James 3

Teachers need to control their tongueverses 1-2

My brethren – be not many masters

knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation

FOR in many things we offend all

IF any man offend not in word – the same is a perfect man

and able also to bridle the whole body

Illustrations of controlling bodyverses 3-6

BEHOLD – we put bits in the horses’ mouth – that they may obey us

and we turn about their whole body

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 lists

EVEN so the tongue is a little member – and boast great things

BEHOLD – how great a matter a little fire kindle

AND the tongue is a fire – a world of iniquity

so is the tongue among our members

that it defile the whole body

and sets on fire the course of nature

and it is set on fire of hell

Taming of tongue difficultverses 7-12

FOR every kind of beasts – birds – serpents

things in the sea is tamed

and has been tamed of mankind

but the tongue can no man tame – it is an unruly evil

full of deadly poison

THEREWITH bless we God – even the Father

and THEREWITH curse we men

which are made after the similitude of God

Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing

my brethren these things ought not so to be

Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Can the fig tree – my brethren – bear olive berries?

either a vine – figs?

so can on fountain both yield salt water and fresh

Earthly wisdom manifestedverses 13-16

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?

let him show out of a good conversation his works

with meekness of wisdom

BUT IF ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts

glory not – and lie not against the truth

This wisdom descends not from above – BUT is earthly – sensual – devilish

for where envying and strife is

there is confusion and every evil work

Wisdom from heavenverses 17-18

BUT the wisdom that is from above is

first pure – then peaceable – gentle – easy to be entreated

full of mercy – good fruits – without partiality

without hypocrisy

AND the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. (1320 “masters” [didaskalos] means teacher, doctor, instructor, or rabbi)

DEVOTION: James is concerned for the teaching ministry of the church. One of the problems that can happen in any church is that there are individuals who think they have the gift of teaching or ministry and LORD has not called them.

In every church there are people who think they can do a better job at preaching than the pastor. In some cases this is true. I have been in many churches where the message was very poorly prepared and/ or poorly presented to the people.

I have had men come to me and say it is not hard to preach and they thought the LORD was giving them the ability to be in the pulpit. I gave them opportunity to preach on a Sunday evening and they found out just how hard it is to preach. I would not do this to everyone who asked but this man was seriously thinking of training for the ministry.

James wanted the office of pastor/teacher to be limited to those who were called of God. These individuals should have the encouragement of the pastors around them if they do have the gift. There should be training. There should be a call of a local church to have them come.

At the beginning of the church there were the twelve disciples and then other men who were called to serve. They went around starting churches and training leaders or elders to keep the congregations together.

During this time period there were individuals like Diotrephes (2 John) who liked to have the pre-eminence in the church. He would not let good teachers come because they would have condemned his teaching and actions.

This is still happening today. There are many people who have written books or started movements or started a television or radio program because they were not called to any church but wanted to be teachers. Some are Biblical but many are not. These are the individuals James is warning the church about.

Those who are not called to teach and still teach will receive a closer look by the LORD at the time of judgment. They will be held accountable for their actions just like the rest of us but to a greater judgment.

Why a greater judgment? Their teaching could have hindered the growth of the individuals under their care. Many could be teaching false doctrine because of a lack of calling and training.

Accountability should be a concern of anyone wanting to be a teacher of others. We have to stand before the LORD and give an account. We need to watch what we teach on all occasions. We need to be slow to speak.

CHALLENGE: Make sure of your calling before the LORD and those in leadership in your local church before taking a position as a teacher of others.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. (5164 “course” [trochos] means a wheel, a circuit of physical effects, cycle, round of human activities, round of existence or pattern of events)

DEVOTION: James informs individuals who are believers to not seek the office of teacher. He tells them that if they are teachers and teach the wrong things, they will have the greater condemnation.

He continues the discussion with the fact that if a person could control his tongue, he would have his whole body under control. The tongue is a little member of our body but can be full of fire. It can contain a world of sin. It can defile the whole body. It can set a cycle going in a person’s life that can cause them to sin.

Our tongue can really cause all kinds of problems for us and for the testimony of the church. The tongue today of those who call themselves Christians can be a real problem. There are Christians who think it is good to use bad language. Some think it is good to tell jokes that are off-color. Too often the Christians want to fit in with the rest of the world. This is not what God wants of those in leadership. HE doesn’t even want it in those who are not leaders.

Some Christians use bad language toward their spouse or children. This can cause problems for the rest of their lives or marriage. The time to stop is NOW. Our home should be our first place to stop using our tongues to hurt people. Our home should be the first place we encourage those around us to serve the LORD.

