Tiago 3

Tiago 3

INDEX FOR ALL VERSES ON JAMES Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission JAMES Faith for Living Motives for Works The Place of Works: Outward Demonstration of Inner Faith Outreach of Works Jas 1:1-18 Jas 1:19-2:13 Jas 2:14-25 Jas 3:1-12 Jas 3:13-4:12 Jas 4:13-5:12 Jas 5:13-19 Trials & Temptations Word & Works Faith & Works Tongue Wars Future Others Faith In Testings Fulfill Favor Fallacy Fountain Factions Faith and the Future Faith and our Fellowship FAITH AT WORK PART 2: The Test Marks of a Living Faith V. Faith tested by its response to the Word of God (James 1:19–27) VI. Faith tested by its reaction to partiality (James 2:1–13) VII. Faith tested by its production of works (James 2:14–26) VIII. Faith tested by its production of self-control (James 3:1–18) A. The significance of a controlled tongue (James 3:1–2) 1. The responsibility of the teacher (James 3:1) 2. The evidence of the perfect man (James 3:2) B. The need for control over the tongue (James 3:3–6) 1. The effects of a controlled tongue (James 3:3–5a) a. The illustrations of proper control (James 3:3–4) (1) The horse and the bridle (James 3:3) (2) The ship and the rudder (James 3:4) b. The application to the boasting tongue (James 3:5a) 2. The damage of an uncontrolled tongue (James 3:5b–6) a. The illustration of vast damage (James 3:5b) b. The nature of an uncontrolled tongue (James 3:6) C. The untamable nature of the tongue (James 3:7–8) 1. The ability to tame animals (James 3:7) 2. The inability to tame the tongue (James 3:8) D.The inconsistency of the tongue (James 3:9–12) 1. The statement of the inconsistency (James 3:9–10a) 2. The rebuke for the inconsistency (James 3:10b) 3. The condemnation from nature’s consistency (James 3:11–12) E. The wisdom controlling the tongue (James 3:13–18) 1. The challenge to the wise to show his wisdom (James 3:13) 2. The evidence of false wisdom in control (James 3:14–16) a. The manifestation of this wisdom (James 3:14) b. The character of this wisdom (James 3:15) c. The outcome of this wisdom (James 3:16) 3. The evidence of the true wisdom in control (James 3:17–18) a. The characteristics of this wisdom (James 3:17) b. The fruit of this wisdom (James 3:18) (Hiebert - Commentary on James or digital copy) James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. (NASB95) Amplified my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation]. Phillips Don't aim at adding to the number of teachers, my brothers, I beg you! Remember that we who are teachers will be judged by a much higher standard. Wuest Stop becoming many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive a more severe sentence of condemnation, NET Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly. GNT Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε, ἀδελφοί μου, εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα λημψόμεθα. NLT Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. KJV My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. ESV Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ASV Be not many of you teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive heavier judgment. CSB Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment, NIV Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. NKJ My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. NRS Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. YLT Many teachers become not, my brethren, having known that greater judgment we shall receive, NAB Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly, NJB Only a few of you, my brothers, should be teachers, bearing in mind that we shall receive a stricter judgement. GWN Brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers. You know that we who teach will be judged more severely. BBE Do not all be teachers, my brothers, because we teachers will be judged more hardly than others. Let not many of you become teachers: Mal 2:12 Mt 9:11 10:24 23:8-10,14 Joh 3:10 Ac 13:1 Ro 2:20,21 1Co 12:28 Eph 4:11 1Ti 2:7 2Ti 1:11 1Pe 5:3 knowing that as such Lev 10:3 Eze 3:17,18 33:7-9 Lu 6:37 12:47,48 16:2 Ac 20:26,27 1Co 4:2-5 2Co 5:10 Heb 13:17 incur a stricter judgment, Mt 7:1,2 23:14 1Co 11:29-32 James 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Youtube Video Verse by Verse Teaching on James 3 5W/H Questions on James 3 for teaching and personal study Related Passages: Romans 12:6-7+ And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching ( NLT - "If you are a teacher, teach well" = devote yourself to this task, make use of this gift) 1 Corinthians 12:28-29+ (WHAT DOES THIS SUGGEST ABOUT PRIORITY [NOT SUPERIORITY OR SPIRITUALITY] OF TEACHERS?) And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? Ephesians 4:11-13+ And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ. 