The Power of the Tongue, 1-12

3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly. 3:2 For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual, able to control the entire body as well. 3:3 And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies. 3:4 Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs. 3:5 So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. 3:6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence—and is set on fire by hell.

We should not be over-zealous in correcting the faults of others

v1f The ‘teachers’ here may be those who took it upon themselves to criticise and censure others. There are already more than enough such people. We should exercise caution in admonishing others because:-

(a) those with a harsh attitude can expect to be judged more strictly, Jas 2:13; Mt 6:12 7:1.

(b) we all make many mistakes, v2. ‘Nothing does more to temper extreme severity than recognising our own weaknesses’ (Calvin).

Note that the wider context has to do with speech – good and evil.  According to Blomberg, the ‘teachers’ here are those whose role it was to pass on the catechetical tradition.  This would often be done through the use of rote learning (since it was thought that discussion carried the risk of distorting the message).  Students often followed their teachers into various situations of daily life, so that they could learn how to apply the teaching in practice.  So, teachers in the ancient world were charged both with taking  great care over what they said, and also putting their teaching into practice.  Then, as now, the teacher is in danger of speaking sinfully, with “arrogance and domination over students; anger and pettiness at contradiction or inattention; slander and meanness toward absent opponents; flattery of students for the sake of vainglory” (Luke Johnson, The Letter of James, 263).

‘Why,’ Blomberg asks, ‘are these sins more serious when committed by teachers rather than by other people?

1. More people may be affected.
2. A closer relationship of trust may be violated.
3. The very person who should be the student’s best model fails in that capacity.
4. The resulting hurt may be greater.’

v2 – If you can control your tongue, you can control your whole life

Take the horse: if you can control the bit, you can control the whole animal.

Take the ship: if you can control the rudder, you can control the whole vessel.

You must control your tongue because, although it is small, its influence is enormous.

v5 The tongue is capable of tremendous evil

Its capacity for evil is like a fire: spreading and destroying.

Evil speech has a defiling tendency, ‘spreading slime over all who listen to it’ (Ross). See Eph 4:29. Such evil is ignited by hell.

v6 Such evil is spawned in hell.

‘We have here the only occurrence outside the Gospels of the word “Gehenna.” In the Gospels it is found some ten times on the lips of our Lord as describing the place of the future punishment of the wicked, where their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched. (Mk 9:47) In Mt 5:22 we have our Lord’s words “the Gehenna of fire,” and in Mt 23:33 his words “the judgement of Gehenna.” This dread symbolic language seems to be derived from the valley of the children of Hinnom, (2 Kings 23:10) where children used to be burned in honour of Moloch. King Josiah abolished these hideous sacrifices, and the Jews came to regard the place with deep abhorrence and they cast into this deep valley on the south east of Jerusalem all manner of refuse, and also, possibly, the dead bodies of criminals who had been executed and the dead bodies of animals. Fires were needed to consume the refuse and this truly awe-inspiring symbol of the ever-burning fire and the crawling worms is used by our Lord to shadow forth dimly the fate that awaits the ungodly. Hell is the rubbish heap of the universe – is that the idea suggested?’ (Ross)

‘The chariot of the devil’:

‘An unbridled tongue is the chariot of the devil, wherein he rides in triumph…. The course of an unruly tongue is to proceed from evil to worse, to begin with foolishness, and go on with bitterness, and to end in mischief and madness (Eccl. 10:13). The Jew’s conference with our Saviour began with arguments: “We be Abraham’s seed,” saith they, etc.; but proceeded to blasphemies: “Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?”’ (Edward Reyner)

3:7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. 3:8 But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 3:9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. 3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters. 3:11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it? 3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.

v7 No one can tame the tongue

All kinds of wild animal can be tamed, but not the tongue.

It is a beast of wild and dangerous ferocity.

v9

The soul of the poorest beggar that cries at the door for a crust is, in its own nature, of equal dignity and value with the soul of the most glorious monarch that sits upon the throne.

John Flavel

The very inconsistency of the tongue is unnatural: how can we be so ready to bless God and them immediately curse our fellow man?

v12

True Wisdom, 13-18

3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth. 3:15 Such wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, natural, demonic. 3:16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice. 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical. 3:18 And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.

Characteristics of this ‘wisdom from above’:

1. pure: without twisted motives.
2. peace-loving: promoting harmony among one’s brothers and sisters.
3. gentle (considerate): not acting out of rivalry or competitiveness.
4. submissive: willing to learn and to be corrected.
5. full of mercy and good fruit: compassionate and generous, like our God, from whom all wisdom flows.
6. impartial and sincere: seeking singlemindedly and without pretence to serve the Lord and others (cp James 1:8).

(See Davids, NBC)