James 3 James 3:1 We must not rashly take upon ourselves to reprove others. James 3:2–12 The importance, difficulty, and duty of governing the tongue. James 3:13–18 True wisdom will show itself in meekness, peaceableness, and charity, in opposition to strife and envying.

Be not many masters; let not every man make himself a master of other men’s faith and manners, a censor, or supercilious reprover of their failings and infirmities, Matt. 7:1.

For in many things we offend all: there is no man absolutely free from sin, 1 Kings 8:46, Job 14:4, Prov. 20:9, Eccles. 7:20, 1 John 1:8, 1 John 1:10; and therefore we must not be too critical in other men’s actions, having so many failings ourselves, Gal. 6:1.

He illustrates the former proposition, that he that can rule his tongue may rule his whole body, by two similitudes: the first, of an unruly horse, which yet, as wanton as he is, being curbed in with a bit, may be easily managed; intimating, that even so, if a man’s tongue be well governed, the…

The other similitude, in which a man is compared to a ship, the tongue to the rudder, the governing the whole body to the turning about the ship. As the rudder is but a small thing, in comparison of the much greater bulk of a ship, and yet, being itself turned, turns the whole ship (though so…

The accommodation of the former similitudes. The tongue is a little member, i.e. one of the lesser, in comparison of the body. And boasteth great things; the Greek word signifies, according to its derivation, the lifting up of the neck (as horses, mentioned James 3:3, are wont to do in their pride)…

The application of the similitude in the foregoing words. The tongue is a fire, i.e. hath the force of fire, and resembles it in the mischief it doth. A world of iniquity; a heap or aggregation of evils, (as the natural world is an aggregation of many several beings), as we say, an ocean, or a…

Every kind; some of every kind. Of beasts; wild beasts, such as are most fierce and untractable. And of birds; though so movable and wandering, the very vagabonds of nature. And of serpents; which are such enemies to mankind.

But the tongue; not only other men’s tonges, but his own. Can no man tame; no man of himself, and without the assistance of Divine grace, can bring his tongue into subjection, and keep it in order; nor can any man, by the assistance of any grace promised in this life, so keep it, as that it shall…

Therewith bless we God; pray, and speak well of God. Even the Father; of Christ, and in him of all true believers. And therewith curse we men; rail on, revile, speak evil of, as well as wish evil to. Which are made after the similitude of God; either: 1.

He repeats here, by way of exaggeration, what he had said James 3:9, to show how exceedingly absurd it is that two such contrary actions should proceed from the same agent. These things ought not so to be; there is a meiosis in the words; he means, things should be quite contrary.

Ordinarily and naturally; if any such be, it is looked upon as uncouth and prodigious.

Can the tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? The same tree cannot ordinarily bring forth fruit of different kinds, (on the same branch, whatever it may on different, by ingrafting), much less contrary natures: see Matt. 7:16–18.

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? i.e. if there be a wise man, &c. See Ps. 25:12, 1 Pet. 3:10, where what David speaks by way of interrogation, Peter explains by way of assertion. The apostle having shown the disease of the tongue, comes now to remove the cause, viz.

Bitter envying; Greek, zeal, which he calls bitter, partly to distinguish it from that zeal which is good, whereas this he speaks of is evil, and though it pretends to be zeal, yet is really no other than envy; and partly because it commonly proceeds from an imbittered spirit.

This wisdom, which they pretended so much to, who so criticized on other men’s actions, and inveighed against them, and which was accompanied with strife and envy. Descendeth not from above; i.e.

For where envying and strife is; the usual companions of this devilish wisdom. There is confusion; or, inconsistency, viz. both with man’s self and others; envy makes him unqniet in himself, and troublesome to others, by causing contentions and seditions among them, and breaking their peace, as…

But the wisdom that is from above; true wisdom, which is of God, opposed to that which descendeth not from above, James 3:15. Is first pure; either excluding mixture, and then it is opposed to hypocritical; or rather excluding filthiness, and then it is opposed to sensual, James 3:15, and implies…

And the fruit of righteousness; either the fruit we bring forth, which is righteousness itself, Luke 3:8–9, Rom. 6:22, Phil. 1:11; or the fruit we reap, which is the reward of righteousness, viz. eternal life.