"The poor useth entreaties" (Proverbs 18:23). (BNTC Exposition of James), MacArthur introduces this passage explaining that "the tongue is characterized by what might be called its perfidy to compromise. I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue. Many commentaries are also available in Parallel Format via the commentary tab. Used in the Nestle-Aland text is James 1:8+of the doubting man who is unstable in all areas of lifeand here in James 3:8, describing the tongue as incapable of restraint. All rights reserved), Lord, set a watch upon my lips, NKJ James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. Thomas Goodwin, If the mouth be bad, the mind is not good. In this life of course, no believer will reach perfection in thearea of "tongue control", but our daily goal should be steady progression toward greater and greater degrees of Christ-likeness as we learn to rely wholly on His Holy Spirit. (v.10). None are absolutely freed and exempted from sinning (1 John 1:8; Proverbs 20:9).Well, then (1) Walk with more caution; you carry a sinning heart about you. 3. (Ibid), George M Stulac concludes this section on the tongue writing that "To the person who speaks praise to God in the worship service and then abuses people verbally at home or at work, James commands, 'Purify your speech through the week.' James also said that the wisdom that is from above is "gentle" (James 3:17), so each believer should reflect this gentleness in his life. It did then and it does now. The Bible teaches that all people are created in the image of God, that they are all accountable for what they do with whatever He has given them, and that someday they will all die. James was not addressing a hypothetical situation that might arise in the future, but rather a real situation that already existed. Richard Hooker, Many people would be more truthful were it not for their uncontrollable desire to talk. Bitterness on the inside will eventually manifest itself on the outside. Replace those words with blessings. We Christians will do very well to imitate this large-hearted general. "In the transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man" (Proverbs 12:13). "When the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge" (Proverbs 21:11). Paul echoes this theme often. Sophiais used frequently in the New Testament to describe the ability to discern and conform to Gods will. William Baker -James has thus provided for us a prescription for harmony in the body of Christ. Our old sinful nature opposes our new life in Christ. "Yes," she replied, "she was talking about the missionary who lives in our village." He went on to tell me how the bank had set up a branch bank at the powder plant at Old Hickory outside of Nashville, Tennessee. It follows that peace is the opposite of division or dissension. Christian pity is the reflection of God's pity, and that went out to men and women not only when they were suffering unjustly but also when they were suffering through their own fault. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. James minced no words in warning about the power of the tongue. 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. The Lord will set a guard over my mouth; He will keep watch over the door of my lips (Ps. But Hiss for Hiss return'd with forked Tongue It is easy to want to win the argument, but you can destroy the person you are arguing with. "With the well-advised is wisdom" (Proverbs 13:10). In other words, we are to sing a duet, the tongue and the heart are to be in tune. (Mt 5:37+). Again, the tongue isnt the real problem; it is the heart. to be forced or seduced, Hom. 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 ). "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. COMMENTARY JAMES. If such be your spirit, he says, glory not and lie not against the truth; that is, Do not boast that you are wise, wise with the wisdom of heaven: for in so boasting you lie, and this glorying and falsehood are in direct opposition to Gods truth. (Php 4:8-9+) "Therefore if (SINCE) you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking (present imperative) the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. James 3:6. He even used Scripture. The force ofkatakauchaomaiis to brag about oneself in comparison with others. ESV James 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. Their careless speech was not just a matter of the words they used or attitudes they displayed, it also demonstrated their lack of concern for the impact those words could have on others. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Reprinted by permission. What feeds your psyche? The image was that Godlike part of us that we never lost in the Fall, while the likeness was that Godlike part of human being that we have yet to acquire. They show a wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and demonic. NJB James 3:6 The tongue is a flame too. NKJ James 3:9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. NLT James 3:15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Pure(53)(hagnos) means freedom from defilements, contaminants or impurities (e.g., Jesus ishagnos - 1 Jn 3:3+). Who teaches us how to GROW TALLER THROUGH TESTING. turn our hearts toward the wisdom that comes They can either offer help and comfort or do damage that feels just as irreversible as Caesars march on Rome. Life Application Study Bible. Reprinted by permission. For those who honestly aspire to being wise, the question is an invitation; James's answer will divulge the way to attain their aspirations. Instead of being helpful, they are destructive. Jesus gives a blessing to peacemakers declaring Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Author: Vernon C. Grounds (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. We like to hear it and share it with others because it "tastes" good. It comes from heaven (1:5). KJV James 3:6 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. Brian Bell -You see this truth at any Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus. Dionysius the Elder, Nothing is often a good thing to say. NRS James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? Brian Bell -Open your mouth & say ahhh! - a doctor often looks behind the tongue. 