Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness. 7:26 = I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets; Isa. Reprinted by permission. From birth to the grave this fire in our mouths burns and destroys. NET James 3:11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? The second is first pure and then peaceable. The less he spoke, the more he heard But beware of setting the bar too low by worrying about numbers. Paul echoes this theme often. John Calvin, Wisdom is not the growth of human genius. To tame our tongues, we need Gods help. But the spiritual aspect that oversees the physical brain is usually referred to as the "heart" (not the physical heart of course). Worse, what if we were seeking God and their disgruntled opinions had driven us away? A careless word may kindle strife; 15:23-26). NRS James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire. 2 John We must get our "spiritual roots" deep into His Word. Such a life also will be full of "good fruit" (karpn agathn). (The Early Christian Letters for Everyone), In your heart (kardia- used in Jas. The temporal contrast between heaven as eternal and earth as temporal (intimated in 1 Corinthians 15:40) is illustrated in 2 Corinthians 5:1 (our earthly house [our body]). I have been in his family, and have observed him both at home and abroad; and I know what I say of him is the truth. In the corridor he met a friend who asked, "Has he finished yet?" A philosophy professor ended his letter with "It just beats me. "He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass" (Proverbs 16:30). Such behavior is unthinkable to the wise Christian. "The heart of the wise instructeth his mouth, And addeth learning to his lips" (Proverbs 16:23). All rights reserved). (Life Application Bible Commentary James). Heavenly wisdom distinguishes itself by a discretion and sensitivity that comes from God. Sad contrast between wild animals that can be tamedand mankind's wild tongue which cannot be tamed. Have Thine own way, Lord! 1 Peter Those "peaceful" animals were capable of doing great damage, and even killing. (Lectures Exegetical and Practical on the Epistle of James)(Bold added). And on more than one occasion, as my Sunday school teacher, he made degrading comments about the pastor and others in the church. God can use our tongues to direct others into the way of life, and to delight them in the trials of life. WuestBut the wisdom which is from above is essentially pure, then peaceable, sweetly reasonable, satisfied with less than its due, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free from insincerity. We trust the SpiritHe's our Guide, ", "Wise people know how to learn; they never seek knowledge for their own sake. Branon. I do not ask for mighty words In using phaulos the idea is not so much primarily that which is malignant, but rather that which isgood for nothing and withoutpossibility of ever yielding any good. wisdom Exalt her, and she will promote thee " (Proverbs 4:5-9). And, ask God to open the persons eyes and grant repentance. We must ask God for the wisdom to know when to speak, what to speak, and when to simply keep our mouths shut. Life Application Study Bible. The innermost secret thought has been bared. Jesus gives a blessing to peacemakers declaring Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Faithful: Well, my brother, I am bound to believe you; not only because you say you know him, but also because, like a Christian, you make your reports of men. Remember that the tongue speaks only what is in the heart. Only God can turn bitter water sweet. The Lord Jesus warned, "For every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment" (Mt. Thats what caused Lucifer to fall from heaven (Isaiah 14:12), and Adam and Eve to lose their innocence in Eden (Genesis 3:6). When were gossiping or speaking in anger, we find ourselves outside the lines of what God desires. Terrestrial. Some of the language that the tongue uses is so abysmally degrading that it can be attributed only to the activity of evil spirits. Burdick says this is "a way of saving that it comes from the devil." In this context the moral character is clearly evil. READ: James 3:1-12 This pipeline is reciprocal. Adam blamed both Eve and God for what he, himself, had done. a. Utley -Notice it is not the fruit of wisdom; wisdom without righteousness is not wisdom. Wisdom, we believe, is a synonym of Logs of the Word, and it refers to that perfection and eternity which is to be found only in God the Father, manifested to the world through His Son, the Lord Jesus, and existing in the world today only through His Holy Spirit. James 3:18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. What comes out of our mouths shows us how much we need Gods help. 25:14). NKJ James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. It follows that James is addressing this to believers, for unbelievers lack the supernatural power to obey this command. They aimed bitter (pikros) speech as their arrow. Help us to speak with loving words "Most men will proclaim every one his own kindness; But a faithful man who can find?" -David Roper(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Hiebert -In James 1:8, James used the adjective (akatastatos) to describe the impact of double-mindedness upon the individual, and in James 3:8 it is descriptive of the uncontrolled tongue. GWN James 3:6 The tongue is that kind of flame. 14:33), biblical wisdom, on the other hand, brings harmony, unity, peace, and love. M R De Haan II (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Some troubles come from wanting to have our own way; others come from being allowed to have it. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist- Amplified - "For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition).". Hiebert saysfull of mercy and good fruits is "the only double characteristic in the list, stands in direct contrast to "every vile deed" in James 3:16." Overhearing his reply (which praised the other), a friend approached him afterwards and said, "General, do you know that the man of whom you spoke is one of your bitterest enemies and misses no opportunity to malign you?" Next Chapter. And ask God to set a guard over your mouth to keep you from saying the wrong thing (Ps. They have listened to one another, respected one another, judged their own selfishness and pride, and sought to live in accordance with godly wisdom, not worldly wisdom.". A Malaysian court has ruled that using derogatory and vulgar language about your superiors at work is acceptable, as long as you do it behind their backs. NRS James 3:18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace. Because of the length of some of the sections, some have merely been introduced (Proverbs 1:20-33below). The person with godly wisdom is not "playing the part." "The wise in heart will receive commandments" (Proverbs 10:8). GWN James 3:11 Do clean and polluted water flow out of the same spring? (Psalm 140:3). (Ibid). It is not surprising that eritheia is found in Paul's long list of the deeds of the flesh ("disputes") in Gal 5:20+. YLT James 3:6 and the tongue is a fire, the world of the unrighteousness, so the tongue is set in our members, which is spotting our whole body, and is setting on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by the gehenna. 11:29+)Prausis also used in the beatitude Mt 5:5+"Blessed are the gentle (praus), for they shall inherit the earth." . This was emphasized by James when he said, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction" (James 1:27). To curse man is to curse the likeness of God in man." (James Scudder - Living Water). It is no small matter when we open our mouths. Matthew Before the program began, we overheard two members seated behind us complaining about their church. You sent Your Son to die! Hiebert thinks this "is probably an allusion to the poison of the serpent's tongue (Ps58:4; 140:3)." Be arrogant(2620)(Katakauchaomaifromkata= against +kauchaomai= to boast) means to boast against. Bitter water also can destroy our spiritual lives. And as James taught in James 3:14, both of these sinful attitudes are hidden in and originate from the heart. Reprinted by permission. Since everyone has an opinion on how something should be done, friction results. Water that is sweet (James 3:11-12) is potable. "Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise" (Proverbs 22:17). Utley on without hypocrisy -This term implies free from prejudice or divided loyalties and may relate to 2:4 or even 1:6. He said to me, "Vernon, I hope you are going to be a genuine preacher and a genuine servant of God." Whatever and whoever serves those ends is considered good and friendly; whatever and whoever threatens those ends is considered bad and an enemy. Sophosdescribes understanding that which results in wise conduct. you may be sure of it; remember the proverb, "They say and do not." "With the well-advised is wisdom" (Proverbs 13:10). Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. By the constituents of the water a judgment can be made as to its source. Phusisis that which belongs to a person or thing by virtue of its origin, then, its essential character. Nature speaks of the inherent character or basic constitution of a person or thing. And if one is unable to obey this command and instead continually exhibits a persistent attitude of arrogance, this person is not a believer! All rights reserved). "He that harpeth on a matter separateth chief friends" (Proverbs 17:9). So, willingly yield your lips to the Lord (1 Timothy 4:1-5), For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. (Php 1:17+)". "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man" (Matt. True wisdom loves peace. (Hiebert)Jealousy would be bad enough, but here James says thisjealousy is bitter which gives us the picture of resentful, harsh, sharp, cutting, piercing. Here in Jameskataradescribes human utterance which desires evil on someone (imprecation) (. The Holy Spirit is the only One who can control the tongue. Utley -True wisdom is known by its deeds. The first recorded words of an organized human society were words of rebellion against God, humanistic and self-centered: "Let us Let us Let us" (Ge11:3-4). 35 The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. Luke ", Is tamedhas been tamed(1150) see below ondamazo. Wisdom is the beauty of holiness. CSB James 3:8 but no man can tame the tongue. This "extraterrestrial" wisdom isthe gift of Godand is only given to believers(Eph 2:8), Proverbs commentson the Source ofwisdom from above, "For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding." Selah. "Selfishness" seems to be the best translation or "self-interest," which terms bring out the personal motive of the heart. See "Tongue Control"), Barton -No person can tame the tongue, but Christ can. Coming as it does after epieiks, it probably bears this second meaning here. James is echoing his half-brother Jesus Who taught "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles (koinooin the present tense)the man.(Mt 15:11, see also Mt 15:18-20, Mt 12:34, 35, cf Mk 7:15). To gracious people? (James 3 Commentary), Robert Johnstone on pure -The Christianly wise man shrinks from moral defilement of every kind. Let your light shine (aorist imperative) before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." 