James, Chapter 3, verses 1-10

¹ We are not rashly or arrogantly to reprove others, ⁵ but rather to bridle the tongue - a little member, but a powerful instrument of much good and great harm

¹My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

²For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

³Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

⁴Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

⁵Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

⁶And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

⁷For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

⁸But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

¹⁰Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Read more:James, Chapter 3

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3:1 Be not many teachers - Let no more of you take this upon you than God thrusts out; seeing it is so hard not to offend in speaking much. Knowing that we - That all who thrust themselves into the office. Shall receive greater condemnation - For more offences. St. James here, as in several of the following verses, by a common figure of speech, includes himself: we shall receive, - we offend, - we put bits, - we curse - None of which, as commonsense shows, are to be interpreted either of him or of the other apostles.

3:2 The same is able to bridle the whole body - That is, the whole man. And doubtless some are able to do this, and so are in this sense perfect.

3:3 We - That is, men.

3:5 Boasteth great things - Hath great influence.

3:6 A world of iniquity - Containing an immense quantity of all manner of wickedness. It defileth - As fire by its smoke.The whole body - The whole man. And setteth on fire the course of nature - All the passions, every wheel of his soul.

3:7 Every kind - The expression perhaps is not to be taken strictly. Reptiles - That is, creeping things.

3:8 But no man can tame the tongue - Of another; no, nor his own, without peculiar help from God.

3:9 Men made after the likeness of God - Indeed we have now lost this likeness; yet there remains from thence an indelible nobleness, which we ought to reverence both in ourselves and others.

Mark, Chapter 11, verses 11-23

¹ Christ rideth with triumph into Jerusalem, ¹² curseth the fruitless leafy tree, ¹⁵ purgeth the temple, ²⁰ exhorteth his disciples to steadfastness of faith, and to forgive their enemies

¹¹And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

¹²And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:

¹³And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

¹⁴And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

¹⁵And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

¹⁶And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

¹⁷And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

¹⁸And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

¹⁹And when even was come, he went out of the city.

²⁰And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

²¹And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

²²And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

²³For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Read more:Mark, Chapter 11

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11:11 Mat 21:10, Mat 21:17.

11:12 Mat 21:18.

11:13 For it was not a season of figs - It was net (as we say) a good year for figs; at least not for that early sort, which alone was ripe so soon in the spring. If we render the words, It was not the season of figs, that is,the time of gathering them in, it may mean, The season was not yet: and so (inclosing the words in a parenthesis, And coming to it, he found nothing but leaves) it may refer to the former part of the sentence, and may be considered as the reason of Christ's going to see whether there were any figs on this tree. Some who also read that clause in a parenthesis, translate the hollowing words, for where he was, it was the season of figs. And it is certain, this meaning of the words suits best with the great design of the parable, which was to reprove the Jewish Church for its unfruitfulness at that very season, when fruit might best be expected from them.

11:15 Mat 21:12; Luk 19:45.

11:16 He suffered not that any should carry a vessel through the temple - So strong notions had our Lord, of even relative holiness!And of the regard due to those places (as well as times) that are peculiarly dedicated to God.

11:17 Isa 56:7; Jer 7:11.

11:18 They feared him - That is, they were afraid to take him by violence, lest it should raise a tumult; because all the people was astonished at his teaching - Both at the excellence of his discourse, and at the majesty and authority with which he taught.

11:20 Mat 21:20.

11:22 Have faith in God - And who could find fault, if the Creator and Proprietor of all things were to destroy, by a single word of his mouth, a thousand of his inanimate creatures, were it only to imprint this important lesson more deeply on one immortal spirit?


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Orthodox readings for 11 January 2005

James, Chapter 3, verses 1-10

Mark, Chapter 11, verses 11-23