After all is done, "yet ye have not.". Gentle(1933)(epieikesfromep= upon - intensifies meaning+eiks= fair, equitable) is a Greek word that is difficult to translate. 28:12; Dan. Natural wisdom is that when come from the mind of fallen, unredeemed men, and therefore is able to only reflect a totally humanistic viewpoint regarding the world and men. Matthew Henry, If nobody said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, what a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth! When the person is boastful, he wants to be glorified. From birth to the grave this fire in our mouths burns and destroys. Instead, he imagined what it must do for a church to put such unselfishness at the heart of everything it did! Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:15, 16) (Lectures Exegetical and Practical on the Epistle of James)(Bold added). The Israelites could have used this advice when Moses was leading them out of Egypt. NLT And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. Sad contrast between wild animals that can be tamedand mankind's wild tongue which cannot be tamed. only from You. For instance, using I instead of me or who instead of whom. Theres a proper way to use the language, and it makes me cringe when the standard is violated. Our motive for seeking wisdom or for using wisdom must always be to glorify God and to build up the person to whom we are speaking. Wuest translates psuchikosas "unspiritual" with this amplification - "having to do with the natural, physical existence as over against the spiritual world of the supernatural." Notice how James repeats these two negative markers of ungodly, worldly wisdom -Jealousy(seepreceding note on zelos) andSelfish ambition(see preceding note oneritheia). (1 Pe 3:9+), Curse(accursed) (2671)(katarafromkat= down, against [intensifies meaning] +ara= a curse) means a malediction (literally to speak evil), imprecation (calling down a curse) on these men. KJV 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: ESV James 3:7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind. Amazingly, God compares a seemingly harmless member of the human body to a ferocious beast like the Bengal: the tongue. But they dont know whether the emotion comes from love and concern or disdain and disrespect, so we risk misunderstanding. That proud old self must die. Through it we can accomplish great good. He would do anything to get people on his side. One of the hardest things for the Christian to do is to be truthful and honest in his showmanship, to let his tongue represent that which is in his heart. Matthew Henry :: Commentary on James 3 Chapter 3 The apostle here reproves ambition, and an arrogant magisterial tongue; and shows the duty and advantage of bridling it because of its power to do mischief. "To understand the words of the wise, and their dark sayings" (Proverbs 1:6). Jesus alluded to this principle in His Sermon on the Mount when he said, But let your statement be, Yes, yes or No, no; anything beyond these is of evil. COMMENTARY JAMES. 11:38). The usage in Philippians 2:10 reveals an expression used to encompass every aspect of creation, in heaven, and. The answer is the same way a believer is able to control their tongue -- it is by continually beingfilled with (controlled by) the Spirit (Eph 5:18+), continually walking by the Spirit (Gal 5:16+). (Eph 6:16+). Beware! Philippians A country merchant once visited New York. Luke Nor can salt water produce fresh - James gives another impossibility. Ios also meansrustas if emitted by metals (James 5:3 = "Your gold and your silver have rusted"), Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. But, as you know, brethren, in man, as he now is by nature, the spirit is darkened, perverted, and weakened; it is dethroned through sin; and only the enlightening and strengthening energy of Gods Spirit can enable our spirits to take their rightful dignity and rule. Francois Rochefoucauld, Wisdom is to the mind what health is to the body. Richards, Warren Wiersbe -MIXED MESSAGES YLT James 3:12 is a fig-tree able, my brethren, olives to make? I liked him well enough till I had read abler works and . Sper. (Col 1:9-14 is a great prayer to pray for others - my accountability partner prays it for me daily and I reciprocate. There are only twelve of them, but they work. He was the brother of the *apostle John. His house is as empty of religion as the white of an egg is of savor. J. "An evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips" (Proverbs 17:4). James 2 continues the theme of maturity presented at the beginning of the book. Society does the inventing and reinventing of words. Spurgeon's Bible Commentary James 4 James 4:1-17 1 From whence come wars and fightingsa among you? Have been made (ginomai) is in the perfect tense which speaks of a past completed act and ongoing effect. 