For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. (James 2:11)
The apostle cites two of the Ten Commandments as examples, although any other two would have been equally illustrative. The Lord Himself cited these same two commandments in the Sermon on the Mount, where He shows that they may be violated in the heart as well as by an overt act (see Matt. 5:21-28). With this illustration James shows that the keeping of one part of the law does not cancel the violation of another part. No earthly judge will pardon the violation of one law simply because the culprit has kept many other laws. Thus, the church members who excused their deference to the rich as a carrying out of the law of love are reminded that this practice does not cancel their injustices to the poor. The unity of genuine Christian love is shattered.
Said.
Probably a reference to the fact that the Lord spoke the Ten Commandments (see Ex. 20:1; Deut. 5:26).
He.
There is only one Lawgiver (cf. ch. 4:12), the law being the expression of His will (see on Ex. 20:1). Thus His authority is equally revealed in each of the ten precepts spoken by Him on Sinai, and whoever deliberately violates one commandment rebels against the expressed will of God.