James 3

Jas 3:1-18.

DANGER OF

EAGERNESS TO

TEACH, AND OF AN

UNBRIDLED

TONGUE:

TRUE

WISDOM

SHOWN BY

UNCONTENTIOUS

MEEKNESS.

1. be not--literally, "become not": taking the office too

hastily, and of your own accord.

many--The office is a noble one; but few are fit for it. Few

govern the tongue well

(Jas 3:2),

and only such as can govern it are fit for the office; therefore,

"teachers" ought not to be many.

masters--rather, "teachers." The Jews were especially prone to

this presumption. The idea that faith (so called) without works

(Jas 2:14-26)

was all that is required, prompted "many" to set up as "teachers," as

has been the case in all ages of the Church. At first all were allowed

to teach in turns. Even their inspired gifts did not prevent liability

to abuse, as James here implies: much more is this so when

self-constituted teachers have no such miraculous gifts.

knowing--as all might know.

we . . . greater condemnation--James in a humble,

conciliatory spirit, includes himself: if we teachers abuse the

office, we shall receive greater condemnation than those who are mere

hearers (compare

Lu 12:42-46).

CALVIN, like English Version, translates,

"masters" that is, self-constituted censors and reprovers of

others

Jas 4:12

accords with this view.

2. all--The Greek implies "all without exception": even

the apostles.

offend not--literally "stumbleth not": is void of offence or

"slip" in word: in which respect one is especially tried who sets up to

be a "teacher."

3. Behold--The best authorities read, "but if," that is, Now

whensoever (in the case) of horses (such is the emphatic position

of "horses" in the Greek) we put the bits (so literally,

"the customary bits") into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn

about also their whole body. This is to illustrate how

man turns about his whole body with the little tongue. "The same

applies to the pen, which is the substitute for the tongue among the

absent" [BENGEL].

4. Not only animals, but even ships.

the governor listeth--literally, "the impulse of the steersman

pleaseth." The feeling which moves the tongue corresponds with

this.

5. boasteth great things--There is great moment in what

the careless think "little" things [BENGEL].

Compare "a world," "the course of nature," "hell,"

Jas 3:6,

which illustrate how the little tongue's great words produce great

mischief.

how great a matter a little fire kindleth--The best manuscripts

read, "how little a fire kindleth how great a," &c.

ALFORD, for "matter," translates, "forest." But

GROTIUS translates as English Version,

"material for burning": a pile of fuel.

6. Translate, "The tongue, that world of iniquity, is a fire."

As man's little world is an image of the greater world, the universe,

so the tongue is an image of the former [BENGEL].

so--omitted in the oldest authorities.

is--literally, "is constituted." "The tongue is (constituted),

among the members, the one which defileth," &c. (namely, as fire

defiles with its smoke).

course of nature--"the orb (cycle) of creation."

setteth on fire . . . is set on fire--habitually and

continually. While a man inflames others, he passes out of his own

power, being consumed in the flame himself.

of hell--that is, of the devil. Greek, "Gehenna"; found

here only and in

Mt 5:22.

James has much in common with the Sermon on the Mount

(Pr 16:27).

7. every kind--rather, "every nature" (that is, natural

disposition and characteristic power).

of beasts--that is, quadrupeds of every disposition; as

distinguished from the three other classes of creation, "birds,

creeping things (the Greek includes not merely 'serpents,' as

English Version), and things in the sea."

is tamed, and hath been--is continually being tamed, and hath

been so long ago.

of mankind--rather, "by the nature of man": man's characteristic

power taming that of the inferior animals. The dative in the

Greek may imply, "Hath suffered itself to be brought into tame

subjection TO the nature of men." So it shall be in the millennial

world; even now man, by gentle firmness, may tame the inferior animal,

and even elevate its nature.

8. no man--literally, "no one of men": neither can a man control

his neighbor's, nor even his own tongue. Hence the truth of

Jas 3:2

appears.

unruly evil--The Greek, implies that it is at once

restless and incapable of restraint. Nay, though nature

has hedged it in with a double barrier of the lips and teeth, it bursts

from its barriers to assail and ruin men [ESTIUS].

deadly--literally, "death-bearing."

