Module 35: Christian Experience Part 3
James - Christ and His Ethic; and Philemon - Christ and Social Relationships; and Jude - Christ the Perfect and Perfecting Lord
James Chapter 3
Part C: FAITH AS A PRINCIPLE OF WISDOM IN SPEECH - 3:1-3:18
C.1. A Warning to Public Teachers - 3:1
1 Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgement.
C.2. The Tongue - 3:2-3:12
1. Its Power for Evil - 3:2-3:6
2 For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn't stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.
3 Indeed, we put bits into the horses' mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body.
4 Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.
5 So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!
6 And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity amongst our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.
2. Its Untameable Nature - 3:7-3:8
7 For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind;
8 but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
3. Its Inconsistency - 3:9-3:12
9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God.
10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water?
12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
C.3. The Effect of Faith - 3:13-3:18
1. The Power of Silence - 3:13-3:16
13 Who is wise and understanding amongst you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth.
15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.
16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.
2. Wisdom from above the true Source of Speech - 3:17-3:18
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Footnotes
- Verse 4 (Behold)
- "Behold" means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
- Verse 6 (Gehenna)
- or, Hell