James 3:1-6: The Tongue Is a Little Member
James 3:1
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. (James 3:1)
Entering an extended section on the awful power and uncontrollable nature of the tongue (our speech), we are prefaced with this warning. The word for “master” is elsewhere translated teacher or doctor. These “masters” are masters of knowledge and impart it to others. When you see “doctor,” think like a Doctor of Philosophy, or some trained, expert teacher, not necessarily a medical doctor.
Let us look at some examples of teaching “masters.” “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matthew 10:24-25). And again, “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master” (Luke 6:40). This ultimately speaks of Christ and His disciples, but the pattern here is also generalized. The teacher imparts knowledge so that the student will have all the knowledge that he has. The student will be associated with his teacher in every way. In our case, the teacher shows his students Jesus Christ.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” (John 3:10). Jesus, speaking to Nicodemus, expected him to know basic spiritual things. A teacher should have a lot of knowledge who can then impart it to others.
In James 3:1, the Spirit here warns us about an abundance of teachers. Teachers should be properly qualified because they can do a lot of damage spiritually if they teach wrong. Consider this: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). So many are out there ready to teach; give them an audience, and they will fill your ears with anything to make you like them and give them praise.
Teachers “shall receive the greater condemnation.” The word for condemnation is used for judgment of believers and unbelievers. It is used of the Pharisees and false prophets as well as the saints. Clearly, we are speaking of real teachers since James is speaking to his audience as potential teachers.
How badly do you want to be a teacher? Are you willing the face condemnation at the Judgment Seat of Christ? There have been a few times I stopped teaching Sunday School over this verse. I stand between the choice of greater condemnation or being found with my pound in a napkin (Luke 19:20). I might as well follow how I think am being led. This is the reason for every teacher to go before God as they teach, and to study to show ourselves approved to God.
James 3:2
For 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. (James 3:2)
The word for offend is not the same as used throughout the Gospels. It is translated elsewhere as “stumble” and “fall.” A teacher can do real damage to the people listening. They trust that the teacher knows what he is doing.
There is extensive teaching about false prophets within the Scriptures. Keep in mind that this is not speaking of false prophets but actual legitimate teachers. James says, “we offend all,” which would include himself. The bishop who is “apt to teach” must also be “blameless” (1 Timothy 3:2). If one is to be a teacher, they are to be “faithful men”: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).
The teacher must also be beyond mastering the “first principles” and not a babe in Christ: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe” (Hebrews 5:12-13).
If someone can control his tongue, he can do anything! Controlling the tongue is the ability to control everything and be perfect. Here are some that controlled or didn’t control their tongues for various reasons in the Old Testament:
“For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage” (Esther 7:4). Esther could not hold back speaking about her people being destroyed.
“Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost” (Job 13:19). Job also pleaded to God for the reasoning for his circumstances and he could not hold back.
“The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth” (Job 29:10). Job, before his trials, was respected by princes. They would control their speech because he was held in high esteem.
In these cases, we see that people cannot control their speech when their lives are in danger and there is a chance they can be spared. On the other hand, people control their tongues when there is fear of someone of prominence to protect themselves. In other words, people control or do not control their tongues because of fear, not necessarily because of self-control. We will be looking at the “tongue” in depth according to Old Testament wisdom literature later.
James 3:3
Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. (James 3:3)
This is the first illustration we see showing how the tongue controls the entire body. “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee” (Psalm 32:9). For the horse, you can control him with the bridle, like we see here.
We see the analogy again here: “A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back” (Proverbs 26:3). The donkey needs the bridle to control it. The rod in like manner controls the fool! Because the fool cannot be controlled otherwise.
We see how powerful beasts can be controlled by such a small thing. They would trample us, but the small bridle can control them, directing them any way that we want.
James 3:4
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. (James 3:4)
The huge ship is likewise controlled by a small rudder. The captain could direct the ship in the greatest of storms.
