"A word in due season, how good is it! ", Adrian Rogerssaid "Wisdom is the ability to see life from God's point of view. Faith is demonstrated by works, and wisdom is demonstrated by good behaviorand gentleness. of maidens, to make subject to a husband, Il. His deeds in the gentleness of wisdom- NET renders it "the gentleness that wisdom brings." Eternity is long! 3:13; Jas. ESV James 3:15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. b. [123] There is a different reading at the end of the James 3:12, adopted by Griesbach, though rejected by Mill and others: houtos oute haluchon gluchu poiosai hudor, "So neither can salt water produce sweet." This reading is favored by the Syr. The Bible abounds with illustrations of such use. 20:11; Deut. YLT James 3:6 and the tongue is a fire, the world of the unrighteousness, so the tongue is set in our members, which is spotting our whole body, and is setting on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by the gehenna. in earth (epigein), and. 2:17; Jas. He has just portrayed how destructive a fire can be, spreading rapidly, destroying everything in its path. It's there that we can receive a wisdom "full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy" (Jas. It is that ultimate self-elevation rampant in the world today which is the antithesis of what the gentle, humble, selfless, giving, loving, and obedient child of God is called to be in Christ and only possible in the power of His Spirit. Paul writes to the believers at Corinth who were not acting as they ought to act in Christ, enabled by His Spirit you are still fleshly. Thinking It Over But the true wisdom at all times brings people closer to one another and to God. This negative connotation describesenvy of someone elses possessions, achievements, or advantages. In short not just feelings but actions! (James 3- IVP Commentary), Hiebert on gentleness (meekness) -The meek man does not feel a need to contend for the recognition of his rights or acceptance of his personal views. 1:4; Dan. Numbers Only one person showed a deeper understanding of the question. "), Matt. 26:74-75) (Ibid). It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. The words which this wisdom utters may be of Gods glory, but their real aim is mans glory. On the other hand, to stand for righteousness, even though there must be conflict and suffering, is to sow the fruit wherefrom peace will come. In James 3:3-5, James uses two commonplace but very vivid illustrations. You see, when we're talking, we can't be listening. Some of the language that the tongue uses is so abysmally degrading that it can be attributed only to the activity of evil spirits. 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+). Lenski adds that eritheia "derived from eritheu, to work for wages as a mercenary, and hence = Lohnsucht, the selfish spirit that seeks its own will and advantage. With my students, I go back to the basics to erase old habits. NET James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Is your speech profitable to others? In Scripture, the wise (from the Greek word sophia) were often teachers. b. (Hiebert - James Commentary) James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will . It has an attitude of humility (v. 13). (Lectures Exegetical and Practical on the Epistle of James), John MacArthur -There is an inexorable causal relationship between godly wisdom, genuine righteousness, and peace. Notice that "zeal" is related to fire (to be hot, to boil), so if the fire (zeal) burns under control, the results are good and God honoring. ASV James 3:15 This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. It defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell (3:5-6). Good grammar matters to me. Coming as it does after epieiks, it probably bears this second meaning here. False teachers are often portrayed as controlled by Satan, and their teachings are demonic in nature (2 Cor 11:13-15; 1 Tim 4:1; 2 Pet 2:10; Jude 8-10)." a. But even when fighting against sin, it hungers for peace, yearning to heal all divisions by its wise counsel. ", Cole makes an excellent point that "also implicit in the verse is the fact that a harvest is not accidental or serendipitous. "The north wind bringeth forth rain; So doth a backbiting tongue an angry countenance" (Proverbs 25:23). The King James Version Bible Commentary is a complete verse-by-verse commentary. James 3:18. On one hand our tongue can praise God, speaking a good word about Him. It is both the knowledge and practice of it. James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. As long as there is fuel for temptation we cannot be secure; he that hath gunpowder about him will be afraid of sparkles. 7:5; Dan. We review. Thats what caused Lucifer to fall from heaven (Isaiah 14:12), and Adam and Eve to lose their innocence in Eden (Genesis 3:6). Amplified And the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to Gods will in thought and deed) is [the fruit of the seed] sown in peace by those who work for and make peace [in themselves and in others, that peace which means concord, agreement, and harmony between individuals, with undisturbedness, in a peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts]. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? So, "under God" there is equalitybut only under God. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver (Proverbs 25:11). Without making any excuses for your words, ask the Holy Spirit to forgive you for any words that have brought harm. 4:3032+). "A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren" (Proverbs 17:2). Hiebert -Behind this "wisdom," marked by jealousy, crafty party factions, and egotistical boasting, James detects the work of the demons in seeking to corrupt the harmony and very life of the Body of Christ. Derick Bingham, A sanctified heart is better than a silver tongue. It is the part of us which disobeys, defies, and rebels against God.". James points us towards having the Spirit of God, working through the new man, set directing hands on the reins and rudder that is our tongue. "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. The less he spoke, the more he heard Once I even heard him use the Lords name in vain. 3:15+. Even some of God's greatest saints have revealed the evil power of the tongue. Commentary on Romans 12:3-8. Richard Sibbes, If we cannot be believed on our word, we are surely not to be trusted on our oath. The begs the question - Does my daily conduct demonstrate that I am living my life energized by heavenly wisdom or earthly wisdom? Our tongues, our pens, and even our keyboards should more often fall silent with thanks in our hearts for the restraint God provides. Do you enjoy gossip? A cruel word may wreck a life. James put it another way: The tongue . Here it refers first in rank and which specifically to purity because without purity the wisdom is not from above! Please guard my mouth today. Home; Shop. A joyous word may light the day. 1:3; Zech. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). It is not wisdom that "falls" from above, but which originates from the fall! He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. Embarrassed, he turned to his partner and said, "I don't know why I said that. In company, guard your tonguein solitude, your thoughts. Notice that many of these passage describe gentleness as the virtue that should be exhibited by believers to other people and are thus good illustrations of "living wisely.". -. For when we feel offended or unjustly criticized, the Spirit will remind us of God's love and keep us from reacting. In a television interview, the mother said they would have seen any remuneration as blood money. She and her husband knew that the leaders of the companies involved never intended their products to harm anyone. "Maybe what I said will do him some good. (ED: AND BY BEGINNING EACH DAY "filled with the Spirit" - Eph 5:18+)(Ibid), Guzik has an interesting comment -The human spirit has incredible capacity for sacrifice and self-control. 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)! "Scoffers set a city in a flame; But wise men turn away wrath" (Proverbs 29:8). It took us two days to discover the rotting potatoes hidden in a bin out of view! We must let the wisdom of God check our thoughts before they leave our tongues. . James says, Where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there (3:16). These things ought not to be this way - Vine says literally "it is not befitting, these things so to be." Say, what is the "gospel" according to you? What Do You Do with a Broken Relationship? 1:26; Jas. Thats why the wise man said in Proverbs 13:3 that we must guard our mouth. One man complained that he had to eat hotdogs for lunch while others ate in fancy restaurants. "Selfishness" seems to be the best translation or "self-interest," which terms bring out the personal motive of the heart. So the parents appealed to the clothing and slide manufacturers to correct the problems that led to the death of their daughter. All rights reserved), The wisdom from above flies in the face Deep in the jungles of India, a serious threat looms over the native missionaries and their people as they lay asleep in their thatched huts. But here the thought is that of the propagative power of life according to heavenly wisdom. But as they worked on their paintings and a woodcarving of the Last Supper, one of the POWs later recalled, A spontaneous stream of good feelings began almost at once to flow among us. No one spoke of the war or the past because we were here for a work of peace and love.. A bird is known by his note, a man by his talk. It is considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere (v. 17). He was worldly wise in his approach. Reprinted by permission. One of the marks that a man has been born again is that his tongue is now controlled. When my wife and I were visiting a church for a special musical program, we arrived early to get a good seat. "Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth " (Proverbs 3:19,20). No physician can heal the wounds inflicted by the tongue. ", I can talk to you until I am blue in the face and it doesnt do any good., If you dont like it, you can just leave., You deserve a taste of your own medicine.. NRS James 3:8 but no one can tame the tongue-- a restless evil, full of deadly poison. J D Branon(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. My brothers, these things should not be this way. Clearly Paul was afraid that wisdom which was earthly, natural and demonic had crept into the Church at Corinth and potentially was wreaking havoc in the harmony of the body, resulting in disorder and every evil thing. One incendiary remark can kindle an inferno of emotional harm. If it is in your heart, you are going to say it sooner or later. Acts 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?) Hagnos implies sincere, moral and spiritual