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condemned" (Matt. 12: 37). We all need the controlling power of the Holy Spirit to bring
every thought to the obedience of Christ (II Cor. 10: 5) for "out of the abundance of the
heart (or mind) the mouth speaketh" (Matt. 12: 34) and it is from within that evil words
arise (Mark 7: 21-23). James gives practical illustrations of the power of the horse, by
which, if their mouths are controlled, the animal is brought to obedience and the rider is
able to `turn about its whole body' (3: 3). In the same way the rudder of a ship, though
small, can guide and alter the direction of the largest ship (3: 4). The word behold
(idou), so characteristic of Jewish writers, occurs six times in this epistle, introducing
each time an illustration (3: 3, 4, 5; 5: 4, 7, 11).
The power of speech is tremendous for good or ill. We all know how great oratory
can sway multitudes. In the context we are considering, it is the distinctive power of the
tongue that is stressed. A spark can set on fire a great mass of material and uncontrolled
speech can destroy much that is precious. Verse 6 is strong language and is a terrible
warning of the damage that the tongue can do. Moreover, it is beyond the power of man
when left to himself, to completely control it. Man can control the animal world, but he
cannot control himself (3: 7, 8). For the believer it is only when the new nature,
energized by the Holy Spirit, is dominant, that the tongue can be tamed, and then its
highest use can be the praise of Him Who is our Saviour, Lord and Head. Calvin truly
said "He who truly worships and honours God will be afraid to speak slanderously of
men". The Apostle Paul said:
"let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought
to answer every man" (Col. 4: 6).
Let us remember that speech always shows the inward personality and if the Lord's
grace has taken possession of us, then our speech will always be gracious, and a
preservative against evil, just as salt prevents putrefaction.
To sum up this section, James deals with two kinds of wisdom. One which comes
down from above and is from God. The other which is `earthly, sensual and devilish (or
demon-like)' (3: 15). The former he has dealt with in the first chapter, where he tells us
that if we lack this wisdom, God will give it liberally if we ask Him (1: 5), so there is no
excuse for us not to possess it. Its characteristics are:
"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be
entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy" (3: 17,
R.V.).
It is associated with meekness in verse 13. Its greatest exponent was the Lord Jesus
Himself, for He could say with truth of Himself "I am meek and lowly of heart"
(Matthew 11: 29), and Paul does not hesitate to appeal to "the meekness and gentleness of
Christ" (II Cor. 10: 1). How very different is "bitter jealousy" and "selfish ambition and
strife" (James 3: 14). Contentiousness, arrogance or self-assertion show infallibly that
those who exhibit these traits are not fit to be teachers or leaders in the Christian sphere,
no matter what their capabilities are or their intellectual grasp of the Bible. Such only
lead to variance and division, so breaking the unity of the Spirit which is God's creation
and we are exhorted to guard it at all cost (Eph. 4: 1-3).