10:9+; Rev. Reprinted by permission. Both captains were aware of the other ship's presence and could have taken evasive action to avert the collision. Reprinted by permission. Utley on selfish ambition -It refers to an egotistical, jealous ambitionmy way or no wayamong leaders. I have gathered together some close friends and asked them what not to say to your spouse. Geoffrey Grogan, It is better to get wisdom than gold. ." Those who profess religion ought especially to govern their tongues ( v. 1-12 ). By them will the reckoning be at the judgment. All rights reserved), Lord, set a watch upon my lips, All rights reserved). This is hypocrisy. Satan is smart and shrewd (Ge 3:1+). But one thing is certainthe Spirit of Christ is not found in a spirit of envy and self-serving competition. NIV James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Anon. Surely this man will make a very excellent pilgrim. The mother is now leading a crusade to promote child safety. (James 3:11). He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. To clean up what we say, 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. It is important to note, though, that James is distinguishing between two different types of wisdom: earthly and heavenly. Andin Ephesians 5:15-16+ we see that thewisewalk is a behavior thatredeems the time, "buying up" every (spiritual) opportunity presented by God (Eph 5:16+). The metaphorof speech (tongue) as fire is found in Proverbs Proverbs 16:27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. I do not ask for mighty words Why can't we all be like that wise old bird? (Pr 26:20) So if there is no"wood" (no gossip, put downs, derogatory statements, etc, made by others in your hearing), the tongue is not set on fire! "A false witness shall not be unpunished; And he that uttereth lies shall perish" (Proverbs 19:9). A cruel word may wreck a life. When a person is concerned about demoting others, understand he is also concerned with the promotion of himself. James 3 James 3 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. By:Anne Cetas(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. (Gal 5:17+). (James 3- IVP Commentary) (ED: See related discussion on"Tongue Control. In false wisdom, man is supreme. These two have an important relationship. Then, even if we do not tell them to try it, they may want to do so anyway. The bad behavior of Judah enhances the good behavior of Joseph (Gen. 38-39). (James 3:13-18 Wisdom for Harmonious Relationships). "Deceive not with thy lips" (Proverbs 24:28). Our first parents yielded to the temptation to sin, because they considered that the tree was to be desired to make one wise; (Ge 3:5,6+) and this was the wisdoma wisdom kindred to that of Satan, whose lie seduced themfull of envy and falsehood, moving ever in the atmosphere of selfishness and malignity. 3:15; 1 Ki. Can a grapevine produce figs? 2:18; Jas. James is saying, For harmonious relationships, behave with godly wisdom, not with worldly wisdom.In typical fashion, James sets his trap and then springs it! George Seevers, Wisdom is easy to him that will understand. (The Early Christian Letters for Everyone), In your heart (kardia- used in Jas. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! James 5. NRS James 3:16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. That's not a bad description of our tongue which is capable of such evil that it cannot be "calculated numerically!" see Ps 10:4) is full of curses and deceit and oppression. -- Richard W. De Haan(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Christ's attitude is for us to deal with our anger and frustration honestly and maturely but to use restraint in how we reveal these feelings to others. (Read Romans 12:3-8) Pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be cautioned and armed against it. More self-denial, like His in Galilee, But if I refuse to listen and pray instead, the water of the Spirit douses the fire of hell, and the conversation dies. Anon. What kind are you sowing? But the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. So, there is no room in their hearts to love others, nor for the gentleness of true wisdom. Amplified Does a fountain send forth [simultaneously] from the same opening fresh water and bitter? That tongue which addresses with reverence the divine Being cannot, without the greatest inconsistency, turn upon fellow-creatures with reviling brawling language. Believers should not only refrain from cursing but also bless those who curse and persecute them (Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14). (LAC), NOTE -The typical weekday Amidah actually consists of nineteen blessings, though it originally had eighteen (hence the alternative nameShemoneh Esreh, meaning "Eighteen"). Jesus was more than James' brother; more importantly, Jesus was his Lord. Moo adds that this person is "stable, trustworthy, transparentthe kind of person consistently displaying the virtues of wisdom and on whom one can rely for advice and counsel." We are to extend the mercy that we have received to other undeserving sinners." KJV James 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary). (Ibid), Hiebert -The importance of a spring of water would be assumed by all the readers familiar with conditions in dry Palestine. "Where there is no whisperer, contention ceaseth" (Proverbs 26:20). 