james 3 commentary

These are: (1) the bit, James 3:3; (2) the rudder, James 3:4, and (3) the small fire, James 3:6. James 3:5 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] James 3:5, NIV: "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." Here the tremendous thrust of James' teaching is made. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 3:1-12 We are taught to dread an unruly tongue, as one of the greatest evils. In Hebrews 6:3, where the writer said, "we" will stop lingering upon first principles and go on to perfection, he did not, in any sense, mean it as a confession that he himself had been merely a "first principles" Christian. In many things we all stumble ... We cannot agree with Lenski who labeled this "James' great confession of sin. "[3] Paul likewise addressed stern words to this group, thus, "Some ... have turned aside unto vain talking, desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm" (1 Timothy 1:7). Hell has more to do in promoting the fire of the tongue than men generally think; and whenever men's tongues are employed … Verse 1. This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. This entire chapter is a "self-contained section dealing with the bridling of the tongue,"[1] and fitting exactly into James' overall theme of "perfection" (see introduction). Bitter jealousy and strife ... Oesterley and many others deduce from this that "The personal abuse heaped upon one another by partisans of rival schools of thought"[33] represents the type of sins condemned in this passage. Which defileth the whole body ... Jesus himself mentioned "railing," one of the sins of the tongue, as being among those things which proceed from within, and defile the man (Mark 7:23), and thus James is still inspired, as throughout the epistle, by the exact teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Note the use of "we" as in James 3:2; here again the use of it does not indicate any guilt on the part of James in this particular. Bless we the Lord ... "The Jewish custom, whenever they named God, of adding, `Blessed be he,'"[29] very likely lies behind this. James 1:9-11 The Perspective of Rich and Poor. For further comment on "hell," see in my Commentary on Matthew, pp. 3. See exegesis of that in my Commentary on Luke, pp. Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary James 3:3. Though the whole of James breathes deeply from the biblical wisdom tradition, today’s reading reflects that tradition as deeply as any part of the teacher’s address to the hearer. True religion will not admit of contradictions: how many sins would be prevented, if men would always be consistent! Due to the Hebrew detestation of the place, the name came to stand for the idea of eternal punishment for the wicked, as taught in Deuteronomy 32:22; Leviticus 10:2; Isaiah 30:27-33; 66:24; Daniel 7:10; Psalms 18:8, etc. 4:29) and the power to curse (James 3:9). Commentary on James 3:1-12 (Read James 3:1-12) We are taught to dread an unruly tongue, as one of the greatest evils. James does not mean here that a Christian cannot tame his tongue. These verses show the difference between men's pretending to be wise, and their being really so. JAMES Faith for Living. Bibliography InformationCoffman, James Burton. Another example of notorious mistranslation by the English Revised Version (1885) is Romans 10:16, which ought to read, "They have not all obeyed the gospel." This is similar to "full of adultery" (2 Peter 2:14), and "full of envy" (Romans 1:29). In the admonition here and in the preceding verse (James 3:9) Macknight thought that James might have had reference to a widespread custom of early Christian times, in which Christians were "cursed bitterly in Jewish synagogues. By such a vigorous address to this area of human behavior, in which the totality of all mankind is revealed as transgressors, either in small or in great degree, it must not be thought that James was requiring sinless perfection of Christians, his object being rather that of turning all men to Jesus Christ our Lord who alone is perfect, and in whom alone perfection is available for any mortal (see Matthew 5:48 and Colossians 1:28,29). 2 We all stumble in many ways. Apparently, James' use of "bridle" at this point prompted the employment of the horse metaphor in the next verse. An uncontrolled tongue is closely allied with the inherent wickedness of unregenerated human carnality. James 3 Commentary, this verse-by-verse commentary contain gems of information found nowhere outside the ancient Jewish writings (James 3:1). Click chart to enlarge Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission See also Overview Chart by Charles Swindoll. A great deal of the teachings of Christ himself, for example the parable of the good Samaritan, had exactly the same purpose as that in view here. The first two of these stress the importance and power of such a small instrument as the tongue, and the third stresses the astounding damage resulting from such a small beginning. James 3:13-18. A large number of the Christians had left *Jerusalem and had goneto live in other countries. No better comment on this verse was found than that of Macknight who paraphrased the verse thus: Devilish ... is better understood as "demonic," there being but one "devil," as contrasted with many "demons." Not for a moment should it be considered that the translators of the KJV were, in any sense, lacking in zeal, dedication, scholarship or intelligence, being in every such category fully on a parity with the scholarship of our own or of any other generation. "Commentary on James 3:4". And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. Barclay, for example, thought James was influenced by the ancient Orphic religion with its false notions of reincarnation, seeing a possible reference here to "the weary treadmill of constant reincarnation. James 1:19-25 Qualities Needed in Trials. IV (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. "[20] This indicates that the setting on fire of the "wheel of nature," mentioned in this connection, refers to the inflammation of the carnal passions within man himself. We are taught to dread an unruly tongue, as one of the greatest evils. As Macknight said: "These teachers of the Law in the Christian church were the great corrupters of Christianity. The town's most notorious gossip, who was also a religious leader, responded, saying: I apologize, Sister, our altar is only ten feet long; but whatever part of it you can get on there, go right ahead! Such persons are accustomed to speaking and having their words accepted; and their attitude tends to become like that mentioned by Shakespeare: And when I open my lips, let no dog bark[36]SIZE>. These qualities, including that of purity just mentioned, are exactly those extolled by the Master in the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount; thus James continues his fidelity to the teaching of the Lord. Discussion of the spirit and temper, haughty and unyielding hardness of some religious teachers haughty. Serious and one should consider his motives very carefully and abomination of deadly poison a stricter judgment the. 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