Recall the apostle Paul’s turbulent voyage. “And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore” (Acts 27:39-40). Even with such a terrible storm for such a long time, the rudder was employed, and it was good enough to get them to the shore.
James 3:5
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! (James 3:5)
The tongue is likened to the horse’s bridle and the ship’s rudder. Here, we see how much the tongue can control. The little member boasts big things.
Consider the Antichrist compared with his ten allies. “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things” (Daniel 7:7-8). The little horn makes the big boasts, and he ultimately has power and control over his ten allies, including taking out three of them.
Later on, we will consider this verse, “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain” (James 4:13). The tongue can boast of things the person has not even accomplished yet. Ahab said such of Benhadad when he thought he could overthrow Samaria. “And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off” (1 Kings 20:11).
Where does such boasting come from? “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth” (Psalm 10:3). So the little member really reflects the wicked heart’s desire. The tongue translates the filth of the heart into speech so ears can hear it. “How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?” (Psalm 94:4).
Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature” (Colossians 1:15). Just as the Word of God, Jesus Christ, is the exact expression of the Father, so our speech, our words, is the exact expression of who we are. This should sober us on who we are as represented in our speech.
The tongue proclaims to the world, look at me! “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches” (Psalm 49:6). Doeg the Edomite boasted of his murdering the priests of the LORD. “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man?” (Psalm 52:1). There are many such examples as these.
The tongue is likened to the small fire that spreads. I have heard of a case where a spark from one fire was carried about a mile away and started a major fire. I also heard a radio commercial warning of a car dragging chains, where a spark may come up and cause massive fires in dry weather. Bold words can cause great damage.
Consider the talebearer or the slanderer. “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:16). The slanderer could cause someone be put to death; that is how far the tongue’s flame can go.
The slanderer causes wounds to the victim. “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8; 26:22). If you ever get wounded by words, have you felt that strange, nauseous type feeling in your stomach? That is what is meant here.
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife” (Proverbs 26:20-21). The slanderer and gossiper are fuel to this fire. The best way to stop such a fire is not pass on slander and to confront slander when you hear it. Stop the fire where you can!
James 3:6
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. (James 3:6)
We saw how the tongue is a fire. It is also “a world of iniquity” (or perhaps “the” world of iniquity?). It is a vast ecosystem of unrighteous self. It expresses everything within our deepest being. It is the gate from which everything sinful within pours out. It stands out from other body parts in this way.
What is scary about the tongue is that it affects the rest of the body. Consider Matthew 15:10-20. After the religious leaders said that one must eat with properly washed hands, Jesus told them that true defiling comes from inside a man. All manner of works is listed here that come from the heart. False witness and blasphemies are listed among them, and these come from the tongue. Note that they come from our innermost being, but they also reinforce our defiled nature.
The tongue also “setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” The source of the tongue is hell, and the tongue is the source of the path of our whole lives, the course of nature.
How can a tongue set the course for someone’s entire life? “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire” (Matthew 5:22). Why would Jesus make such a big deal about this? Because things can be so hurtful that, once said, they cannot be unsaid. The damage is there. You can say things to children, and it can set a pattern of thinking that will be with them forever. Surely some of you can think of things said to you that remain with you to this day that still hurt, just like I can. This is why we see that “taming the tongue” is so important because of the damage it can cause.
The source of such tragedy is hell. The word for hell is the transliteration of “the valley of the son of Hinnom.” Evil people would sacrifice their children there. Consider Jeremiah 7:30-34. Because the people would kill their children there, the place was reserved for retribution for the people who did so. The origin of the evil things we say comes from the most dreadful, filthy places to exist. It was a physical place on earth once, but it prefigures the place of eternal slaughter to come.
Hell is eternal; the wounds that the tongue can inflict are eternal. How important it is to control the tongue. The acronym “THINK” can help us here, which has been going around the Internet for some time:
T - is it True?
H - is it Helpful?
I - is it Inspiring?
N - is it Necessary?
K - is it Kind?
If we filtered everything we said through such a paradigm, our words would be few.