considered that James had a particular level of ‘heat’ with his messages to growing number of Believer’s of Jesus. You see, James was the brother of our Lord Jesus. Many of us already ‘knew’ that… That’s nothing that needs deep research to uncover; in fact, it’s probably at the footnote of any Bible that contains footnotes.

However, James growing up in the household of Joseph and Mary didn’t really have a clue that his older brother, Jesus was the incarnate God-Our-Deliverer; Emmanuel. Perhaps, like most siblings, James didn’t consider his brother, ‘ Ye’shuah’, as anything special one way or the other. Now, our Lord Jesus had more than one sibling; which included at least another brother and definitely a couple of sisters.

It is the Light Keeper’s contention that James was probably the very brother that stood outside of one of Jesus’ earlier meetings with their Mum, Mary, and sent word that they were waiting to have a ‘word’ with him… outside.

Matthew 12:46-50

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁴⁶ Jesus was still speaking to the people when behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to Him. ^47 [a]Someone said to Him, Listen! Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.⁴⁸ But He replied to the man who told Him, Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?⁴⁹ And stretching out His hand toward [not only the twelve disciples but all] ^[b]His adherents, He said, Here are My mother and My brothers .⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother!

Footnotes:Matthew 12:47 Some manuscripts omit verse 47.

 Let’s think about it folks: If you owned a small family business dependent upon manual labor and the oldest kid was gone most of the time, hanging out with twelve of his ‘Buds’ and chatting it up in the local chat room; you’d probably want to have a little talk with him too. In fact, to bring out the ‘big guns’ it would be a good idea to bring ‘Mom’ on board to straighten him out and tell him a thing or two.

Why do we think human nature is so very different in the first century than today? However, that’s another topic for another day. All we’re saying is that James, didn’t believe that Ye’shuah was any more the ‘Son of God,’ and the prophesied Messiah than… pigs could fly!

It is after: After, James hears of the miracles, after he hears about some of the profound things his brother reportedly said, after hearing of the resurrection of Lazarus, but skipping ahead; it is definitely after the crucifixion and His personal resurrection visitation that James believes and understands.

The Book of James is a fabulous book, written by a man who no longer will tolerate life with blinders attached. Here is a man who now ‘sees’ what and whom he had right beside him and available to him every day of his life and he’d missed it, because he wouldn’t open his heart and see his own sibling with love.

Are we following the dictates of society, closing our eyes and hearts to the loving truth all around us? I invite you to take another look at the mighty book of James, the Brother of our Lord Jesus and hear his confident pleadings of one who knows how easy it is to ‘blow a good thing right in front of your face’! All due to preconceived notions… Prejudice.

Until next time and as always, “Be Blessed!”

The Light Keeper is THANKFUL for the reader’s of TN Lighthouse Ministries. Don’t forget, we are available for speaking engagements, weddings, wakes and Bar Mitzvah‘s (okay–maybe not that last part), but you get the idea.

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