James 3:2

For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.

In many things we all stumble ... We cannot agree with Lenski who labeled this "James' great confession of sin."[5] The "we" in this place is accommodative, through considerations of tact, and is used in exactly the same manner as Paul's frequent use of it in such passages as Hebrews 2:3; 6:3, etc. (where it is likewise misunderstood by many). James was not here making some great confession of his own sins, but rather pointing out the universality of sin and error in all men, not excluding himself of course, nor meaning it as his "confession." In Hebrews 6:3, where the writer said, "we" will stop lingering upon first principles and go on to perfection, he did not, in any sense, mean it as a confession that he himself had been merely a "first principles" Christian.

If any stumbleth not in word ... Macknight pointed out that, "In Scripture, walking denotes the course of a man's conduct; stumbling denotes a lesser failing than falling (Romans 11:11)."[6] Macknight also indicated that it is in this lesser degree of error that James, "in order to mitigate the harshness of his reproof, here ranked himself among the persons to whom he wrote."[7]

The same is a perfect man ... Most present-day commentators change the meaning of "perfect" to that of "innocence,"[8] "perfect in comparison with others," "mature, full-grown, or complete,"[9] etc. However, as pointed out by Vine, the word here is that of Matthew 5:48; James 1:4 (2part) and James 3:2, meaning complete goodness, without necessary reference to maturity.[10] It is exactly the same word and usage as in Jesus' reference to God as "perfect" (Matthew 5:48); and for this reason, James' words here should be referred to the New Testament theology of "perfection," unattainable by men, but receivable by them "in Christ," whose absolute and total perfection is available through sinners' believing and obeying the gospel, thus being united with Christ, in Christ, and "as Christ," therefore accounted perfect (Colossians 1:28,29). His purpose here, therefore, was not that of explaining how men could achieve perfection through bridling the tongue, but rather that of demonstrating the absolute inability of any mortal to attain perfection apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. See my Commentary on Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians pp. 130-133. A great deal of the teachings of Christ himself, for example the parable of the good Samaritan, had exactly the same purpose as that in view here. See exegesis of that in my Commentary on Luke, pp. 224-231.

Able to bridle the whole body also ... The thought is that if one attains mastery over the tongue, which is the most unruly and rebellious member of the body, he should also be able to control all of the others as well. Apparently, James' use of "bridle" at this point prompted the employment of the horse metaphor in the next verse.

[5] Ibid.

[6] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 373.

[7] Ibid., p. 374.

[8] R. V. G. Tasker, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, James (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977), p. 73.

[9] J. W. Roberts, The Letter of James (Austin, Texas: Sweet Publishing Company, 1977), p. 103.

[10] W. E. Vine, Expository Greek Dictionary, Vol. III (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1940), p. 174.