9:47; Lk. It speaks of a transparent genuineness (cf. Unfortunately, there are people that creep into the church and do this among God's people in order to have their way in the church. If we look earnestly and in faith, we can find God's way for doing ministry in Scripture, often the last place we go. The heart of the problem is the heart. Jesus alluded to this principle in His Sermon on the Mount when he said, But let your statement be, Yes, yes or No, no; anything beyond these is of evil. It is the ability to live in a manner pleasing to God because you understand His truth and you live in constant submission to His Spirit, applying that truth to all of life. When eulogeo is used by men toward men it means to speak well of with praise and thanksgiving (English "Eulogy" = an address in praise for one deceased ). ", Cole makes an excellent point that "also implicit in the verse is the fact that a harvest is not accidental or serendipitous. Gilbert. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. Reprinted by permission. Several writers favor the meaning of the truth to be the Gospel which as Christians they professed to accept and promote. Woe! Amplified Who is there among you who is wise and intelligent? It is not wisdom that "falls" from above, but which originates from the fall! When we fear we have crossed a Rubicon with someone, we can seek their forgivenessand Gods (Matthew 5:2324; 1 John 1:9). YLT James 3:16 for where zeal and rivalry are, there is insurrection and every evil matter; NAB James 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. Sophosdescribes the ability to use knowledge for correct behavior (1Co 6:5). . Malachi 3:1. We became aware of it when we took home a report card with this note from the teacher: "Good student, but he talks too much." And guard each word I say. Dionysius the Elder, Nothing is often a good thing to say. 24:9; Jer. All rights reserved) James 3:14 -Inequality seems to cause jealousy. For more discussion on this principle see"Paradoxical Principle of 100% Dependent and 100% Responsible" (100/100). Barclay notes that eupeithes has "two meanings. A Christian high school had taken its chorale to England to minister to the churches there. But the true wisdom at all times brings people closer to one another and to God. (So here the peaceful state is the result of divine discipline! James may well have been familiar with this picture from common experience in daily life. Imagine them walking out of the place of worship and encountering a situation that angered them (someone pulls in front of you on the freeway-- that never happens to you after Sunday worship does it?) But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. Similarly, if a person's speech mixes foul with sweet, it will not build up the community. EXCUSES and DEFENDS SIN in justifying itself. "A soft tongue breaketh the bone" (Proverbs 25:15). But the first part of the sentence is thrown into the form of a question, the construction of the whole being similar to what we find, for example, in the thirty-fourth Psalm: Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Ephesians Morgan thought that investing was respectable but that gambling was a sin. NRS James 3:16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. )this wisdom is not from heaven; but as it displays itself on earth, so it is also of earthly origin. The court compared the woman's comments about her superiors to tea room chitchat. He was one of the first to believe in the *Lord Jesus and he was one of the *apostles. See the contrasting word aspilosin James 1:27 ("unstained"). The most ferocious monster in the world has his den just behind the teeth. 20:10), and, for so doing, God kept him out of the Promised Land. Jesus upsets our pride too. While some writers feel James is speaking primarily to teachers (James 3:1), there is nothing in this section which indicates it would not also be applicable to all who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. CSB James 3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers, or a grapevine produce figs? The tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body-Phillips paraphrases it "It can poison the whole body." John Calvin, The only way to know is to will to do Gods will. It is important to note, though, that James is distinguishing between two different types of wisdom: earthly and heavenly. All Joy in All Trials. NKJ James 3:11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? (Ibid), Hiebert -The importance of a spring of water would be assumed by all the readers familiar with conditions in dry Palestine. 5:20; Phil. Thank Him for His help in all times of need. And with it - That is with the very same mouth that uttered blessings to God. "A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment" (Proverbs 16:10). So, in 1955, the Guinness brewing company decided that an official record was needed to pacify its customers. (Louw-Nida)It is anexpression ofa feeling of one's comparative superiority and so to look down upon another, boasting at the expense of another(negative sense inRo 11:18,James 3:14). A timely word may lessen stress; "A man shall be commended according to his wisdom" (Proverbs 12:8). We might refer to the speaker behind the scenes as the one who didn't "practice what he preached. Grant Osborneonthe course of our life-Most recent studies (Blomberg and Kamell, Martin, Moo) realize that the phrase had become a more popular idea by James's time, simply meaning the ups and downs of life. Gods help parts of the length of some of the body. imprecation (., see also Mt 15:18-20, Mt 12:34, 35, cf Mk 7:15 ). 16:10 ). Utley. 3:6 and the tongue '' from above, but Christ can did ``. Wise instructeth his mouth shall not transgress in judgment '' ( Proverbs 22:17 ). a to! Sections, some have merely been introduced ( Proverbs 25:15 ). is that kind of flame can made! 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