Lesson 21. The Discipline Of The Tongue (James 3:1-12) Series

1Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Introduction

Introduction to Chapter 3

Another measure of spiritual maturity is a believer’s speech. James devoted a good portion of this letter to attacking a careless and corrupt tongue. He appealed, however, not only for controlled tongues (3:1-12) but also for controlled thoughts (3:13-17). The mouth is, after all, connected to the mind. Pleasant speech demands a wise source. Controlled talk and cultivated thought are necessary.

Introduction to Lesson 21 (vv. 1-12)

From his discourse on idle faith, James proceeded to discuss the idle speech. The failure o bridle the tongue, mentioned earlier (1:26), is now expanded. As disturbing as those who have faith with no works are those Christians who substitute words for works. One’s tongue should be controlled. Small though it is, the tongue is powerful and all too prone to perversion and pollution.

Commentary

1. Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

Again addressing “my fellow believers,” a sign that a new topic is being considered, James suggested moderation and restraint in adding more teachers. Too many of the new Jewish Christians aspired to teach and thereby carry some of Rabbis' rank and admiration. It is doubtful that the reference here is to official teachers of the apostolic and prophetic status. These are the unofficial teachers in the church family’s synagogue meetings, where much latitude was given even for strangers to speak. Paul frequently used this courtesy given visitors. James’ complaint was simply that too many believers were overly anxious to speak up and show off (cf. John 3:10[4]; 9:40-41). James issued a caution to these “would-be” teachers. Do not make teaching your profession, for many want to be teachers who need to learn more instead of teaching others. There were many teachers or rabbis among the Jews, and they all claimed to have the truth, and each wished to draw disciples away from among them. The Apostle James issued them a caution though they had the exact nature as he did. In another book, James gave a warning that said, “Love labor and hate the rabbi’s office.” Similar warnings are still needed, for there are still multitudes whom God has not called and can never call because He has never qualified them for the work required to get into the priest’s office. Their case is awful, for they shall receive condemnation greater than ordinary sinners. They have already sinned by thrusting themselves into the office of a priest: an office to which God has not called them, but through their insufficiency, the flocks over whom they have assumed mastery perish for lack of knowledge, and God will require their blood at the watchman’s hand.

2. We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

We offend everyone in many ways. “We all stumble” or trip. Some have produced these words as proof that no man can live without sinning against God; for James himself, a holy apostle, speaking of himself, all the apostles and the whole Church of Christ says, “We all stumble in many ways.” James did not point the finger at the offenders without including himself. Nothing seems to trip-up a believer more than a dangling tongue. Suppose a believer is never at fault (lit., “stumbles not”) in what he says (lit., “in the word”); he is a perfect, mature, fulfilled, complete person. He can bridle his whole body. Spiritual maturity requires a tamed body. This is a horrible and dangerous doctrine and pushed to its consequences, it would significantly affect the entire gospel system’s credibility. Offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. To understand this correctly, we must refer to the caution James gives in the preceding verse: “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” To this, he could have added, “Do not affect that for which you are not qualified.” But he says, “if any man offends you, don’t be tripped-up in doctrine,” but teach the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, the same “is a man fully instructed” in divine things. How often the term logos, which we render the word, is used to express “doctrine” and the gospel’s doctrine, we have seen in many parts of the preceding comment. The man, therefore, who advanced no false doctrine and gave no imperfect view of any of the great truths of Christianity, that man proved himself, thereby, to be thoroughly instructed in divine things, to be no novice, and consequently, among the many teachers, to be a perfect master and worthy of the sacred vocation. Able also to bridle the whole body.