Mind Your Language!

James 3:1—12

Introduction

In this group of verses, James picks up the subject he first mentioned back in 1:19 and 1:26. Genuine faith should cause a believer to control his speech.

1. The responsibility of teachers, verses 1, 2

James’s first concern has to do with a common problem in the early church and even to this day: there were those who desired to be “teachers” in the scattered Jewish Christian congregations. A similar situation is addressed by Paul in 1 Timothy 1:7—

They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

The Greek construction of both James’ and Paul’s observation suggests that this was a very common practice, and both of these men strongly urged these people to stop seeking to become teachers. No doubt some who were not qualified by natural ability or spiritual gift were jealous of those who had been endowed with the ability to teach and so they coveted the prestige that they thought came along with standing behind a pulpit. The warning is frightening: teachers “will be judged more strictly.” James, of course, includes himself as one of the teachers who will be judged. The Greek krima refers to the decision rendered by a judge, favorable or unfavorable. Teachers will be judged more harshly by the Lord because theirs is a weighty responsibility. Why? The answer if forthcoming: the teacher’s essential instrument—his tongue—has a great influence over others and can be easily misused.

Verse two begins with the Greek gar (“for”), showing the reader that an explanation for the previous statement is next. The reason the teachers responsibility is so weighty is because the tongue is the hardest member of the body to control. James means more than just make mistakes when he states “we all stumble.” The literal meaning of patio is “to stumble,” but Greek writings indicate that it was also used in a figurative manner to refer to evil acts or acts of sin. And so, in one single verse, James has given us his doctrine of sin: it is universal, it is found in all people, believers and unbelievers alike. The person who never speaks a false word is described by Peter as “a perfect man.” Why would this person be perfect? Simply because he who never commits a sin with his tongue would never sin in any other way, either. Since sins of the tongue are the hardest to avoid, anyone who could control his tongue could easily “keep his who body in check”—ie., keep it from being used as an instrument of sin.

2. Taming the Tongue, verses 3—6

The ability of a small bit in the mouth of a horse is James’s illustration of the power the tongue has over the entire body. Just as that small bit “can turn the whole animal,” so a man who can control his tongue can control his whole being.

Similar is the ability of the rudder to direct the ship. James vividly introduces the illustration by saying, “Take ships as an example.” There were three factors which made ships of his day difficult to control:

• They were “so large”
• They were “driven by strong winds”
• They were “steered by a very small rudder.”

The rudder was a small blade on the end of a tiller, extending through a form of oarlock from the rear of the ship. When compared to the overall size of the ship and the power of gale-force winds, that tiny rudder indeed seemed very small, and yet it guided the boat “wherever the pilot [wanted] to go.”

Likes bits and rudders, the tongue is a small thing, yet, also like them, it is powerful. The tongue “makes great boasts,” does not refer to empty claims. The tongue can sway great multitudes; it can alter the destinies of entire nations. Since megala auchei (“makes great boasts”) is usually used in a derogatory sense, it is likely James uses the expression to apply the first two illustrations of the tongues influence and to introduce the third one. A forest fire serves to further illustrate the destructive potential of the tongue. Think about it: thousands and thousands of acres of valuable timber can be decimated by one single, tiny spark. In the two previous illustrations, animals and ships are controlled by small objects; in this last illustration, a huge forest is destroyed by a tiny spark. What a graphic illustration of the power of the tongue: it can either control or destroy.

That’s why James likens the tongue to a fire. The tongue can be inflammatory, and has turned friend against friend, brother against brother, nation against nation. The tongue is also a “world of evil,” a striking phrase suggesting all the wickedness in the whole world is wrapped up in that little piece of flesh! As one commentator has written, “There are few sins people commit in which the tongue is not involved.”

James describes the tongue’s influence in no uncertain terms: it corrupts the whole “person.” The Greek word translated “person” is soma, and since the person resides in the body and uses the body as his instrument, James refers to the whole person, physical and spiritual. The corrupting influence of the tongue reaches out in ever widening circles, for it sets “the whole course of his life on fire.” The pronoun “his” is not in the Greek, and so the phrase should read: “the tongue sets the whole course of life on fire.” The NIV’s translation limits the sphere of influence of the tongue to one speaking, but James’s description is much more graphic: the tongue is a fire that can literally burn the whole of human existence.

But the source of the tongue’s evil nature is hell itself, a way of saying that it comes from the devil. The term geennes or ghenna comes from the Greek form of the Hebrew name of the valley of Hinnom, an area south of Jerusalem where the city’s garbage was burned. This continual burning of rubbish became a figure for eternal punishment.

3. The Perversion of the tongue, verses 7—12

Given the fact that the tongue gets its power from Hell, James proceeds to tell his readers how perverse it is and can be. The fact that man can’t seem to control his tongue shows just how perverse it is. “No man can tame the tongue” is James’s way of saying that by himself, no man can control it. Of course, it goes without saying that one that is born again can be controlled by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, present in all believers. The tongue in its natural state is “a restless evil” and “full of deadly poison.” The tongue seems always ready to strike and inject it’s venom into its victim.

With verse nine, James shows how inconsistent the tongue is, another aspect of the tongue’s perversity. On the one hand, it can praise God, on the other hand it curses God. Notice that he is speaking to fellow believers here (“My brothers”). Even though all believers have the Holy Spirit living within them, many of us are not appropriating His power. That is why James insists that “this should not be;” the mouth should be used consistently to praise God and express love and kindness to others.

Always ready with a homey illustration, James turns once again to the world of nature. He asks, “Can both fresh water and salt water spring from the same spring?” The word bryei (“flow”) is a poetic term describing water gush forth from a geyser, as being under pressure. The water is described by James as “fresh,” but the Greek can also mean “sweet,” water that is refreshing and quenches thirst, and “bitter”, or “salty,” unfit for drinking.

Concluding his discussion of the tongue, James goes right to the real source of speech. He asks, “Can a fig tree bear olives?” The answer is no, of course, for a plant produces according to its nature, whether it’s figs, grapes or any other fruit. So it is with a “salt spring” which cannot “produce fresh water” because it is not a fresh water spring.

Conclusion

For James, it is simple. Out of the mouth of a good man come good words, and out of the mouth of a sinful man come sinful words. Is it really that simple? Is James speaking of a life that is possible for us to live? The answer is yes. Each one of us, who claim to be born again, is filled with the Holy Spirit. And that Spirit lives and moves through us. If we are seeking first God’s kingdom and His will, we will learn to yield ourselves to Him. Nobody ever said living the Christian life would be easy. Just as we exercise our bodies to build muscle and stay in shape, so it must be with our spiritual bodies. It takes practice to gain control of our tongues and it takes commitment. But if we are to live lives that please God, it is something we must do.