James 3:13

As the sins before condemned arise from an affectation of being thought more wise than others, and being endued with more knowledge than they, so the apostle in these verses shows the difference between men's pretending to be wise and their being really so, and between the wisdom which is from beneath (from earth or hell) and that which is from above.

I. We have some account of true wisdom, with the distinguishing marks and fruits of it: Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom, Jam 3:13. A truly wise man is a very knowing man: he will not set up for the reputation of being wise without laying in a good stock of knowledge; and he will not value himself merely upon knowing things, if he has not wisdom to make a right application and use of that knowledge. These two things must be put together to make up the account of true wisdom: who is wise, and endued with knowledge? Now where this is the happy case of any there will be these following things: - 1. A good conversation. If we are wiser than others, this should be evidenced by the goodness of our conversation, not by the roughness or vanity of it. Words that inform, and heal, and do good, are the marks of wisdom; not those that look great, and do mischief, and are the occasions of evil, either in ourselves or others. 2. True wisdom may be known by its works. The conversation here does not refer only to words, but to the whole of men's practice; therefore it is said, Let him show out of a good conversation his works. True wisdom does not lie in good notions or speculations so much as in good and useful actions. Not he who thinks well, or he who talks well, is in the sense of the scripture allowed to be wise, if he do not live and act well. 3. True wisdom may be known by the meekness of the spirit and temper: Let him show with meekness, etc. It is a great instance of wisdom prudently to bridle our own anger, and patiently to bear the anger of others. And as wisdom will evidence itself in meekness, so meekness will be a great friend to wisdom; for nothing hinders the regular apprehension, the solid judgment, and impartiality of thought, necessary to our acting wisely, so much as passion. When we are mild and calm, we are best able to hear reason, and best able to speak it. Wisdom produces meekness, and meekness increases wisdom.

II. We have the glorying of those taken away who are of a contrary character to that now mentioned, and their wisdom exposed in all its boasts and productions: "If you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, etc., Jam 3:14-16. Pretend what you will, and think yourselves ever so wise, yet you have abundance of reason to cease your glorying, if you run down love and peace, and give way to bitter envying and strife. Your zeal for truth or orthodoxy, and your boasts of knowing more than others, if you employ these only to make others hateful, and to show your own spite and heart-burnings against them, are a shame to your profession of Christianity, and a downright contradiction to it. Lie not thus against the truth." Observe, 1. Envying and strife are opposed to the meekness of wisdom. The heart is the seat of both; but envy and wisdom cannot dwell together in the same heart. Holy zeal and bitter envying are as different as the flames of seraphim and the fire of hell. 2. The order of things here laid down. Envying is first and excites strife; strife endeavours to excuse itself by vain-glorying and lying; and then (Jam 3:16) hereupon ensue confusion and every evil work. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion, and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such disorders raise many temptations, strengthen temptations, and involve men in a great deal of guilt. One sin begets another, and it cannot be imagined how much mischief is produced: there is every evil work. And is such wisdom as produces these effects to be gloried in? This cannot be without giving the lie to Christianity, and pretending that this wisdom is what it is not. For observe, 3. Whence such wisdom cometh: It descendeth not from above, but ariseth from beneath; and, to speak plainly, it is earthly, sensual, devilish, Jam 3:15. It springs from earthly principles, acts upon earthly motives, and is intent upon serving earthly purposes. It is sensual indulging the flesh, and making provision to fulfil the lusts and desires of it. Or, according to the original word, psuchikē, it is animal of human - the mere working of natural reason, without any supernatural light. And it is devilish, such wisdom being the wisdom of devils (to create uneasiness and to do hurt), and being inspired by devils, whose condemnation is pride (Ti1 3:6), and who are noted in other places of scripture for their wrath, and their accusing the brethren. And therefore those who are lifted up with such wisdom as this must fall into the condemnation of the devil.

