In the days of Jesus, the Pharisees considered religious purity simply to mean keeping the outward commands of the law. It may be either (1) without variance, or (2) without doubtfulness, or (3) without partiality; probably (1) as R.V. This wisdom is first pure: The reference is not to sexual purity but to the absence of any sinful attitude or motive. (Burdick), ii. He says that you should show forth the wisdom by your manner of living. All unconsciously they tend, as Shakespeare had it, to say, And when I open my lips let no dog bark!". james 3:17 James 3:17 "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." But we have to take care that we are guided of God in this, which is important in the present day when we know that the spirit of the age is endeavouring to blot out God in all that touches man here below. Then the chapter closes with giving us a sample of what pure and undefiled religion is, but chiefly as we observe in a practical way the main object and never lost sight of. True wisdom may be know by the meekness of the spirit and temper. No otherwise is it with wisdom. They speak about having an open mind and about suspending judgment. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor desires. The Roman world knew of tame fish in the fish-ponds which were in the open central hall or atrium of a Roman house. He seems to refer here to the powerful and all commanding eloquence of the Greek orators: they could carry the great mob whithersoever they wished; calm them to peaceableness and submission, or excite them to furious sedition. The picture of the forest fire is common in the Bible. Can anything be conceived more superficial than such a remark? Cleanse your hands, ye sinners." To combat that argument James uses two pictures. Demonstrate the wisdom. I. Controversy here is, or ought to be, entirely out of the question. "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Where there is simple truth, nothing is needed but the quiet statement of the fact. This led to the establishment of the Inquisition; this kindled the fires of Smithfield; this inspirited Laud and his friends; this has been the origin of no small part of the schisms in the church. Of course, this refers only to cases where it is right and proper to be easily persuaded and complying. Jesus manifests himself to the disciples but not to the world ( John 14:22). No more is meant here than that, being happy, he is to give vent to his joy in the praise of the Lord. Clearly there we have a broad ground which even a Jew would respect. In no wise does scripture slight that solemn obligation. It is the word of God which directs a man begotten by the word of truth, urging and cheering and strengthening him in the very things that the new life delights in. Ben Sirach began his book with the sentence, "All wisdom cometh from the Lord, and is with him for ever" ( Sir_1:1 ); and he makes Wisdom say, "I came out of the mouth of the Most High" ( Sir_24:3 ). The revelation of Himself by which He acts on souls is accordingly here brought before us, no less than His own sovereign will as the source of it. The applecart of their prestige and influence among the people was upset. James 4:8). c. Confusion and every evil thing: This is the fruit of human, earthly wisdom. He will surely clear up whatever is for His own glory. Even serpents can be trained and you see the in India the guy with his flute and the Boa constrictor you know doing its thing. Scripture knows no such being as a "saved sinner." It means what is free from taint or pollution: the kind of taint must be learnt from the passage. Thus it embraces such of them as were Christians; and it gives a very true and just place to those who had the faith of the Lord Jesus. James here defined exactly what he meant by the meekness of wisdom in James 3:13. b. [Now,] every kind of beasts, and bird, and serpent, and things of sea, is tame, and has been tamed by man ( James 3:6-7 ). Few are in such constant spiritual peril as teachers and preachers. It need scarcely be remarked that it is no question here of the righteousness of God in a doctrinal sense. Thus the break is by no means so marked, but on the contrary natural and easily understood; for, in point of fact, James coalesces with the state of things that we find in the churches of Judea, and notably in the church at Jerusalem. This universality of sin runs all through the Bible. (i) There is no man in this world who does not sin in something. A backbiting tongue hath, disquieted many and driven them from nation to nation; strong. Lie not thus against the truth." James 3 Two constant demands of a child of God are a positive attitude and appropriate action. And yet the very mouths and tongues which had frequently and piously blessed God, were the very same mouths and tongues which cursed fellowmen. He that speaketh evil of his brother" is really speaking evil of God's own law and judging it. James is not for a moment saying that silence is better than speech. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. The John who said, "Little children, love one another," was the same who had once wished to call down fire from heaven in order to blast a Samaritan village out of existence ( Luke 9:51-56). That is, we are warned against forming resolutions, plans of our future doings and the like. But then this leads the way, and makes one feel the need of wisdom from God in order intelligently and happily to profit by the trial; for, as we know, the blessing of all trial is "to them that are exercised thereby." How often one hears people in the habit of quoting from this verse for what they call practice, who dwell on the first part to the exclusion of the last. (Galatians 2:14) Pauls charge against Peter was that he was acting hypocritically. Is this then in any way allowing the value of works without faith? Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Without partiality - Margin, or wrangling. The word here used ( adiakritos) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. WebJames 3:17,18. A good conversation. Gentle Paul stressed this, notably in 2Timothy 2:24. WebMatthew Henry's Commentary on James 3:17 Commentary on James 3:13-18 (Read James 3:13-18) These verses show the difference between men's pretending to be wise, and their being really so. This condition is not peace. Even the pagan writers have the same conviction of sin. Let us be, then, not only slow to speak, but "slow to wrath." It may not be always consciously known, and it was not in Old Testament times; but in order that there should be a basis of immutable blessing, and of communion in any measure between God and the creature, there must be the communication of the divine nature. For observe, 3. Ronny Marriott, incumbent second vice president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and pastor of First Baptist Church in Burleson, will be nominated for Texas Baptists first vice president. It is James' warning that the teacher has of his own choice entered into a special office; and is, therefore, under the greater condemnation, if he fails in it. Need it be told you that this verse has been a matter of much difficulty to many minds? willing to yield -- reasonable; easy to be entreated; accommodating; submissive; It implies a willingness to hear and respond appropriately, not selfishly or egotistically. This does not mean that mortals are directly inspired by such wisdom, but that God is the ultimate source from which their wisdom is actually received; and the means of their receiving it, while not in view in this text, must surely be allowed as the gospels and apostolic writings themselves, there being no other possible source of it. WebMatthew Henry's Concise Commentary 3:13-18 These verses show the difference between men's pretending to be wise, and their being really so. The basic meaning of mercy is that of compassion for the unfortunate. Philippians 4:5; 1 Timothy 3:3). "Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed." He is gentle and kind, although in reality he has every reason to be stern and punitive toward men in their sin. (Burdick), iii. WebMatthew Henry's Concise Commentary 3:13-18 These verses show the difference between men's pretending to be wise, and their being really so. People may come to it with the thought that all the epistles were addressed to Christians, but this is simply wrong. James 3 . Was she not willing, so to speak, to hand over the possession of the city in which she had been born and bred to those who were going to raze it to the foundations? Was it a time, when God was dealing with unwonted power and grace even for Gentiles? "We are appointed thereunto," says the apostle Paul. 2 Pierre 3:17 Ce que les Aptres devaient prsenter aux lecteurs de leurs lettres, tous les enseignants chrtiens doivent le prsenter leurs disciples. The governing and guiding of all the motions of a horse, by the bit which is put into his mouth: Behold, we put bits into the horses' mouths, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body, v. 3. This bitter and arrogant wisdom, so-called, is very different from real wisdom. Jesus' kingdom is not of this world ( John 18:36). My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. But this is not the law of liberty in any wise, but the law of bondage, condemnation, and death. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. in the flesh: but the stroke of the tongue breaketh the bones. James 3 "As pitch and tow, so a hasty contention kindleth fire" ( Sir_28:11 ). In the Greek text, it is clear that James arranged this list of virtues using assonance, first with e, then with a: eirenikos, epieikes, eupeithes, eleos, karpos, agathos, adiakritos, anypokritos. So in talking about the tongue, it's a very small part of our anatomy. The scriptures admonish us to be like Him in this respect. or a more evident token of the blindness of unbelief in him who made it? Hearing is exactly the attitude of dependence. As the sins before condemned arise from an affectation of being thought more wise than others, and being endued with more knowledge than they, so the apostle in these verses shows the difference between men's pretending to be wise and their being really so, and between the wisdom which is from beneath (from earth or hell) and that which is from above. Thus it is not only that God is inaccessible to evil Himself, but He also never tempts to evil at any one time whatsoever. So this is just good practical advice for getting along with people. It was desperately easy for a Rabbi to become the kind of person whom Jesus depicted, a spiritual tyrant, an ostentatious ornament of piety, a lover of the highest place at any function, a person who gloried in the almost subservient respect showed to him in public ( Matthew 23:4-7). The highest title which can be given to a man