Are you looking for an in-depth Bible study and Commentary on James 3? Would you like James 3 commentary broken down into simple takeaways to apply in your daily life? Then, read the easy-to-understand James 3 commentary with Bible study questions.
James 3 is the third chapter of the book of James. Who wrote James 3? James, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote the book of James and also chapter 3. Who is James talking to in the book of James?
The previous chapters show that James is writing this letter to the Jewish Christians. However, the teachings from the book of James apply to all Christians and can effectively apply to every Christian to fuel spiritual growth.
What is the background of James 3?
James is speaking to Christians who have trouble putting their faith into practice. He is encouraging them and helping them understand what authentic Christian living is! We learn from the preceding chapters that every Christian should live their faith in action. James follows through by speaking against discrimination in the church and among Christians.
- James 1: Practical instructions on Christian Living on enduring trials through patience and visiting the orphans and widows.
- James 2: Living a life with no discrimination.
Now we will cover what James explains in chapter 3.
What is the main message in James 3?
What does the Bible say about James 3? In chapter 3, James talks about the power of the tongue and the importance of taming one’s tongue. He also explains that humans cannot tame the tongue. He further speaks about earthly and heavenly wisdom and how the tongue sins when operating in worldly or, in other words, the wisdom that comes from the devil.
James has dedicated the whole of chapter 3 on the tongue. So, what does the tongue represent spiritually? The tongue has the ability to bring the spiritual to the natural. God spoke, and the creation came into existence. The tongue is a gateway to bring spiritual things to natural reality, whether a blessing or a curse. James knows the spiritual significance of the tongue, so throughout James 3, he highlights the things of the tongue.
We can divide James chapter 3 commentary and Bible study into two main parts or two main themes.
- Taming the Tongue (James 3:1-12)
- Earthly Wisdom vs. Heavenly Wisdom (James 3:13-18)
Lesson Plan for James 3
Commentary is a great way to elaborate the meaning of the message, and it helps to study the Bible in a way that unravels practical lessons to apply in our walk with Christ. We will cover James 3 commentary in easy English with bible study questions and practical lessons from this chapter.
Since there are so many takeaways, I’ve made a lesson plan for James 3 in an easy-to-understand format.
- James 3:1-12 Commentary
- Practical lessons from James 3:1-12
- James 3:13-18 Commentary
- Practical lessons from James 3:13-18
Let’s discuss the two main themes of this Commentary and Bible Study in detail.
1. Taming the Tongue (James 3:1-12 Commentary)
What does James 3 say about the tongue? First, James explains the role of the tongue, the importance of bridling your tongue, and the power of the tongue.
It is important because it can control our circumstances and how it becomes the reason for all sin.
I’ve further split James 1-12 into different sections.
James 3:1-2 Meaning and Explanation (Commentary with Bible study)
James 3:1-2 (NKJV) – “1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in Word, he is a [a]perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
James is calling out all the teachers of the Word of God. He informs them that there will be stricter judgment for those who teach the Word of God. There are two ways we could understand this. We could either understand it from the perspective of being a teacher in the fivefold ministry inside the church. Or we may consider this as teaching the Word of God to anyone in our life. Be it our children, spouse, relatives, friends, or colleagues.
We are all called to preach salvation and the Word of God to all the earth. James is not saying this to discourage us or to stop us from doing what God called us to do. But he is informing us that there are expectations and a standard of living that we Christians should follow.
To not stumble in Word shows true spiritual maturity. This is especially relevant to teachers, who have so much more opportunity to sin with their tongue.
- We stumble in Word about ourselves with our boasting, exaggeration, and selective reporting.
- We stumble in Word about others with our criticism, gossip, slander, cruelty, two faced-ness, anger, flattery, and insincere words meant to gain favor.
The main theme from chapter 1 was not to give into temptation but to endure through faith to produce patience. James explained that not giving in to temptation will enable us to receive the crown of life from God. As an extension to that teaching, in chapter 3, James talks about the importance of taming your tongue.
