BEHIND THE BOOK The Power of the Tongue James 3:1-12 James opens this new section by addressing his brothers with a word concerning teaching. We can assume he is referring specifically to teaching the Word of God. We can also assume by the use of Didaskaloi, for the word teachers, that he was most likely referring to official teaching and/or preaching offices in the church. That word was most often used of rabbis and others who occupied official teaching and preaching offices. He says, Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. His point here is clear, the office of teaching or preaching God s Word (this was done in a more revelatory manner through the gifts of the Spirit in James time) is a very serious matter that should not be entered into lightly. This responsibility comes with a high level of accountability and judgment for its abuse. In fact, I would argue that only those who are clearly gifted by the Spirit for teaching should refrain from it. This does not negate lay teachers, but it does raise the standard. There should be recognized gifts before a layperson is commissioned to teach. There is so much more that could be said on this particular subject, but for now we will move on. It is my opinion that this statement led James to the discussion on the tongue because of its relationship to what he is going to say about the tongue. The reason why teaching is important, especially teaching God s Word, is because of its use of the tongue. Teaching is verbal. Teaching requires words and where there are words there are opportunities for mistakes. Mistakes of the tongue can have dire consequences, as we will see from this text. Immediately after his warning on teaching James makes reference to the universality of depravity. He says, For we all stumble in many ways. I heard a commercial advertising a new television program coming out that played a snippet from one of the episodes. It was a line from the main character, which said, All men are evil. There are just some who try really hard to be good. James is essentially telling us the same thing in 3:1-12. He is telling us that we are all evil in many different ways and to different degrees, but there is one particular area that we all meet at and that is in our speech. Every person is to some degree a liar, slanderer, gossip, and blasphemer. In keeping with his goal of encouraging an authentic and sincere faith of his readers, James is arguing one of the greatest areas for discerning one s faith, namely 1
the tongue. Before we explore James thesis and arguments, we need to say a few things about the tongue. The tongue in the context of James letter deals with the heart, outward speech, as well as inner personal dialogue. In one sense the tongue, or the mouth, is the whole by which the heart leaks its true self. Jesus said, The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks Lk. 6:45. John MacArthur says the heart is a tattletale that tells on the heart and discloses the real person. In another sense the tongue represents our speech toward others. James says in 3:9-12 the we use our tongue to bless and to curse, which is a contradiction that ought not to be. He compares it to the type of water that a spring brings forth and the types of fruit that certain trees produce. This is a clear indication that James has our actual verbal communications with God and others in mind throughout this teaching. And yet, somewhere between the heart and our outward speech there is another area that we need to be aware of, our inward personal and private dialogue. There is a battle raging in the heart of every believer and the results of that battle is broadcast by the tongue. James is calling every true believer to fight for control of the tongue and the battlefield where we fight is that inner voice between heart and tongue. In that constant dialogue we all have continuously in our minds. We cannot fake control of the tongue. We may think we can for a while but it will reveal the truth of our heart eventually. If we lose the battle of the heart we will inevitably lose control of the tongue. James message to true Christians is that we must fight for control of our tongues if we are going to be productive ambassadors for the Lord Jesus. His message for those who are not truly saved is that you will never gain control of your tongue until you are saved. It is a matter of the heart and without the regenerating work of God your heart is wicked and depraved and your tongue will tell on you eventually. Your only hope is to cry out for the salvation that is found only in the person and work of Jesus. 1. The Thesis if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. The way to spiritual assurance and spiritual maturity is through bridling the tongue. To bridle the tongue is to bridle the whole self. This is an extravagant claim. This idea is too often ignored in biblical counseling. When someone comes to you and confesses a problem with pornography or drinking do you think to counsel them 2
