James 3:1 "My brethren, [adelphoi {ad-el-fos'} = from the same womb, a brother, one of the same nation or nature, one of equal rank and dignity, a member of the Christian community ] be not many [ polloi {pol-oos'} = much, many, largely, often, mostly, abundant ] masters, [ didaskaloi {did-as'-kal-os} = an instructor, teacher; one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man (i.e., in the church) ] knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." [ krima {kree'-mah} = an adverse sentence, condemnation, judgment, judicial sentence]

     James now moves into another area that is a problem for most people; controlling their tongues. In verse 1, James doesn't say anything about the tongue, but it is implied by the context of this passage. There is no doubt to whom James is speaking, because he addresses them as "My brethren."

     There may have been a "problem with new converts wanting to teach" and that is why James addresses the issue here in verse one. James basically is telling Christians not to be in a hurry to become a teacher, because "teachers are held to a higher standard than other Christians". God isn't going to let a teacher get away with playing games with His Word. James says they will receive a more severe judgment because of their influence and responsibility.

     The knowledge that a leader will give an account to God should greatly affect an individual's decision to enter into that position. In addition, the church body should understand that their leaders must give an account to God, and be more willing to obey and submit to their leadership.

John MacArthur, Jr., states:

     "All men are accountable to God for profession without practice; yet certain ones by virtue of their office are responsible at the highest level of divine accountability for prescription without practice."

James 3:2 "For in many things we offend [ ptaiomen {ptah'-yo} = to cause to stumble, to stumble, stagger, fall, to make a false step, err, offend, transgress ] all. If any man offend not in word, [ logo {log'-os} = the act of speaking, speech, discourse; of the sayings of God ] the same is a perfect [teleios {tel'-i-os} = perfect in some point of character, without shortcoming in respect of a certain standard, one who has reached the proper height of virtue and integrity, maturity, completeness ] man, and able also to bridle the whole body."

     James now is addressing not only teachers, but all Christians. He tells us in verse 2, that we all have weaknesses, and as a result we fail God in various ways (i.e., sin). One of the biggest areas that we sin is with our tongues (words from our mouths). The Bible condemns various sins of the tongue: "deceit, lying, corrupt or filthy talk, anger, flattery, slander, gossip, backbiting, blasphemy, and boasting". The tongue is definitely the most difficult part of the body to control, and this is why James says that anyone who can control it is able to bridle the whole body.

     We are told that this person is "perfect," that is, they are a "mature Christian". King David spoke of the tongue in the same way in Psalms:

Psalm 39:1 "...I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me."

Lawrence Richards states:

     "The tongue is the first challenge for faith. It's so easy for us to slip and to criticize or say something cutting about our brother. It's so tempting to gossip. The person who has his or her tongue under control has definitely matured in the life of faith."

James 3:3 "Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body."

James 3:4 "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 [ opou {op'-oo} = where, in which place, in what place, i.e. whithersoever ] the governor [ euthunontos {yoo-thoo'-no} = to guide straight, to direct, guide, steer a ship ] listeth." [ bouletai {boo'-lom-ahee} = to be willing, disposed, to choose, to will, decree, appoint ]

James 3:5a "Even so the tongue [ glossa {gloce'-sah} = the tongue, a member of the body, the organ of speech ] is a little member, and boasteth great things."

     In verses 3 through 5a, James gives us some illustrations of how small things can have great influences. The first illustration of this is about a "horse's bit". When you place a bit in a horse's mouth, you are able to control the whole horse. This means a person that weights less than a 100 pounds can control a 1,500 to 2,600-pound animal that can run up to 40 miles per hour with just a small piece of metal that is placed in its mouth.

     Likewise in verse 4, James tells us that a small rudder on a ship can control the direction of a very large ship even in the midst of a storm. The largest ships in this world today are still controlled by a small rudder.

     In verse 5a, James makes his point; just as these other small things can control things that are hundreds of times larger, so it is with the tongue. A tongue may be small, but it greatly affects our whole life. The ancient philosopher Zeno once said, "We have two ears and one mouth, therefore we should listen twice as much as we speak." A small tongue greatly influences our lives for good or bad, therefore be careful how you use it.

