3:9 We honor God with our words, but then we turn right around and dishonor other people with what we say. This is inconsistent because man is the image of God (Gen. 1:27).
"To bless God is the sublimest function of the human tongue; thrice daily the devout Jew recited the Eighteen Benedictions,' with their ending Blessed art Thou, O God.'"139
"It was the pious practice among the Jews, both in speaking and in writing, to add Blessed [be] He' after each utterance of the name of God. No doubt, the readers of this epistle still continued this practice whenever God was mentioned."140
3:10 Not only is this phenomenon contrary to the will of God, it is also contrary to the natural order of things.
"Although the believer has in the indwelling Holy Spirit the potential for controlling the tongue, he may not be appropriating this potential."141
"To the person who speaks praise to God in the worship service and then abuses people verbally at home or at work, James commands, Purify your speech through the week.' With the person who says, Oh, I know I talk too much,' and laughs it off, James is not amused. He insists, Be quick to listen, slow to speak.' By the person who boasts, I always speak my mind, no matter who gets hurt,' James is not impressed. He commands, Discipline your speaking.' Of the person who says, I know I gossip too much, but I just can't help it,' James still requires, Control your tongue.' Of the person who is in the habit of speaking with insults, ridicule or sarcasm, James demands, Change your speech habits.' He expects discipline to be happening in the life of a Christian. Any Christian can ask for the grace needed, for God gives good gifts (1:17) and gives them generously (1:5). There is, then, no justification for corrupt habits of speech in our churches today."142
". . . the Bible nowhere places much value on knowledge that remains merely cerebral or credal [sic]. Nothing is known until it also reshapes the life."143
"The reference is not to the use of profanity in vulgar speech but apparently seems to envision angry disputes and slanderous remarks in inner-church party strife (cf. 4:1-2, 11-12)."144
3:11-12 Illustrations highlight this natural inconsistency (cf. Matt. 7:16). One water source can yield only one kind of water. A tree can only produce fruit of its own kind. A salt spring cannot produce fresh water any more than a fallen human nature can naturally produce pure words. A fountain, a tree, and the tongue all have power to delight(cf. vv. 5, 8).
James was dealing, as in the preceding chapters, with root causes of human behavior that is out of harmony with God's will. He contrasts strongly with the religious teachers that Jesus rebuked for their superficiality and hypocrisy. He was, of course, picturing human behavior as it is naturally apart from the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit.