25:14). The spirit of man is in action here as well as the soul; but, alas, the grandeur of the capabilities of this constituent of our being only deepens the debasement; and the spirit made but a little lower than the angels of light, links itself with the lost angels of darkness. YLT James 3:13 Who is wise and intelligent among you? "I have taught thee in the way of wisdom" (Proverbs 4:11). Then we can be sure that what we say will be consistent and will bless others. Thats what caused Lucifer to fall from heaven (Isaiah 14:12), and Adam and Eve to lose their innocence in Eden (Genesis 3:6). The tongue itself is kindled with the very "FIRE OF HELL." Out of [BY - Greek = "ek"]here represents the same original particle which is rendered by, in I will show thee my faith by [Greek = "ek"] my works (James 2:18). "The words of a whisperer are as dainty morsels. ), Another Prayer - So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. To do it, he goes straight for the heart (Mk 7:14-15; Ps51:10) and the mind (Ro12:1-2). Dikaiosune characterizes a life or lifestyle in conformity to justice, law and/or morality as ordained by God. 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. Practically speaking, believers need to imitate Jesus' example of gentleness (cf 1 Cor 11:1) and the only way we can manifest gentleness like He being enabled by the Holy Spirit. (Exploring James), Guzik -James points to the ultimate impossibility of such a contradiction. 4:23). James gave us another word picture about words when he said, The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It would be a great pity to stir up impure minds. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary James). But peace has the power to break out anywhere. Kalosis good with emphasis on that which is beautiful, excellent, commendable, admirable. What does it mean that humanity is made in the image of God (imago dei)? One writer has "claiming to be wise when in truth one is foolish" and another"your profession therefore is a lie." Wisdom is knowing when to speak your mind and when to mind your speech. I am more deadly than the screaming shell from the howitzer. Already in the Antiquity James' epistle needed quite some time to be generally accepted. In short,the entire unrighteous world system can find expression through the tongue. As a pastor, I have seen poisonous tongues do great damage to individuals, families, classes, and entire churches. "The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is as a flowing brook" (Proverbs 18:4). As we listen to His training, learn from our mistakes, and depend on His power, well grow and change. This first vice usually accompanies the second: selfish ambition. So, in 1955, the Guinness brewing company decided that an official record was needed to pacify its customers. Zodhiates. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. Counselors tell us to listen to each other. It is secular, not spiritual. A bitter word may hate instill; MacArthur -Hell is Satan's place, prepared for him and his demons (Matt. However, Sidis lived the remainder of his life quietly in a series of obscure mechanical jobs. But James said the root problem is bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts (3:14), which stems from pride. For I cannot think that you speak these things of ill-will, but because it is even so as you say. 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. When this is sown, still in peace, it produces righteousness again, wherein is the further fruitage; and so ever on. All the conflicts, crimes, battles, and wars of the world are evidence of the devastation caused by human wisdom. He will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say. James Bible Commentaries Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible James 3 Genesis Intro James Genesis Intro Genesis Intro James Genesis Intro Copyright Statement These files are public domain. Booker T Washington, Psalm 64:3 Who whet their tongues like a sword and have aimed the arrows, even bitter words, that they may shoot in secret at the innocent. Regrettably, out of the same mouth that blesses can come words of cursing. It is pure, peaceable, and gentle. (Ibid). When I became a Christian as a young teenager, I remember watching closely the men of our church. NLT James 3:9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. Benjamin Franklin, If I speak what is false, I must answer for it; if truth, it will answer for me. In this series, Dr. R.C. Reprinted by permission. When James spoke of the wisdom that is from above, he described it as pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy (James 3:17). It is followed by obedience to Gods Word. 2. So James is addressing this to believers, those who had the Holy Spirit Who Alone could enable them to bring forth words of blessing and not words of cursing. The rich rejoice that they have discovered the emptiness of material wealth, and the poor rejoice that they have discovered eternal riches. Sinclair Ferguson, True wisdom is always humble. ~ You don't know all the details, but to have something to talk about, you fill in your own. Steven Cole aptly observes that "God is merciful to us in spite of the fact that our problems usually stem from our own sin and rebellion. James 3:3-6 James minces no words when he describes the power of the tongue. When actions and words agree, the message is loud and clear. Let us, then, each morning, resolve to send the day into eternity in such a garb as we shall wish it to wear forever. Anon. Of course the way to accomplish this unnatural response is by continual reliance on the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit (See Tongue Control). NJB James 3:15 this is not the wisdom that comes from above, but earthly, human and devilish. James almost seems to paint himself into a corner (so to speak). Esther Its good to ask from time to time: Am I growing in wisdom? After all, life is relentlessly dynamic. Sproul elaborates on this epistle's view of the person and work of Jesus Christ, the importance of dealing with afflictions from the st Iosis used in the NT to meanpoisonorvenom. Confess that your bitterness is a sin that is keeping you miserably distant from God. (cf Gal 6:7-10+). But if I refuse to listen and pray instead, the water of the Spirit douses the fire of hell, and the conversation dies. 35:20; Ps. It is that ultimate self-elevation rampant in the world today which is the antithesis of what the gentle, humble, selfless, giving, loving, and obedient child of God is called to be in Christ and only possible in the power of His Spirit. (Pause for Power). We should not try to control our tongue with our own strength; we should rely on the Holy Spirit (ED: SEE TONGUE CONTROL). Friberg says sophos generally describes "acquired intelligence characterized by the ability to use knowledge for correct behavior (1Cor 6:5)." KJV James 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 12:3; Song5:4; Obad. It is both the knowledge and practice of it. Douglas Moo says that epieikes indicates a willingness to yield to others and a corresponding unwillingness to exact strict claims. It is a quality that Jesus possessed (2 Cor. James 2 continues the theme of maturity presented at the beginning of the book. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. According to researchers who recently examined parts recovered from the wreck, impure rivets made of wrought iron rather than steel caused the ships hull to open like a zipper. Matthew 12:36. 10:22; Ezek. James begins this section by asking a rhetorical question: Who is wise and understanding among you? (v. 13). Beloved, as an alien and stranger (short timer) on earth, you need to change your intake from earthly to heavenly, from the temporal to the eternal. Ought not - Greek uses the strongest negative to modify chre(ou chre) signifying that this absolutely ought not to be this way. Speciesrace(5449)(phusisfromphuo= to bring forth) means natural condition, nature, natural order, being, essence, kind, species. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of ones life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell (James 3:6). Its a battle worth waging.ByDennis J. DeHaan(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Scripture speaks of believers blessing with theirtongue and not cursing. He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. Job recognized the capability of words to destroy when he exclaimed to his friends, "How forceful are right words!" It is honest; it never pretends to be what it is not; and it never acts a part to gain its own ends." Zephaniah The tongue that blessed the Father, and then turns around and curses men made in God's image, is in desperate need of spiritual medicine! Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. (James 3 Commentary), Robert Johnstone on full of good fruits-Heavenly wisdom is full of good fruits: it abounds with them; and hence, whenever it is present, you cannot fail to find them; or, if you do fail, the wisdom must be miserably stunted and blighted by the influence of worldliness. How, then, can I best honor God and help others? We must ask God for the wisdom to know when to speak, what to speak, and when to simply keep our mouths shut. The church gets run by worldly management techniques, evangelism gets watered down by a half gospel that avoids the harsh reality of human depravity in order to avoid offending someone, and counseling gets corrupted by secular psychology. The Lord Jesus said that what is in the heart will come up through the mouth; you can be sure your tongue is going to say it. - The rhetorical question expects a strong negative reply. No one can take from us the gifts that God gives us. Help me evaluate each thought Geologists had given the project a favorable report, but there was still some risk. 1:17). James 3:18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue(damazo) him. All rights reserved), Lord, cleanse our hearts so what we speak Do we want to put an end to the evil that so easily rises within us? Instead of failing in business, as he had at one time feared, he became the richest merchant of his country. YLT James 3:7 For every nature, both of beasts and of fowls, both of creeping things and things of the sea, is subdued, and hath been subdued, by the human nature. Not tending to cause divisions or factions within a group. BBE James 3:8 But the tongue may not be controlled by man; it is an unresting evil, it is full of the poison of death. The tongue is contained in a cage of teeth and lips, but it still escapes. Reprinted by permission. Reprinted by permission. Life Application Study Bible -James compares the damage the tongue can do to a raging fire.Idle and hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once they are spoken. NLT James 3:14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. James says wisdom is reasonable; flexible; forgiving; peaceful; caring; given to friendly visits, small acts of courtesy, and kind words. "In the lips of him that hath discernment wisdom is found" (Proverbs 10:13). It promotes "right relationships between man and man, and between man and God." James points us towards having the Spirit of God, working through the new man, set directing hands on the reins and rudder that is our tongue. Spurgeon's Bible Commentary James 4 James 4:1-17 1 From whence come wars and fightingsa among you? Choose Book of Bible to Study As James continually emphasizes, the person who professes to be a Christian must prove it by his works, his daily living. "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride" (Proverbs 14:3). . Be arrogant(2620)(Katakauchaomaifromkata= against +kauchaomai= to boast) means to boast against. But as they worked on their paintings and a woodcarving of the Last Supper, one of the POWs later recalled, A spontaneous stream of good feelings began almost at once to flow among us. No one spoke of the war or the past because we were here for a work of peace and love.. Pikros is used here to describe jealousy as bitter. 1:6; Zeph. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy (v.17). The -az ending in the verb indicates action and causation, hence to make tame, to get control over, to subdue., Liddell-Scott -I. of animals, to tame, break in, to bring under the yoke: Med. Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist- Amplified - "For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition).". (Gal 5:24+, Gal 5:16+)The tongue does not have a life of its own, even though James uses the figure of speech of personification to describe its activities. There are women who will speak sweet and gracious words at a religious meeting and then go outside and murder someone's reputation with a malicious gossiping tongue. Do we feel burdened when others fail, or are we glad? KJV James 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? "Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father" (Proverbs 29:3). Each captain was aware of the other ships presence and both could have taken evasive action to avert the collision. then am I in this man greatly deceived. There is a kind of depraved wisdom which seduces men and women away from their loyalty to God. Human and devilish wisdom is knowing when to mind your speech, greeting something to talk,... Most people today have never heard of John Gill are the peacemakers, for out of the other ships and. To GROW TALLER THROUGH TESTING church as C. H. 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