Leaders and parents need to teach by example. If the people see their leaders using good language and not losing their temper, they might follow suit. God wants us to use our tongue to encourage one another but we sometimes use it to hurt our brothers and sisters in the LORD. There used to be a rule that if it isn’t nice or necessary or truthful we shouldn’t say it. How about we change our habit of hurting and start helping. That is HIS plan.

What direction is your tongue taking those around you today? What cycle are you starting today?

CHALLENGE: IF your tongue is giving you problems, ask someone to help you with your control. Confess any poor use of your tongue to the LORD and those you have hurt. After confession ask for HIS help in this area of your life.

: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. (183 “unruly” [akataschetos] means that can not be restrained, uncontrollable, irrepressible, or not to be checked)

DEVOTION: One of the problems with us is that we let our tongue speak before our brain stops us. I have had this happen many times in my life and it has happened to all of us at least one time in the last week.

Even young children can speak before they think about who they are talking to especially when they are not happy. Children talk to parent in a disrespectful way. They think that they have a right to express themselves any way they please.

This type of action is called evil in this verse. Why is it evil?

Young children need to learn early that their words hurt others. If they say something to hurt someone they love it can never be taken back. There can be an apology but the words still stay in our brains.

Our goal should be to treat everyone with kindness even when they don’t treat us the same way. Also when they don’t treat us right we need to control our words to make them pleasing to the LORD and not to our present attitude.

Also our tone can make a difference to when we are talking to our parents or other adults. We should treat our parents with respect. If we think they are being too hard on you; you need to ask them to talk with you about your thoughts another time.

CHALLENGE: Watch out for the poison in your words.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. (2052 “strife” [eritheia] means 1 electioneering or intriguing for office. 1a apparently, in the NT a courting distinction, a desire to put one’s self forward, a partisan and fractious spirit which does not disdain low arts. 1b partisanship, fractiousness. [Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship])

DEVOTION: We have just finished one of the most contentious national elections of our life time. The accusations by those of both parties just seemed as though they kept coming and coming! Of course, what makes this all possible in the name of “debate” is that we have lost our sense of righteousness and truthfulness, and so everyone thinks it is okay to put down or slander his or her opponent.

Is it any different in the work world? Most of the time I am sorry to say that the answer is no. People are seeking to get ahead, and that makes it a “dog-eat-dog” world out there. Very few people will serve with the expectation of getting nothing back in return. It gets worse when we are asked to write our own work self-evaluations at the end of the year!

But James is concerned that this is true as well in the church. Our attempt to get ahead may be dressed up in nice clothes, but it still reflects who we are. James’ comments about the tongue in the beginning of this chapter illustrate the problem that most of us have with this. If we aren’t just putting someone else down in the church, we are seeking to get the job of being “top dog.” We are free to criticize our pastor (or, if the pastor, the parishioners). We try to spiritualize our behaviors, but just the same they reflect who we are.

The disciples who walked with Jesus also wrestled with this. In fact, two of them commissioned their mother (probably because they knew Jesus would listen to her!) to ask if they could sit in His left and right hands in His kingdom. Needless to say, Jesus graciously deflected this request, and used it as an opportunity to teach them again about the need for servanthood.

What if we decided to spend our day doing nothing but building up others by our actions and our words? We would probably find those around us shocked. However, we need to start being more concerned about letting others get ahead of us than trying to get ahead of them.

CHALLENGE: Every time you have a negative thought about someone else today, stop yourself and pinch yourself. Who is giving you that thought? Replace it with a positive thought about that same person. (MW)

: 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. (2590 “fruit” [karpos] means crop, produce, harvest, result, advantage, or outcome)

DEVOTION: Our tongue should bring peace to every situation we find ourselves in any relationship. We are to speak the truth in love. That means that our main goal in a conversation it to convey truth to another person.

There are people who get under our skin at times. They just seem to want to cause an argument. They like to stir the pot as some people say. It is hard to deal with these types of individuals but the LORD dealt with them during HIS ministry.

They would question HIS teaching. They would question HIS authority.

Christ always answered those who asked HIM questions with an answer or with another question. HE made people think about HIS answers or questions. HE treated everyone except the false religious leaders with respect. The religious leaders HE told them what to expect because of their false teaching.

However, if one of these false religious leaders came to HIM for answers to real question HE would even treat them well. HIS goal was to bring glory to the Father and reach everyone who was willing to be reached with HIS message.

Our goal should be the same. Fighting with someone never brings them to Christ. Calling others names doesn’t bring people to Christ. We are to make sure we use righteous means to present a righteous message and let the LORD handle the results.

CHALLENGE: At the end of a day are we people who want to be at peace with those we are trying to reach for the LORD?