III. We have the lovely picture of that wisdom which is from above more fully drawn, and set in opposition to this which is from beneath: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, etc., Jam 3:17, Jam 3:18. Observe here, True wisdom is God's gift. It is not gained by conversing with men, nor by the knowledge of the world (as some think and speak), but it comes from above. It consists of these several things: - 1. It is pure, without mixture of maxims or aims that would debase it: and it is free from iniquity and defilements, not allowing of any known sin, but studious of holiness both in heart and life. 2. The wisdom that is from above is peaceable. Peace follows purity, and depends upon it. Those who are truly wise do what they can to preserve peace, that it may not be broken; and to make peace, that where it is lost it may be restored. In kingdoms, in families, in churches, in all societies, and in all interviews and transactions, heavenly wisdom makes men peaceable. 3. It is gentle, not standing upon extreme right in matters of property; not saying nor doing any thing rigorous in points of censure; not being furious about opinions, urging our own beyond their weight nor theirs who oppose us beyond their intention; not being rude and overbearing in conversation, nor harsh and cruel in temper. Gentleness may thus be opposed to all these. 4. Heavenly wisdom is easy to be entreated, eupeithēs; it is very persuadable, either to what is good or from what is evil. There is an easiness that is weak and faulty; but it is not a blamable easiness to yield ourselves to the persuasions of God's word, and to all just and reasonable counsels or requests of our fellow-creatures; no, nor to give up a dispute, where there appears a good reason for it and where a good end may be answered by it. 5. Heavenly wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits, inwardly disposed to every thing that is kind and good, both to relieve those who want and to forgive those who offend, and actually to do this whenever proper occasions offer. 6. Heavenly wisdom is without partiality. The original word, adiakritos, signifies to be without suspicion, or free from judging, making no undue surmises nor differences in our conduct towards one person more than another. The margin reads it, without wrangling, not acting the part of sectaries, and disputing merely for the sake of a party; nor censuring others purely on account of their differing from us. The wisest men are least apt to be censurers. 7. That wisdom which is from above is without hypocrisy. It has no disguises nor deceits. It cannot fall in with those managements which the world counts wise, which are crafty and guileful; but it is sincere and open, steady and uniform, and consistent with itself. O that you and I may always be guided by such wisdom as this! that with Paul we may be able to say, Not with fleshly wisdom, but in simplicity and godly sincerity, by the grace of God, we have our conversation. And then, lastly, true wisdom will go on to sow the fruits of righteousness in peace, and thus, if it may be, to make peace in the world, Jam 3:18. And that which is sown in peace will produce a harvest of joys. Let others reap the fruits of contentions, and all the advantages they can propose to themselves by them; but let us go on peaceably to sow the seeds of righteousness, and we may depend upon it our labour will not be lost. For light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart; and the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Jam_3:13

Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge

Divine wisdom

In Scripture the term wisdom ordinarily signifies the knowledge and fear of God, especially that enlightening of the mind which flows from the word and spirit of Christ; and the superior excellence of this wisdom may be well expressed in the words of Solomon (Pro_3:13-14).

Much of what is called wisdom and knowledge among men can scarcely be said to have any influence at all, and very frequently all that can be said in its praise is merely this, that it is a more sedate species of amusement than men commonly pursue. But it may be that there is some difficulty in attaining it, and that every one is not able to make such an acquirement. Hence it is esteemed by many as of no small value, because it exercises their faculties, ministers to their vanity, or plausibly occupies their time. Other kinds of wisdom and knowledge there are which may be sufficiently applicable to practical purposes and sufficiently useful in promoting the temporal interests of their possessor, but which have no salutary influence on the heart or conduct. Such kinds of wisdom may often be attained by the most worthless persons, and may sometimes render them only the more daring in their wickedness and the more dangerous to their fellow-men. But it is the distinguishing character of the wisdom mentioned in the text, that it both produces good fruit for the use of others and exerts a purifying influence on the heart where it dwells.

I. IT LEADS TO A GOOD CONVERSATION, or manner of life. You are well assured that the calling, with which you are called in the gospel of Christ, is a holy calling, and that the wisdom which cometh down from above is first pure--pure in its whole character and influence. For this end it cometh down, namely, to make us free from the law of sin, and to purify us unto God a peculiar people. Let every one, therefore, who seemeth to have this wisdom, or wishes to have it, feel his obligation to cleanse himself from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit. Let your conversation always be as becometh the gospel, and your conduct as the children of God, blameless, harmless, and without rebuke. Let it never once enter into the imagination of your minds that you truly possess any portion of heavenly wisdom if it is not your full desire and endeavour to be holy in all manner of conversation. No inconsistency can be greater, no delusion more fatal, than to suppose it possible for you to be guided by the wisdom which is from above, while you show not a good conversation : or manner of life.

II. IT LEANS TO GOOD WORKS; let him show out of a good conversation his works. He who is wise ceases not only to be the servant of sin but learns to become an instrument of righteousness. He not only rejects what would be disgraceful and debasing in practice, but studies to be full of mercy and of good fruits. He is not content with avoiding whatever would be offensive to his Maker, hurtful to his neighbour, or injurious to his own best interests; he strives, farther, to do what may be pleasing in the sight of God, profitable to man, purifying to his own spirit.

III. IT LEADS TO SLEEKNESS, or gentleness. The meekness of wisdom, that unassuming and unoffending deportment which always becomes, and ought always to attend, true wisdom and superior knowledge. Such a spirit is not only a duty in itself, a part of the Christian character, but is in a manner the appropriate dress in which every heavenly grace and good work should be arrayed. Thus you are exhorted to associate this meekness with every form of well-doing; to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness; to hear with meekness the ingrafted word; to give a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness; to restore one who is overtaken in a fault in the spirit of meekness; in meekness, to instruct those that oppose themselves. This is the way in which you are to show or exercise your wisdom, and hence it is called the meekness of wisdom, that which belongs to it as a property, which becomes it as an ornament, which proceeds from it as an effect, which proves it to be from above. (James Brewster.)

