FRIDAY
In vv 5-12 James continues his train of thought from the previous few verses but with yet another analogy—a large forest fire started by a small spark.
James 3:1–12 1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Verse 6 greatly emphasizes the power of the tongue over the body. The tongue is a world of unrighteousness that stains the whole body. It sets on fire the whole course of our lives, and it is set on fire by hell. It is a “restless evil, full of deadly poison.” Humans have tamed powerful animals, but “no human being can tame the tongue”.
In verses 9-10 he gets to the heart of his teaching. Our words both bless God and curse those created in the image of God. All humans are created in the image of God so it is a nonsensical notion to bless God out of one side of your mouth, while out of the other cursing his image bearers. This harkens back to Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount to leave one’s sacrifice at the alter and go make any offense right with another person, then return to offer the sacrifice. How we talk to God and how we talk to people aren’t all that disconnected in the eyes of God.
The problem is that the tongue is duplicitous. It can be used for great good (praising God) and great evil (cursing people). Cursing here likely doesn’t refer to a curse like in witchcraft or saying swear words about them, but to detest someone and then in anger speak ill of them.
In verses 11 and 12 James reiterates the teaching of Jesus. “A good tree produces good fruit.” Proverbially, our words tend to reveal what is going on in our hearts.
This is another vivid analogy to the power of the tongue. Words we say are far from meaningless. They have the power to corrupt our entire being and set on fire the course of life. Evil words have ruined careers, marriages and relationships.
Since no human can tame the tongue we must look outside of humanity for help in taming our tongues. Our only hope is for God to renovate our hearts as we talked about last week and therefore tame our tongues.
“Spread gossip, and people will not trust you. Speak with sarcasm and insults, and people will not follow you. Yet what is especially on James’s mind is not the reaction of others to your speech but the spreading of sin from your speech to the rest of your life. Be hateful with your tongue, and you will be hateful with other aspects of your behavior. If you do not discipline and purify your speech, you will not discipline or purify the rest of your life.”
Craig L. Blomberg and Mariam J. Kamell, James, vol. 16, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008), 165.
In summary, the things we say, although a small aspect of our overall life, are incredibly powerful in determining the trajectory of our lives. Integrity again is the key. Surrender to the Spirit of God at work in your heart and speak the goodness that he produces.