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Godverse 9

Fatherverse 9

God even the Fatherverse 9

Similitude of Godverse 9

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Mastersverse 1

Manverse 2

Bits in horse’s mouthverse 3

Governorverse 4

Tongueverses 5, 6, 8

Mankindverse 7

Made after similitude of Godverse 9

Wise manverse 13

Endued with knowledgeverse 13

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Condemnationverse 1

Offendverse 2

Boastverse 5

Iniquityverse 6

Defileverse 6

Tongue = not tamedverse 8

Tongue = unruly evilverse 8

Tongue = full of deadly poisonverse 8

Curse menverses 9, 10

Bitter envyingverses 14, 16

Strifeverses 14, 16

Lieverse 14

Wisdom not from aboveverse 15

earthly – sensual – devilish

Confusionverse 16

Evil workverse 16

Partialityverse 17

Hypocrisyverse 17

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Perfectverse 2

Able to bridle whole bodyverse 2

Obeyverse 3

Tongue = bless Godverses 9, 10

Blessingsverse 10

Wise manverse 13

Endued with knowledgeverse 13

Good conversationverse 13

Meekness of wisdomverse 13

Truthverse 14

Wisdom from aboveverse 17

pure – peaceable – gentle

easy to be entreated – full of mercy

good fruits – without partiality

without hypocrisy

Fruit of righteousnessverse 18

Peace verse 18

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Church (New Testament people of God)

Brethrenverses 1, 10, 12

Mastersverse 1

Masters offend allverse 2

Last Things (Future Events)

Greater condemnationverse 1

Hellverse 6

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QUOTES regarding passage

Every true pastor should be able to teach the Word in clearness and power; and every God-endowed teacher should have a pastor’s heart; otherwise there is the danger of becoming heady and high-minded, and devoting himself simply to imparting information instead of bringing the truth to bear upon the hearts and consciences of his hearers. (Ironside, H. A. (1947). Expository notes on the Epistles of James. (34). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)

Clearly, James cannot mean that Christian teachers will receive a more severe penalty than other Christians—few, indeed, would become teachers in that case! Probably we should understand him to be saying that the importance of the teaching ministry renders it liable to a closer scrutiny and that failure to discharge the ministry faithfully will bring a correspondingly more severe penalty. Jesus warned that ‘to whom much is given, of him will much be required’ (Luke 12:48). Those who have been given the teaching ‘gift’ bear an awesome responsibility for their exercise of that gift in nurturing people in the faith. Paul was very much conscious of this responsibility. As he bade farewell to the elders of the Ephesian church, he stressed that he had been faithful to his task as a herald of the gospel: ‘I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God’ (Acts 20:26–27). (Moo, D. J. (1985). Vol. 16: James: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (124). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

James’ intention is not to dissuade those from teaching who, like himself, have the call and gifts to teach. But he does want to impress upon his readers the seriousness of the ministry and to warn them that it must not be entered into frivolously or for selfish reasons. (Moo, D. J. (1985). Vol. 16: James: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (124). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

The KJV “masters” is an Old English term for teachers (e.g., schoolmaster). (Burdick, D. W. (1981). James. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (186). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

The KJV translation “we shall receive the greater condemnation” is unfortunate. The Greek word krima refers to the decision of a judge, whether it be favorable or unfavorable. In this context the term is neutral. James merely says that the judgment of teachers will be especially strict because greater responsibility rests on teachers. The reason for this is that the teacher’s essential instrument—the tongue which is so easily misused, has great influence. (Burdick, D. W. (1981). James. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed.) (186). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

3:1 teachers. This word refers to a person who functions in an official teaching or preaching capacity (cf. Lk 4:16–27; Jn 3:10; Ac 13:14, 15; 1Co 12:28; Eph 4:11). stricter judgment. The word translated “judgment” usually expresses a negative verdict in the NT, and here refers to a future judgment: 1) for the unbelieving false teacher, at the second coming (Jude 14, 15); and 2) for the believer, when he is rewarded before Christ (1Co 4:3–5). This is not meant to discourage true teachers, but to warn the prospective teacher of the role’s seriousness (cf. Eze 3:17, 18; 33:7–9; Ac 20:26, 27; Heb 13:17). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Jas 3:1). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

James is warning against the too eager and general assumption of the privilege of teaching, which was not restricted to a particular class, but was exercised by believers generally. (Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Jas 3:1). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.)

James’ complaint was simply that too many believers were overly anxious to speak up and show off (cf. John 3:10; 9:40–41). (Blue, J. R. (1985). James. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (Jas 3:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

It is a sad thing when immature Christians try to become teachers before they are ready. They think they have attained a great place of honor, when they have really asked for a more severe judgment from God! (Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (726). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

A small number, well qualified, would better discharge the duties of the office, and do more good, than many would; and there would be great evil in having many crowding themselves unqualified into the office. (Barnes, A. (1884-885). Notes on the New Testament: James to Jude (R. Frew, Ed.) (54–55). London: Blackie & Son.)

