“Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”
The full verse · James 2:5 · KJV
, , the of , of the he hath to them that ?
Asked by
James: "a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (James 1:1), arguing against favoritism toward the rich (James 2:1-9)
Asked to
Jewish Christians: the "twelve tribes which are scattered abroad" (James 1:1), believers James addresses as "My brethren" (James 2:1)
The Scene
After asking whether their favoritism had made them "judges of evil thoughts" (James 2:4), James calls for attention: "Hearken, my beloved brethren" (James 2:5).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJames sets God's choice beside theirs. They had pushed the poor man to the side, but God had chosen people like him for the highest honor. Gill says "Hearken" marks a matter of importance, and that God's way with the poor "carries in it a strong argument against respect of persons." The question presses two things: the poor are "rich in faith," and they are "heirs of the kingdom." Barnes puts the contrast simply: "Though poor in this world's goods, they are rich in a higher and more important sense." James calls them "beloved," so the rebuke comes from affection.
The Response
What Scripture recordsThe expected answer is yes, God has chosen them. James immediately draws the contrast: "But ye have despised the poor" (James 2:6). He follows with two more questions that show their favoritism was misplaced: "Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?" (James 2:6-7).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsBarnes links this verse with Matthew 5:3, 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, and Revelation 2:9. Paul makes the same observation about God's choice: "not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world" (1 Corinthians 1:26-27). And the risen Christ says to the church in Smyrna, "I know thy... poverty, (but thou art rich)" (Revelation 2:9). The phrase "promised to them that love him" also appears earlier in James, of "the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him" (James 1:12).
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThis question shows God's way of choosing. He does not rank people as the world does. Gill says the poor were chosen "to be rich in faith," and he calls faith a grace "more worth than thousands of gold and silver." The poorest believer in the room was an heir of God's kingdom.
This does not mean poverty itself earns God's favor. The promise is "to them that love him" (James 2:5). Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary says God would give all believers the riches of this world "if these would do them good," seeing He has made them rich in faith and heirs of His kingdom. God's choice shows that what He values most cannot be bought.
Look Closer
What does James say God chose the poor of this world to be?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, You chose the poor to be rich in faith; who have I overlooked that You value, and how can I honor them?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- What kind of riches do you tend to notice first in people? What would it take to notice faith first?
- Tell about someone with little in this world whose faith taught you something about God.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
Let God's way of valuing people shape yours. The person with the least in your community may be the richest in faith. Honor them, listen to them, and learn from them.
If you feel poor or overlooked yourself, hear this: God's choice does not follow the world's rankings. Faith is true riches, and the kingdom is promised to those who love Him.
This does not mean poverty is good in itself or that the rich cannot belong to God. James' point is that outward wealth is the wrong measure. The promise rests on love for God (James 2:5), not on a bank balance.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?”
“Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?”
“Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?”