James 3:1-18
James 3:1-18 form a self-contained section; the subject dealt with is the bridling of the tongue, see above James 1:19; James 1:26-27.... [ Continue Reading ]
James 3:1-18 form a self-contained section; the subject dealt with is the bridling of the tongue, see above James 1:19; James 1:26-27.... [ Continue Reading ]
Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε : the Peshiṭtâ reads: “Let there not be many teachers among you”; both the Greek version, which implies that the “teachers” belonged to the congregation of the faithful, as well as the Syriac, which implies that “teachers” from outside were welcomed, _cf._ Pseud-Clem., _... [ Continue Reading ]
πταίομεν : see note above on this word James 2:10. εἴ τις ἐν λογῳ οὐ πταίει : _Cf._ Sir 19:16, τίς οὐχ ἥμαρτεν ἐν τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ; τέλειος : see note on James 1:4. ἀνήρ : see note on James 1:12. χαλιναγωγῆσαι : see note on James 1:26. καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα : it is quite possible that these words are mean... [ Continue Reading ]
εἰ δὲ : this is the best attested reading, but see Mayor's admirable note in favour of the reading ἴδε γάρ. τῶν ἵππων : “The genitive is here put in an emphatic place to mark the comparison. It belongs both to χαλινούς and to στόματα, probably more to the former as distinguishing it from the human b... [ Continue Reading ]
τηλικαῦτα : _Cf._ 2 Corinthians 1:10; Hebrews 2:3; Revelation 16:18, the only other N.T. passages in which the word occurs. πηδαλίου : only elsewhere in N.T. in Acts 27:40. ὁρμή : only elsewhere in the N.T. in Acts 14:5, used there, however, in the sense of a rush of people. The graphic picture in t... [ Continue Reading ]
ἡ γλῶσσα …; For this idea of the independent action of a member of the body taken as though personality were attached to it see Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 15:19; it is quite in the Hebrew style, _cf._ in the O.T. the same thing in connection with anthropomorphic expressions. Moffatt (_Expository Times... [ Continue Reading ]
See critical note above for suggested differences in punctuation. καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ : this metaphor was familiar to Jews, see Proverbs 16:27, … _And in his lips there is as a scorching fire_; the whole of the passage Sir 28:8-3 is very _à propos_, especially James 3:11, ἔρις κατασπευδομένη ἐκκαίει πῦ... [ Continue Reading ]
These verses, are, of course, not to be taken literally; their exaggerative character rather reminds one of the orator carried away by his subject. But it must be remembered that to the Oriental the language of exaggeration is quite normal. Moreover, this enumeration of various classes of animals wa... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν αὐτῇ : this is Hebrew usage, _cf._ εἰ πατάξομεν ἐν μαχαίρῃ, Luke 22:49; ἀποκτεῖναι ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ, Revelation 6:8. εὐλογοῦμεν : this use is Hellenistic. Both in speaking and writing the Jews always added the words ברו־ הוא (“Blessed [be] He”) after the name of God; _cf._ Mark 14:61, where ὁ εὐλογητός... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ στόματος : This incongruity is often rebuked in Jewish literature; it was the more needed because in earlier days it was not regarded as reprehensible, _cf._ Proverbs 11:26; Proverbs 24:24; Proverbs 26:2; Proverbs 30:10, etc. εὐλογία καὶ κατάρα : this does not imply a combination of ble... [ Continue Reading ]
μήτι ἡ πηγὴ … τὸ πικρόν : these words show that the writer is thinking of the real source whence both good and evil words come; _cf._ Matthew 12:34-35 : _Ye offspring of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh …; cf_. ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑ... [ Continue Reading ]
With the whole verse _cf._ Matthew 7:16-17; for the use of ποιεῖν see Matthew 3:10, πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπόν …; ἁλυκόν does not occur elsewhere in the N.T. or Septuagint, though in Numbers 3:12; Deuteronomy 3:17, etc., we have the phrase ἡ θάλασσα ἡ ἁλυκή = the Dead Sea. “There is great harshnes... [ Continue Reading ]
Τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων ἐν ὑμῖν : The writer's appeal to the self-respect of his hearers. σοφός and ἐπιστήμων (the latter does not occur elsewhere in the N.T.) are connected in Deuteronomy 1:13, where in reference to judges it is said, δότε αὐτοῖς ἄνδρας σοφοὺς καὶ ἐπιστήμονας καὶ συνετούς, _cf._ De... [ Continue Reading ]
εἰ δὲ ζῆλον πικρὸν ἔχετε καὶ ἐριθείαν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν : This makes it quite clear that what has been referred to all along is controversial strife; the bitter use of the tongue which the writer has been reprobating is the personal abuse which had been heaped upon one another by the partisans of ri... [ Continue Reading ]
οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη : The wisdom referred to, acute argumentl subtle distinctions, clever controversia, methods which took small account of truth so long as a temporary point was gained, skilful dialectics, bitter sarcasms, the more enjoyed and triumphed in if the poisonous sha... [ Continue Reading ]
πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα : this sums up the matter; _cf._ John 3:20, πᾶς γὰρ ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ τὸ φῶς, and with this one might compare again the words in our Epistle, James 1:17, πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ … ἄνωθέν ἐστιν καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία : the divine character of wisdom is beautifully expressed in Wis 7:25, ἀτμὶς γάρ ἐστιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως, καὶ ἀπόρροια τῆς τοῦ παντοκράτορος δόξης εἰλικρινής. ἁγνή : in Wis 9:10, the prayer is uttered that God would send forth wisdom “out of the holy heavens …”; of that which i... [ Continue Reading ]
The keynote of this verse is _peace_, as contrasted with the jealousy, faction and confusion mentioned above; peace and righteousness belong together, they are the result of true wisdom, the wisdom that is from above; on the other hand, strife and “every vile deed” belong together, and they are the... [ Continue Reading ]