James 2:6

“But ye have despised the poor, etc.] Or dishonoured, and reproached them, by showing respect of persons, in preferring the rich to them, and in distinguishing them in such a manner as was to their contempt and injury; which is a reproaching not only of them, but their Maker; and is in effect saying, that God has done either a weak or a wrong thing, in choosing them to be rich in faith, and heirs of a kingdom, it being directly contrary to his conduct: do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? which may be understood either of rich men that were unbelievers; and these either the Heathen magistrates, who ruled over them in a tyrannical way, and with rigour, and often…”

“The world's judgment of the poor contrasted with God's. ye--Christians, from whom better things might have been expected; there is no marvel that men of the world do so. despised--literally, "dishonored." To dishonor the poor is to dishonor those whom God honors, and so to invert the order of God [CALVIN]. rich--as a class. oppress--literally, "abuse their power against" you. draw you--Translate, "is it not they (those very persons whom ye partially prefer, Jam 2:1-4) that drag you (namely, with violence)" [ALFORD]. before . . . judgment seats--instituting persecutions for religion, as well as oppressive lawsuits, against you.”

“But ye have despised the poor - Koppe reads this as an interrogation: “Do ye despise the poor?” Perhaps it might be understood somewhat ironically: “You despise the poor, do you, and are disposed to honor the rich! Look then, and see how the rich treat you, and see whether you have so much occasion to regard them with any peculiar respect.” The object of the apostle is to fix the attention on the impropriety of that partiality which many were disposed to show to the rich, by reminding them that the rich had never evinced towards them any such treatment as to lay the foundation of a claim to the honor which they were disposed to render them. Do not rich men oppress you? - Referring probably…”

“Do not the rich often oppress you - By open violence; often drag you - Under colour of law. James 2:7”

“ye: Jam 2:3; Psa 14:6; Pro 14:31, Pro 17:5; Ecc 9:15, Ecc 9:16; Isa 53:3; Joh 8:49; Co1 11:22 Do: Jam 5:4; Job 20:19; Psa 10:2, Psa 10:8, Psa 10:10, Psa 10:14, Psa 12:5; Pro 22:16; Ecc 5:8; Isa 3:14, Isa 3:15; Amo 2:6, Amo 2:7, Amo 4:1, Amo 5:11, Amo 8:4-6; Mic 6:11, Mic 6:12; Hab 3:14; Zac 7:10 and: Jam 5:6; Kg1 21:11-13; Act 4:1-3, Act 4:26-28, Act 5:17, Act 5:18, Act 5:26, Act 5:27, Act 13:50, Act 16:19, Act 16:20; Act 17:6, Act 18:12 James 2:7”