For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
If there come, х ean (G1437) ... eiselthee (G1525)].
Assembly - literally, synagogue: this the latest honourable, and the only Christian, use of the term in the New Testament occurs in James, the apostle who maintained to the latest the bonds between the Jewish synagogue and the Christian church. Soon the continued resistance of the truth by the Jews led Christians to leave the term to them exclusively (Revelation 3:9). 'Synagogue,' an assembly or congregation not necessarily united by any common tie. 'Church,' a people bound together by mutual ties, whether assembled or not. From James' Hebrew tendencies, and from the Jewish Christians retaining Jewish forms, 'synagogue' is used here instead of the Christian 'church' х ekkleesia (G1577), derived from ekkalein, implying union of its members in spiritual bonds, independent of space, and called out into separation from the world]: an undesigned coincidence and mark of truth. People in the Jewish synagogue sat according to rank, those of the same trade together.
The introduction of this custom into Christian worship is reprobated by James. Christian churches were built like synagogues the holy table in the cast end, as the ark had been: the desk and pulpit were the chief articles of furniture in both. This shows the error of comparing the church to the temple, and the ministry to the priesthood: the temple is represented by the whole body of worshippers; the church building was on the model of the synagogue (Vitringa, 'Synagogue'). If, as at Berea, the greater part were converted, the synagogue with its officers became the Christian church. If, as at Thessalonica the majority of the synagogue rejected the Gospel, the apostle withdrew with the minority into the neighbouring house of a convert, a Jason or a Justus, and there continued the Sabbath reading of the Old Testament with a Christian exposition (Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15). When, as at Corinth, the ruler of the synagogue was converted, he naturally became president or bishop, as tradition records Crispus became. From the synagogue came the ecclesiastical, but unclassical, sense of "presbytery." (Luke 22:26: cf. with 1 Timothy 4:14: also "angel," Revelation 1:20; Revelation 2:1; "shepherd" or "pastor," Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 5:2; "Amen," 1 Corinthians 14:16) (Justin, 'Apol.,' 67). Also the discipline, Matthew 18:17; excommunication, 1 Corinthians 5:4 1 Corinthians 5:4; the collection of alms, 1 Corinthians 16:2. The love-feast was late on Saturday, the Sabbath evening: when the Eucharist was separated from it, and administered on the following morning, the Lord's day became established as holy: so Pliny's letter to Trajan recognizes it.
Goodly apparel ... gay clothing (apparel: the same Greek).
Have respect to him ... - though ye know not who he is: perhaps a pagan. The deacons used to direct to a seat the members of the congregation (Clement, 'Constitut.' 2: 57, 58).
Unto him. Not in A B G 'Aleph ('), Vulgate. "Thou" is demonstratively emphatic.
Here - near the speaker.
There - far from the good seats.
Under my footstool - on the ground, down by my footstool. The poor must either stand, or if he sit, sit low down. The speaker has a footstool as well as a good seat.