ACC ~ James 2 v10

GUILTY BEFORE THE LAWGIVER. AUGUSTINE: Is it possible that the person who has discriminated between rich and poor is guilty of murder, adultery and sacrilege? That does indeed seem to be the conclusion which James is drawing. Such a man is guilty of every crime, because by offending in one point he has become guilty of them all. LETTERS 167.3.

NEGLECTING LOVE. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: What does it mean to offend in one point and lose all, except to have fallen from the precept of love and thereby to have offended in all the other commandments? Without love none of our virtues amounts to anything at all. SERMONS 100A.12.

GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS COVERS THE WHOLE BODY. GREGORY THE GREAT: When we wear a piece of clothing, it covers us all over. Righteousness is like this, for it protects itself by good works at every turn and leaves nothing exposed to the ravages of sin. For if someone is righteous in some of the things he does and unrighteous in others, it is rather as if he is covering one side of his body but leaving the other side naked. Such a person is not doing good works, because these works are made evil by the unrighteousness which is present in him. LESSONS IN JOB 19.32.

LOVE IS THE SUM OF THE LAW. ANDREAS: To fail in one point is to lack perfect love, for this is the source of all good deeds. If something in the head is not right, the rest of the body suffers as a result. The entire purpose and plan of God is designed to lead to perfect love. That is the meaning of the commandments such as “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not kill” and so on. CATENA.

Jas