C. The Destructive Power Of The Tongue (3:5b-8)

James 3:5b "Behold, how great a matter [ ulen {oo-lay'} = fire wood, a forest, a mass of fuel ] a little fire kindleth!" [ anaptei {an-ap'-to} = to light, kindle, set on fire ]

     In verse 5b, James describes the destructive power of the tongue. We are told that the tongue is like a flame that can set things on fire. The Bible tells us that our words can set everything around us ablaze:

Proverbs 16:27 "An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire."

Proverbs 26:20-21 "Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife"

     Careless words spoken can spread a destructive fire that will consume and destroy everything in its path. When I was growing up there was a public service commercial with "Smokey the Bear." He would stand there and say, "only you can prevent forest fires!" The point of the commercial was that it only took a careless spark to set the whole forest on fire. This is what James is trying to tell us here, be careful with the sparks that your tongue sends out or you'll start fire that can't be put out. William Barclay gives us this word of advise:

     "It is when the mind controls every word and emotion, and when the mind is itself controlled by Christ, that life is safe"

James 3:6 "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: [ adikias {ad-ee-kee'-ah} = unrighteousness, wickedness, injustice; here it has reference to the sins of the tongue ] so is the tongue among our members, [ melesin {mel'-os} = of uncert. affin.; member, limb, any part of the body ] that it defileth [ spilousa {spee-lo'-o} = to spot, soil, to contaminate, defile ] the whole body, and setteth on fire the course [trochon {trokh-os'} = anything orbicular, a wheel, drift, course; the wheel or the sphere of earthly life ] of nature; [ geneseos {ghen'-es-is} = life, existence ] and it is set on fire of hell." [geennes {gheh'-en-nah} = valley of (the son of) Hinnom; the symbol of the ever-burning fire to show the fate that awaits the ungodly; the fire that we start with our tongues has been borrowed from hell ]

     In verse 6, we are told that all the evil of the world can be wrapped up in the little piece of flesh that we call the tongue. Not only that, but the way we use our tongue affects our entire personality ("defileth the whole body"). Jesus said that it wasn't what went into the mouth that defiles us, but what comes out of our mouths (Matt.15:11).

     According to A.T. Robertson the phrase "The course of nature" speaks of the course of life, from birth to death.

Marvin R. Vincent also states that:

     "In every New Testament passage where it occurs [i.e., the phrase, "the course of nature"] , we may give it the preference here and render "the wheel of birth," the wheel which is set in motion at birth and runs on to the close of life. It is thus a figurative description of human life"

     Therefore, James seems to be saying in this verse that the tongue sets the whole realm of one's life on fire from birth to death. This would include not only yourself, but everyone that you talk to.

     Finally at the end of this verse James traces the destructive nature of the tongue back to its source; "HELL". The word "hell" comes from the Hebrew word, "ge hinnom." (above it is shown in Greek)

     This is a reference to the valley of Hinnom that runs on the south and east sides of Jerusalem. Infants were sacrificed in fire to the god Molech (2 Kings 16:3; 17:7; 21:6). Jeremiah said that the valley would be a place of God's judgement (Jer.7:32; 19:6). By the time of Christ it became a place where the city's garbage, dead animals, and the dead bodies of criminals were burned. There was a continuous fire that burnt there all the time, and it became synonymous with eternal punishment.

     This was the symbol that Christ used in Mark 9:48 of the ever-burning fire that awaits the ungodly. Thus, James point is clear; an untamed tongue burns lives with a continuous fire that began in hell.

James 3:7 "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:"

James 3:8 "But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly [ akatastaton {ak-at-as'-khet-os} = not coercible, irrestrainable, untamable, unruly ] evil, [ kakon {kak-os'} = an evil, that which injures destructive, troublesome ] full of deadly poison."

     In verses 7 and 8, James tells us while man can tame every kind of creature found on the earth, in the sea, and in the sky they still are not able to tame their own tongues. Kenneth Wuest translates the last part of this verse:

     "But the tongue no one in the human race is able to control. It is a restless, unstable evil, full of lethal poison"

     The uncontrolled tongue is like a wild beast that cannot be trusted, and whose bite is deadly.  King David also spoke of the poison of the tongue in Psalm 140:3, "They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips." Be careful what you say, it may bite somebody!

D. The Revealing Power Of The Tongue (3:9-12)

James 3:9 "Therewith bless [ eulogoumen {yoo-log-eh'-o} = to praise, celebrate with praises ] we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude [ omoiosin) {hom-oy'-o-sis} = assimilation, resemblance, likeness ] of God."

James 3:10 "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be."

