James 3:3 - Exposition

Illustration of the last statement of James 3:2 . The bit in the horse's mouth enables us to turn about the whole body. So the man who can govern his tongue has the mastery over the whole body. A remarkable parallel is afforded by Sophocles, 'Antigone,' 1. 470, σμικρῷ χαλινῷ δ οἷδα τοὺς θυμουμένους ἵππους καταρτυθέιτας . So also Philo, 'De Op. Mundi,' p. 19, τὸ θυμικώτατον ζῶον ἵππος ῥᾳδίως ἄγεται χαλινωθείς . The manuscript; authority is overwhelming in favor of εἰ δὲ (A, B, K, L א , εἰδε γάρ , etc.; and Vulgate, si autem ) instead of ἰδού of the Received Text (C has ἴδε , and the Syriac ecce ): thus the apodosis is contained in the words, καὶ ὅλον κ . τ . λ . Translate, with R.V., now if we put the horses ' bridles into their mouths that they may obey us , we turn about their whole body also. (For a similar correction of ἰδέ to εἰ δέ , see Romans 2:17 )