James 1:10 kjv
But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
James 1:10 nkjv
but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
James 1:10 niv
But the rich should take pride in their humiliation?since they will pass away like a wild flower.
James 1:10 esv
and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.
James 1:10 nlt
And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field.
James 1 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 37:2 | For they soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. | Earthly prosperity is fleeting. |
| Ps 90:5-6 | You sweep them away as with a flood... they are like grass that springs up; in the morning it flourishes... in the evening it fades. | Life's brevity, like grass. |
| Ps 102:11 | My days are like a lengthening shadow, and I wither away like grass. | The rapid decline of life. |
| Ps 103:15-16 | As for man, his days are like grass... a wind passes over it, and it is gone. | Human life is fragile and quickly disappears. |
| Isa 40:6-7 | All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers... | Humanity's fragility and the short-lived nature of earthly glory. |
| 1 Pet 1:24 | "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass; the grass withers, and the flower falls." | Quoting Isa 40:6, emphasizing transient human glory. |
| Job 14:1-2 | Man, who is born of a woman, is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers. | The brevity and difficulty of human life. |
| Lk 12:16-21 | The parable of the rich fool, whose abundance was short-lived as his soul was required. | Riches are worthless at death. |
| Prov 11:28 | Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. | The danger of relying on wealth. |
| 1 Tim 6:7 | For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. | Worldly possessions are left behind at death. |
| 1 Tim 6:9-10 | But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare... the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. | The spiritual dangers and destructive power of wealth. |
| Mt 6:19-21 | "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal." | Earthly treasures are impermanent. |
| Mt 19:23-24 | "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven... it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle." | The difficulty of the rich entering God's Kingdom. |
| Mk 4:19 | ...the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word. | Riches can hinder spiritual growth. |
| Ecc 1:2 | "Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity." | All earthly pursuits, including wealth, are ultimately meaningless. |
| Heb 13:5 | Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have. | Warning against avarice. |
| Ps 49:6-7 | Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the abundance of their riches... none of them can ever redeem his brother. | Wealth cannot buy redemption or immortality. |
| Phil 2:8 | And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Example of Christ's voluntary humiliation. |
| 1 Pet 5:6 | Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. | The divine principle of humiliation before exaltation. |
| James 2:5-7 | Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith... but you have dishonored the poor man. | Contrast with societal value given to wealth, showing God's choice. |
James 1 verses
James 1 10 Meaning
James 1:10 teaches that the person rich in material possessions should view their fleeting wealth with a sense of perspective and coming lowliness. Earthly riches and the status they bring are as ephemeral as a fading wildflower, indicating that the rich person's perceived glory and security will inevitably pass away, leading to an experience of ultimate humility or loss of what they once valued. This highlights the transience of worldly status compared to eternal truths.
James 1 10 Context
James 1:10 is part of James's initial instructions to his scattered Christian brethren, urging steadfastness and seeking wisdom in trials. Immediately preceding this verse, James 1:9 advises the "brother of humble circumstances" to "glory in his exaltation." Verse 10 provides a stark contrast: while the poor Christian finds true dignity in their spiritual standing, the rich person finds true perspective and potential humiliation in the reality of their earthly wealth's transience. This sets the stage for James's consistent challenge to worldly values throughout the epistle, particularly the dangers of favoritism towards the wealthy and the illusion of security that riches can bring. It serves as a caution against finding ultimate worth or glory in material possessions.
James 1 10 Word analysis
- but (δέ - de): This conjunction introduces a strong contrast or opposition to the preceding verse. While the poor brother is exalted in Christ, the rich brother, despite his worldly status, is prone to humiliation concerning that status.
- the rich (ὁ πλούσιος - ho plousios): Refers to a person who possesses material wealth and earthly affluence. In the Greco-Roman world and among the scattered Jewish Christians James addresses, wealth often signified divine favor or brought significant social prestige. James here subverts that common perception.
- in his humiliation (ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ - en tē tapeinōsei autou): This is a critical phrase. Tapeinosis (ταπείνωσις) means a state of being brought low, abasement, or humiliation. For the rich, this is not an active humiliation (being humiliated now because they are rich) but the inevitable outcome when their worldly glory, status, and perceived security — which derive from their wealth — pass away. It is the spiritual reality of their eventual loss of standing in the face of death and eternity, which will render their earthly advantages worthless. This implies a future reality, perhaps at death or judgment, when their earthly foundation crumbles.