is, that he is a Christian gentleman. ". He does not, I apprehend, restrict himself to public speaking, though opening with it, as we have seen. A man could have evil thoughts and desires, but as long as he was religious outwardly he could still be pure. "Blessed is the man who has not slipped with his mouth" ( Sir_14:1 ). Let others reap the fruits of contentions, and all the advantages they can propose to themselves by them; but let us go on peaceably to sow the seeds of righteousness, and we may depend upon it our labour will not be lost. This wisdom is without hypocrisy: Without pretending to be what it is not; acting always in its own character; never working under a mask. This is evident on the face of it. It is, finally, without hypocrisy, namely, true to appearances. peaceable: The next characteristic of true wisdom is that it is "peaceable" (eirenike). It could refer to the partiality condemned in James 2:1-13. WebThe idea of master there is a teacher, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation ( James 3:1 ). - Utley, This refers to spiritual integrity and moral sincerity. As evil comes from us, so all that is good comes from God; and not only is God the spring of every good every good giving and every perfect gift being all from God (the manner of it as well as the thing itself that is given); but, besides, there is no change in God, the creature in its best estate is nothing but change. And yet those who exhibited all those evil things thought that they had wisdom! It is also translated as "open to reason" (RSV), "willing to yield" (Goodspeed), and "ready to be convinced" (Knox). They are opposite of the vices described in vv. It was true that a Rabbi was not allowed to take money for teaching and that he was supposed to support his bodily needs by working at a trade; but it was also held that it was a specially pious and meritorious work to take a Rabbi into the household and to support him with every care. I don't think that we should meddle or tamper with the Word of God. It is also translated as "considerate" (NIV), "reasonable" (Rotherham), "forbearing" (Moffet), and "courteous" (Weymouth). Here is brought in another essential point of the epistle. "Life," said Lord Fisher, the great sailor, "is strewn with orange peel." James 3:13-18 Two Kinds of Wisdom; PHIL NEWTON. It first maintains the character and glory of God, and then seeks the fruits of peace among men. Le conflit avec Amalek ( Exode 17:8 ) De Sin, ils sont alls Dophkah et Alush avant d'arriver Rephidim ( Nombres 33:12 ). It is evident that it cannot. It is not all that the Corinthian was vain in his speculations, but the Jew not less, who thus spoke and acted. 3. Your zeal for truth or orthodoxy, and your boasts of knowing more than others, if you employ these only to make others hateful, and to show your own spite and heart-burnings against them, are a shame to your profession of Christianity, and a downright contradiction to it. He has claimed this for God already; but now we come to see the application to us. The faith that is given us of God saves, not that which is the fruit of man's nature. When the apostles were sent forth of our Lord, they were directed by Him to anoint the sick with oil. It hath cut in pieces the forces of people and undone strong, nations. Never reverse this order; it is not only that this wisdom is pure and peaceable, but it is first pure, then peaceable. - Utley, willing to yield -- The original term described someone who was teachable, compliant, easily persuaded, and who willingly submitted to military discipline or moral and legal standards. It is evident that His good works were so outstanding that the common people saw them, not anything evil, as the hallmark of His career. It is the power of the Spirit of God alone that can grave these things on the heart. One sin begets another, and it cannot be imagined how much mischief is produced: there is every evil work. There is no doubt that this gives excellent sense; but it is doubtful if the phrase really can mean that. (It is but too true that much unseemly strife has had the aegis of this text thrown over it. There is a kind of cruel wisdom which takes a delight in hurting others with clever, but cutting, words. [That is a lie against the truth, the bitterness and striving and envyness within your heart.] Such a course would only have aggravated the evil instead of uprooting it. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. In the dark day that man calls "now," God more than blesses far more than blesses those who believe. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. He knows that truth has nothing to fear from hearing other viewpoints, even though he does not accept everything he hears as being the truth. They are utterly different. What the man pretends to be, he is. There were teachers who tried to turn Christianity into another kind of Judaism and tried to introduce circumcision and the keeping of the law ( Acts 15:24). We ought all to know how much we need to watch against such an ignoring of God above us, and the coming of the Lord. It is always the every-day application that is in the mind of James. Proverbs 17:6: , When Christians enjoy receiving the praise of men for doing their Christian duties, they are in danger of hypocrisy (Matthew 6:2; Matthew 6:5; Matthew 6:16). He does not simply look at the whole twelve tribes, but at the faithful; as we find