This desire was common among the Jewish people, who coveted the name and the office of Rabbi, equivalent to that here used, (comp. Matt. 23:7), and who were ambitious to be doctors and teachers. See Rom. 2:19; 1 Tim. 1:7. This fondness for the office of teachers they naturally carried with them into the Christian church when they were converted, and it is this which the apostle here rebukes.* ‘The same spirit the passage before us would rebuke now, and for the same reasons; for although a man should be willing to become a public instructor in religion when called to it by the Spirit and Providence of God, and should esteem it a privilege when so called, yet there would be scarcely any thing more injurious to the cause of true religion, or that would tend more to produce disorder and confusion, than a prevailing desire of the prominence and importance which a man has in virtue of being a public instructor. If there is any thing which ought to be managed with extreme prudence and caution, it is that of introducing men into the Christian ministry. Comp. 1 Tim. 5:22; Acts 1:15–26; 13:2, 3. becoming heady and high-minded, and devoting himself simply to imparting information instead of bringing the truth to bear upon the hearts and consciences of his hearers.

(Barnes, A. (1884-885). Notes on the New Testament: James to Jude (R. Frew, Ed.) (55). London: Blackie & Son.)

FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

A NEW CREATURE

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:14
A Christian can have an entirely new birth, a new start, a new nature, a new life. He dies with Christ; he rises with Christ. He is in Christ. And so he becomes a new man.
Now, this is, of course, the very thing that had happened to the apostle Paul. In his old life he was a self-satisfied, proud Pharisee, a religious and highly moral man—a very good man and a very nationalistic Jew, despising everybody else and proud of himself. That is what he was, and yet he was miserable and wretched and unhappy and disturbed. But once he realized the meaning of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, he made an absolutely new start. Saul of Tarsus died, and the apostle Paul began to live. He says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
He is a man in a new universe. He is delivered from that old Adamic state and nature, and he is in Christ, alive unto God. It is the cross that does that. There is nothing that will get rid of the old man that we all are by nature except Christ’s death on the cross. But if you believe in Him and in the purpose of that death and what that death accomplished, you are truly dead to your old Adamic nature. You know that your old man was crucified with Christ and that he is gone forever. And as a result of this, our whole position and status is entirely changed. The apostle expressed that in this great statement: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14).
A Thought to Ponder: There is nothing that will get rid of the old man that we all are by nature except Christ’s death on the cross.
(From The Cross, pp. 186-187, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

John 15

Jesus teaches that a personal relationship with Him, and others, is central to His design.

INSIGHT

There are times when our prayers are answered and we seem “in tune” with God. At other times, our prayers seem not to be answered, and we seem far from God.

Jesus gives us two directives to keep in mind as we ponder our prayer. First, we are to abide in Him. This abiding, among other things, includes fostering a conscious awareness of His presence at all times and bringing all thoughts, attitudes, and actions in line with what we understand of His teachings. Second, “and My words abide in you” must involve studying, memorizing, and meditating upon the Word so that we pray intelligently, knowing God’s will ahead of time on some things. As we grow in these two areas, more and more of our prayers will be answered. (Quiet Walk)

Who Shall Let It?
“Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?” (Isaiah 43:13)
This is one of the classic “archaisms” of the King James Version, where the English word “let” does not mean “allow” (as we now use the word) but almost the exact opposite. This particular English word was originally written and pronounced “lat” and was from the same Teutonic root as the word “late.” Thus, to our Old English ancestors, it meant essentially “make late,” or “hinder.” Note its similar use in the King James in Romans 1:13 and 2 Thessalonians 2:7.
However, the Hebrew word (shub) from which it is translated in the verse of our text is extremely flexible, being rendered no less than 115 different ways in the Old Testament, occurring about 1,150 times altogether, with the context controlling its meaning in any given case.
In this context, the great theme is that of God as omnipotent Creator and only Savior. The first occurrence of shub, however, is at the time of the primeval curse on the creation, implanted in the very dust of the earth because of Adam’s sin. To Adam, God had said: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:19). Here, shub is twice rendered “return,” and this is the way it is most often translated in its later occurrences.
God therefore challenges every man: “When I work, who can return anything [or anyone] to its [or his] prior condition?” Though none can deliver out of His hand, or “make late” His work, He has promised to be our Savior, “and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:11, 25). When it is time for God to do His work—whether of creation or judgment or salvation—there is no one in all His creation who can “make it late”!

((HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

The third reason we do not focus upon prayer as leaders in the church is because prayer is absent from our individual lives. When prayer is not central to our daily lives, prayer will not be central to our church lives. (Developing Leaders for the Small Church by Glenn C. Daman)

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