James 3:7-12

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 3:7-8

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 3:7

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:9

Therewith bless we God, even, the Father ,.... Of Jesus Christ, and of spirits, and of mercies: this is the instrument that is used in blessing God daily every meal that is eaten; and in joining with the saints, though only verbally and outwardly, in blessing God for all spiritual blessings in Christ, both in prayer, and in singing psalms: and therewith curse we men : make imprecations, and wish evils upon them: which are made after the similitude of God as man was originally, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:10

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing ,.... Which is not only a contradiction, but unnatural, as well as wicked and sinful: my brethren, these things ought not so to be : in any, and much less in professors of religion: such things are unbecoming men, are a scandal upon human nature, and exceeding unworthy of the Christian name; see Psalm 50:16 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:11

Doth a fountain send forth at the same place ,.... "Or hole"; for at divers places, and at different times, as Pliny F13 Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 103. observes, it may send forth sweet water and bitter : and it is reported F14 Isodor. Hispal. Originum, l. 13. c. 13. p. 115. , there is a lake with the Trogloditae, a people in Ethiopia, which becomes thrice a day bitter, and then as often sweet; but then it does not yield sweet water and bitter at the same time: this simile is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:12

Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries ?.... Every tree bears fruit, according to its kind; a fig tree produces figs, and an olive tree olive berries; a fig tree does not produce olive berries, or an olive tree figs; and neither of them both: either a vine, figs ? or fig trees, grapes; or either of them, figs and grapes: so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh . The Alexandrian copy reads, "neither can the salt water yield sweet water"; that is, the sea cannot... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 3:7

Every kind of beasts - That is, every species of wild beasts, πασα φυσις θηριων , is tamed, i.e. brought under man's power and dominion. Beasts, birds, serpents, and some kinds of fishes have been tamed so as to be domesticated; but every kind, particularly των εναλιων , of sea monsters, has not been thus tamed; but all have been subjected to the power of man; both the shark and whale become an easy prey to the skill and influence of the human being. I have had the most credible... read more

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