Bible Study Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

[Iris Willson]

But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
- James 2:9

After reading this verse, I have deep feelings. We always judge people by their appearances and are unable to treat people correctly without realizing that this is a sin. God examines the innermost heart of man. If one doesn’t have reverence for God in his heart but judge other people by their appearances, not only will he misjudge people, but it also leads to terrible consequences. For example, when the Lord Jesus became flesh to do the work of redemption in the Age of Grace, those who served God in the temple—the chief priest, scribes, and Pharisees—saw that the Lord Jesus had an ordinary appearance and didn’t come from a rich family, they belittled, made cutting remarks, condemned and even blasphemed Him, and finally nailed Him to the cross, committed a heinous crime and were punished by God. Isn’t this because they didn’t listen to the truth expressed by Jesus but judged Him by His appearance? God says, “External appearance does not determine substance; what’s more, the work of God has never conformed with the conceptions of man. Did not the outward appearance of Jesus conflict with the conceptions of man? Were not His appearance and dress unable to provide any clues as to His true identity? Was not the reason why the earliest Pharisees opposed Jesus because they merely looked at His external appearance, and did not take to heart the words that He spoke?” The Pharisees’ failure in their belief in God warns us not to judge anyone by his external appearance or whether or not he has prominent status and identity, but see that whether or not he fears God, obeys God or loves God. Thus, we can receive God’s protection.

 

[for_his_glory]

The Gospel writers record an account when Jesus avoided violence by an angry mob simply by mingling with the crowd. Judas had to identify Him with a kiss of betrayal. Obviously, these incidents show us that Jesus looked like any other Jew of His day.

According to Numbers 6:1-6 the person taking a Nazarite vow pledged to abstain from wine and grapes, to avoid touching a dead body and to not cut his or her hair until the end of the vow's duration, when the hair had to be cut. But the Gospels record occasions when Jesus drank wine, which means He would have broken a Nazarite vow had He been under one. I would only assume he had short hair.

The apostle John was given a vision of what Jesus looks like today in His glorified form. In Revelation 1 Jesus is said to have hair "white like wool," "eyes like a flame of fire" and to appear "like the sun shining in its strength" (verses 4, 16).

Here are some scriptures that depict what Jesus looked liked.
Isaiah 53:2, 3
Hebrews 2:17
Luke 24:35-39; 25:15-16
John 20:15, 16
John 21:4, 12-14
Mark 16:12
Revelation 1:12-18

 

[th1b.taylor]

But if you have respect to persons, you commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
- James 2:9

After reading this verse, I have deep feelings. We always judge people by their appearances and are unable to treat people correctly without realizing that this is a sin. God examines the innermost heart of man. If one doesn’t have reverence for God in his heart but judge other people by their appearances, not only will he misjudge people, but it also leads to terrible consequences. For example, when the Lord Jesus became flesh to do the work of redemption in the Age of Grace, those who served God in the temple—the chief priest, scribes, and Pharisees—saw that the Lord Jesus had an ordinary appearance and didn’t come from a rich family, they belittled, made cutting remarks, condemned and even blasphemed Him, and finally nailed Him to the cross, committed a heinous crime and were punished by God. Isn’t this because they didn’t listen to the truth expressed by Jesus but judged Him by His appearance? God says, “External appearance does not determine substance; what’s more, the work of God has never conformed with the conceptions of man. Did not the outward appearance of Jesus conflict with the conceptions of man? Were not His appearance and dress unable to provide any clues as to His true identity? Was not the reason why the earliest Pharisees opposed Jesus because they merely looked at His external appearance, and did not take to heart the words that He spoke?” The Pharisees’ failure in their belief in God warns us not to judge anyone by his external appearance or whether or not he has prominent status and identity, but see that whether or not he fears God, obeys God or loves God. Thus, we can receive God’s protection.

Hello Iris,
It is nice to meet you. The single most prevalent error is the result of both the best thing anyone has done and the worst thing anyone has done and the very best thing anyone has done for or to the study of the Word of YHWH. The Word begins with "In the beginning..." of Genesis and is of one major context through the very last word of Revelation of 22. Admittedly, there are many sub-contexts such as the paragraph this verse is found in.

James 2 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Sin of Partiality
2 My brothers,[a] show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

You see, this verse deals with a single facet of unrighteous judgment.

And be very careful about judging no-one, in the first paragraph of we find the Sinners Favorite Verse in Matthew 7 to Satanically twist into their agenda by ripping verse one away from it's context, found in the first paragraph, verses 1-6. Connect the entire chapter together and it clearly teaches not only to judge but how to do so and what to judge.

I pray for your enlightenment as you study to become more like Yashuah ha'Mashiah.