Why is Taming the tongue important? Why is our speech important according to James 3? James says in verse 2 that we all stumble in many ways, but if we can tame or bridle just one thing….which is our tongue, then we can bridle or tame our whole body!
Wow!!! That is powerful! Speech is important because when we cannot give in to the temptation of saying bad things from our mouths when we are not thinking right, we position ourselves to not give into other fleshly things we want to give in to.
In verse 1, James says that bridling the tongue has the capacity to call us perfect! Therefore, if we could summarize perfect Christian living as practicing just one thing….it would be to bridle one’s tongue!
Lessons from James 3:1-2
What can we learn from James 3:1-2? We can learn five important lessons from this passage explaining the first theme of James 3: Taming the Tongue.
- Teachers of the Word of God should be extra cautious with their tongues as they have stricter judgment.
- We are all teachers of the Word of God in some capacity as a parent, spouses, friends, or colleagues.
- We should NOT be discouraged from teaching the Word of God because of stricter judgment; instead, we should work towards taming our tongues to be better representatives of heaven.
- Taming our tongue positions us to be called perfect, as it tames the whole body.
- If we want to focus on one thing to better our Christian living, it should be on the words we speak.
James 3:3-6 Meaning and Explanation (Commentary with Bible study)
James 3:3-6 (NKJV) – “3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and the fierce winds drive them, they are turned by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell.”
James gives some examples and comparisons to help us understand the role of the tongue and how it can be tamed. What does James compare the tongue to? James compares the tongue to the bits in the horse’s mouth, the rudder of the ship, and the little fire that kindles the fire in the forest.
How is the tongue like a bit in a horse’s mouth? James says that the bits in the horse’s mouth are used to tame the horse’s whole body to obey the master. In the same way, if our tongue is tamed like the bits in the horse’s mouth, then our whole selves, like the horse’s body, will obey the master.
How is the tongue like the rudder of a ship? James says that although the ships are large and are driven by harsh weather, still the pilot can maneuver the ship in whichever direction he desires using a small rudder. In the same way, even though our tongue is small, it has the capacity to maneour our whole life in whichever direction we desire.
Who or what holds the reins, or who or what directs the rudder? Some people have no hand on the reins or rudder and therefore say whatever comes into mind. Others direct their tongue from their emotions or aspects of their carnal nature. James points us towards having the Spirit of God, working through the new man, set directing hands on the reins and rudder that is our tongue.
How is the tongue like the fire in the forest? James says a little fire kindles a big fire in the forest. In the same way, our tongue is like fire and it’s a world of iniquity, and it can fire our whole life. That is a HUGE statement! James is explaining the power our tongue has.
Again, James isn’t telling us never to speak or to take a vow of silence; in many ways, that would be easier than exercising proper self-control over the tongue. However, the bridle, the rudder, and the fire can all do tremendous good when appropriately controlled.
What does the tongue is powerful mean? What is the power of words? By giving these examples and comparisons, James states that there is power in our words. In verse 5, James explains that our tongue is a little member, but it boasts great things.
In verse 6, James says that the tongue is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. A big caveat James says is that tongue is set on fire by hell! This is another HUGE statement!
Time and time again, the Bible talks about the power of the tongue. What does the Bible say about the power of the tongue? According to Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” The tongue has the power to either bring life to a situation or destroy a situation. Destruction comes from hell, and if we allow our tongue to speak words of destruction, it means our tongue is set on fire by hell.
Lessons from James 3:3-6
What can we learn from James 3:3-6? We can learn three important lessons from this passage explaining the first theme of James 3: Taming the Tongue.
- The tongue has the power to decide the course of our life.
- Improper use of our tongues can corrupt our whole life.
- We speak words of destruction when the tongue is fired by hell.
James 3:7-12 Meaning and Explanation (Commentary with Bible study)
James 3:7-12 (NKJV) – “7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. But, my brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.”
