Tyndale Open Study NotesJames 3

In the early church, becoming a teacher was one way to improve social status (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Timothy 5:17; compare Acts 5:34). This honor was especially valuable for Christians who were often treated poorly as outsiders in their society (James 2:6–7). However, James warns about rushing to become a teacher without understanding the responsibility. Teachers have great influence through their words. Their speech can either help build up the church community or cause serious harm to it. This shows the power of human speech, which is a major theme in James's letter.

We all: The main concern of James is how the speech of church members affects their relationships with others (3:9–10, 14; 4:1–3).

• a world of wickedness: The tongue (our speech) acts as an agent of the whole unrighteous world that opposes God (1:27; 4:4).

• by hell: The Greek word Gehenna refers to the place of eternal punishment (Matthew 5:22, 30; 23:15). Hades is the place of the dead (Luke 16:23; Acts 2:31). Mentioning hell points to the devil as the ultimate source of evil speech (James 4:7; Matt 5:22; John 8:44).

• No man can tame the tongue: The tongue has a remarkable ability to do harm. If hell motivates its evil, humans effort alone cannot control it (3:6).

• full of deadly poison: This might refer to the serpent in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1). The Scriptures identify the serpent with the devil (Revelation 20:2).

Bless … curse: Blessing our Lord and Father is the best use of our tongues. Cursing people, who are made in God's image, is one of the worst. It indirectly curses God himself (Genesis 1:26–27; 9:6).

Some springs, especially in the upper sources of the Jordan River, produced both fresh water and salt water. These salty springs could not support a town. Similarly, if a person's speech mixes bad with good, it will not help the community.

Who is wise and understanding among you: The wisdom from God is not only skill of intelligence or a collection of facts (1:5). It is practical insight and spiritual understanding that shows in moral behavior, as described in 3:17–18 (see also Job 28:28; Proverbs 1:2–4; 2:10–15).

Wisdom has no association with jealousy and selfish ambition. We can only receive God's true word through humility (1:18, 21).

Earthly wisdom is not part of God's good creation. It is the opposite of heavenly wisdom because it leaves out God. It is unspiritual because it does not acknowledge or respond to God's Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14; Jude 1:19). It is demonic because it comes from the devil, who is the ultimate source of this wisdom that destroys (James 3:6; 4:6; 1 Timothy 4:1).

James uses a farming image to highlight the benefits of living by wisdom from above. Those who sow in peace in relationships will reap a rich harvest of righteousness in those relationships (see Matthew 5:9).