The Meaning of James 2:4 Explained

James 2:4

KJV: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

YLT: ye did not judge fully in yourselves, and did become ill-reasoning judges.

Darby: have ye not made a difference among yourselves, and become judges having evil thoughts?

ASV: Do ye not make distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Are ye  not  then  partial  in  yourselves,  and  are become  judges  of evil  thoughts? 

What does James 2:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The form of James" question in the Greek text expects a positive answer: "You have, haven"t you?" The usher made two errors. First, he showed favoritism because of what the rich man might do for the church if he received preferential treatment. He should have treated everyone graciously, as God does. This reflects a double-minded attitude in the usher, thinking like the world in this case while thinking as God thinks in other respects ( James 1:8).
Second, the usher, who represents all the believers, manifested evil motives in judging where to seat the two visitors. His motive was what the church could obtain from them rather than what it could impart to them. The Christian and the church should seek primarily to serve others rather than getting others to serve them (cf. Mark 10:45).
"Prejudice is an evil that exhibits the character of the one who practices it." [1]

Context Summary

James 2:1-13 - Avoid Servility To The Rich
This sin of making distinctions in God's house is as rife today as ever; and wherever it is practiced the divine Spirit departs. God's love is impartial, so far as outward appearances might affect it; and in His Church the only real differences must be those of humility, purity and righteousness.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit," whether they be rich in this world's goods or not. But it is easier for a poor man to be rich in faith and an heir of the Kingdom, because he can give more of his attention to the things of the Spirit.
The law of love must be supreme with us; and we must love our fellows, whatever their position or property, as ourselves, for Christ's sake. If we fail in this, we show that we have never entered into the heart of the Christian faith. A man may observe all the laws of health; but if he inhale one whiff of poison he may die; so we may be outwardly obedient to the entire Decalogue, but delinquency in love will invalidate everything. [source]

Chapter Summary: James 2

1  Do not regard the rich and despise the poor brothers;
13  rather we are to be loving and merciful;
14  and not to boast of faith without deeds;
17  because faith without deeds is useless;
19  as is the faith of the demons;
21  however, Abraham displayed both faith and actions;
25  as did Rahab

Greek Commentary for James 2:4

Are ye not divided in your own mind? [ου διεκριτητε εν εαυτοισ]
First aorist (gnomic) passive indicative of διακρινω — diakrinō to separate, conclusion of the third-class condition (future) in a rhetorical question in the gnomic aorist (as if past) with ou expecting an affirmative answer. For this idiom (gnomic aorist) in a conclusion of the third-class condition see 1 Corinthians 7:28. “Were ye not divided in (among) yourselves?” Cf. James 1:6; Matthew 21:21. [source]
Judges with evil thoughts [κριται διαλογισμων πονηρων]
Descriptive genitive as in James 1:25. Διαλογισμος — Dialogismos is an old word for reasoning (Romans 1:21). Reasoning is not necessarily evil, but see Matthew 15:19 (πονηροι — ponēroi) and Mark 7:21 (κακοι — kakoi) for evil reasonings, and 1 Timothy 2:8 without an adjective. See James 1:8; James 4:8 for διπσυχος — dipsuchos They are guilty of partiality (a divided mind) as between the two strangers. [source]
Are ye not partial in yourselves? [οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς]
Wrong. The constant sense of the verb in the New Testament is doubt, except Acts 11:2; Judges 1:9, where it means dispute. Compare James 1:6. The meaning here is, therefore, that, in making a distinction between the rich and the poor, they expressed a doubt concerning the faith which they professed, and which abolished such distinctions. Hence, Rev., rightly, Are ye not divided in your own mind? [source]
Judges of evil thoughts [κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν]
Better, as Rev., “judgeswith evil thoughts.” The form of expression is the same as in Luke 18:6, κριτὴς τῆς ἀδικίας , the judge of injustice, i.e., the unjust judge. So James 1:25, a hearer of forgetfulness. The word thoughts is, rather, reasonings. See on deceiving yourselves (James 1:22). Compare Luke 5:21. Their evil processes of thought lead to these unjust discriminations. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for James 2:4

Mark 7:21 Evil Thoughts [διαλογισμοὶ οἱ κακοὶ]
Thoughts, those which are evil So Rev., in margin. Thoughts that are evil. The word διαλογισμοὶ , thoughts, does not in itself convey a bad sense; and hence the addition of adjectives denoting evil, as here and James 2:4. Radically, it carries the idea of discussion or debate, with an under-thought of suspicion or doubt, either with one's own mind, as Luke 5:22; Luke 6:8; or with another, Luke 9:46; Philemon 2:14; Romans 14:1. [source]
Luke 9:46 A reasoning [διαλογισμὸς]
A debate or discussion. See on Luke 24:38, and James 1:22; James 2:4. [source]
Luke 6:8 Thoughts [διαλογισμοὺς]
See on James 2:4; and Matthew 15:19. [source]
Luke 3:15 Mused [διαλογιζομένων]
Better as Rev., reasoned. Compare Luke 1:29; and see on James 2:4. [source]
Luke 24:38 Thoughts [διαλογισμοὶ]
See on James 2:4, and deceiving, James 1:22. Rev., reasonings. As if he had said, “Why do you reason about a matter which your spiritual perception ought to discern at once.” Compare note on fools, Luke 24:25. [source]
Luke 1:28 Cast in her mind [διελογίζετο]
See on James 2:4. The imperfect tense, “began to reason.” [source]
Romans 4:20 Staggered [διεκρίθη]
Rev., better, wavered. See on Acts 11:12; see on James 1:6; see on James 2:4. The word implies a mental struggle. [source]
Romans 1:21 Imaginations [διαλογισμοῖς]
Rev., better, reasonings. See on Matthew 15:19; see on Mark 7:21; see on James 2:4. [source]

What do the individual words in James 2:4 mean?

then not have you made a distinction among yourselves and have become judges [with] thoughts evil
[καὶ] οὐ διεκρίθητε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐγένεσθε κριταὶ διαλογισμῶν πονηρῶν

διεκρίθητε  have  you  made  a  distinction 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 2nd Person Plural
Root: διακρίνω  
Sense: to separate, make a distinction, discriminate, to prefer.
ἑαυτοῖς  yourselves 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
ἐγένεσθε  have  become 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 2nd Person Plural
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
κριταὶ  judges  [with] 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: κριτής  
Sense: one who passes or arrogates to himself, judgment on anything.
διαλογισμῶν  thoughts 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: διαλογισμός  
Sense: the thinking of a man deliberating with himself.
πονηρῶν  evil 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: πονηρός  
Sense: full of labours, annoyances, hardships.