Matthew 25:35–40: Serving Jesus in the Poor
Jesus does not describe poverty as a problem to be solved by technique but as a set of persons to be met with concrete, bodily care. In the parable the King identifies Himself with the least, and that identification grounds the verdict.
James 2:1–13: Favoritism and the Royal Law
James confronts a congregation that seated the wealthy in the good seats and the poor by the footstool. Faith in the glorious Lord cannot be held together with partiality, because favoritism breaks the royal law and puts a person under a judgment that shows no mercy to the merciless.