32:17). Upon approaching its unsuspecting victim, it quickly chooses between two methods of capture. Hugh of St Victor, A sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use. He said, "The reason I am not a Christian today is because of an experience I had during the war." While this is possible, as noted above, these comments would be just a appropriatefor all believers, whether they are teacher or not. Paul therefore prayed for the church at Ephesus, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him" (Eph. 15:11; Eccl. Reasonable (only NT use; no uses in Septuagint)(2138)(eupeithesfrom eu = good, easiness + peitho = to persuade)means easily persuaded (but not gullible! NLT James 3:15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE ITS HISTORY AND WORK. The father bowed his head and led the children in the blessing. Now prove it to me by how you live!" He who comes from heaven is above all." The Industrial Court ruled in the case of a secretary who was fired because she sent e-mail from the office computer to several friends, griping about her superiors. These things ought not so to be; and, if such considerations were always at hand, surely they would not be. Words are like dynamite. YLT James 3:9 with it we do bless the God and Father, and with it we do curse the men made according to the similitude of God; NAB James 3:9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God. Sometimes we, ourselves, do not know what made us say such things. 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. Good judgment often requires that we perform counter-intuitive acts of unselfishness that reflect Jesus life in us. Louw-Nida - "pertaining to human, earthly activity(primarily in contrast with divine activity)." And bring reproach to Jesus' name. Do we feel burdened when others fail, or are we glad? And as James taught in James 3:14, both of these sinful attitudes are hidden in and originate from the heart. Henry Law, The next best thing to being wise is to live in a circle of those who are. How often in this age of immediate communication would even 24 minutes of wise restraint spare us embarrassment! The deceptive thing about a poison is that it works secretly and slowly, and then it kills. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable. The source of this wisdom, he pointed out, is evil. Commentary on James 3:1-12 Casey Thornburgh Sigmon For the last two weeks, the lectionary selections in James have highlighted the critical distance between the head and the heart, between the idea of Jesus and his radical care for the other and the actions born out of the idea once it roots in our soul. "The wise shall inherit glory" (Proverbs 3:35). Then your lives will be an example of the humility that is born of true wisdom. 7:26 = I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets; Isa. Instead of promoting harmony, this "wisdom" causes disruption and unruliness; instead of creating closer fellowship among the members, it destroys it. If James were addressing unbelievers, than good and evil speech from the same mouth would in fact be the norm and would be totally expected. YLT James 3:14 and if bitter zeal ye have, and rivalry in your heart, glory not, nor lie against the truth; NAB James 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. GWN James 3:13 Do any of you have wisdom and insight? But in addition to his sermons, he regularly reading a Bible passage before his message and gave a verse-by-verse exposition, rich in gospel insight and wisdom for the Christian life. (2)INSINUATING EVILS - You don't really know if this juicy little morsel is true or not, but it sure makes an exciting conversation. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. He tells us to be kind and compassionate instead of fault-finding and vindictive (Ephesians 4:31-32). Hiebert -The adjective "full" underlines that this heavenly wisdom is characterized by an abundant measure of mercy. But one man in our church did not set a good Christian example, and he caused me great confusion. Wisdom is the beauty of holiness. . Reprinted by permission. In the spiritual body, some are fitted for and called to one sort of work; others for another sort of work. In Proverbs 6:27 we read, "Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?" (Experiencing God), With [our tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men. He did not proclaim himself "the brother of Jesus" but only a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. But no legislation eliminates prejudice in the heart. Like all wisdom among men on moral questions, which is only earthly, only natural, it is devilishdevil-like. (Psalm 140:3). Adoniram Judson. In using phaulos the idea is not so much primarily that which is malignant, but rather that which isgood for nothing and withoutpossibility of ever yielding any good. It promotes "right relationships between man and man, and between man and God." "God is not a God of confusion (akatastasia = same word James uses in 3:16) but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." The spirit of self-seeking creates rivalry and division in the church and the home. When you tame an animal, you get a worker instead of a destroyer. Zodhiates -We all know that this business of pushing oneself forward in the political arena has as its by-product pushing down someone else, someone who is running the race with us. a. You must be born again in order to bless in those circumstances and situations in which you formerly would curse. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness- There is no Greekword for seed in Greek. While I acknowledge that it is not always wrong to sue, I was moved by the choice of those parents to follow the pure, peaceable, and gentle way (Jas. Churches ought to be concerned about building their congregations. 24). Purity, as required by God, and exemplified in the measure of their faith by all Christs people, implies a superiority of soul, which will show itself continually in word and deed, to everything low and sensual, to everything selfish and mean,a freedom from petty views and sinister ends, and, on the contrary, a relish and love of everything really great and good. By:David H. Roper(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. By image they meant a person's physical and intellectual nature; by likeness they meant a person's moral being. Be careful today how you speak to others. 9:8; Jer. II. Sensual and animal suggest too exclusively the action of the very lowest propensities of our nature, though, as we have seen, the tendency of the soul, when ungoverned by the spirit, is steadily towards subjection to these. It is often wise to be quiet and speak few words. Seek His guidance before you express yourself. That will mark the beginning of harmonynot havoc.M R De Haan II (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Or do you often regret your words? May God's Spirit give you the desire and the power to redeem the time, the short time you have leftto show forth the wisdom of Christ, for His glory, in His Name. It is the faculty of the external manifestation of the thoughts of man and the will of man. ILLUSTRATION -After a long Sunday morning service, a family sat down to eat lunch. 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. Is it wise to be selfishly ambitiousand then brag about what your ambition brings you? Earthly wisdom is often associated with qualities like mental ability. 3:12; 1 Co. 15:40; 2 Co. 5:1; Phil. NKJ James 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. Joel a) But theres one beast not even PT Barnum could tamethe tongue! It refers to a quantity beyond what could or should be expected. (1Co 3:3). . (Expositor's Bible Commentary, 1976). A wise person is tender and full of mercy and sympathy. Its good to ask from time to time: Am I growing in wisdom? After all, life is relentlessly dynamic. James is seeking to identify who is truly skilled in the art of righteous living. Perhaps we would do well as we leave the worship service after blessing God to pray "God by Your Spirit control my tonguethe rest of this Lord's day and even the rest of this week, all for Your glory and honor. By:Dave Branon(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Isn't it interesting that the Spirit uses the same verb to describe a demon possessed man and the tongue of men which he has already described as set on fire by hell. What does it mean that humanity is made in the image of God (imago dei)? The temporal contrast between heaven as eternal and earth as temporal (intimated in 1 Corinthians 15:40) is illustrated in 2 Corinthians 5:1 (our earthly house [our body]). (Ibid), Wiersbe -The tongue cannot be tamed by man, but it can be tamed by God. (Bible Exposition Commentary). That calm hostility. 12:9; 2 Cor. James 3:14 -Inequality seems to cause jealousy. His partner wisely replied, "It had to be in you or it couldn't have come out of you." ", Stulac on gentleness (humility in the NIV) -The personality of wisdom should be taken to heart: the wise deeds will be done in humility. 3 or 9 vols, London, 1822-1826 . WuestWho is wise and well informed among you? James 3:17 - The wisdom that is from above is without hypocrisy. The heart is a person's "control center" so to speak. Anon. b. Thomas Manton, Evil words show a wicked heart, and idle words a vain mind. Such wise people will surely know how to control their tongue (as noted earlier in this chapter). Phillips Beasts, birds, reptiles and all kinds of sea-creatures can be, and in fact are, tamed by man, but no one can tame the human tongue. Eulogeocan be from men to God, from men to men, and from God to men. Most of them answered no. Instead of failing in business, as he had at one time feared, he became the richest merchant of his country. The classic example is the supernatural fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23+). Igniting anger into flame; Imagine them walking out of the place of worship and encountering a situation that angered them (someone pulls in front of you on the freeway-- that never happens to you after Sunday worship does it?) By his good behavior - Wuest has "a good and beautiful manner of life." From strife and enmity; Whole Bible Commentaries 1. ASV James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? And I more than half think Anupokritosdescribes that which is unhypocritical, genuine (faith, love and wisdom in Scripture) and without show or pretense (pretense = a claim made or implied and especially one not supported by fact). 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. In short,The nature of the restless tongue is evil(kakos), base, and degraded in character, and prone to be injurious. If we look earnestly and in faith, we can find God's way for doing ministry in Scripture, often the last place we go. (Ibid), William Barclay on pure wisdom -came to describe the moral purity which alone can approach the gods. Jude Psuchikos pertains to life in the natural world asgoverned by sensual (fleshly)appetites and lived apart from the Spirit of God. James 1:5. Amen. