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 harmMark, Chapter 9, verses 2-13
2 Jesus is transfigured, 11 He instructeth his disciples concerning the coming of Elias9
9:2 By themselves - That is, separate from the multitude: Apart - From the other apostles: and was transfigured - The Greek wordseems to refer to the form of God, and the form of a servant, {mentioned by St. Paul, Php 2:6-7} and may intimate, that theDivine rays, which the indwelling God let out on this occasion, made the glorious change from one of these forms into the other. Mat 17:1; Luk 9:28.
9:3 White as snow, such as no fuller can whiten - Such as could not be equalled either by nature or art.
9:4 Elijah - Whom they expected: Moses, whom they did not.
9:7 There came a (bright, luminous) cloud, overshadowing them - This seems to have been such a cloud of glory as accompaniedIsrael in the wilderness, which, as the Jewish writers observe, departed at the death of Moses. But it now appeared again, in honour of our Lord, as the great Prophet of the Church, who was prefigured by Moses. Hear ye him - Even preferably to Moses and Elijah.
9:12 Elijah verily coming first restoreth all things: and how it is written - That is, And he told them how it is written - As if he had said, Elijah's coming is not inconsistent with my suffering.He is come: yet I shall suffer. The first part of the verse answers their question concerning Elijah; the second refutes their error concerning the Messiah's continuing for ever.
3
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.