James 3

James 3 is the third chapter of the Epistle of James in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The author identifies himself as "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" and the epistle is traditionally attributed to James the brother of Jesus, written in Jerusalem between 48–61 CE. Alternatively, some scholars argue that it is a pseudographical work written after 61 CE.[1][2][3] This chapter contains an exposition about wisdom and humility.[4]

James 3
Epistle of James 3:3-3:9 on the verso side of Papyrus 20, from the 3rd century.
BookEpistle of James
CategoryGeneral epistles
Christian Bible partNew Testament
Order in the Christian part20

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek.[5] This chapter is divided into 18 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Greek are:[6]

An ancient manuscript containing this chapter in the Coptic language is:

Ethics of Speech for Teachers (3:1–12)
Epistle of James 2:19–3:2 on recto side

Verse 1
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.[9]

Joyce Meyer consider all believers in Christian faith are 'teachers in some way or another', because although they don't quote Bible verses or say spiritual things, their behavior becomes a tool to 'teach by example', teaching people around them about Christianity without realizing it, and can do more harm than good if they fail to behave as Christians.[10]

Verse 5
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles![11]

The danger of the human tongue is a popular theme in Jewish wisdom tradition, with many warnings placed in the Book of Proverbs (for examples, see Proverbs 6:2, 17; 10:18-19, 31-32; 12:13, 18-19; 13:3; 14:3; 18:6-8, 12, 20-21), as well as in Wisdom 1:11; Sirach 5:13; 19:16; 25:8b; 28:17-18, 22, and in rabbinical literature (Abot 6:6; Lev. Rab. 16:4 [on Leviticus 14:2]; b. 'Arak. 15b; b. Ber. 17a).[12] Several scrolls from Qumran also contain similar advice, such as 1QS 10:21-24; 4Q525 2 ii 1; 14 ii 25-27; and 4Q436 1 i 7-10.[12]

Verse 6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.
The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.[13]
  • "The tongue is a fire": Fire can be very useful to warm and comfort when used properly, and so is the tongue in conversation and ministry of the word.[14] However, as fire should be carefully controlled, so should Christians be careful that they don't sin with their tongue and always keep their lips from speaking evil.[14] Fire can kindle and rise up into a flame, like angry, passionate words can stir up the flame of lust, anger, envy, and revenge, also spreading when lies, scandal, and evil reports vented by the tongue; and as fire devours all that comes in its way, such are the words of an evil tongue; and therefore are called devouring words (Psalm 52:4) they devour the good names of men, corrupt their good manners, and destroy those who make use of them; and what wood is to fire, and coals to burning coals, that are whisperers, tale bearers, backbiters, and contentious persons to strife, (Proverbs 26:20–21)[14]
  • "A world of iniquity": points to the world which is full of sin, for it lies in wickedness, so is the tongue full of iniquity, existing as a world of its own.[14] The Jewish commentaries state that one who uses an evil tongue multiplies transgression, and that it is equal to idolatry, adultery, and murder,[15] and the cause of all sin, as expressed using the fable, as follows:[14][16]

"when Adam sinned, God laid hold on him, and slit his tongue into two parts, and said unto him, the wickedness which is, or shall be in the world, thou hast begun with an evil tongue; wherefore I will make all that come into the world know that thy tongue is the cause of all this."

The Syriac version renders this clause as "and the world of iniquity is as wood", referring to a branch of a tree, in the sense that the tongue is fire, and the wicked world is fuel to it.[14]

  • "The course of nature": or "wheel of nature", that is, the natural body, where there is a continual rotation or circulation of the blood, by which it is supported.[14] This is the wheel broken at the cistern at death, in Ecclesiastes 12:6 or the course of a man's life and actions, even of all generations, which greatly influenced by the tongue; as the Syriac version renders, "and sets on fire the series of our genealogies, or our generations, which run like wheels".[14]
  • "Set on fire by hell": that is, by the devil as its habitation (cf. Matthew 16:18), in contrast to the "heaven" as the dwelling of God (Matthew 21:25, Luke 15:18), and the sense is, that the tongue is influenced and instigated by Satan to speak many evil things, and later be set on fire in hell, as the tongue of the rich man in Luke 16:24, as implied in the Talmud:[14][17]

"whoever uses an evil tongue, the holy blessed God says to hell, I concerning him above, and thou concerning him below, will judge him, as it is said, (Psalm 120:3-4). "What shall be done to thee, thou false tongue? sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper", there is no arrow but the tongue, according to (Jeremiah 9:8) and there is no mighty one but God, (Isaiah 42:13) "coals of juniper", these are hell."[14]

The Meekness of Wisdom (3:13–18)
Epistle of James 3:13-4:4 on the recto side of Papyrus 100, from the 3rd century.

Verse 16

New King James Version

For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.[18]

See also

References
  1. Riesner 2007, p. 1256.
  2. Davids, Peter H (1982). I Howard Marshall and W Ward Gasque (ed.). New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Epistle of James (Repr. ed.). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans. ISBN 0802823882.
  3. Evans, Craig A (2005). Craig A Evans (ed.). Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: John, Hebrews-Revelation. Colorado Springs, Colo.: Victor. ISBN 0781442281.
  4. Riesner 2007, p. 1257.
  5. 20. James: Introduction, Outline, and Argument. Bible.org
  6. "The New Testament Virtual Manuscript Room, Institute for New Testament Textual Research (INTF), Münster". Archived from the original on 2015-06-13. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
  7. Riesner 2007, p. 1255.
  8. Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1.
  9. James 3:1 NKJV
  10. Meyer, Joyce (2019). James: Biblical Commentary. Deeper Life. FaithWords. p. 65. ISBN 9781546026037.
  11. James 3:5 NKJV
  12. Evans, Craig A. (2005). "Introduction to Volume Three". In Evans, Craig A. (ed.). Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: John's Gospel, Hebrews-Revelation. The Bible Knowledge Series (illustrated ed.). Colorado Springs, Colo.: Victor. pp. 22–24. ISBN 9780781442282.
  13. James 3:6 NKJV
  14. John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible - James 3:6
  15. T. Bab. Erachin, fol. 15. 2. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 100. 1.
  16. Otiot R. Aquiba in Ketoreth Hassammim in Gen. fol. 12. 4.
  17. T. Bab. Erachin, fol. 15. 2. Yalkut, par. 2. fol. 127. 2.
  18. James 3:16

Sources
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