The Epsitle of James: a Commentary | Page 7

maturity (Eph 4:13)
So the role or ministry of teaching in the church
should not be taken on lightly. The minister must be
careful not to be judgmental in his teaching (Matt 7:1).
His task will expose him to a greater standard of
judgment from God
vv 3-8 The power of the tongue
James here presses home the potent force of the
tongue in shaping our lives, and its effect on other
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people. We have already noted the power of God's
word: this is true not only in creation but (cf 1:18) in
the new creation of the new birth. In our natural state,
our words are destructive and nothing can convert the
tongue except the conversion of the person.
James uses a series of vivid metaphors to reveal just
how our tongues can rule our whole lives. He speaks
of the bit in the horse's mouth and the ship's rudder.
The argument does apply the other way round: control
the tongue and you have a means of controlling the
whole of life. How many Christians live in bondage to
an uncontrolled tongue? Paul says we should offer
ourselves to God, and the parts of the body a s
'instruments of righteousness' (Rom 6:13)
Take my lips and let them move
at the impulse of thy love
For: and here another metaphor, the uncontrolled
tongue can be like a spark which can spark a forest
fire. The tongue is part of the 'body of sin' (Rom 6:6).
It is the most powerful way of expressing ourselves
and it can be set alight by the 'fire of hell' (v6). If we do
not control our tongue, Satan will, and set our whole
life on fire. And we may be able to tame all kinds of
animal; only God can tame the tongue.
v6. We recall Jesus' warning that when a man says in
anger 'You fool!', he will 'be in danger of the fire of hell'
(Matt 5:22)
It is considered naive today to take hell seriously! Yet the
Bible does. The Hebrew word g'henna ( gehenna ) derived
from the Valley of Hinnom; a valley outside Jerusalem used
as a (perpetually burning) rubbish-dump. But it came to be
used as a figure for the place of final punishment.
'a world of evil' (adikios)- lit. 'without righteousness'
'corrupt' spiloo- make a stain or spot
'the whole person' olon to soma: soma (the body) as
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the instrument of life; hence of the person
v8. 'evil'- a different word for 'evil' to that in v6. Here
kakos- evil in character ands essence.
vv9-12: Praising and cursing
James concludes this section with another very acid
test of growth. It is a strange fact that the mouth can
be used to bless God and be used for cursing. Few
Christians would ever curse the Lord Jesus Christ; for
this is the very antithesis of the Spirit's presence (1
Cor 12:3). But, at a more subtle level, how often do
we use our mouths to speak ill of our brother, or to pull
him down. It may be a case of repaying evil with evil
(Rom 12:17) or just self-esteem at another's expense.
How, asks James, can fresh water (blessing) and salt
water (cursing) come out of the same spring? Then he
gives a direct allusion to Jesus' teaching on the tree
and its fruit (Matt 7:16-20). And the water of life can
only come from one source. (John 4:14; 7:38)
v9 'curse'- the word that implies intent for evil ,
(kataraomai)
v11 'fresh water and salt water' - lit. 'sweet' (glukos)
water and 'pungent' (pikros) water.
3:13-5:6 A Holy Life: the Third Test of Growth
One of the qualities of true and pure religion is that a
person keeps himself from being 'polluted by the
world' (1:27). This has nothing to do with total
withdrawal from the world, of being holier-than-thou.
We eat the same food, breathe the same air, travel in
the same cars and save money as the world. It has
everything to do with living in the world to the glory of
God. It has everything to do with living a lifestyle
which reflects the will and glory of God and his
transforming power (Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 3:18)
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Because we live in the world, because it is so
pervasive, we need to be aware of its temptations and
lure. James tells us to avoid 'friendship with the world'
(4:5): John warns against love of the world, or the
things in it (1 John 2:15), for our faith is 'victorious
over the world' (5:5; cp John 16:33).
We need to be sure what we mean by 'the world'.
The word kosmos can mean the created order (which
is 'good' (Gen 1:31)), but which has been corrupted by
sin and evil. It is human life organised apart from God,
and in opposition to him. In this sense, Satan is prince
of the world (John 12:31) and it is the prisoner of sin
(Gal 3:22). Before our conversion, we were following
the ways of the world (Eph 2:2); now we live as
foreigners (1 Pet 2:11)
We live, then, in