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