James makes a significant statement in verse 8. He says that humans cannot tame their tongues! He says that the tongue is full of evil and deadly poison. James explains this by giving examples in verse 7 of the birds, fish, and animals. He says that humans can tame all the creatures in this world except their tongues.
What does the Bible mean by no one can tame the tongue? It means that we, in our strength and capacity, cannot tame or bridle our tongues. No matter how much effort we put in to tame it, we won’t be able to do it.
Then, how do you tame the tongue in the Bible? James touched on this in the previous verses, he gave the example of the bits in the horse’s mouth and the rudder of the ship. He said that the master of the horse could tame the horse by putting bits in the horse’s mouth, and the ship’s pilot could control the ship’s direction with the rudder.
It was evident that the master of the horse and the pilot of the ship could tame the horse and the ship. In the same way, only God Himself can tame the tongue of a human if we allow Him to.
In verse 9, James explains that the tongue can be utilized for its most important purpose: to praise God and bless Him. But, simultaneously, the tongue can be used for the evilest thing, which is to curse people.
James further makes a very important point to make a note of. He says that we curse people who are made in God’s very image and likeness. This is an aha moment! Usually, when we get upset with people and speak words of destruction against them, we forget who created them and in whose likeness they were created!
Every human on the face of the earth is made in the image and likeness of God. The spirit working behind them makes their deeds good or bad. Like James mentioned in the previous verses, the tongue is fired by hell, which means that when Christians give a foothold to the devil, we let him ignite our tongue with fire from hell.
James says in verse 10 that this is not how it is meant to be. We are not to speak words of destruction against people created in God’s image and likeness. But how do you stop your tongue from being evil? Christians can do that by making God the pilot of their life. By allowing the Holy Spirit to do His work in your life.
In verses 11 and 12, James uses examples of water and trees. He says fresh and bitter water cannot flow from the same opening. Also, a fig tree cannot produce olives, and a grapevine cannot produce figs. When we let the Holy Spirit reside inside us, we should guard our tongues by not allowing the devil to take a foothold in any area of our life.
What does guarding the tongue mean? When we yield our tongue to the Holy Spirit, we guard our minds and hearts so that we do not sin with our mouths. Instead, if we take control of any areas of our life by ruling out the unction of the Holy Spirit, we let the devil fire our tongue from hell.
How do you yield your tongue to the Holy Spirit? You can yield your tongue to the Holy Spirit by spending quality time with the Lord talking to Him, and listening from Him. By spending enough time reading and understanding the Word.
You must’ve heard this, what comes out of your mouth comes from your heart. What does the heart think the tongue speaks? Luke 6:45 (NKJV) says, “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” When you fill your heart with His presence and Word, you yield your tongue to the Holy Spirit.
Lessons from James 3:7-12
What can we learn from James 3:7-12? We can learn four important lessons from this passage explaining the first theme of James 3: Taming the Tongue.
- From the same mouth, Christians bless God and curse people created in God’s image.
- Christians cannot tame their tongue; ONLY God can if you allow Him to!
- When Christians yield their tongue to the Holy Spirit, the process of taming can happen.
- Filling your heart with the Word of God and spending quality time with God will position your tongue to yield to the Holy Spirit.
2. Earthly Wisdom vs. Heavenly Wisdom (James 3:13-18 Commentary)
James 3:13-18 (NKJV) – “13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
In verse 13, James calls out all the wise and understanding from the crowd. There are two possibilities for understanding this. Either you may consider James instructing the wise, who contextually are the teachers of the Word of God (since James started this chapter addressing the teachers). Or you may consider this a call for spiritually mature Christians because all believers are called to seek and receive the wisdom of God.
James is telling Christians to have good conduct, and all their work should be done in humility and not pride. We can see that James is repeating his intention in writing this letter – the book’s main theme is “Faith with Action.” When we say we believe in and follow Jesus, our life should exemplify that.
What are the two things that we should control, according to James? From verse 14, we can gather that James explicitly points to everyone with bitter envy and self-seeking in their hearts. Christians who call themselves wise and understanding will never boast or lie against the truth (the Word of God).
