James 3:1-18
James 3:1 and 2:
3:1You must not become many teachers, my
brothers, having known2 that we will receive greater
judgment, .2for all-together we stumblingly-fall
(regarding) many-things.
If someone does not stumblingly-fall in word this-person
(is) a complete adult-male
able to bridle also the whole body.
James again addresses the holy-people who are
descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel/Jacob as his “brothers.” Not only
were those to whom he was writing all of the Judean/Israeli background,
but they were brothers in the holy spirit
category. All holy-people are brothers in the spirit category because
all of us have received the same gift of holy spirit
and we are therefore all children of God our Father.
You must not become a lot of teachers (instructors), my brothers, since
you already know that we who are teachers will receive to ourselves a
greater judgment (a larger pronounced decision, a bigger sentence passed
regarding our behavior if we do not teach correctly). Teachers are
responsible to teach the truth of what God says, and they will receive
the consequences if they do not.
In truth, every one of us stumblingly falls (trips, messes up) regarding
a lot of things.
If someone does not stumblingly fall in word (within the sphere of action
of the words he speaks, his speech)…
- this
person is a complete grown man (a man who is perfect in his behavior by
the ultimate arrival of the state of completeness, he is in a state of
perfectness having reached God's intended
fulfilling ending-issue for him)
- able
to bridle also the whole body (capable of leading his entire body also
as with a bridle, holding it in check and making sure it goes in the
correct direction).
[Reference: I Corinthians 11:32, 12:29;
Galatians 5:7-10; James 1:4 and 26.]
Verses 3-12:
.3But if we throw bridles into the mouths of
the horses (it is)
with-a-view-for them to be persuaded by us and we lead their whole
body. .4Look!, also the ships
being so-great and being driven by a hard wind are led by
(the) least rudder, where
the impetus of the (one)
making straight deliberately-determines. .5Thus also the
tongue is a small limb and boasts great-things.
Look!, how-great a fire kindles how-great a forest.
.6Also the tongue
(is) a fire, the world of the unrighteousness; the tongue is
constituted among our limbs, which is spotting the whole body, and
flaming the running-track of the genesis, and being flamed by the
gehenna.
.7For all nature of both wild-animals and
birds, both creeping-things and sea-things, were tamed2
and are tamed by nature, the manly nature. .8But not-one
of men is able to tame the tongue, an inconstant bad-thing, full of
death-carrying emitted-poison.
.9In it we bless the Lord and Father, and in
it we curse the men, the (men)
having become2 according to
(the) likeness of God;
.10from the same mouth comes-out blessing and cursing! It
is not needful, my brothers, for these-things thus to become.
.11The spring out-from the same opening does
not emit the sweet and the bitter, does it? –
(no.) .12A fig-tree is not able, my brothers, to make
olives, or a vine (is not able
to make) figs, is it? –
(no) – neither salt
(water) to make sweet water.
For example, if we cast bridles (referring to the
mouthpieces, the bits) into the mouths of the horses, it is with the
purpose for them to be persuaded (convinced) by us and we lead (convey,
conduct, we change the direction of) their entire body. The body of a
horse follows its mouth.
Look (see, behold, pay attention)!, also the ships being so great (large
in size) and being driven by a hard wind (being moved, propelled by the
power of a tough blowing stream of air) are led by the least (very
small) rudder, where the impetus (rushing onset of motion) of the one
making straight (steering, directing, guiding, the pilot or helmsman)
purposefully wills. In whatever position the helmsman moves the
rudder, this determines the direction of the
entire ship.
In this manner also the tongue is a small limb (a little member of the
physical body) and boasts great-things (declares loudly, speaks big
things). With regards to its utterance, the tongue has a big effect, a
large impact on the rest of the physical body.
Look!, how-great a fire kindles how-great a forest (what sized fire, in
this context a small sized fire, causes a large sized forest or wooded
area to burn). A spark from a small fire can set the whole forest on
fire.
Also the tongue that is being used as a fire is as the world of the
unrighteousness (a very large area of injustice, unjustness, what is not
right/just but is wrong). The tongue is constituted (caused to be
placed, made to stand-down in the level or position of being) among the
limbs (members) of our physical body, and the tongue is…
- spotting (staining)
- the
whole body (the entire physical body),
- and
flaming (affecting by being bright and burning, blazing)
- the
running track of the genesis (the circuit on which a person quickly
moves along from the time of his origin forwards, motion from his source
or genealogy onwards, the time of natural life moving as a wheel, the
course of a person’s physical life),
- and
being flamed (caused to be blazing)
- by the
gehenna (by the power of the burning
refuse, trash).
- [The
word "gehenna" is traditionally translated
"hell" which is a word derived from "to hide, conceal, hidden" – but
actually refers to the valley of Hinnom
where people used to burn their fires to devils and false-gods but which
King Josiah destroyed, and the valley was later used to burn all that
was against God (refer to Joshua 15:8; II Kings 23:10; II Chronicles
28:3; Isaiah 30:27-33; Jeremiah 7:31 and 32). During James' time this
valley was used to burn Jerusalem's refuse, trash, garbage, and these
fires were continuously burning.]
