James Chapter 3
James’ writing style is almost a literal product of his 2 main influences: Jesus’ teachings about life and the kingdom of God (Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 5 – 7) and Biblical wisdom from the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1 – 9). James did grow up with Jesus so some of Jesus’ character and way of life had to have rubbed off of him in one way or another.
Consequently, the book of James does not introduce new concepts and interpretations about the Bible and/or Bible characters to its readers. It is a book that questions and challenges the way we live as Christians; whose core message is Christian living with an emphasis on how Christians should love God first and then follow that up with loving their neighbours as themselves, showing Christians how to put this message into action – by speaking to others in kind and loving ways, serving the poor, and being wholeheartedly devoted to God.
The book is a concisely crafted punch in the gut for those who have chosen and are resolved to follow Jesus. This sentiment can be felt through the short challenging wisdom speeches purposefully scattered throughout the book that talk about how we are able to become truly wise only if we live according to God’s commandments without faltering. Unlike other books in the Bible, teachings in this book are not developed in a linear way. Each teaching stands alone, and each chapter concludes with catchy one liners. However, by the end of the book, we soon realise that these seemingly disjointed chapters and teachings are interconnected through recurring words, phrases, topics and themes (super cool, if I say so myself).
James 3
Conventionally, summaries of books are provided in the final chapters. In James, the first chapter does exactly that, providing a good overarching summary of the main points of the teachings in the 4 subsequent chapters.
There are 12 key teachings that make up the body of the book of James (James 2 – 5), and chapter 3 covers 2 of them.
James 3: 1-12 – The Tongue (retelling of Luke 6: 43-45)
James 3: 13-18 – True vs. False Wisdom (retelling of Matthew 5: 3-11)
James 3 is situated right in the middle of the book, intentionally or otherwise, embodying James 3: 6, bringing readers’ attention to the power and significance of mere speech.
Faith without works/actions is dead, but at the same time, our words paint a very real picture of our true characters; the window into our hearts and core values is on display simply through the words we utter. If we do not pray for wisdom (James 1: 5), for God to bridle our tongues and bodies and direct our paths in the way of righteousness, there is no limit to the damage we can make as a result of the things we say – the unrestrained tongue is likened to an evil, poisonous creature. As such, it is only through God that we can reclaim control over the tongue, allowing only truth, goodness, knowledge and understanding to consistently spring forth from our lips.
Drawing loosely from the concept of a truthful vs. a deceitful tongue, from words of wisdom vs. words of deception, there are 2 types of wisdom – earthly wisdom and godly wisdom. Wisdom does not exclusively manifest itself through speech, but in all aspects of our lives. The source of wisdom is our hearts’ intentions, and so wisdom from above never parades itself, never falls short, while wisdom of the earth sets itself on a pedestal, out to ensnare.
Although the distinction between the teachings that lead to life and death may be as clear as night and day, more often than not, in our personal lives, they can become as ambiguous and synonymous as 2 sides of the same coin. Let this compact chapter be a reminder to us to live mindfully and be watchful of ourselves and of others, to rely on God to allow us to discern with confidence, and to let God be the captain of our hearts, steering us clear from the grey murky waters of sin and towards the calm peaceful shore of salvation.