     In verses 9 and 10, James points out the inconsistencies of how we use our tongues. We are told that our tongues are capable of blessing God and cursing men (with evil intentions) at the same time. "Since man is made in the image (likeness) of God, when we speak evil of someone we in essence are cursing God too."

Matthew Henry's statement on these verses strike at the heart of James' message:

     "How absurd is it that those who use their tongues in prayer and praise should ever use them in cursing, slandering, and the like! If we bless God as our Father, it should teach us to speak well of, and kindly to, all who bear his image"

James 3:11 "Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?"

James 3:12 "Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh."

     In verses 11 and 12, James illustrates his point with two examples. The first is that of a fountain. James asks if a fountain that springs up from the ground is able to provide both fresh water and salt water at the same time? The answer is NO! James' second illustration is a fruit tree. Again James asks if a fig tree can produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? Again, the obvious answer is NO! James' point is, since nature is consistent in its actions, Christians should also be consistent with their tongues.

H. L. Willmington puts it this way:

     "Christians should so live that he would not hesitate to sell his talking parrot to the town gossip!""

     James' illustrations demonstrate that there is something wrong with a Christian's heart when their tongue produces inconsistent fruit.

VII. Two Types Of Wisdom: 3:13-18

A. The Outward Evidence Of Wisdom (3:13)

James 3:13 "Who is a wise [ sophos {sof-os'} = wise, furnished with Christian wisdom, spiritually enlightened ] man and endued with knowledge [ epistemon {ep-ee-stay'-mone} = knowing, discreet, intelligent, experienced; one having the knowledge of an expert ] among you? let him shew out [ deixato {dike-noo'-o} = to demonstrate, to prove, to give the evidence or proof of a thing ] of a good [ kales {kal-os'} = beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life (hence praiseworthy), morally good, noble ] conversation [ anastrophes {an-as-trof-ay'} = manner of life, behavior, conduct, "walk" ] his works [ erga {er'-gon} = the conduct of man measured by the standard of religion (faith) and righteousness ] with meekness of wisdom." [ sophias {sof-ee'-ah} = Christian enlightenment, the knowledge and practice of the requisites for godly and upright living ]

     In verse 13 James uses two words to catch our attention; "knowledge," and "wisdom." "Knowledge" carries the meaning of a person having the knowledge of an expert, and "wisdom" has to do with the knowledge and practice that is required for godly living. Warren Wiersbe puts it this way, "Knowledge enables us to take things apart, but wisdom enables us to put things together and relate God's truth to daily life."

     What James is telling us here is this; the proof of wisdom in a person's life is shown when control is gained in their lives, and it comes out in a gentleness of wisdom when dealing with people. If our hearts are right with God, then He can use our words to produce the right kind of fruit in our lives.

Proverbs 16:32 "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

Proverbs 3:13 "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding."

B. The Wisdom From Below (3:14-16)

James 3:14 "But if ye have bitter envying [ zelon {dzay'-los} = envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy ] and strife [ eritheian {er-ith-i'-ah} = contentious disposition, to put one's self forward, a partisan and factious spirit ] in your hearts, [kardia {kar-dee'-ah} = the heart, as the seat of feeling, impulse, affection, desire ] glory [ katakauchasthe {kat-ak-ow-khah'-om-ahee} = to glory against, to exult over, to boast one's self to the injury of a person or a thing ] not, and lie not against the truth."

     In verse 14, James gives us a couple of characteristics of the wisdom that doesn't come from God. First, James mentions "bitter envying," which refers to an envy or jealousy that leads to anger and resentment. People with this type of wisdom react with resentment to anyone who threatens their abilities or accomplishments. This person may be intelligent, talented, and gifted but they resent anyone who threatens their territory.

     The second characteristic is "strife," which refers to a selfish ambition that creates rivalry, antagonism or divisiveness. This person will seek to reach their own personal objectives no matter what harm they do to others. James tells us that if we have bitter jealousy, don't be arrogant against the truth, and don't reject the facts! Such boasting is empty and denies the truth that the man who is truly wise is humble.

