Year of the Bible
James 3
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Commentary on the Letter to St. James, Chapter 3:
James has already shared proverbs about our speech (1:19, 26), and now he unpacks the sinful pitfalls of our words further. He reminds us that small things (a horse’s bridle, a rudder on a boat, a small fire) can lead to great control, or great disaster. Likewise, our small tongue can be used for blessing, or for cursing. He explains that every human is made in the image of God, so we should carefully consider how we speak about others lest we curse God Himself. This contradicts the world’s way of judging others. James continues by writing about the two types of wisdom: that of the world, which is jealous, selfish, and devilish, and that of God which is pure, merciful, sincere, and leads to good fruits in one’s life. James’ entire letter is written to encourage us to choose God’s divine wisdom from Heaven over the secular wisdom found in the world.
The Letter of St. James, Chapter 3:
Taming the Tongue
3 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all make many mistakes, and if any one makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses that they may obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4 Look at the ships also; though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening fresh water and brackish? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. 18 And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
"Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze." We are all aware of the power of words, of speech. Lord, help me not to curse with my tongue, but only to bless!
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
1 Hermanos míos, no pretendáis muchos
ser maestros, sabiendo que tendremos
un juicio más severo; 2 porque todos
caemos con frecuencia. Si alguno no
peca de palabra, ése es un hombre perfecto,
capaz también de refrenar todo su cuerpo.
3 Si ponemos frenos en la boca a los
caballos para que nos obedezcan, dirigimos
todo su cuerpo. 4 Mirad también
las naves: aunque sean tan grandes
y las empujen vientos fuertes,
un pequeño timón las dirige adonde
quiere la voluntad del piloto. 5 Del
mismo modo, la lengua es un miembro
pequeño, pero va presumiendo de
grandes cosas. ¡Mirad qué poco fuego
basta para quemar un gran bosque!
6 Así también la lengua es un fuego, un
mundo de iniquidad; es ella, de entre
nuestros miembros, la que contamina
todo el cuerpo y, encendida por
el infierno, inflama el curso de nuestra
vida desde el nacimiento.
7 Todo género de fieras, aves, reptiles
y animales marinos puede domarse y de
hecho ha sido domado por el hombre;
8 sin embargo, ningún hombre es capaz
de domar su lengua. Es un mal siempre
inquieto y está llena de veneno mortífero.
9 Con ella bendecimos a quien es Señor
y Padre, y con ella maldecimos a los
hombres, hechos a semejanza de Dios.
10 De la misma boca salen la bendición
y la maldición. Esto, hermanos míos,
no debe ser así. 11 ¿Acaso mana de una
fuente agua dulce y amarga por el mismo
caño? 12 ¿O puede, hermanos míos,
la higuera producir aceitunas o la vid
higos? Tampoco una fuente salada puede
dar agua dulce.
13 ¿Hay alguno entre vosotros sabio
y docto? Pues que muestre por su buena
conducta que hace sus obras con la
mansedumbre propia de la sabiduría.
14 Pero si tenéis en vuestro corazón celo
amargo y rencillas, no os jactéis ni falseéis
la verdad. 15 Una sabiduría así no
desciende de lo alto, sino que es terrena,
meramente natural, diabólica. 16 Porque
donde hay celos y rencillas, allí hay desorden
y toda clase de malas obras. 17 En
cambio, la sabiduría que viene de lo alto
es, en primer lugar, pura, y además pacífica,
indulgente, dócil, llena de misericordia
y de buenos frutos, imparcial,
sin hipocresía. 18 Los que promueven la
paz siembran con la paz el fruto de la
justicia.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).