James 3:3-5

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

John Gill

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

Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths ,.... By this, and the following simile, the apostle not only expresses the smallness of that member of the body, which is like the bit in the horse's mouth, and the helm of a ship, but the good use of it, and the great influence it has over the whole body. Horses are without understanding, and need direction in what path to go, and are strong, and would be truly and ungovernable unless bits and bridles were put into their mouths: that they may... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 3:4

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great ,.... Of so large a bulk, of such a prodigious size, and are such unwieldy vessels: and are driven of fierce winds ; with great vehemence, rapidity, and swiftness: yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth ; the helm, or tiller of a ship, is a beam or piece of timber fastened into the rudder, and so coming forward into the steerage, where he that stands at helm steers the ship F5 ... 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

Adam Clarke

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

Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths - In order to show the necessity of regulating the tongue, to which St. James was led by his exhortation to them who wished to thrust themselves into the teacher's office, supposing, because they had the gift of a ready flow of speech, that therefore they might commence teachers of Divine things; he proceeds to show that the tongue must be bridled as the horse, and governed as the ships; because, though it is small, it is capable of ruling the whole... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 3:5

Boasteth great things - That is, can do great things, whether of a good or evil kind. He seems to refer here to the powerful and all commanding eloquence of the Greek orators: they could carry the great mob whithersoever they wished; calm them to peaceableness and submission, or excite them to furious sedition. Behold, how great a matter - See what a flame of discord and insubordination one man, merely by his persuasive tongue, may kindle among the common people. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - James 3:3

Verse 3 3We put bits in the horses’ mouths. By these two comparisons he proves that a great part of true perfection is in the tongue, and that it exercises dominion, as he has just said, over the whole life. He compares the tongue, first, to a bridle, and then to a helm of a ship. Though a horse be a ferocious animal, yet he is turned about at the will of its rider, because he is bridled; no less can the tongue serve to govern man. So also with regard to the helm of a ship, which guides a large... read more

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