James 5:6

“Ye have condemned and killed the just, etc.] Meaning not Christ, the Just One, as some have thought; whom the Jewish sanhedrim condemned as guilty of death, and got the sentence passed upon him, and him to be crucified by Pontius Pilate, on the day of slaughter, at the time of the passover, as some connect the last clause of the preceding verse with this; since the apostle is not writing to the Jerusalem Jews, nor to unbelievers, but to professors of religion; though he might say they did it, because their nation did it: but rather this is to be understood of the poor saints, who were just, through the imputation of Christ's righteousness to them, and lived soberly, righteously, and godly,…”

“Ye have condemned . . . the just--The Greek aorist expresses, "Ye are accustomed to condemn . . . the just." Their condemnation of Christ, "the Just," is foremost in James' mind. But all the innocent blood shed, and to be shed, is included, the Holy Spirit comprehending James himself, called "the Just," who was slain in a tumult. See my Introduction. This gives a peculiar appropriateness to the expression in this verse, the same "as the righteous (just) man" (Jam 5:16). The justice or righteousness of Jesus and His people is what peculiarly provoked the ungodly great men of the world. he doth not resist you--The very patience of the Just one is abused by the wicked as an incentive to…”

“Ye have condemned and killed the just - τὸν δίκαιον ton dikaion - “the just one,” or “the just man” - for the word used is in the singular number. This may either refer to the condemnation and crucifixion of Christ - meaning that their conduct towards his people had been similar to the treatment of the Saviour, and was in fact a condemnation and crucifixion of him afresh; or, that by their rejection of him in order to live in sin, they in fact condemned him and his religion; or, that they had condemned and killed the just man - meaning that they had persecuted those who were Christians; or, that by their harsh treatment of others in withholding what was due to them, they had deprived them…”

“Ye have killed the just - Many just men; in particular, "that Just One," Act 3:14. They afterwards killed James, surnamed the Just, the writer of this epistle. He doth not resist you - And therefore you are secure. But the Lord cometh quickly, Jam 5:8. James 5:7”

“5:6 killed innocent people (or killed the Righteous One): In this context, the phrase most likely refers to innocent people such as the oppressed laborers in this paragraph rather than to Jesus (cp. Acts 3:14; 7:52).”

“have: Jam 2:6; Mat 21:38, Mat 23:34, Mat 23:35, Mat 27:20, Mat 27:24, Mat 27:25; Joh 16:2, Joh 16:3; Act 2:22, Act 2:23; Act 3:14, Act 3:15, Act 4:10-12, Act 7:52, Act 13:27, Act 13:28, Act 22:14; Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16 and he: Isa 53:7; Mat 5:39, Mat 26:53, Mat 26:54; Luk 22:51-53; Joh 19:9-11; Act 8:32; Pe1 2:22, Pe1 2:23 James 5:7”