James is explaining how the tongue is incorrectly used when someone is self-seeking and has bitter envy in their heart. In this context, what are some sins of the tongue? Boasting or lying against the truth are some sins that a tongue commits.
The self-seeking and jealousy of other’s growth of others, or the blessings of others, or who feel they are superior over others; because of the knowledge and wisdom they have in the Word will speak against the facts and sometimes even twist the truth for their benefit or call themselves to fame.
James says in verse 15 that this kind of wisdom does not come down from heaven because it pertains to the things of this world, is self-pleasing, and from the devil. In verse 16, James says that this wisdom from the devil causes confusion and brings about every evil thing in the world. It is evident that when wise Christians give in the wisdom of the devil, there will be confusion. All kinds of evil will sprout from the seeds of earthly wisdom, which causes corruption, violence, pride, hatred, and destruction.
In verse 17, James says that heavenly wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, with no partiality and no hypocrisy. These words feel so good to read and hear. Everything that comes down from heaven is pure and lovely. This is how every Christain is meant to live!
By saying this, James indicates that Christianity is all about right living after experiencing Christ as your savior no matter what! According to verse 18, we Christians are called to be peacemakers who sow the seeds of righteousness in peace. All this boils down to strengthening our tongues to adhere to the wisdom from heaven.
The question you may ask is, how can I strengthen my tongue? You can strengthen your tongue by strengthening your heart. We read in verse 14 that James talks about being self-seeking and having bitter envy IN THE HEART. The tongue just speaks what is in the heart. Luke 6:45 (NKJV) says A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks.
To be able to strengthen your TONGUE, you need to check the abundance of your HEART. But James also says that humans cannot tame their tongues. That is true! We discussed in detail above that only God can tame our tongues. So when we allow God to fill us with the wisdom of heaven, we allow God to strengthen our tongues.
Lessons from James 3:13-18
What can we learn from James 3:13-18? We can learn ten important lessons from this passage explaining the second theme of James 3: Earthly Wisdom vs. Heavenly Wisdom.
- Christians are called to seek the wisdom of heaven.
- Christians must have good conduct and do everything in humility.
- Christians should not have self-seeking and bitterness in their hearts.
- Boasting and lying are sins of the tongue that root in bitterness and selfishness in the hearts.
- Christians are not to use their knowledge of the Word to elevate themselves.
- Christians should not give in earthly wisdom or wisdom from the devil.
- Wisdom from the devil is earthly, sensual, and demonic. It causes confusion and evil.
- Wisdom from heaven is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy.
- Christians are called to be peacemakers.
- Christians should sow in peace the fruit of righteousness.
In conclusion, of James 3 commentary, we can say that tongue plays a vital role in a Christian’s life, and every Christain has the responsibility to live a life of fruitful talk that comes from heaven above.
If you want some reflection questions based on the Commentary above, you can download the James 3 Bible Study Questions pdf.
If you want all the lessons in one document from James 3 Commentary and Bible Study, you can download James 3 Bible Study lessons
If you want to dive deeper into the Commentary and Bible Study on James 3, you can get the following helpful resources.
By Charles Spurgeon – Commentary on James (Spurgeon Commentary Series)
By John Macarthur – James: Guidelines for a Happy Christian Life
If you want a reminder to love people as the image of God in your phone, you can download any of the phone screen savers.
In the following two chapters from the book of James, we will learn:
- James 4: Encouraging Christians not to live in strife with other Christians.
- James 5: Cautioning Christians not to run after riches but to run after God and to love people by serving them.
What is your best takeaway from this easy-to-understand James 3 commentary with bible Study questions? Please comment below.
Also, be sure to read:
- James 1 Commentary with Bible Study Questions (plus Downloadable Life-Lessons)
- James 2 Commentary with Bible Study Questions (plus Downloadable Life-Lessons)
- James 4 Commentary with Bible Study Questions (plus Downloadable Life-Lessons)
- James 5 Commentary with Bible Study Questions (plus Downloadable Life-Lessons)