james-3:11-12

The Pulpit Commentary - James 3:7-12

The tongue ungovernable and inconsistent. At first the apostle had reminded his readers that speech may be made a great power for good ( James 3:2-4 ). Then he went on to say that in actual fact it is employed by most men as an engine of evil ( James 3:5 , James 3:6 ). He proceeds now to justify his strong language on this point. I. THE UNTAMABLENESS OF THE TONGUE . ( James 3:7 , James 3:8 ) We have here a fourfold classification of the inferior creatures. God gave... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - James 3:11-12

Illustrations showing the absurdity of the conduct reprobated. From one principle opposite things cannot be produced. Nothing can bring forth that which is not corresponding to its nature. How, then, can the tongue yield both blessing and cursing? It will be seen that the thought in (2) is different from that in Matthew 7:16 , to which it bears a superficial resemblance. There the thought is that a good tree cannot yield bad fruit. Here it is that a tree must yield that which... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 3:11

Doth a fountain send forth at the same place - Margin, “hole.” The Greek word means “opening, fissure,” such as there is in the earth, or in rocks from which a fountain gushes.Sweet water and bitter - Fresh water and salt, James 3:12. Such things do not occur in the works of nature, and they should not be found in man. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 3:12

Can the fig-tree, my brethren, bear olive-berries? - Such a thing is impossible in nature, and equally absurd in morals. A fig-tree bears only figs; and so the tongue ought to give utterance only to one class of sentiments and emotions. These illustrations are very striking, and show the absurdity of that which the apostle reproves. At the same time, they accomplish the main purpose which he had in view, to repress the desire of becoming public teachers without suitable qualifications. They... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 3:11-12

James 3:11-12. Doth a fountain send forth at the same opening, alternately, and at different times, sweet water and bitter As if he had said, No such inconsistency is found in the natural world, and nothing of the kind ought to be known in the moral world. Estius observes, “that the apostle’s design was to confirm his doctrine by four similitudes; the first taken from fountains, the second and third from fruit-trees, and the fourth from the sea, which being in its nature salt, does not... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - James 3:1-12

3:1-5:6 WORLDLY AMBITION AND CHRISTIAN FAITHControl of the tongue (3:1-12)James warns his readers not to be too ambitious to be teachers in the church, because if they instruct others and then fail themselves, they will receive greater judgment. This places teachers in particular danger, because they cannot avoid making some mistakes (3:1-2). A person who can control his tongue can control the whole self. Just as the bit controls the horse and the rudder controls the ship, so the tongue... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - James 3:11

send forth . Greek. bruo . Only here. at = out of. App-104 . place = hole. Greek. ope . See Hebrews 11:38 (caves). bitter . Greek. pikros. Only here and James 3:14 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - James 3:12

Can, &c . Question preceded by me . olive berries = olives. so, &c . The texts read "neither (Greek. oute) can salt water bring forth, or produce, sweet". read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - James 3:11

Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter?The use of the interrogative here is from a Hebrew idiom which carries the meaning of "you do not suppose, do you, that the same fountain, etc." It was used to convey a very strong negative. It is said that along the Dead Sea there were both salt-water and fresh-water fountains; so James made his meaning clear by adding "from the same opening." The illustration shows that man's behavior in blessing God and cursing men... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - James 3:12

can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? neither can salt water yield sweet.Once more, James used illustrations drawn from the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 12:34,35).Neither can salt water yield sweet ... Here the tremendous thrust of James' teaching is made. Just as, in nature, it is impossible for a fountain to be both salt and sweet, so it is with men. The "cursing" shows the real character of them that do it. Even their "blessing" is in no sense to be construed as "sweet."... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - James 3:7-12

The Pulpit Commentary - James 3:11-12

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 3:11

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 3:12

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 3:11-12

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - James 3:1-12

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - James 3:11

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - James 3:12

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - James 3:11

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - James 3:12

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