James 3:5-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - James 3:1-12

The foregoing chapter shows how unprofitable and dead faith is without works. It is plainly intimated by what this chapter first goes upon that such a faith is, however, apt to make men conceited and magisterial in their tempers and their talk. Those who set up faith in the manner the former chapter condemns are most apt to run into those sins of the tongue which this chapter condemns. And indeed the best need to be cautioned against a dictating, censorious, mischievous use of their tongues.... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 3:3-5

3:3-5 If we put bits into horses' mouths to make them obedient to us, we can control the direction of their whole body as well. Look at ships, too. See how large they are and how they are driven by rough winds, and see how their course is altered by a very small rudder, wherever the pressure of the steersman desires. So, too, the tongue is a little member of the body, but it makes arrogant claims for itself. It might be argued against James' terror of the tongue that it is a very small... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 3:5

3:5b-6 See how great a forest how little a fire can set alight. And the tongue is a fire; in the midst of our members the tongue stands for the whole wicked world, for it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the ever-recurring cycle of creation, and is itself set on fire by hell. The damage the tongue can cause is like that caused by a forest fire. The picture of the forest fire is common in the Bible. It is the prayer of the Psalmist that God may make the wicked like chaff before the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 3:5

We must spend a little longer on this passage, because in it there are two specially difficult phrases. (i) The tongue, says the Revised Standard Version is an unrighteous world. That ought to be the unrighteous world. In our bodies, that is to say, the tongue stands for the whole wicked world. In Greek the phrase is ho ( Greek #3588 ) kosmos ( Greek #2899 ) tes ( Greek #3588 ) adikias ( Greek #93 ), and we shall best get at its meaning by remembering that kosmos ( Greek... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 3:7-8

3:7-8 Every kind of beast and bird, and reptile and fish, is and has been tamed for the service of mankind; but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. The idea of the taming of the animal creation in the service of mankind is one which often occurs in Jewish literature. We get it in the creation story. God said of man, "Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth" ( ... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 3:9-12

3:9-12 With it we bless the Lord and Father and with it we curse the men who have been made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth there emerge blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers. Surely the one stream from the same cleft in the rock does not gush forth fresh and salt water? Surely, brothers, a fig-tree cannot produce olives, nor a vine figs, nor can salt water produce fresh water? We know only too well from experience that there is a cleavage in human... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:5

Even so the tongue is a little member ,.... Like the bit in the horse's mouth, or like the helm of a ship. And boasteth great things : and does them; for this word may be taken in a good sense: a bridled and sanctified tongue, that is influenced by the grace of God, and directed by the Spirit of God, as it speaks great and good things, it has great power, weight, and influence: the tongue of the just is as choice silver, and the lips of the righteous feed many, Proverbs 10:20 , the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:6

And the tongue is a fire ,.... It is like to fire, very useful in its place, to warm and comfort; so is the tongue in Christian conversation, and in the ministry of the word; the hearts of God's children burn within them, while they are talking together, and while the Scriptures of truth are opening to them; but as fire should be carefully watched, and kept, so should men take heed to their ways, that they sin not with their tongue, and keep their tongue from evil, and their lips from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:7

For every kind of beasts, and of birds ,.... Or the "nature" of them, as it is in the Greek text; however fierce, as beasts of prey are, or shy, as the fowls of the air be: and of serpents and things in the sea ; the fishes there: is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind , or "by human nature": by the wit and industry of man; by the various ways, means, and methods devised by man. So Pliny F12 Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 9. 16,17. & 10. 5,44. relates, that elephants lions and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:8

But the tongue can no man tame ,.... Either his own, or others; not his own, for the man that has the greatest guard upon himself, his words and actions; yet, what through pride or passion, or one lust or another in his heart, at one time or another, bolts out vain, idle, angry, and sinful words: and he that does not may be set down for a perfect man indeed: nor can he tame or restrain the tongues of others from detraction, calumnies, backbitings, and whisperings; who say, their lips are... read more

Group of Brands