James 3:1-18
1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.a
2 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 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
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 the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matterb a little fire kindleth!
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 coursec of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kindd of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same placee sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 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.
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,f devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusiong and every evil work.
17 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,h and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
The writer now proceeded to show the effect of faith on speech. Beginning with the warning against every man setting up to teach, he proceeded to deal with the power of speech. He likened the tongue to the bit in the mouth of a horse, and to the helm of a ship. Surely a contrast between the tongue set on fire by hell and the tongue of fire is suggested. Speech ever waits for inspiration, and such inspiration comes from the depths of evil or from the Spirit of the living God. Follows a contrast between the wisdom which is described as being "earthly,
animal, devilish," and the true wisdom in which the deepest fact is purity. The resulting purity is the character described as "peaceable," that is, desiring peace; "gentle," that is, forbearing; "easy to be entreated," that is, amenable to reason; "full of mercy," that is, capable of forgiving; and "full of good fruits," that is, actually engaged in kindness; "without variance," that is, consistent in the sense of being even and regular in tone and temper; "without hypocrisy," that is, without deceit or acting a part. Evil wisdom produces tempest and conflict, strife and malice. The wisdom from above has the manifestations of calm and certainty, of quietness and love.
The closing words, "the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace," suggest the propagative power of peace. All this teaching shows the effect of faith on that natural character from which speech springs, and therefore it reveals the effect of faith on speech itself.