1. Outline: 1. The Use And Misuse Of The Tongue: James 3:1-12 2. Earthly And Heavenly Wisdom: James 3:13-18 1. Introductory Comments: From this chapter we will learn that words also fit into the category of works. In fact, evil words can at times wreck more havoc than some evil deeds. Barclay not... [ Continue Reading ]
"Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur. stricter judgment"."Let not many of you" -"The verb 'be not'…a present middle imperative…signifies 'stop becoming many teachers'(Woods p. 154)."become teachers" -"Like so many aspects of life that provide great a... [ Continue Reading ]
"For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is. perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well."For" -The second reason for viewing the teachers role most seriously, is that no teacher is faultless. Even inspired teachers could set the wrong example or fail t... [ Continue Reading ]
ILLUSTRATIONS James 3:3 "Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, we direct their entire body as well"."bits into the horses' mouths" -"In both illustrations the analogy is between the small size of the controlling device and the much larger entity that it controls…Al... [ Continue Reading ]
"Behold, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by. very small rudder, wherever the inclination of the pilot desires."Behold" -There is valuable lesson here to be learned, "as. call to closer attention, consideration and contemplation, remember, c... [ Continue Reading ]
DANGERS OF THE TONGUE James 3:5 "So also the tongue is. small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. Behold, how great. forest is set aflame by such. small fire!"So also the tongue" -Small, but very powerful and influential, just like. bit or. rudder. "yet it boasts of great things" -... [ Continue Reading ]
"And the tongue is. fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defies the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell"."the tongue is. fire" -That is, when misused, the tongue is, "his words are as. scorching fire" (Prover... [ Continue Reading ]
"For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the human race"every species" -Note that James doesn't lump all animals into the same category. He realizes that the animals fit into various classifications or categories."is tamed, and has... [ Continue Reading ]
"But no one can tame the tongue; it is. restless evil and fully of deadly poison."no one can tame the tongue" -"A literal translation of the Greek word order yields this rendering: "But the tongue no one is able to subdue-of men"…implying that there is one who can control the tongue…No one can subdu... [ Continue Reading ]
"With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God";"bless" -to speak well of, praise, extol. "John Bunyan tells us of Talkative: 'He is. saint abroad and. devil at home'. Many. man speaks with perfect courtesy to strangers and even preaches lo... [ Continue Reading ]
"from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way."from the same mouth" -Which reveals something is seriously wrong with. heart that pours out both blessings and curses. The mixture of cursing with blessing proves the unreality or insincerity of... [ Continue Reading ]
ILLUSTRATIONS Let the reader be impressed with the type of illustrations which James presents to illustrate the previous point. They are very simple, easy to understand, and within the knowledge of most people. God isn't trying to keep us from understanding His word, rather He is doing everything H... [ Continue Reading ]
"Can. fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or. vine produce figs? Neither can salt water produce fresh." Once again God selects illustrations that everyone can follow. "From the plant life James mentions three of the commonest agricultural products native to his part of the world-the fig tree, th... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHALLENGE TO LIVE WISELY At this point it appears that James goes back to James 3:1 and admonishes the teacher or the person who wants to be. teacher to live up to what they believe, to practice the wisdom they are imparting to others. In addition, the connection is also that. misuse of the ton... [ Continue Reading ]
"But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth."But if you have" -Which infers that. Christian could fall into this trap."bitter jealousy" -"habour envy" (TCNT).. harsh, embittered envy and contentious rivalry. "Apparently some in... [ Continue Reading ]
EARTHLY AND HEAVENLY WISDOM James 3:15 "This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic." "This wisdom" -That is the wisdom that some among James's readers were manifesting. The wisdom that included arrogance, bitter envy and selfish ambition. James makes it ver... [ Continue Reading ]
"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing." "there is" -and not, there might be or could be. One cannot practice such earthly wisdom without harming self, loved ones and others."disorder" -"instability,. state of disorder, disturbance" (Thayer p. 21); "un... [ Continue Reading ]
"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy"."But the wisdom from above" -Such wisdom cannot be found outside of. relationship with God. People try to be all the following things without God, but all such... [ Continue Reading ]
"And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace". "the seed whose fruit is righteousness" -the seed that produces righteousness. The fruit which consists of righteousness includes the wonderful qualities mentioned in the previous verse. "Righteousness" is integrit... [ Continue Reading ]