James 3

James wants to indicate the calling of a teacher. He does not want many to become teachers for they see that James and others will have to take greater judgment (v. 1). As teachers themselves, James knows that they all stumble many times (apantes) (v. 2). The teacher who does not stumble is a perfect person and he/she is able to guide (chalinagogesai in Classical Greek the bit of a horse) also the whole body (v. 2b). This is what James had in mind since he continues that if one puts the bit in the horses’ mouth one can steer his whole body (v. 3). James has a style of adding metaphors to clarify his education. He wants to leave no doubt with the audience. He used a Hebrew expression “behold” twice in the next two verses. James explains that a big ship is controlled by a rudder and the pilot is in control (v. 4). He then comes to the actual topic, the tongue and its control (v. 5). What worries James is a tongue out of control and he used another metaphor to explain it, a small fire can set a fire in a great forest. He explains that the tongue is a fire, the world of iniquity (v. 6). James perception of the evil of the world or iniquity is connected to fire of the tongue that sets on fire during the course of our lives but is started by hell and that means Satan and his angels. Satan is using the same methods that he used during the Rebellion in Heaven. The misunderstanding of Christ’s role and himself led to a growing process of disbelief, selfexaltation and selfishness. Christ explained to him the Father and despite a momentary conversion, he moved away from the nearness of God and created an imbalance of the authority of God. With a method of deceit he misguided the fallen angels. James says that every species on earth are tamed by humans as one can see in a modern Zoo and in films (v. 7) but the tongue is a restless evil, in the middle it is deadly poison. James uses good Greek and alliteration /d/ and said “no one among men can tame the tongue” (v. 8). We use the tongue for worship and for cursing fellow humans who are made in the likeness (not exactly = homoousosin for it is homoiososin) of God (v. 9). James thinks of Moses’ citation from the Book of Adam in Genesis 1:26-27 here. James wants to conclude this thought on the deceptive tongue with its internal evil spurring on by Satan (deadly poison), as he did with using subtle arguments accusing the loyal angels during the Rebellion in Heaven event. He worked then secretly with artistic diplomacy and brinkmanship. James says that from the same mouth opening cannot come blessings and curses (v. 10) just like bitter and sweet water cannot come out of an opening of a fountain (v. 11) and a fig tree cannot produce olives or a vine tree figs. Furthermore, saltwater cannot produce fresh (v. 12), before the digital generation, which in itself is a unique increase in knowledge signal that Daniel spoke about in Daniel 12 to happen shortly before Christ’s Advent. James opened up the solution to the problem of the tongue by focusing in the last verses on wisdom, used four times. Wisdom and understanding should not be harsh but with “gentleness” (prauteti) (v. 13). Wisdom will produce good behavior and one can know the impact of wisdom because of the deeds done in gentleness. Truth haters are like Satan during the Rebellion in Heaven event that they have “bitter jealousy” (as Satan had of Christ’s function as his close Superior), he harbored “selfish ambition” in his heart, was “arrogant” and “lie[d] against the truth” (v. 14). Satan could use truth and propaganda to spread his ideas but God could use only truth. The Trinity is the embodiment of Truth. Their Word is Truth. That is why words of the human tongue that deceives is in contrast to the Word of God and against the Truth. That James is thinking of the Rebellion in Heaven and of Lucifer’s role is clear in verse 15. If the wisdom is not from above and lying against the Truth that is in heaven and from heaven “not that which comes from above” (as Christ the Logos or Word did in John 1:1), then it is earthly, natural and James added, demonic (daimoniodes). He is now squarely in Satan’s court here. No demon is apart from Satan. James says that where jealousy and selfish ambition exists, there is “disorder and every evil deed (pragma)” (v. 16). Says Ellen White of Lucifer, “Little by little Lucifer came to indulge the desire for self-exaltation” (PP 35). In contrast was the Word that became flesh, says James. “The Wisdom [Christ] from above is first pure then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (v. 17). Hypocrisy belongs to the resume of Satan. The last sentence in this chapter James wants to express with using Hebrew expressions and he stated that “the Seed (Christ and His Salvation event), whose fruit is Righteousness (because He was perfect with no taint of sinful action), is sown in peace by those who make peace” (v. 18). James says that making peace is not enough unless one sows the Salvation event of Christ also since its fruit is Righteousness and that can only be sown in an environment of peace.

Dear God

James teaches us that the tongue is very dangerous since it has the potential to go skew with Satan, to honor ourselves instead of You. Make us peacemakers that complete peacemaking with acceptance of Christ and His forgiveness so that His Righteousness can shine out of us. Amen.

Koot van Wyk, (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Kyungpook National University, Department of Liberal Education, Sangju, South Korea; conjoint lecturer of Avondale College, Australia