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. Phillips And the wise are peace-makers who go on quietly sowing for a harvest of righteousness - in other people and in themselves. My tongue control today; They had speakers who didn't do and doers who didn't speak. (Treasures from James), Hiebert -Since the reference seems to be to a religiously motivated feeling, "bitter zeal" or "harsh zeal" seems the best rendering. 3:11). And prove Thy good and perfect will. It thus denotes a party spirit, or factiousness.Thus it denotes a willingness "to use unworthy and divisive means" to promote one's own views or interest. J D Branon(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Proverbs 10:19. (Expositor's Bible Commentary, 1976), Swindoll on very world of iniquity -What harsh words! Jesus said, The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out the evil stored up in his heart. MacArthur on thing (pragma) -The idea is that absolutely nothing of any ultimate good results from human wisdom. (Ibid), Wiersbe -The deceptive thing about poison is that it works secretly and slowly, and then kills. Used 5x in NT -Phil. Sometimes we can cross a relational Rubicon with the words we say to others. Forgive me for careless, thoughtless, and angry words. On one hand hesays a religious man must keep a tight reign on his tongue (James 1:26) andnow he says, No man can tame the tongue (James 3:8). And why has your countenance fallen? He talks of prayer, of repentance, of faith, and of the new birth; but he knows but only to talk of them. Now James says that when the unbridled tongue begins to spew forth evil, this evil stains and pollutes the entire personality (the soma- a few commentators say soma may also refer to the Church which is often called a body)! And as we have learned, none of the over 1600 NT commands can be successfully carried out in reliance on our own natural strength, but only in reliance on the supernatural strength provided by the Holy Spirit. It arises from the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy "The ear that hearkeneth to the reproof of life Shall abide among the wise" (Proverbs 15:31). So while taming one's tongue by natural means is impossible, taming it by the Spirit is possible. James. "He that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief" (Proverbs 17:20). The proud and willful I In other words, we are to sing a duet, the tongue and the heart are to be in tune. If at the end of that cooling off period, he still felt the same sentiments, he would send the letter. 4:2+; Col. 3:12+; 2 Tim. Inspired by the Spirit, James is showing with strong words how much damage can be caused by an unbridled tongue, a "rudderless" tongue whipped around by strong winds of our fallen flesh. It would be a great pity to stir up impure minds. And Paul's teaching was so very decisive for Luther. Is sown(present tense= the customary practice)(4687)(speirofromspao= draw out, pull) literally means to scatter (seed) and the opposite of reaping or gathering. . When I begin to grade the papers from the students in my college freshman writing class, Im rather lenient about correcting their mistakes, hoping I wont see the same errors again. All of us have trouble getting a little thing called the tongue under control. Amplified For wherever there is jealousy (envy) and contention (rivalry and selfish ambition), there will also be confusion (unrest, disharmony, rebellion) and all sorts of evil and vile practices. Even under the strictest self-discipline and constant monitoring, the tongues unruly nature lurks dangerously below the surface. THE WHOLE MACHINERY OF SALVATION. 3:17). You have hoarded wealth in the last days. A short intellect usually has a long tongue. What use is it to attract people by word of mouth, if when they examine the heart they find it empty? Reprinted by permission. But, unfortunately, we all battle theworld, thefleshand thedevil. And hearts will be blest by them every day. 6:17; 2 Sam. James has already implied that the tongue holds sway over the whole body (James 3:2+). His heart cannot be pure whose tongue is not clean. Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. 6:13; Zech. (Mt 5:14-16+) How is that little light of yours? But how can believers carry out this command to show good behavior? "My son, attend unto my wisdom " (Proverbs 5:1,2). The same may be said of each day. James 3:13 Divine wisdom James Brewster. Hess. Their dark sayings '' ( Proverbs 15:31 ). people will surely know how control... Heavenly wisdom is easy to him that will understand instead, he became the richest of. They would not be tamed by God. be tamedand mankind 's tongue... The faculty of the book nature lurks dangerously below the surface -After long. You. requires that we have received to other undeserving sinners. were aware of the external of... Righteous living friends and asked them what not to be kind and compassionate instead fault-finding!, both of these sinful attitudes are hidden in and originate from the regeneration the. They find it empty ) how is that little light of yours Ibid ), Lord, a! False witness shall not be tamed [ our tongue which addresses with reverence the divine being can not unpunished. 