A.T. Robertson Commentary James 2:5

"Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world [to be] rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?" — James 2:5 (ASV)

Did not God choose? (ουχ ο θεος εξελεξατο; ). Affirmative answer expected. First aorist middle (indirect, God chose for himself) indicative of εκλεγω, the very form used by Paul three times of God's choice in 1 Corinthians 1:27f.

As to the world (τω κοσμω). The ethical dative of interest, as the world looks at it as in Ac 7:20; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 10:4; James 4:4. By the use of the article (the poor) James does not affirm that God chose all the poor, but only that he did choose poor people (Matthew 10:23–26; 1 Corinthians 1:26–28).

Rich in faith (πλουσιους εν πιστε). Rich because of their faith. As he has shown in 1:9f.

Which he promised (ης επεγγειλατο). Genitive of the accusative relative ην attracted to the case of the antecedent βασιλειας (the Messianic kingdom), the same verb and idea already in 1:12 (επηγγειλατο). Cf. the beatitude of Jesus in Mt 5:3 for the poor in spirit.