2:8 – If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well;
2.8. If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well; – This verse refers here to the principles of the New Covenant rather than the writings of the Laws of Moses from the Old Testament.
Royal Law - Christ delivered a new law. It is a royal law because the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords decreed it. This law is binding for all those in His Kingdom all who dwell with Him. It was the Royal Law of Love.
“You shall love your neighbour as yourself” - James now quotes the law that summarized the second tablet of the Ten Commandments. Christ Himself quoted this command and the one that summarized the first tablet, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,’ in Matthew. In fact Christ stressed the importance of obeying these commands. These royal laws must be kept because, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and Prophets.”
It was a relational law that He was establishing. A law of love was to now abolish the old ceremonial law, yet use the same principles and commands of the Old Covenant.
James takes this new law of Christ’s and applies it to everyday situations. How can we love the Father if we fail to love the stranger? We show favour when we pass by the poor in the street, while on the way to entertaining our friends with fine food and hospitality. Our love for the Lord is demonstrated by our love for the poor, the lost and the hurting.
you do well; – The word ‘well’ here is translated in the Greek as kalos (Strong’s # 2573). Its explicit meaning tells us that it is simply ‘good.’ It is beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life. If we love our neighbour as ourselves then we are pleasing to God. However, James keeps writing and warns us about partiality. We have to do more than just love our neighbour, we have to do it without favouritism or comparison.
