Tiago 3
John Phillips · Citado em PreceptAustin
Tiago 3
Phillips writes that "It is an evidence of man's lordship over nature that he has been able to tame and harness the mighty horse, a creature bigger and stronger and swifter than he." (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary - Page 97) Obey (3982)(peitho) literally means to persuade or induce by words to believe, but clearly in this context means to obey, to follow the commands or guidance of the one leading or commanding. Peitho is used with this same nuance in Gal 5:7+, Heb 13:17+. We direct their entire body as well - James is painting a dramatic contrast between the horse's small mouth and their massive, powerful body. The horse's body follows his mouth which in turn is guided by the bridle. So just as the a bit can make a large horse go where one wants, the tongue controls the whole body. Grant Osborne comments "The thrust is that the tongue, like a small bit in a horse's mouth, turns one's whole life around and directs the way it will go." (James, 1-2 Peter, Jude, Revelation - Page 69) John
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Phillips - The tongue is as dangerous as any fire. It has a vast potential for evil. It can speak falsehood and filth. It can be smooth as butter or as sharp as a knife. It can curse or cajole. It can criticize and complain. It can castigate and corrupt. There is no evil to which the unregenerate heart of man is heir that the tongue cannot promote. Sin entered this world, in the first place, by means of a forked tongue, the tongue of "that old serpent." The moment that Adam was confronted with his sin, he used his tongue to blame God and accuse Eve. When Eve was faced with her sin, she employed her tongue to blame the Evil One and his beguiling words. Adam blamed both Eve and God for what he, himself, had done. The first recorded words of Cain were insolent words wrapped around a lie and addressed to God: "I know not: [where he is]: Am I my brother's keeper?" The first recorded words of an organized human society were words of rebellion against God, humanistic and self-centered: "Let us... Let us... Let us" (Ge 11:3-4). Thus, the building of the Tower of Babel and a world capital city was begun. God's response was to confound human speech so that every man spoke to his neighbor in a foreign tongue. The proliferation of tongues has continued down the centuries so that now, according to the Wycliffe Bible Translators International Linguistic Center in Dallas, Texas, there are more than five thousand language groups known to exist in the world. Even some of God's greatest saints have revealed the evil power of the tongue. Abraham lied about his wife twice (Ge 2:10-20; 20:1-7). In a fit of temper, Moses called God's people rebels (Num. 20:10), and, for so doing, God kept him out of the Promised Land. David lied to Ahimelech the priest and occasioned his murder by King Saul (1 Sam. 21:1-10; 22:9-23). (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary - Page 101) The very world of iniquity - Continuing his lurid description of the tongue, James adds the unusual phrase the very world of iniquity. I think
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Phillips - Some of the lies that the tongue tells are diabolically wicked. Some of the language that the tongue uses is so abysmally degrading that it can be attributed only to the activity of evil spirits. The Bible abounds with illustrations of such use. We think of the curses that Shimei directed against David, the Lord's anointed (2 Sam. 16:5-7). We think of the depraved advice that Ahitholphel gave to Absalom (2 Sam. 16:20-23). We think of the wicked lie that the backslidden old prophet of Bethel told to the bright, young prophet from Judah (1 Kings 13:1-32). (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary - Page 101) Bruce Barton adds that "Flames of hate, prejudice, slander, jealousy, and envy seem to come from the very lake of fire where Satan will be punished (see Revelation 20:10, 14-15) (James - Page 74) R Kent
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Phillips - Try as we might, we cannot prevent the tongue from lashing out at times. Even the greatest and most gifted and gracious of men have said things that they later regretted. They could have bitten their tongue the moment they said them. No apology can undo the damage. The innermost secret thought has been bared. Sometimes we, ourselves, do not know what made us say such things. (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary - Page 101) Tame (1150)(damazo) means to subdue (used in Mk 5:4+ - see below) "To reduce from an uncontrolled to a controlled state of persons and animals: a possessed person, uncontrollable debtors...of a part of the body (tongue)." (BDAG) The only other 2 uses of damazo are in James 3:7,8 to "tame the tongue." This verb is widely used in classical Greek for gaining control of animals, people, nature, or anything requiring effort to master. The -azō ending in the verb indicates action and causation, hence to “make tame, to get control over, to subdue.” Liddell-Scott - I. of animals, to tame, break in, to bring under the yoke: Med. to do so for oneself, Hom., Xen. II. of maidens, to make subject to a husband, Il.: Pass. to be forced or seduced, Hom. III. to subdue or conquer, Id.: Pass. to be subject to another, Id. 2. to strike dead, kill, Od. 3. of wine and the like, to overcome, overpower, Hom.: Pass. to be overcome The picture James paints of the tongue is similar to the wild man in Mark 5 who was demon-possessed When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue (damazo) him. (Mark 5:2-4) Comment - The English word subdue means "to establish ascendancy over by force | to overcome and bring under control, as by intimidation or persuasion | to hold in check or repress." Isn't it interesting that the Spirit uses the same verb to describe a demon possessed man and the tongue of men which he has already described as set on fire by hell. Obviously he is not saying we are demon possessed but the comparison is worth noting. We don't need to be demon possessed because we have the indwelling, unredeemed, depraved flesh to "animate" our tongue, undoubtedly aided from time to time by " flaming arrows of the evil one." (Eph 6:16+).
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Phillips adds that "We were born with a nature that can do nothing right (Ro 7:18+), and we have been born again, heirs to a nature that can do nothing wrong (1 Jn 3:9+). All of our conduct and conversation stems from either the one nature or the other. We either exhibit the works of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21+) or display the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22, 23+). Paul tells us to crucify the flesh and to walk in the Spirit. (Gal 5:24+, Gal 5:16+) The tongue does not have a life of its own, even though James uses the figure of speech of personification to describe its activities. It is controlled by either the flesh—by the old, fallen Adamic nature (ED: SEE "OLD MAN")—or the indwelling Spirit of God. It cannot be controlled by both at the same time. If the flesh is reigning, then out comes bitter water. If the Holy Spirit is on the throne, then out of our innermost being flows that river of living water of which the Lord Himself spoke (John 7:37-39+)." (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary - Page 101) David
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Phillips adds that "the negative accentuates the positive. A dark piece of velvet best reveals the glory of the diamond. The bad behavior of Judah enhances the good behavior of Joseph (Gen. 38-39). Similarly, James produces four exhibits of things that negate wisdom."(Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary - Page 101) Vernon Doerksen - The “but” (de) introduces the dire consequences when godly wisdom is not present. From this point on two types of wisdom are discussed: wisdom limited to this world, earth bound wisdom that does not take into account the divine dimension; and the wisdom from above, from God. Paul makes a similar contrast between the two wisdoms in 1 Corinthians 1–2. He speaks of the “wisdom of the wise” (1Co 1:19), and “wisdom of the world” (1Co 1:20), the “world through its wisdom” (1Co 1:21), “wise according to the flesh” (1Co 1:26), and the “wisdom of men” (1Co 2:5). That earthly wisdom is contrasted with the “wisdom of God” (1Co 1:21, 24, 30; 2:7). The wisdom of God can only be understood by the believer because he has the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:12–15), but the individual without the Spirit does not and cannot possess divine wisdom (1 Cor. 2:14+). Paul’s emphasis is on the capacity to understand God’s wisdom; James’s emphasis is on the behavior and life-style that result from the wisdom from above. (James - Everyday Bible Commentary Series) John