9. God--The oldest authorities read, "Lord." "Him who is Lord

and Father." The uncommonness of the application of "Lord" to the

Father, doubtless caused the change in modern texts to "God"

(Jas 1:27).

But as Messiah is called "Father,"

Isa 9:6,

so God the Father is called by the Son's title, "Lord": showing the

unity of the Godhead. "Father" implies His paternal love;

"Lord," His dominion.

men, which--not "men who"; for what is meant is not

particular men, but men genetically

[ALFORD].

are made after . . . similitude of God--Though in a

great measure man has lost the likeness of God in which he was

originally made, yet enough of it still remains to show what once it

was, and what in regenerated and restored man it shall be. We ought to

reverence this remnant and earnest of what man shall be in ourselves

and in others. "Absalom has fallen from his father's favor, but the

people still recognize him to be the king's son"

[BENGEL]. Man resembles in humanity the Son of

man, "the express image of His person"

(Heb 1:3),

compare

Ge 1:26;

1Jo 4:20.

In the passage,

Ge 1:26,

"image" and "likeness" are distinct: "image," according to the

Alexandrians, was something in which men were created, being

common to all, and continuing to man after the fall, while the

"likeness" was something toward which man was created, to strive

after and attain it: the former marks man's physical and intellectual,

the latter his moral pre-eminence.

10. The tongue, says ÆSOP, is at once

the best and the worst of things. So in a fable, a man with the same

breath blows hot and cold. "Life and death are in the power of the

tongue" (compare

Ps 62:4).

brethren--an appeal to their consciences by their

brotherhood in Christ.

ought not so to be--a mild appeal, leaving it to themselves to

understand that such conduct deserves the most severe reprobation.

11. fountain--an image of the heart: as the

aperture (so the Greek for "place" is literally) of the

fountain is an image of man's mouth. The image here is

appropriate to the scene of the Epistle, Palestine, wherein salt and

bitter springs are found. Though "sweet" springs are sometimes found

near, yet "sweet and bitter" (water) do not flow "at the same place"

(aperture). Grace can make the same mouth that "sent forth the

bitter" once, send forth the sweet for the time to come: as the wood

(typical of Christ's cross) changed Marah's bitter water into

sweet.

12. Transition from the mouth to the heart.

Can the fig tree, &c.--implying that it is an

impossibility: as before in

Jas 3:10

he had said it "ought not so to be." James does not, as Matthew

(Mt 7:16, 17),

make the question, "Do men gather figs of thistles?" His

argument is, No tree "can" bring forth fruit inconsistent with its

nature, as for example, the fig tree, olive berries: so if a man

speaks bitterly, and afterwards speaks good words, the latter must be

so only seemingly, and in hypocrisy, they cannot be real.

so can no fountain . . . salt . . . and

fresh--The oldest authorities read, "Neither can a salt (water

spring) yield fresh." So the mouth that emits cursing, cannot really

emit also blessing.

13. Who--(Compare

Ps 34:12, 13).

All wish to appear "wise": few are so.

show--"by works," and not merely by profession, referring to

Jas 2:18.

out of a good conversation his works--by general "good

conduct" manifested in particular "works." "Wisdom" and

"knowledge," without these being "shown," are as dead as faith would be

without works [ALFORD].

with meekness of wisdom--with the meekness inseparable from true

"wisdom."

14. if ye have--as is the case (this is implied in the

Greek indicative).

bitter--

Eph 4:31,

"bitterness."

envying--rather, "emulation," or literally, "zeal": kindly,

generous emulation, or zeal, is not condemned, but that which is

"bitter" [BENGEL].

strife--rather, "rivalry."

in your hearts--from which flow your words and deeds, as from a

fountain.

glory not, and lie not against the truth--To boast of your

wisdom is virtually a lying against the truth (the gospel), while

your lives belie your glorying.

Jas 3:15;

Jas 1:18,

"The word of truth."

Ro 2:17, 23,

speaks similarly of the same contentious Jewish Christians.

15. This wisdom--in which ye "glory," as if ye were "wise"

(Jas 3:13, 14).

descendeth not from above--literally, "is not one descending,"

&c.: "from the Father of lights" (true illumination and wisdom),

Jas 1:17;

through "the Spirit of truth,"

Joh 15:26.

earthly--opposed to heavenly. Distinct from "earthy,"

1Co 15:47.