concerning their tongue? At first it sounds crazy. That is why James is going to put forth some convincing examples, both positive and negative. 2. The Two Positive Examples 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. A bit is a small piece of metal or synthetic material that rests across the tongue of a horse used to guide the direction a horse travels. It works by applying pressure to certain sides of the horse s mouth. The pressure controls the direction of their heads, which in turn controls which direction of their whole bodies. The second argument that James puts forth is that of the rudder of a ship. Most every sea ship is large to some degree, but we know that some can be enormous in size. We also know that these enormous ships are directed by winds. James wants us to imagine a massive ship liner or warship being blown by winds. How strong must those winds be to move a ship of that girth? But, in all that enormity there is a small little tongue-shaped thing called a rudder that dictates where that ship will go. Because of that small rudder (small in comparison) the pilot is able to control that mammoth ship being blown around by massive winds. So too because of our small tongues we are able to control the direction of our entire bodies in spite of the outward forces acting upon it. Before we move on to the negative examples, let s stop to meditate on what James examples infer. Not only is his point clear that we can control the body by controlling the tongue, but he also inadvertently shows us that we are able to accomplish tremendous things by controlling the tongue. The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. Not sinning is not our goal as Christians. Reaching the lost with the gospel is our great commission. We look at the world and think about how massive this planet is. How far away the ends of the earth are. We look around and see tempest raging against the gospel and against the truths of Scripture. We see the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain against the church. Yet, James tells us that the world as we see it is no match for us so long as we gain control of the tongue. Not only can we gain the sanctifying control of our selves that God is calling us to strive toward, but we can also confidently expect to accomplish many other great things in this life when our tongues are under our submission. 3
3. The Negative Example 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. James chooses to use only one negative example to demonstrate the power the tongue possess to destroy the whole person. We are not talking about simply causing the body to sin, but reeking havoc on the whole life and even soul of a person. James uses only one illustration because that is all that is needed to make the point. The illustration is so extreme and so vivid nothing else needs to be said. James moves from using a metaphor (the tongue is like a horse or ship) to stating the severity in actual terms (the tongue is a fire). I believe the NASB helps us to understand the meaning of this text better. NASB 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world (a system, scheme, or arrangement) of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body (like the bit and rudder to the horse and ship), and sets on fire the course of our life (its destruction goes far beyond your body and mind but can ruin the entirety of your life), and is set on fire by hell (the source of the tongues evil is hell itself). 4. The Great Conundrum 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. James has made his point clear already, tame the tongue and prove to be of genuine faith and on your way to spiritual maturity. Lose control of the tongue and your faith is in vain and your life is prone to ruin. Remember his thesis; if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. Simple enough, huh? But wait. He now says that no human being can tame the tongue. So, can we or can we not tame our tongues? Yes and no. Yes we can and no we cannot tame our tongues. In the sovereignty of God he will tame the tongues of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. In the responsibility of man we are commanded to take control of our tongues for the sake of our sanctification. When Charles Spurgeon was asked if he could reconcile the 4
sovereignty of God with the responsibility of man he replied that he did not seek to reconcile friends. Neither will I. 5. Our Futile Efforts Next, James wants to give clarity to our inability to tame our own tongues by reminding everyone of us what happens when we try to do it our own strength or flesh. 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. Our tattletale tongues tell the world that we are full of hypocrisy. We praise God with our lips and then speak ill of his creatures. We need to be convicted right now. O wretched people that we are who will save us from such wickedness? The Conclusion 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. Common Core Math Problems: Fresh water pond = salt water from its spring Salt water pond = fresh water from its spring Today s Headlines Fig Tree Produces Olives Grapevine Produces Perfect Figs God wants us to see just how ridiculous it is for us to live this way. These are contradictions that live in our hearts and pour out of our mouths but ought not and must not be so. We cannot continue in this contradictory state. We must settle these issues in our hearts that we gain control of our tongues. But we cannot do this in our strength. We need the power of Christ and his Spirit in us. If we cannot reconcile these contradictions and our tongues continue to reveal them, we must question our faith. If we are truly Christians we will not be able to live like this. We will reach a state of desperation and cry out for God s help. Pray with David, Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips (Ps. 141:3). And, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer (Ps. 19:14). 5