Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From JAMES #4 - 3:1-18)
B. 3:1-18 WORDS MISUSED: REVEAL AN EVIL HEART
1. 3:1-12 THE INCONSISTENT TONGUE: BREAKS KEY TO CONTROL
a. 3:1 Be not many teachers, my brothers, knowing that we shall receive greater condemnation.
MepolLOI diDASko-loi [1320] GInes-the, a-delPHOI mou, eiDOtes HOti MEIzon KRIma lemPSOme-tha.
b. 3:2a For in many things we all stumble. polLA gar PTAIo-men [4417] HApan-tes.
c. 3:2b If any stumbles not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole :body also.
ei tis en LOgoou PTAIei, HOUtos TElei-os aNER, du-naTOS cha-li-na-goGEsai [5468]kai HOlon to SOma.
d. 3:3 A BRIDLE CONTROLS THE WHOLE HORSE
ei de ton HIPpon [2462]tous cha-liNOUS eis ta STOma-ta BALlo-men
Now if we put the bridles of horses into theirmouths
eis to PEIthes-thai auTOUS heMIN, kai HOlon to SOma auTON meTAgo-men [3329].
that they may obey us, we turn about their whole :body also.
e. 3:4 THE RUDDER CONTROLS THE WHOLE SHIP
iDOU, kai to PLOIa, te-liKAUta ONta kai huPO aNEmon [417] skleRON [4642] e-lauNOme-na,
Lo, the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by rough winds,
meTAge-tai huPO e-laCHIStou pe-daLIou, HOpou hehorME[3730]tou euTHUnon-tos BOUle-tai [1014].
are turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the impulse of the steersman wills.
f. 3:5a Thus the tongue also is a little member, and boasts great things.
HOUtos kai heGLOSsa [1100]miKRON MElos esTIN, kai meGAla auCHEI.
g. 3:5b Lo, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!
iDOU, heLIkon pur heLIken HUlen aNAPtei [381]!
h. 3:6 THE TONGUE INFLAMES ALL OF NATURE!
kai heGLOSsa pur [4442]: ho KOSmos tes a-diKIas heGLOSsa kaTHISta-tai en tois MEle-sin heMON,
And the tongue is a fire: the world of :iniquity among our :members is the tongue,
hespiLOUsa [4696] HOlon to SOma, kai phloGIzou-sa [5304]ton troCHON [5164]tes geNEse-os [1078],
which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the path of :nature,
kai phlo-gi-zoMEne[5304] huPO tes geENnes [1067].
and is set on fire by :geenna.
i. 3:7-8 HUMAN NATURE ALONE FAILS TO CONTROL THE TONGUE
PAsa gar PHUsis [5449]theRIon [2342]te kai pe-teiNON [4071], her-peTON [2062],
For every kind of beasts and birds, of things creeping,
te kai e-naLIon [1724], daMAze-tai [1150], kai deDAmas-tai tePHUsei tean-throPIne:
and in the sea, is tamed, 8 and has been tamed by human nature:
ten de GLOSsan ouDEIS daMAsa DUna-tai anTHROpon:
but the tongue can no man tame:
a-kaTASta-ton [183]kaKON, mesTEiOU tha-na-tePHOrou [2287].
a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
j 3:9-10a THE TONGUE GRAVITATES BETWEEN BLESSING AND CURSING
en auTEeu-loGOUmen ton KUri-on kai paTEra;
Therewith bless we the Lord and Father;
kai en auTEka-taROme-tha [2672]tous anTHROpous, tous kath’ hoMOIo-sin [3669]TheOU ge-goNOtas:
and therewith curse we :men, who are made after God’s likeness:
ek tou auTOU STOma-tos eXERche-tai eu-loGIa kai kaTAra.
10a out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing.
k. 3:10b My brothers, these thingsought not to be thus.
ou chre, a-delPHOI mou, TAUta HOUtos GInes-thai.
l. 3:11-12 THIS ACTION IS CONTRARY TO NATURE
MEti hepeGE[4077]ek tes auTES BRUei [1032]
Does the fountain send forth from the same :opening
to gluKU kai to piKRON [4089]? MeDUna-tai, a-delPHOI mu, suKE[4808],
the sweet and the bitter? 12 can a fig tree, my brothers,
eLAIas poiEsai, eAMpe-los [288]SUka? OUte ha-luKON [252]gluKU [1099]poiEsai HUdor.
yield olives, or a vine figs? neither cansalt water yield sweet.
2. 3:13-18 CONTRAST OF INFERNAL AND HEAVENLY WISDOM
a. 3:13 GOOD CONDUCT IN MEEKNESS: PROVES WISDOM
Tis soPHOS [4680]kai e-pisSTEmon en huMIN?
Who iswise and understanding among you?
deiXAtoek tes kaLES a-na-stroPHES [391]ta ERga auTOU en PRAUte-ti [4240]soPHIas.
let him show by his good :conduct his :works in meekness of wisdom.
b. 3:14 TRUTH IS BETRAYED BY BAD CONDUCT
ei de ZElon [2205]piKRON Eche-te kai e-riTHIan [2052]en tekarDIa huMON,
But if you have bitter jealousy and faction in your :heart,
meka-ta-kauCHASthe [2620]kai PSEUdes-the [5576]kaTA tes a-leTHEIas.
glory not and lie not against the truth.
c. 3:15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but isearthly, sensual, demonish.
ouk es-tin HAUtehesoPHIa Ano-then ka-ter-choMEne, alLA ePIgei-os [1919], psu-chiKE, dai-mo-niOdes.
d. 3:16 For where jealousy isand faction, there isconfusion and every vile deed.
HOpou gar ZElos kai e-riTHIa [2052], eKEI a-ka-ta-staSIa [181]kai pan PHAUlon PRAGma.
e. 3:17 THE NATURE OF HEAVENLY WISDOM
hede Ano-then soPHIa PROton men hagNE[53]es-tin, Epei-ta ei-re-niKE[1516],
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable,
e-pi-eiKES [1933], eu-peiTHES [2138]], mesTEeLEous [1656]kai karPON a-gaTHON,
gentle, easily entreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
a-diAkri-tos [87], a-nuPOkri-tos [505].
without variance, without hypocrisy.
f. 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.
karPOS de di-kai-oSUnes en eiREneSPEIre-tai [4687] tois poiOUsin eiREnen.
NOTE: For me, James chapter 3 is the key of this letter, because of verse 3:17. Heavenly Wisdom has an 8-fold character, composed of the 8 words listed herein. “Pure” (hagNE) has been sent under “The Book Outline of James” plus “Greek Word Studies.” Upon completion of the Greek Interlinear Numeric New Testament of this book, I will supply a one-page outline for the remaining 7 key words of this verse, plus a one-page outline for the remaining six Numeric sections.
My goal is to do this for each of the 27 books of the New Testament. The main reason for this project is because I believe that it originated in the mind of God. He used Ivan Panin to prepare both the Numeric Greek and English texts. Panin died in Aldershot, Ontario Canada in 1942, but failed to see the fruition of his hope for the production of an Interlinear Greek Numeric Outlined New Testament.
God Providentially introduced me to Dr. Ivan Panin through a Russian Jew – Dr. Jewel of Calgary, Alberta in 1944. I purchased all writings of Panin available in 1945. Since then I have spent well over 40,000 hours preparing the Interlinear Greek Numeric Outlined New Testament in MS form, plus the 7-fold format of the Greek Word Studies. I am in the process of typing up on Computer this three-fold project. I know I don’t need to ask for your prayers for its successful completion.
Solomon in his 3-fold writings highly commends the wisdomof God. Jesusis God’s Wisdom manifested in the flesh. Jesus is also the Word of God manifested in the flesh from before the world was. Jesus by the Holy Spirit abides within believers, and manifests Himself through us in the 8-fold manner of this key verse.
Heidi and Rolland Baker of “Iris Ministries” in Mozambique, Africa – seek to see this manifestation in fullness through their lives. This is my goal also. It is a dailyexercise of faith in the light of Romans 12:1-2; Mark 8:34 and Galatians 2:20. Will you join with Marie and me in this high privilege and calling? Oswald Chambers in his writings sets forth principles that speeds one on in this way. - J.A.W.