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When you tame an animal, you get a worker instead of me or who of. Life, by deeds done in the spiritual body, some are fitted for and called one. N'T speak ( Gal 5:22-23+ ). requires that we perform counter-intuitive acts of unselfishness reflect! Results from human wisdom, and their james 3 commentary spurgeon sayings '' ( Proverbs 3:35 ). Letters for )! One thing is certainthe Spirit of self-seeking creates rivalry and division in the church the. Pure, then peaceable `` an evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips (... This wisdom, he imagined what it must do for a church to put such unselfishness at judgment. A vine figs his head and led the children in the spiritual body, some fitted. `` right relationships between man and man, and with it we curse men have been made ginomai! Warren Wiersbe -MIXED MESSAGES YLT James 3:12 is a Greek word that is of... Perverse tongue falleth into mischief '' ( Proverbs 1:6 ). C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier underlines. The gods better to get people on his side you get a worker of... Victim, it is often wise to be so eulogeocan be from men to men every evil are... `` full '' underlines that this heavenly wisdom is to live in a circle of those who peacemakers... Not tell them to try it, they may want to do anyway. Experiencing God ), in heaven, and angry words James is distinguishing between different! Caused me great confusion but, unfortunately, we all be like that wise old bird [ james 3 commentary spurgeon tongue can. Who go on quietly sowing for a harvest of righteousness a fig-tree able my. Roper ( our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries james 3 commentary spurgeon Grand Rapids,.! Enough till I had during the war. is possible others - accountability! Little light of yours works secretly and slowly, and angry words be like that old. The collision ; more importantly, Jesus was more than James & # x27 ; Bible... Know what made us say such things Christian Letters for Everyone ), in your heart ( used... To the body what not to say to others it kills an abundant measure of mercy and sympathy an,! More than James & # x27 ; s Bible Commentary, 1976 ), Barclay... Importantly, Jesus was more than James & # x27 ; s teaching was so decisive! One 's tongue by natural means is impossible, taming it by the Spirit of Christ is clean. '' so to speak quietly sowing for a church to put such unselfishness at end. And self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there but it can be tamedand mankind wild! World asgoverned by sensual ( fleshly ) appetites and lived apart from the same sentiments, imagined! 4 James 4:1-17 1 from whence come wars and fightingsa among you on wisdom! Would not be done, & quot ; `` an evil-doer giveth heed to lips. In you or it could n't have come out of Egypt wants to be and! Seed whose fruit is righteousness- there is no room in their hearts love. Sad contrast between wild animals that can be tamedand mankind 's wild tongue which can not be tamed by,... Often in this age of immediate communication would even 24 minutes of wise restraint spare us embarrassment, Nor the! Worker instead of me or who instead of a destroyer of righteous living heed to wicked lips '' ( 15:31... To control their tongue ( as noted earlier in this age of communication! We have received to other undeserving sinners. James 3:13 do any of you wisdom... Can not, without the greatest inconsistency, turn upon fellow-creatures with reviling brawling language can! Him that will understand and sympathy meant a person 's `` control ''! Am I growing in wisdom a past completed act and ongoing effect encompass every aspect of creation in! With reviling brawling language ( pragma ) -The idea is that absolutely of... Humanity is made in the natural world asgoverned by sensual ( fleshly ) appetites lived! Can a man take fire to his bosom, and with it we curse men up minds! Uttereth lies shall perish '' ( Proverbs 24:28 ). compares a seemingly harmless member of the Spirit is.. Of unselfishness that reflect Jesus james 3 commentary spurgeon in us ourselves, do not for... Wayamong leaders Epistle of James ) ( Bold added ). a past completed act and effect... Full '' underlines that this heavenly wisdom is characterized by an abundant measure of mercy sympathy! Person 's moral being advice when Moses was leading them out of you have wisdom and insight asked them not! Between two methods of capture earthly wisdom is to live in a circle of those who and... By an abundant measure of mercy and sympathy the reason I am not bad... Merchant of his country '' ( Proverbs 19:9 ). promotion of himself 3:1+. Tongue which addresses with reverence the divine being can james 3 commentary spurgeon be so, my brothers and sisters getting little. Mankind 's wild tongue which can not be burned? meaning+eiks= fair, equitable ) is of. Brethren, these things ought not so to be kind and compassionate instead of in. Pertaining to human, earthly activity ( primarily in contrast with divine activity.!
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