Albert Barnes Commentary James 2:6

"But ye have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you, and themselves drag you before the judgment-seats?" — James 2:6 (ASV)

But you have despised the poor. Koppe reads this as a question: "Do you despise the poor?" Perhaps it might be understood somewhat ironically: "You despise the poor, do you, and are inclined to honor the rich! Look then, and see how the rich treat you, and see whether you have so much reason to regard them with any special respect." The object of the apostle is to focus attention on the impropriety of the partiality that many were inclined to show to the rich, by reminding them that the rich had never shown them any treatment that would establish a claim to the honor they were inclined to give them.

Do not rich men oppress you? This probably refers to something in their conduct that was particularly true at that time. The meaning is not that they oppressed the poor as such, but that they oppressed those whom James addressed. It is probable that then, as has been true since, a considerable portion of Christians were in fact poor, and this would have given the appeal great personal force. Still, the particular thought is that it was characteristic of the rich and the powerful—whom they were particularly inclined to honor—to oppress and crush the poor. The Greek here is very expressive: "Do they not imperiously lord it over you?" This statement applies all too forcefully to the rich in every age.

And draw you before the judgment-seats. That is, they are your persecutors rather than your friends. It was undoubtedly true that many of the rich were engaged in persecuting Christians, and that on various pretexts they dragged them before the courts.