Month: August 2023

3Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
² For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. ⁴ Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell.  ⁷ For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.
¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. ¹⁵ Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. ¹⁶ For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What advice does James start this chapter with? Why do you think he feels this way about teachers? Why are they subject to “greater strictness?”

2. What is the primary “mistake” James presents in verse 2? What other images does he use to explain the role of speech? Why is this such an important area of our life? What are the consequences of not controlling our speech? 

3. What are the two “sides” of the tongue? How can it both bless and curse? What does it tell about the person who speaks both ways? What other images describe the same type of situation?

4. How does James see wisdom? How does it affect a person’s actions? Where does wisdom come from? What separates “wise” actions from “earthly” or “unwise” actions?

Get Personal

How has your “tongue” been recently? What aspects of your speech seem to lack control? How does God help you control your speech? How does this affect your attitude toward others? Toward yourself? Toward God? 

3:1.  Teachers — the Bible consistently pictures teachers as having special responsibility along with serious consequences for false teaching. For example, check Rom 2:21-24, Luke 6:37, Acts 20:26-27, and Heb 13:17.
3:3.  Bits — the Greek word “control” in verse 2 refers to directing with a bridle and bit. This image is also used elsewhere in the Bible [Psalm 32:9].
3:5.  Small . . . great exploits — James is drawing on a well-known Biblical concept in vv. 5-9. Some references include: Prov 18:21, Ps 64:3, Ps 140:3, Prov 15:1, 16:27, and 26:20-21. New Testament examples include: 2 Peter 2:17-18, Jude 16 and Rom 3:13-14.
3:6.  Sets ablaze — anyone living in the western United States can appreciate the destructiveness of forest fires started from a single small flame.
3:11-12.  Does a spring . . . — James draws on some of the same images Jesus used to explain how a person’s actions reveal the attitude that can’t be seen, [Matt 7:16-20 andLuke 6:43-45].

3:13.  Wise — James shifts to consider what a “wise” or “understanding” life looks like. Jeremiah quotes God: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord, [Jer 9:23-24]. And Jesus says, Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock, [Matt 7:24]. 
James also is consistent with the other New Testament authors on this point — check Gal 6:4-5, Phil 1:27-28, 1 Peter 2:12 and 3:16.
3:14. Selfish ambition — the Greek word refers to the political disputes that infected even first century government.
3:18.  Those who make peace — James is echoing Hosea: Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap steadfast love, [10:12]. 

Memory Verse
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom, [James 3:13]

Next Lesson
Friendship with the world – James 4

2 My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?  ² For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, ³ and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,”  ⁴ have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? ⁷ Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

⁸ You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ⁹ But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. ¹¹ For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ¹² So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

Faith without Works Is Dead

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷ So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. ¹⁹ You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. ²⁰ Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? ²¹ Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. ²³ Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? ²⁶ For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What aspect of faith does the author take up next? How does he describe the problem? How does he feel about it? How do you suppose his readers responded?

2. How does James link this issue to Christian faith? Who are the real “special” people? How does he describe the rich folks?

3. What is the problem with favoring some people and not others? What does James say about this in relations to other actions? Which is worse according to James? What is the consequence of “breaking the law” in any way?

4. What aspect of faith does James take up next? How does he state the issue? What is the problem with no action? What example does he use? How would his readers relate to this? How do you relate?

5. Why are actions (or “works”) important to James? What do they demonstrate? How does he describe faith without action? What does he say about “just believing” in God? Who else “just” believes? How do they respond to this belief?

6. What examples does James provide to underscore his point about actions? Why do you suppose he chose these examples? How do they validate his argument? 

Get Personal

How are you responding to different people? How does God help you to see each one as worthy of attention? How well are your “works” demonstrating your faith? How has God affected your actions recently? How have others reacted to your actions?

2:2.Gold rings — a sign of wealth and status.
2:4.Evil thoughts — the “evil” is in judging people based on appearance.
2:7.Blaspheme — the Greek word includes “defame” and “speak evil” in its meanings.
2:8.Royal — the command to love one’s neighbor comes straight from the King as both the father [Lev 19:18], and the son [Matt 22:39 and John 15:12-14].
2:9-11.Sin — James underscores that there is no such thing as a “small” sin — any action contrary to God’s law is sin and the consequence is the same regardless of the action: Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of Heaven, [Matt 5:19].  
2:14.What good is it — the Greek word actually means “advantage,” “value” or “profit.”
Works — the Greek word means “visible actions” or “effort.”
Is dead — James is talking about the claim of faith (or “belief”) with no evidence of a changed life, not faith as the means of salvation. He makes this clear in his example of a person needing food and clothing and the reference to demons [2:19]. 
2:18.Show . . . works — God can see a person’s attitude, but we can see only a person’s actions (“works”), which are

evidence of the person’s attitude or faith. James is not suggesting that actions are added to a person’s faith, but that changed actions are an integral part of genuine faith. He agrees with Paul that actions by themselves (obeying the law) do not justify anyone: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life, [Eph 2:8-10].
Jesus also links “work” with faith. In a lengthy discussion [John 6:28-29] the Jews ask him what they must do to perform the “works of God,” and Jesus replies: This is the work of God, that you believe in the one who was sent.
Jesus also told the disciples that faith would include action: very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father, [John 14:12].  
2:20.  Senseless person — the Greek word actually means “hollow man.”
2:21.  The declaration is in Genesis 15:6, the story of the sacrifice of Isaac is in Genesis 22.
2:25.  Joshua 2 records Rahab’s actions and chapter 6 reveals the result: she and her family were sparred when the Israelites destroyed Jericho.

Memory Verse
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead, [James 2:26]

Next Lesson
Taming the tongue, two kinds of wisdom — James 3