Your complete question was: "In James 1:9-10, the author writes that those who humble circumstances should rejoice in their honored position. Ok, I understand--first shall be last, last shall be first, being in a humble circumstance is a noble thing. However, it then goes on to say that a rich man ought to glory in his humble circumstance. I don't understand--is it tongue in cheek?"
While some take it to be an ironic statement, I think it best to take it straight. Let me share a couple of quotes from two good commentaries on this passage.
Douglas Moo makes the point in The Tyndale New Testament Commentary series, "Two related ideas may be suggested. First, the rich Christian should remember that, however 'exalted' he may seem in the eyes of the world, his status before God is different. He must consciously maintain this perspective on his true, spiritual position in order to experience the blessings of God's good pleasure. . . A second, related, idea is that humiliation may suggest the believer's own identification with Jesus Christ, who 'humbled himself' (Philippians 2:8) and who was considered of no account in the world.
The Expositor's Bible Commentary also says, "The wealthy believer, then, is exhorted to glory "in his low position." Since the context deals with trials, the low position may be a description of the humbling experience of suffering persecution for Christ's sake. The very same treatment that exalts the poor man and gives him a new sense of worth also humbles the rich man. Suffering shows him that, instead of having a lasting lease on life, his life on this earth is no more permanent than "a wild flower" (cf. Isa 40:6-8.) Some interpreters understand James to say that it is the rich man's wealth that passes away, not the man himself (Ropes, p. 148). But it should be noted that the subject of the verb "pass away," is not riches but "the one who is rich." Again, in v. 11b it is the rich man who will "fade away." Suffering and persecution reveal how tentative and short life really is."
Hopefully this information is helpful to you!
While some take it to be an ironic statement, I think it best to take it straight. Let me share a couple of quotes from two good commentaries on this passage.
Douglas Moo makes the point in The Tyndale New Testament Commentary series, "Two related ideas may be suggested. First, the rich Christian should remember that, however 'exalted' he may seem in the eyes of the world, his status before God is different. He must consciously maintain this perspective on his true, spiritual position in order to experience the blessings of God's good pleasure. . . A second, related, idea is that humiliation may suggest the believer's own identification with Jesus Christ, who 'humbled himself' (Philippians 2:8) and who was considered of no account in the world.
The Expositor's Bible Commentary also says, "The wealthy believer, then, is exhorted to glory "in his low position." Since the context deals with trials, the low position may be a description of the humbling experience of suffering persecution for Christ's sake. The very same treatment that exalts the poor man and gives him a new sense of worth also humbles the rich man. Suffering shows him that, instead of having a lasting lease on life, his life on this earth is no more permanent than "a wild flower" (cf. Isa 40:6-8.) Some interpreters understand James to say that it is the rich man's wealth that passes away, not the man himself (Ropes, p. 148). But it should be noted that the subject of the verb "pass away," is not riches but "the one who is rich." Again, in v. 11b it is the rich man who will "fade away." Suffering and persecution reveal how tentative and short life really is."
Hopefully this information is helpful to you!
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