in the beginning of the next chapter, "My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons." Peace follows purity, and depends upon it. In Phil. Jesus suffering unjustly at the hands of His enemies is a good example of the kind of "gentle" attitude we should possess. [Note: Adamson, p. It was a time of general cruelty and unconcern for the unfortunate. To be utterly convinced of one's own beliefs without at the same time being bitter to those of others is no easy thing; and yet it is a first necessity for the Christian teacher and scholar. The hypocrite practices deception so as to gain something for himself. In Psalms 12:6, David says, "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." For He is ever above us and infinitely wise. This we know was an old custom. Alas! But a man can drop a malicious word, or repeat a scandalous and untrue story, about someone whom he does not even know or about someone who stays hundreds of miles away, and cause infinite harm. We can tame lions, we've seen the lion tamers and we've watched them in the circus. Paul uses this word in Philippians 4:5 to encourage the Christian to let his "moderation" be known to all men. The picture of the tongue as a fire is also a common Jewish picture. If the danger of hypocrisy was real for Peter, it remains just as much a threat for Christians today. 3:17 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. It regards its opponents as enemies to be annihilated rather than as friends to be persuaded. The reason also is given: "For as the flower of the grass" (which is mere nature) "he shall pass away. Has the tongue a hand? But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. There must be no attempts to reach peace by overleaping purity. Receive its address in simplicity of faith, and every word of God is intelligently found to tell. We were singing tonight the praises unto God and that is the highest capacity for which I can use my tongue is use it to declare praises unto God. James goes back, as it were, to the beginning of the chapter. But what he says, without discerning (sine dijudicatione ,) seems strange; for the Spirit of God does not take away the difference between good and evil; nor does he render us so senseless as to be so void of judgment as to praise vice, and regard it as virtue. The Greek is hagnos ( G53) and its root meaning is pure enough to approach the gods. Corinthians 3 As he says here, "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow" not even on the morrow. "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. Founded, then, on this, the communication of His own nature, with its moral judgment, we. It was a practical incongruity and contradiction of the mind of God. The tongue, God help us that we might be so yielded to the Spirit that He would do for us what we can't do for ourselves and that is bring our tongue under control.I've said so many things that I wish I had not of said; said in a moment of anger. He knows how to make allowances, when not to stand upon his rights, how to temper justice with mercy, always remembers that there are greater things in the world than rules and regulations. Yet the authors statement here seems somewhat overcharged; possibly his own personal history may have contributed a little to this result. In the last place, he says that it is full of mercy, etc., while hypocrisy is inhuman and inexorable. It neither is a mask, nor does it need a mask. Is first pure . It is unlikely that James knew anything about Orphic reincarnation. But let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." I believe, therefore, that it is the bounden duty of every man to whom an oath is put, to take it in the fear of the Lord. The wisdom that is from above is peaceable. James explains to the Christian early in his epistle that he should ask God for this wisdom (James 1:5) and that every good and perfect gift comes down from God (James 1:17). In the dry season the scanty grass and low-growing thorn bushes and scrub were as dry as tinder. is first pure; it is pure in itself, it is free from everything that is earthly, carnal, or sensual, or devilish; it produces purity of heart, of life, and conversation; and is the means of keeping persons pure and chaste, and free from impure lusts, lusts of uncleanness, pride, envy, wrath which prevail in carnal and unregenerate men: and then peaceable; it inclines and engages those who have it to live in peace with the saints, and even with all men; with those of their own household, with their neighbours, yea, with their enemies: it is also "gentle"; or makes men gentle, moderate, and humane, so as that they bear, and forbear; they bear with the infirmities of the weak; readily forgive injuries done them; do not rigidly exact what is their due, but recede from their just right for the sake of peace and love; and do not bear hard upon others for their failings, but cover them with the mantle of love: and it is. One sees thoroughly, in the midst of the utmost difference otherwise, how it is the same divine mind a mind above the contractedness of man. (iii) The true wisdom is epieikes ( G1933) . Then we are shown two kinds of wisdom, just as with regard to temptations there were two sorts of them one blessed from God, and a real glory to the man that endures; and the other a shame, because it springs from his own fallen nature.
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