At the end of the third chapter of his General Epistle, the apostle James speaks about the difference between human and divine wisdom. In this case the issue is...
At the end of the third chapter of his General Epistle, the apostle James speaks about the difference between human and divine wisdom. In this case the issue is wisdom in the ancient sense of the word: following the way of life, the right choice of path. Several decades after the apostle James, the Didache, the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, would formulate the general biblical idea of wisdom, accepted by Christians as well, in these words: "There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and the difference between the two is great." For the apostle James, wisdom first of all makes it possible to choose the way of life. The apostle says that such wisdom is given only by God; the rest he calls earthly, merely natural, and demonic wisdom, distinguishing, as the Didache does, only two ways.
Divine wisdom, given to people, according to the apostle's word, bears in a person's life good fruit, which he calls the fruit of righteousness. The apostle uses this term after the Lord Jesus Christ, who more than once spoke about the fruits borne in our life by the seed sown by God. This fruit of righteousness, "truth" in the Synodal translation, is in essence a synonym for eternal life, because it implies freedom from sin, unity with God, and therefore freedom from death.
The apostle James gives his addressees the most practical possible instructions about how the fruit of righteousness, the good fruit of life, is attained. He devotes a significant part of the whole Epistle to this, but his thought is expressed most briefly in these words: "And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." Here we encounter a certain feature of the Synodal translation. The Greek text of the Epistle literally says that "the fruit of righteousness is sown peacefully among those who make peace." The issue, therefore, is more than preserving peace in one's own heart. The apostle speaks of building peace within ourselves and, of course, around ourselves: the whole third chapter is devoted to this. Building peace, the ministry of reconciliation, is the chief thing that leads a person to life. All other ways the apostle calls demonic.
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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.
3:13 Let him show his wisdom as well as his faith by his works; not by words only.
3:14 If ye have bitter zeal - True Christian zeal is only the flame of love. Even in your hearts - Though it went no farther. Do not lie against the truth - As if such zeal could consist with heavenly wisdom.
3:15 This wisdom - Which is consistent with such zeal.Is earthly - Not heavenly; not from the Father of Lights.Animal - Not spiritual; not from the Spirit of God.Devilish - Not the gift of Christ, but such as Satan breathes into the soul.
3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure - From all that is earthly, natural, devilish. Then peaceable - True peace attending purity, it is quiet, inoffensive. Gentle - Soft, mild, yielding, not rigid. Easy to he entreated - To be persuaded, or convinced; not stubborn, sour, or morose. Full of good fruits - Both in the heart and in the life, two of which are immediately specified. Without partiality - Loving all, without respect of persons; embracing all good things, rejecting all evil. And without dissimulation - Frank, open.
3:18 And the principle productive of this righteousness is sown, like good seed, in the peace of a believer's mind, and brings forth a plentiful harvest of happiness, (which is the proper fruit of righteousness,) for them that make peace - That labour to promote this pure and holy peace among all men.