James 5:5

"Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of those who reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Armies."

Key Reflection

James 5:5 powerfully conveys the injustice and divine judgment against those who exploit their laborers. The verse paints a vivid picture of farmers whose hard-earned wages are unjustly withheld, leading to a collective cry for justice that reaches the ears of God himself. This cultural context highlights how societal imbalances, where the wealthy hoard wealth at the expense of the poor, are not only morally reprehensible but also draw divine attention and condemnation.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 5. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth. One of the things to which the rich are peculiarly addicted. Their wealth is supposed to be of value, because it furnishes them the means of doing it. Compare Lu 12:19; Lu 16:19. The word translated "lived in pleasure," (trufaw,) occurs only here in the New Testament. It means, to live delicately, luxuriously, at ease. There is not in the word essentially the idea of vicious indulgence, but that which characterizes those who live for enjoyment.

Related Verses

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