- because (διότι - dioti): This particle introduces the reason or explanation for the humiliation of the rich.
- as a flower of the grass (ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου - hōs anthos chortou): This is a powerful, well-established Old Testament metaphor (e.g., Ps 103:15-16; Isa 40:6-7) symbolizing extreme fragility, transience, and the short-lived nature of human life and all earthly glory. Grass is temporary; its flowers are even more so, fading quickly under the sun.
- he will pass away (παρελεύσεται - pareleusetai): The verb parerchomai (παρέρχομαι) means to pass by, pass away, disappear, or perish. Here it underscores the certainty and inevitability of the rich man's life and all his earthly possessions or status coming to an end. It emphasizes the ephemeral nature of all human pomp and material security, reinforcing the previous metaphor.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "but the rich in his humiliation": This phrase sets up a stark counterpoint to the previous verse, revealing that what the world values as status (riches) ultimately leads to a state of being brought low in spiritual reality, particularly when those earthly supports vanish. It points to a reversal of worldly wisdom, where the outwardly exalted rich will face an ultimate abasement.
- "because as a flower of the grass he will pass away": This explains the reason for the rich man's eventual humiliation. His transient existence and the temporary nature of his material wealth (symbolized by the fleeting "flower of the grass") mean his perceived "glory" or "exaltation" is built on an unstable foundation. The passage emphasizes that death and the fading of earthly things strip away all worldly advantage, leaving the rich man in a position of ultimate spiritual nakedness and the loss of what he depended on.
James 1 10 Bonus section
The context of James, writing to dispersed Jewish Christians who likely faced significant social stratification, highlights a profound reversal of worldly values. In a society where wealth often determined social standing and religious privilege (as suggested by James 2's warning against favoritism), this verse serves as a theological counter-punch. It aims to puncture the illusion that wealth brings lasting favor with God or provides true security.
The phrase "in his humiliation" (ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει αὐτοῦ) is key. Some ancient Jewish wisdom traditions emphasized that the rich were blessed by God and should be honored. James subtly challenges this by implying that the ultimate "humiliation" for the rich person who relies on their wealth is the moment they confront its true vanity. This is not simply about being humble while rich, but about the profound humbling that comes from the loss of the very thing in which they found their pride or security. It points to the spiritual truth that God alone is the source of all lasting glory and security. The call to Christian stewardship implies that earthly resources are not for hoarding or personal exaltation, but are to be utilized for God's purposes, with the understanding that all these temporal possessions will "pass away."
James 1 10 Commentary
James 1:10 delivers a crucial truth about the spiritual illusion of earthly wealth, acting as a counterpart to the exaltation of the poor Christian. While the previous verse validates the worth and true status of a humble believer in God's eyes, this verse confronts the potential spiritual arrogance or false security of the wealthy. The "humiliation" of the rich man is not necessarily an immediate, active state inflicted by God, but the stark realization and experience that all his cherished worldly possessions, status, and self-reliance will utterly perish.
James employs a vivid, well-understood biblical metaphor: the fleeting beauty of a wildflower, which flourishes briefly before withering under the sun. This imagery speaks to the extreme brevity and impermanence of all human life and its accomplishments, especially material riches. The "passing away" encompasses not just life itself, but also the transient nature of the power, security, and prestige that wealth can bestow. For the rich person who has placed their confidence in such things, this ultimate transience is their humiliation—a stripping away of their worldly glory that reveals their emptiness before God and eternity. It serves as a stern reminder that true, lasting glory and security are found only in Christ and an eternal relationship with God, not in temporal accumulations.
This perspective calls believers to a stewardship where wealth is not a source of pride or ultimate trust but a temporary means to serve God and others. It challenges Christians, whether rich or poor, to adopt God's eternal values, where spiritual standing and humble faith outweigh any earthly acquisition.
- Example: A CEO who has built an empire on shrewd, sometimes ungodly, dealings might receive earthly accolades, but at the end of their life, all that they acquired will fade away, leaving them spiritually bankrupt if they have not pursued heavenly treasure.
- Example: A successful investor who hoards wealth for personal comfort, neglecting charitable giving and ministry, will one day face the humiliation of discovering the worthlessness of their accumulated fortune when measured against eternal values.