In truth, all nature (every physical being) of…
- both
wild-animals (beasts) and birds (winged, flying things) ,
- both
creeping-things (crawling animals, reptiles such as snakes) and
sea-things (creatures living in the salty sea, marine life),
…were tamed and continue tamed (curbed, subdued, restrained, referring to
those animals, etc, which remain domesticated) and also during the
present time animals, etc, are being tamed by nature – what nature? –
emphatically and specifically the manly nature (human nature, physical
mankind).
But not-one of men is able (none of natural mankind has the ability,
able-power, capability) to tame the tongue, which is…
- an
inconstant bad-thing (not constant, unsteady, it does not stand in the
level or position to which it is appointed, it is unstable evidencing
badness, what does not issue from God, that-which is contrary to what
God would want people to have, contrary to His will or intention
regarding their lives),
- full of death carrying emitted poison (satiated, as a person is full to
satisfaction with food, of/with the quality of the emission of venom
bringing or bearing death to those affected by the words spoken forth).
Within the sphere of action of the tongue…
- we
bless the Lord and Father (we holy-people speak words that are well/good
to and regarding the Lord God Who is also our Father; we speak well of
Him – this is according to God’s will)
- [The
significance of referring to God as “Lord”, which is the Greek word
kurios, emphasizes and confirms the validity
and authenticity of God’s lordship, dominion and authority over and relative-to
James and the holy-people to whom he was writing; also this word is used in
Greek as a translation for the Hebrew word Jehovah (Yahweh) and refers to God in His
covenant-relationship to that-which He created.]
- [The
significance of referring to God as “Father” emphasizes God’s family
relationship with all holy-people. A 'father' is literally one who has
begotten a child with/by his own seed/sperm, and so the son/daughter has
originated from the father's seed, and this fact cannot be changed. The
father is strong and he protects, feeds, etc, his family. God has given
us His holy spirit so that we are now His sons by birth. God is the
Father of all who have holy spirit-life within them.],
…and in it…
- we
curse the men (we make an imprecation against them, we speak, pray,
supplicate for something to come to pass against people, invoking
something against them which would be harmful to the recipient if/when
it would come to pass – this is not according to God’s will),
- emphatically and specifically the men who have already become and
continue being according to the likeness of God (being similar in action
to/with God, those who are doing God’s will);
…originating out from the same mouth comes blessing and cursing!
It is not needful (there is not a needful purpose, no necessity or use)…
- my
brothers (again James reminds those to whom he is writing that they are
all brothers, as in verse 1 above),
…for these things thus to become (for the behavior of the tongue,
described above as blessing at times but at other times cursing, to be
presently coming to pass, to be happening, to be occurring in this
manner).
We should not behave badly as the natural, human man wants us to behave,
but we should behave as our Father asks us to behave ourselves being His
sons.
The spring (well, fountain, source or issue of water) out from the same
opening (hole, fissure, crack) does not emit (bubble, burst, gush, send
out) the sweet (glucose, the quality of sweetness) and the bitter
(pointed, sharp, keen, the quality of bitterness, which would be
piercing and pungent, cruelly-painful to the recipient of it), does it?
The Greek construction of this question must receive a negative answer:
"no, the spring does not do that."
A fig-tree is not able (capable, does not have the able-power), my
brothers, to make olives, or a vine is not able to make figs, is it?
Again, the Greek construction of this question must receive a negative
answer: "no, the fig tree or the vine is not able to do that." A
fig-tree produces figs; a vine produces grapes.
Neither is salt water able to make sweet water (water that is salty does
not produce water that is sweet to the taste).
God will always communicate and give His children the correct things to
say and do – but it is up to us to behave accordingly. We need God’s
input, such as wisdom, to give us the ability to tame our tongue. But
the natural, physical human who does not have God as his/her Father will
not be able to tame the tongue.
[Reference: Genesis 1:26; Romans 3:13, 8:14 and 15;
Ephesians 4:29; James 1:8, 26 and 27.]
Verses 13-18:
.13Who
(is) wise and well-knowing among you? He must point-out from
the beautiful behavior his works in meekness of wisdom.
.14But
if you have bitter jealousy and work-for-ambitious-purposes in your heart – you must
not boast-against and lie against the truth; .15this
wisdom is not coming-down from-the-top but
(it is) earthly,
soulish, devilish, .16for
where (there is) jealousy
and work-for-ambitious-purposes there
(there is) instability and
every slight matter.
.17But the wisdom from-the-top firstly indeed
is pure, next peaceful, considerate, well-persuaded, full of mercy
and good fruits, without-through-judgment, without-hypocrisy;
.18but (the) fruit
of righteousness is sown in peace to the
(people) making peace.
Who is wise (skillful
or expert in the application of personal knowledge, as a practical
teacher) and well-knowing (able
to fix or set his mind on things to be aware, have insight and be
intelligent regarding them, as an intellectual teacher)
among you? He must…
- indicate (as pointing out with his finger)
- from the beautiful behavior (from his mode of living, way of turning-up, his manner of
moving-about during everyday living, which has a manifested decorous,
harmonious, and acceptable goodness)
- his works (his deeds, actions expending his energy, the effects produced by his actions)
- in meekness of wisdom (within the sphere of action of tender receptiveness or receptivity
towards God and the things of God, which is characterized-by and
consisting-of the skillful and expert application of personal knowledge,
doing what is required concerning a specific situation or circumstance;
wise meekness).
But if you presently and actively have (hold)…
- bitter jealousy (zeal in the bad sense, wrongfully boiling with passion against someone or
something, and it is pointed, sharp, keen, having the quality of
bitterness, which would be piercing and pungent, cruelly-painful to the
recipient of it) and
- work-for-ambitious-purposes (labor being achieved solely from selfish
ambition, looking for wages as if purchasing a favor and promotion by
canvassing, causing factions)
- within your heart (the word "heart" literally means: the organ that
keeps the fleshy body alive by circulating the blood; but figuratively
it means: the center or core of a person's being, the seat of your whole
personal self and life; the usage here is referring to all of you as one
group or body of people having one heart)
- –
you must not boast (exult yourselves over, speak loudly as though it
were justifiable) against
- and
lie (speak a lie, commit a falsehood in your behavior with your intent
being to deceive, to show a lying statement for the purpose of
misleading, you must not communicate false evidence from yourselves)
against
- the
truth (what the essential reality is, the inherent verity)
- [in
other words: be quiet and stop behaving that way!];
…this wisdom is not coming down from-the-top (it does not start or
commence from a place that is above, upwards descending to us)
- but
this wisdom is
- earthly (upon or pertains-to earth),
- soulish (belonging-to, proceeding-from, relating-to, characterized-by soul life;
it is the soul that keeps a person alive in the fleshy and physical
category and is evidenced by his breathing; its mode of operation is
limited to the natural/physical realm),
- devilish (it is limited to that-which is seen, perceived and known-of by
devils, it is demonic because it excludes the only true God),
- for
where there is jealousy and work-for-ambitious-purposes – in that place
(location, area of behavior) there is…
- instability (the quality or state of not standing-down firm or fixed on
God’s truth, without a sure standing, unsteadiness, not being stable)
- and
every slight matter (every performance, action, result of something
practiced, business, fact, deed, event – all of which are light, every
one of them can be blown away as trivia).
But the wisdom from-the-top presently and actively is (the skillful or
expert application of personal knowledge that starts or commences from a
place that is above, upwards; figuratively referring to the wisdom that
originates from God; its characteristics, qualities and attributes are)…
- firstly indeed pure (in the first place emphatically it is in the state
of being pure, uncontaminated by any bad-thing which may be near-by),
- next
peaceful (secondly, next sequentially, after that it is tranquil and
harmonious, wholesome, without any strife or disagreement),
- considerate (a disposition of yielding appropriately with
fitting-suitableness considering the rights of others in a
righteous/just manner),
- well-persuaded (a good persuasion or conviction, a confident reliance
that is well),
- full
(satiated, as a person is full to satisfaction with food) of/with
- mercy (active relief, withholding merited judgment, not bestowing
punishment on those who deserve to be punished) and
- good
fruits (produce or results that are good from God’s viewpoint; He is the
One Who issues His goodness and He sets the standard of what is good),
- without-through-judgment (it does not wholly distinguish, discern,
separate, thoroughly judge itself nor is it judged by God to be
different from God; there is no differentiator between this wisdom and
God’s wisdom since it is His own wisdom that He communicates to us),
- without-hypocrisy (not hypocritical; it is not an answer in reply given
in pretense as if wearing a mask playing a part on a stage; it is not
feigning to be wisdom – it is genuine);…
…but the fruit of righteousness (that-which is produced, the produce
proceeding-from and characterized-by justice, justness, the being and
doing what is just/right from God’s viewpoint)…
- is
sown as seed in peace (the seed that produces the fruit is sown within
tranquility and harmony, wholesomeness, without any strife or
disagreement)
- to/within/for the people making peace (those who are presently and actively
bringing-about or producing peace).
[Reference: Deuteronomy 1:13-15; Isaiah 5:21; Romans 2:8; I Corinthians
2:14, 14:33, 15:40-46; II Corinthians 5:1, 9:6-10, 12:20; Galatians
5:19-26, 6:7 and 8; Ephesians 2:14 and 15; Philippians 1:11 and 16, 4:5;
Colossians 1:20; I Timothy 3:3; II Timothy 2:24-26, 4:4; Titus 1:14,
2:8, 3:2; Hebrews 12:11; James 1:5-7 and 16-21, 2:13; Jude 1:19. Note:
verbs with a superscript 2 (2) immediately following them
indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant
Notes" link of this study.]