James 3:15 "his wisdom [ sophia {sof-ee'-ah} = in contrast to spiritual wisdom and practice of the requisites for godly and upright living; i.e., worldly wisdom ] descendeth not from above, but is earthly, [ epigeios {ep-ig'-i-os} = worldly, earthly; the wisdom of man (liable to error and misleading ] sensual, [ psuchike {psoo-khee-kos'} = occupied with mere animal things, sensual; a wisdom in harmony with corrupt desires and affections and springing from them ] devilish." [ daimoniodes {dahee-mon-ee-o'-dace} = pertaining to or proceeding from demons, demoniacal, devilish ]

     In verse 15, we are told what the source is for the wisdom that comes from below. James describes worldly wisdom as "earthly," "sensual," and "devilish."

     "Earthly" describes the wisdom that comes from man; "sensual" describes a wisdom that has corrupt desires and affections; and "devilish" describes a wisdom which originates from Satan which produces bitterness, envy, strife, and arrogance. Worldly wisdom is subjective (sensual, depending on human feelings, impulses and desires), whereas godly wisdom is objective (based upon God's written word and the Holy Spirit). The Apostle Paul warns us about worldly wisdom in I Corinthians:

I Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

James 3:16 "For where envying [ zelos {dzay'-los} = envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy ] and strife [ eritheia {er-ith-i'-ah} = untowardness, disobedience, to put one's self forward, a partisan and factious spirit ] is, there is confusion [ akatastasia {ak-at-as-tah-see'-ah} = instability, an unsettled state, disorder, inconstant, unquiet, turbulent ] and every evil work." [pragma {prag'-mah: n, nom, neut, sg}; a thing done, fact, deed, work, transaction ]

     In verse 16 we see the results of wisdom from below ( called "envy" and "strife" here). First there is "confusion" which refers to instability or disorder.

     Do you want to know who in your church is using worldly wisdom? Then watch to see whose wisdom is producing instability and disorder in the church. It's that simple! Wisdom from below will bring a state of chaos and then "every evil work." William Barclay describes this individual as:

     "A kind of person who is undoubtedly clever; he has an acute brain and a skillful tongue; but his effect in any committee, in any Church, in any group, is to cause trouble, to drive people apart, to foment strife, to make trouble, to disturb personal relationships""

     We're back to producing fruit again. A good fruit tree produces good fruit, and a bad fruit tree produces bad fruit. Christians need to be vigilant so as not to allow bad seed to take root.

C. The Wisdom From Above (3:17-18)

James 3:17 "But the wisdom [ sophia {sof-ee'-ah} = Christian enlightenment, the knowledge and practice of the requisites for godly and upright living ] that is from above is first pure [ agne {hag-nos'} = pure from every fault, immaculate ] , then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, [ eupeithes {yoo-pi-thace'} = easily persuaded, compliant ] full of mercy [ eleous {el'-eh-os} = mercy, kindness or good will towards the miserable and afflicted (joined with a desire to relieve them) ] and good fruits, [ karpon {kar-pos'} = fruit; used of men's deeds as exponents of their hearts ] without partiality, [ adiakritos {ad-ee-ak-'ree-tos} = undistinguished, without partiality, without dubiousness, ambiguity, or uncertainty; without variance ] and without hypocrisy."

In verse 17 we are given seven characteristics of the wisdom from above:

1. It's "pure" or "transparent," there is nothing hidden because God doesn't hide His wisdom;

2. It's "peaceable," it brings peace and not division;

3. It's "gentle," it is fair;

4. It's "easy to be intreated," it is reasonable and doesn't always have to have its own way (this has to do with the thinking process);

5. It's "full of mercy," it is compassionate for those who are hurting or suffering;

6. It's "full..of good works," it produces good fruit consistently; and

7. It's "without hypocrisy," it doesn't show any partiality or hypocrisy. God's wisdom is not just good for you, but it's good for others also.

James 3:18 "And the fruit of righteousness [ dikaiosunes {dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay} = integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking and feeling and acting ] is sown in peace [ eirene {i-ray'-nay} = a peaceful mind, where harmony prevails, peace, quietness, rest ] of them that make peace."

     In this closing verse, James summarizes the effects of wisdom from above. We are told that wisdom from above produces an atmosphere of peace and unity, which produces a harvest of righteousness. The reason why most churches are not growing in peace is because they are not providing a righteousness atmosphere, but instead they allow an atmosphere of envy, strife, and selfish ambition in which nothing good can grow.

     James tells us that if a person claims to be a Christian, then he must behave like a Christian. When he does that, then he will demonstrate the wisdom from above. How do we get the right kind of wisdom?

James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

     If you have not already done so, please consider trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. For more information on Salvation Click Here to view "How can I get to Heaven?"

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