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

 1. The negative warning 3:1

As in the previous two chapters, James introduced a new subject with a command (cf. 1:2; 2:1).

Every Christian is responsible to teach others what God has revealed in His Word (Matt. 28:19; Heb. 5:12). However, James was evidently speaking of becoming teachers as the rabbis in his day were, namely, "professional"teachers. He may have been cautioning those who were considering teaching in the church and suggesting that some who were ministering in this capacity unworthily should step down.¹³¹

The Jews regarded teachers (rabbis) with great awe and gave them much honor in James' day (cf. Matt. 23:8). The synagogue service allowed opportunity for men in the congregation to rise and address the rest of the assembly (cf. Acts 13:15). The Christians carried this opportunity over into the meetings of the early church (cf. 1 Cor. 14:26-33). Consequently there were many in James' audience who, though not qualified with ability, aspired to teach others publicly for the sake of prestige. James warned that God will judge a teacher more strictly than a non-teacher because he presumably knows the truth and claims to live by it.

"This is not an attack upon the office of the teacher or the teaching function, for James at once identifies himself as a teacher. Rather, he is seeking to restrain the rush to teach on the part of those not qualified."¹³²

 2. The reason for the warning 3:2

The person who speaks much is going to err in his or her speech much. The tongue is the hardest member of the body to control. No one has been able to master it yet except Jesus Christ.

"Although not all sins laid to the account of one person are necessarily the same as those shared by others, all persons have at least one sin in common, namely, the sin of the tongue."¹³³

 3. Examples of the danger 3:3-6

3:3 It is the same with horses as it is with humans. If we can control the tongue, we can bring the whole animal under control.

3:4 This second illustration adds another element. The controlled tongue can overcome great obstacles. James had observed many ships on the Sea of Galilee and probably on the Mediterranean driven by strong winds.

3:5 The two previous illustrations share a characteristic that James pointed out next. Though small and comparatively insignificant, the tongue can affect great change out of all proportion to its size. The bit, the rudder, and the tongue, even though they are small, all have power to direct. This interpretation seems preferable to the one that takes verse 5a as a statement that the tongue can make pretentious claims. James did not state that idea previously, but this sentence claims a connection with what precedes.

The tongue has as much destructive power as a spark in a forest.

3:6 Fire is a good illustration of the tongue's effect. It is a "world of iniquity."

". . . all the evil characteristics of a fallen world, its covetousness, its idolatry, its blasphemy, its lust, its rapacious greed, find expression through the tongue."¹³⁴

"From the context it seems best to accept that James thinks of the tongue as a vast system of iniquity."¹³⁵

The tongue is the gate through which the evil influences of hell can spread like fire to inflame all the areas of life that we touch.¹³⁶Here the body (Gr. soma) represents the whole person. However it may also allude to the church as well.¹³⁷

 4. The uncontrollable nature of the tongue 3:7-8

3:7 Human beings have brought all the major forms of animal life under control. For example, people have taught lions, tigers, and monkeys to jump through hoops. They have taught parrots and canaries to speak and sing. They have charmed snakes. They have trained dolphins and whales to perform various tricks and tasks. The ancients took pride in the ability of humans to tame and control the animal kingdom.¹³⁸"Tamed"is perhaps too strong a word. "Subdued"might be a better translation of the Greek word (damazo).

3:8 Apart from the Holy Spirit's help no human being has ever been able to tame his or her own tongue. It is much more dangerous than any deadly animal because it never rests, and it can destroy simply with words. Fire, animals, and the tongue all have power to destroy(cf. v. 5).

 5. The inconsistency of the tongue 3:9-12

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.