1 Timothy 2:7+ And for this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 2 Timothy 1:11+ for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. JAMES ISSUES A WARNING I will confess that as a teacher of God's Word for over 30 years, I find this verse very disturbing (that's putting it mildly)! What Bible teacher or preacher does not "quake" a bit when reading this strong command and the companion warning which supports the command? And in the most bizarre of paradoxes, every teacher who seeks to explain this passage in a sense invites potential condemnation on himself! So at the outset, I am "treading lightly" on these passages and begging God's Spirit to direct me to rightly divide the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15+). In Jesus' Name. Amen. Remember that chapter breaks are not inspired, so we do well not to forget that James has just been explaining the difference between a faith without works and a faith that has works (a "faith that really works"). Now he seems to "jump into" a discussion of the tongue, but context is always important for the most accurate interpretation. The point is that the demonstration of a genuine, living faith will be seen in the words that come from our mouth because ultimately they come from our heart. If our faith has resulted in a changed heart, a new heart (Ezek 36:26,27+, see Circumcision of the Heart), then the words we say will reflect our new birth showing that we are a new creation in Christ. And so James begins with teachers, who major in use of words to carry out their art. A T Robertson suggests that "there is thus a clear complaint that too many of the Jewish Christians were attempting to teach what they did not clearly comprehend." And so James begins by issuing a strong command to "Stop becoming teachers." James does not stop with this strong command, but follows with a strong warning of greater accountability for teachers which should make anyone considering teaching to give it very serious thought. Recall also that the "tongue" has been addressed in chapter 1, so this is not an unusual theme for James... This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; (James 1:19+) If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. (James 1:26+) In summary, in chapter 2 James considers the importance of works and in chapter 3 he considers the importance of words in the life of believers (note "my brethren" = addressing believers). In James 2 the the question is do your works match your words ("I believe") and in James 3 the question is do your words match your words ("I am a believer")? R C H Lenski links this section (James 3:1-12) with the preceding sections as follows - James now takes up "swift to hear, slow to speak," which were mentioned in James 1:19+ and develops "slow to speak" as he developed "swift to hear" in James 1:19-27. A general connection is obvious: proper hearing of the Word will not make us respecters of persons (James 2:1-13) nor people with dead faith (James 2:14-26); proper hearing will bridle the tongue (James 1:26+) and will not put the needy off with mere words (James 2:15+, etc.). (Borrow The Interpretation of The Epistle to the Hebrews and The Epistle of James) Grant Osborne agrees that "chapter 3 is closely related to chapter 1 and actually is the third section (after James 2:1-13; James 2:14-26) of examples of practical ethical issues that have grown out of chapter 1. The two parts of chapter 2 developed the command to be doers as well as listeners (James 1:19, 22-25). This section develops the commands to avoid improper speech (James 1:19, 26). Several other parallels can be found (see Blomberg and Kamell 2008:147)—"judged" (James 3:1; Jas 2:12-13); "perfect" (Jas 3:2; 1:4, 17, 25; Jas 2:22); the bit in the horse's mouth (Jas 3:3; Jas 1:26); the ship in strong winds (James 3:4; Jas 1:6); wickedness (James 3:6; Jas 1:15); restless instability (James 3:8; 1:8); the curses/slander (James 3:9-10; Jas 2:7). In short, this section is closely interwoven into the previous material in James and continues to develop ethical themes previously introduced. (see Cornerstone Biblical Commentary – Volume 18: James) D Edmond Hiebert - James insists that a living faith must demonstrate its vitality by exercising control over the tongue. In the previous test (James 2:14-26), James insisted that a living faith must reveal itself in the production of works. In chapter 3 this demand for a productive faith is continued but with a difference. James insists that a living faith also must produce an inward result, the development of self-control. And this power of self-control is tested most readily in the matter of controlling the tongue. James agreed with Jesus (Mt. 12:34-37) that a man's words are the revelation of his character. As the organ of speech, a man's use of his tongue provides a ready revelation of his inner nature, for "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Mt. 12:34). (Commentary on James or digital copy) Ronald Blue summarizes Jemes 3 as follows - He appealed, however, not only for controlled tongues (James 3:1-12) but also for controlled thoughts (James 3:13-17). The mouth is, after all, connected to the mind. Winsome speech demands a wise source. Both controlled talk and cultivated thought are necessary. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary - Page 28) Charles Swindoll introduces the "tongue chapter" with some pithy thoughts - In James 2:14-26, the half brother of our Lord zoomed in on his central message—real faith produces genuine works. Throughout the book of James, a probing question holds his whole theme together: “If you say you believe like you should, why do you behave like you shouldn’t?” In James 3:1-12, he develops this general theme in a very specific direction: controlling the tongue. No other section of the Bible speaks with greater clarity and impact on the potential destructive power of our words. We might summarize this powerful passage in the form of a question: “If you say you believe like you should, why do you say things you shouldn’t?” (Insights on James, 1 & 2 Peter - Page 66) (Bold added) Warren