IV. SPEECH AND DIVINE WISDOM 3:1-18

 A. Controlling the Tongue 3:1-12

One of the most important aspects of our works, which James had been discussing, is our words. We conduct much of our work with words. James next gave his readers directions concerning their words to help them understand and apply God's will to this area of their lives. However it is particularly the misuse of the tongue in Christian worship that James addressed (cf. 1 Cor. 12:3; 14:27-39).

". . . in his usual rondo' manner [James] returns to the theme of speech (1:19, 26) and warns his true Christians of the dangers of the tongue . . ."¹²⁸

"It [this chapter] is also connected with that overvaluation of theory as compared with practice which formed the subject of the last chapter."¹²⁹

"Those in his line of sight are evidently leaders who are summoned to control and guide the course of the church's life and destiny. Hence the twin imagery of the horse's bit (v 3) and the ship's rudder (v 4)."¹³⁰

 B. Controlling the Mind 3:13-18

As in the previous chapters, James began his discussion of human speech with a practical exhortation and continued to deal with increasingly basic issues. He spoke of the importance of controlling one's mind next to enable his readers to understand how to control their tongues. Wisdom in the mind affects one's use of his or her tongue. Note the key words "wise"and "wisdom"(vv. 13, 17), which bracket the thought of this section, as well of the prominence of "peaceable"and "peace"that conclude it (vv. 17, 18).