Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation: who is this lowly brother? In the Bible the word brother is used in various ways. It can mean (1) a brother or a close relative; (2) a compatriot or fellow citizen; (3) an intimate friend or a neighbor; 4) a fellow member of a religious community—a fellow believer, a fellow Christian. Commentators generally agree that in this context a fellow Christian is meant. A number of translations have therefore expressed this meaning directly; for example, “those Christians who are poor” (Good News Translation), “the believer who is lowly” (New Revised Standard Version), “the church member in humble circumstances” (Revised English Bible), and so on.

The word lowly is rendered as “poor” by Good News Translation and many other translations. Its usual meaning is “humble,” or “unimportant” (compare 2 Cor 7.6, “downcast”; 10.1, “humble”). But used in contrast to “the rich” in verse 10, the author obviously wants it to mean “poor”—but poor both economically and socially, referring to someone who lacks material goods and at the same time is socially despised and oppressed. It is very difficult to bring out the full meaning in translation. Some commentators place the focus on the lack of material means; for example, “poor” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant); others on low social status; for example, “low position” (Moffatt, Goodspeed) or “nobody in the eyes of the world” (Barclay); still others more inclusively; for example, “lowly circumstances” (New American Bible), “humble circumstances” (New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Revised English Bible), or “poor and oppressed” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Of course in many cultures the concept of “poor” already includes “low social status.” Another way to translate lowly or “poor” in this context is “the Christian with few possessions.”

Let … boast is an imperative in Greek, but the force appears to be less than an actual demand like “… must boast.” It is perhaps a form of speech used “when reality is being distinguished from appearance” (Dibelius), and is therefore best rendered as “ought to…” (New International Version), “should…” (New American Bible), “it is right that … should” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “does well to…” (Revised English Bible).

James exhorts the poor Christian to boast in his exaltation. The use of boast here is somewhat unexpected, in that the word is often used in the negative sense of arrogance, boasting or pride in yourself or your righteousness, as in 4.16 (also Rom 2.17, 23; 3.27; 1 Cor 1.29; 4.7; 2 Cor 11.18). But here it is best taken in the positive sense of “joyous pride,” with renderings like “rejoice” (King James Version), “be glad” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), “exult” (Moffatt), “glory in” (Luther [Luther 1984], New Jerusalem Bible). Taken in this sense we can see the connection with verse 2, where the Christians are encouraged to consider “trials” as being “fortunate” or “pure joy.”

The cause of gladness and pride is in exaltation. The meaning of the word exaltation is understood in a number of ways. Some take it to mean a moral gain achieved through trials (1.2); for example, “new heights of character” (Barclay). Others place the focus on social standing; for example, “eminence” (Goodspeed), “high standing” (New American Bible), and “high position” (New International Version). Still others take it to mean inward and spiritual elevation Christians enjoy by virtue of their new relationship with Christ, and render it as “true riches” (Phillips), “God lifts him up” (New English Bible, Spanish common language version [Biblia Dios Habla Hoy], Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), or inclusively “God lifts them up” (Good News Translation). What James says in 2.5 can be taken as an appropriate commentary on the saying here: “God chose the poor people of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom that he promised to those who love him” (Good News Translation).

In order to understand the meaning properly, it will be good to keep two things in mind, even though it will probably not affect the translation.
(1) The exaltation has eschatological significance; that is, it includes the Christian’s present enjoyment of his exalted spiritual status (compare Luke 6.20) as well as future inheritance made possible by participation in the eternal kingdom already established but yet to be brought to its full glory by Christ.
(2) The spiritual exaltation also has a social significance. Though the Christian is poor and therefore belongs to the lower class, that person is not low in the sight of God nor in the standing of the Christian community.

It is not “the hard experiences of life” (Barclay) that bring about the poor Christian’s exaltation. As the question raised by our author in 2.5 indicates, the ultimate agent is God; he is the one who chooses the poor to be rich in faith; he is the author of this great reversal. And so a number of translations have made this clear: “When God lifts them up” (Good News Translation; similarly New English Bible, Translator’s New Testament). Other ways of expressing this may be: “When God shows him that in his heart he is rich” or “… shows him that in his heart he does not lack any good quality.”

The following alternative translation models may be used:
• The Christian who is poor and of low social status must be glad [or, rejoice] when God gives him spiritual riches.
• The Christians who have few possessions must feel great satisfaction when God shows them that in their hearts they are rich [or, have many good qualities].

Quoted with permission from Loh, I-Jin and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Letter from James. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .