Blessing and cursing shouldn't come out of the same mouth that's bizarre and sinful. We have no hope for controlling our words on our own as sinful human beings. In fact, James insists, the tongue is untamable. He calls it a restless, unstable evil, full of fatal poison. He calls the tongue a fire that sets the whole course of our lives on fire and is itself set on fire by hell. That forest fire is the one James lingers on. So is the bit in a horse's mouth, the rudder on a ship, or the spark that ignites a forest. A person who could perfectly control his or her speech 100 percent of the time would have already arrived at full control of every aspect of the entire body, and their entire life. His bottom line: the tongue is unbelievably powerful, and it cannot be fully controlled. Those who trust God understand that neither human speech nor human philosophy will lead them toward a faithful life.įirst, James tackles the tongue. Uncontrolled words and the wisdom of the world always lead to destruction. Words and wisdom are the focus of chapter 3. 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 6 And 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. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. 4 Behold 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. 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

Book of wisdom chapter 3