People's New Testament My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. 3:1 The Control of the Tongue
SUMMARY OF JAMES 3: Aspiring to Teachership. The Power of the Tongue. Its Untamable Nature. Its Contradictory Uses. Wisdom Shown in Its Proper Control. The Wisdom from Above Described. My brethren, be not many masters. Do not many of you seek to be teachers. The office of public teaching in the church is meant. Knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. Those who profess to teach others will be judged more strictly than those of humbler professions. See Mt 7:1. Of those who have much, much is required. See Lu 12:48. A lesson is to be given on the tongue. He who teaches will be held strictly to account for the manner in which he uses it. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3:2 For in many things we offend all. All are liable to stumble and make mistakes. These can hardly be excused in the teacher.
If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. He who controls his tongue gives proof of his ability to maintain entire self control. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 3:3 We put bits in the horses' mouths. The word bridle (Jas 3:2) suggests a figure. The bridle bit controls the whole horse.
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 3:4 Behold also the ships. These are controlled by so small a thing as the helm.
The governor. Steersman (Revised Version); helmsman. James abounds in the sea figures. See Jas 1:6. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member. Though so small it can control the body like a bridle, or the helm of a ship. It is a power.
And boasteth great things. Claims great powers. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth! As a spark may burn a house, a little thing like the tongue may stir up great trouble. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 3:6 The tongue is a fire. It will kindle up anger. A word often causes a war.
A world of iniquity. It can stir up a world of sinfulness. The tongue moves man, and he makes the world a world of sin. It defileth the whole body. Leads all the body into sin. And setteth on fire the course of nature. Literally, wheel of nature. The idea is probably putteth nature in a blaze, referring to the wars and commotions due to its influence. And it is set on fire from hell. It is often inspired by hell itself. A bad tongue is the organ of the devil. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 3:7 Every kind of beasts. Every nature of beasts, literally. Four orders are named:
beasts, or quadrupeds, birds, serpents, reptiles, in the Greek creeping things, things in the sea, or fishes. All of these have been subjected and controlled. But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame. Man has never tamed this organ as a whole. Some may have ruled their own, but the organ itself still does its evil work in the world.
It is an unruly evil. Not only an evil, but unruly. Generally used. Full of deadly poison. Often charged with malice, envy, anger, slander, etc. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 3:9 Therewith bless we God... and curse we men. Its opposite uses are shown. We use it to pray and to bless God, and, sometimes, the same tongue will be used to curse his creatures. James rebuked evils that he had observed.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. These utterly inconsistent things come out of the same mouth.
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? In nature such incongruity is not shown. A fountain does not give out two kinds of waters.
Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 3:12 Can the fig tree... bear olive berries? Neither does a tree bear two opposite kinds of fruits. Nor should the mouth bear blessing and cursing, good and evil.
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Discreet and well informed? It must be shown in
a good conversation, that is, in life, both words and deeds, with meekness of wisdom. True wisdom will not speak boastfully. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 3:14 Glory not. If there is bitterness in the heart, let there be no boasting of your goodness. That would be to lie against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above. Wisdom (not real wisdom, but false) which gives rise to envy and strife is not from heaven.
But is earthly, sensual, devilish. It is of the passions, of the devil, not of God. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 3:16 For where envying and strife is, etc. Where these exist in the heart, every evil work will follow.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above. The divine wisdom imparted by communion with God is put in contrast with the false, sensual wisdom named in Jas 3:15.
Is first pure. The other is sensual; this is pure. Then peaceable. The other is full of strife; this seeks for peace. Gentle. Not too rigid and exacting. Easy to be entreated. Not obstinate, but capable of persuasion. Full of mercy. Not unforgiving and unkind. Good fruits. The other shows evil works; heavenly wisdom is full of good fruits. Without partiality. Not a respecter of persons (Ac 10:34). Without hypocrisy. Sincere. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. 3:18 The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace. This wisdom not only bears righteousness as a fruit, but sows this fruit as seed to produce peace. Them that make peace. These sowers are peacemakers. See Mt 5:9. Sowing righteousness makes peace, because wrong is the fruitful mother of strife. The People's New Testament by B.W. Johnson [1891] Bible Hub |
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