Earthly is what is IN the earth;

earthy, what is of the earth.

sensual--literally, "animal-like": the wisdom of the "natural"

(the same Greek) man, not born again of God; "not having the

Spirit"

(Jude 19).

devilish--in its origin (from "hell,"

Jas 3:6;

not from God, the Giver of true wisdom,

Jas 1:5),

and also in its character, which accords with its origin. Earthly,

sensual, and devilish, answer to the three spiritual foes of man, the

world, the flesh, and the devil.

16. envying--So English Version translates the

Greek, which usually means "zeal"; "emulation," in

Ro 13:13.

"The envious man stands in his own light. He thinks his candle cannot

shine in the presence of another's sun. He aims directly at men,

obliquely at God, who makes men to differ."

strife--rivalry [ALFORD].

confusion--literally, "tumultuous anarchy": both in society

(translated "commotions,"

Lu 21:9;

"tumults,"

2Co 6:5),

and in the individual mind; in contrast to the "peaceable" composure of

true "wisdom,"

Jas 3:17.

James does not honor such effects of this earthly wisdom with the name

"fruit," as he does in the case of the wisdom from above.

Jas 3:18;

compare

Ga 5:19-22,

"works of the flesh . . . fruit of the

Spirit."

17. first pure--literally, "chaste," "sanctified": pure from all

that is "earthly, sensual (animal), devilish"

(Jas 3:15).

This is put, "first of all," before "peaceable" because there is

an unholy peace with the world which makes no distinction between clean

and unclean. Compare "undefiled" and "unspotted from the world,"

Jas 1:27; 4:4, 8,

"purify . . . hearts";

1Pe 1:22,

"purified . . . souls" (the same Greek).

Ministers must not preach before a purifying change of heart, "Peace,"

where there is no peace. Seven (the perfect number) characteristic

peculiarities of true wisdom are enumerated. Purity or

sanctity is put first because it has respect both to God and to

ourselves; the six that follow regard our fellow men. Our first concern

is to have in ourselves sanctity; our second, to be at peace with men.

gentle--"forbearing"; making allowances for others; lenient

towards neighbors, as to the DUTIES they owe us.

easy to be entreated--literally, "easily persuaded," tractable;

not harsh as to a neighbor's FAULTS.

full of mercy--as to a neighbor's MISERIES.

good fruits--contrasted with "every evil work,"

Jas 3:16.

without partiality--recurring to the warning against partial

"respect to persons,"

Jas 2:1, 4, 9.

ALFORD translates as the Greek is

translated,

Jas 1:6,

"wavering," "without doubting." But thus there would be an

epithet referring to one's self inserted amidst those referring

to one's conduct towards others. English Version is therefore

better.

without hypocrisy--Not as ALFORD explains

from

Jas 1:22, 26,

"Without deceiving yourselves" with the name without the reality of

religion. For it must refer, like the rest of the six epithets, to our

relations to others; our peaceableness and mercy towards others must be

"without dissimulation."

18. "The peaceable fruit of righteousness." He says

"righteousness"; because it is itself the true wisdom. As in the case

of the earthly wisdom, after the characteristic description came its

results; so in this verse, in the case of the heavenly wisdom.

There the results were present; here, future.

fruit . . . sown--Compare

Ps 97:11;

Isa 61:3,

"trees of righteousness." Anticipatory, that is, the seed whose

"fruit," namely, "righteousness," shall be ultimately reaped, is now

"sown in peace." "Righteousness," now in germ, when fully developed as

"fruit" shall be itself the everlasting reward of the righteous.

As "sowing in peace" (compare "sown in dishonor,"

1Co 15:43)

produces the "fruit of righteousness," so conversely "the work" and

"effect of righteousness" is "peace."

of them that make peace--"by (implying also that it is

for them, and to their good) them that work peace." They,

and they alone, are "blessed." "Peacemakers," not merely they who

reconcile others, but who work peace. "Cultivate peace"

[ESTIUS]. Those truly wise towards God, while

peaceable and tolerant towards their neighbors, yet make it their chief

concern to sow righteousness, not cloaking men's sins, but reproving

them with such peaceable moderation as to be the physicians, rather

than the executioners, of sinners [CALVIN].