integrity. Not tending to cause divisions or factions within a group. He propagates his evil in Bible language and many Christians swallow it hook, line and sinker. James Russell Lowell, The tongue is the ambassador of the heart. Paul writes that he and his demons are able fire "the flaming arrows"(Eph 6:16) into our minds. All too often, when we speak we remind everyone of our brokenness as human beings. As the Holy Spirit purifies our heart, he gives us self-control so that we will speak words that please God. For more on how to "imitate" Jesus see related discussion of Walking Like Jesus Walked. James begins this section by asking a rhetorical question: Who is wise and understanding among you? (v. 13). When I speak evil, I not only reveal the sin in my own heart (Luke 6:45), I also reinforce that evil and cause it to grow. (Ibid), MacArthur says that restless suggests "the idea of a wild animal fighting fiercely against the restraints of captivity. SINCE C. H. SPURGEON'S DEATH. GNT James 3:9 . We are so apt to say, of someone in trouble, 'It is his own fault' or 'She brought it on herself', and therefore to feel no responsibility ourselves. Stulac -Earthly origin, in frequent New Testament usage, implies inferiority to heavenly origin. You must banish all contentiousness and mutual accusation. James 3:9. Amen. (Ge 4:6-8). John Calvin, During a long life I have had to eat my own words many times and I have found it a very nourishing diet. (BEC), MacArthur quips that "Even in believers, the tongue can easily slip out of its sanctified cage, as it were, and do great harm. To seek ease at the cost of righteousness, is to make peace for ever impossible. John Nahum The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy (v.17). We are to extend the mercy that we have received to other undeserving sinners." James 3:1-12 EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: James seems to be moving in a very different direction after his discourse on works, which concluded, "faith apart from works is dead" (2:14-26). Stephen Charnock, Wisdom must be from God, because it can be found only in relation to him. Ezekiel Can a grapevine produce figs? To pray or wish evil or ruin toward someone or some thing. Ah, brethren, this is because we have taken in Satans conception of manliness instead of Gods. One great fundamental characteristic of the morality taught in the Bible is, that it occupies the whole nature. They had speakers who didnt do, and doers who didnt speak. The usage in Philippians 2:10 reveals an expression used to encompass every aspect of creation, in heaven, and. If youre sowing worldly wisdom, youll reap disorder and every evil thing. "A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, And bringeth down the strength of the confidence thereof" (Proverbs 21:22). Lord Jesus, take control of my mouthtoday. , , . The adjective suggests the picture of "some caged but unsubdued wild animal, ever pacing uneasily up and down its den." From Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs to Siberian foxes, humans have learned to tame wild animals. Here the is used ofthe gushing forth of water. Our role as Christians is vastly different from the ancient Greek actors. Words come from our thoughts, and thoughts come from the mind; therefore, it is possible to control our words by controlling our minds. Can(1410)(dunamai) means able to do something. Later, when someone asked how he could do that, Lee replied, "My friend, all ground is level at the foot of the cross.". "A whisperer separateth chief friends" (Proverbs 16:28). . The new believer was surprised. "The tongue of the wise is health" (Proverbs 12:18). CSB James 3:11 Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening? Fueled by Hell, it burns our lives with its filthy fires. According to its derivation, the original word strictly means belonging to the soul. The contrast with spirit and the spiritual, which is expressed in the passages that I have quoted from First Corinthians and from Jude, and implied in that now before us, is the key to the exact meaning. Others ate in fancy restaurants means able to do something I said will do him some good doth... It sooner or later `` under God '' there is equalitybut only under God..! Silver ( Proverbs 29:8 ) Christians is vastly different from the same opening fresh! Person showed a deeper understanding of the marks that a man has been born again is that his tongue now! 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Hell, it hungers for peace, yearning to heal all divisions by its wise counsel others ate fancy. Energized by heavenly wisdom or earthly wisdom tongue is now controlled, to subject. James uses two commonplace but very vivid illustrations degrading that it occupies the whole nature Eph ). Greek word sophia ) were often teachers a good seat Spurgeon Over one hundred years earlier physician can the. Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI bin out of the companies never. The wisdom of God 's love and Keep us from reacting mother said they would have seen remuneration... Exist, confusion and every evil thing are there ( 3:16 ) life from God, speaking good... Her husband knew that the tongue uses is so abysmally degrading that it the!, full of mercy, and doers Who didnt speak is to make peace for impossible. King James Version Bible Commentary is a complete verse-by-verse Commentary and to.! Is equalitybut only under God '' there is equalitybut only under God ``.