True wisdom

1. Wisdom and knowledge do well together; the one to inform, the other to direct. A good apprehension and a good judgment make a complete Christian.

2. True wisdom endeth in a good conversation. Surely the practical Christian is the most wise: in others, knowledge is but like a jewel in a toads head: Deu_4:6, Keep these statutes, for this is your wisdom. This is saving knowledge, the other is but curious. What greater folly than for learned men to be disputing of heaven and religion, and others less knowing to surprise it! This is like him that gazed upon the moon, but fell into the pit. One property of true wisdom is to be able to manage and carry on our work and business; therefore none so wise aa they that walk circumspectly (Eph_5:15). The careless Christian is the greatest fool; he is heedless of his main business. Another part of wisdom is to prevent danger; and the greater the danger, the more caution should we use. Certainly, then, there is no fool like the sinning fool, that ventureth his soul at every cast, and runneth blindfold upon the greatest hazard.

3. The more true wisdom, the more meek. Wise men are less angry, and more humble.

4. Meekness must be a wise meekness. It is said, Meekness of wisdom. It not only noteth the cause of it, but the quality of it. It must be such as is opposite to fierceness, not to zeal.

5. A Christian must not only have a good heart, but a good life, and in his conversation show forth the graces of his spirit (Mat_5:16). (T. Manton.)

Wisdom and knowledge

It must be observed that there is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. One is natural, the other acquired; one comes from God, the other from man. A man who is not wise cannot acquire wisdom by his own exertions; but any man can become learned if he have industry and memory. A man may be wise and unlearned; a man may be learned and be a fool. Wisdom is as superior to learning as the man who is both architect and builder is superior to the materials which he uses. But as those materials are necessary to the builder, so is learning ¢o a wise man. Therefore, he who is truly wise will industriously seek to obtain all knowledge within his reach, No man to whom God has given wisdom despises learning, he can do little without it. It is that with which he is to make his life-work. The very first motion of wisdom in a man is to get understanding, to obtain a knowledge of things. (C. F. Deems, D. D.)

Knowledge and practice

Knowledge is a jewel, and adorns him that wears it. It is the enriching and bespangling of the mind. Knowledge is the eye of the soul, to guide it in the right way; but this knowledge must be joined with holy practice. Many illuminated heads can discourse fluently in matters of religion; but they do not live up to their knowledge: this is to have good eyes, but to have the feet cut off. How vain is knowledge without practice! as if one should know a sovereign medicine, and not apply it. Satan is a knowing spirit; but he hath no holy practice. (T. Watson.)

Knowledge and practice

Criticisms in words, or rather ability to make them, is not so valuable as some may imagine them. A man may be able to call a broom by twenty names, in Latin, Spanish, Dutch, Greek, &c.; but my maid, who knows the way to use it, but knows it only by one name, is not far behind him. (John Newton.)

Life--explains religion

One of our party greatly needed some elderflower water for her face upon which the sun was working great mischief. It was in the Italian town of Varallo, and not a word of Italian did I know. I entered a chemists shop and surveyed his drawers and bottles, but the result was nit. Bright thought; I would go down by the river, and walk until I could gather a bunch of elder-flowers, for the tree was then in bloom. Happily the search was successful: the flowers were exhibited to the druggist, the extract was procured. When you cannot tell in so many words what true religion is, exhibit it by your actions. Sinew by your life what grace can do. There is no language in the world so eloquent as a holy life. Men may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do. (C. H.Spurgeon.)

The chief thing to learn

It was the labour of Socrates to turn philosophy from the study of nature to speculations upon life; but there have been and are etchers who are turning off attention from life to nature. They seem to think that we are placed here to watch the growth of plants, or the motion of the stars; but Socrates was rather of opinion that what we bad to learn, was how to do good and avoid evil. (Dr. Johnson.)

Knowledge and goodness

The most intellectual Gnostics were sensualists; sensualists upon a theory and with deliberation. And modern history yields many a warning that intellectual culture about religious things is one thing and genuine religion quite another. Henry VIII, who had been destined for the English Primacy, was among the best read theologians of his day: but whatever opinion may be entertained of his place as a farsighted statesman in English history, no one would seriously speak of him as personally religious. (H. P. Liddon, D. D.)

Let him shew … with meekness of wisdom

Practical wisdom

I. The man must SHOW HIS WORKS. The apostle takes it for granted that, if he really be wise and endued with knowledge, he will have works to show. Of course all pride, and vanity, and ostentation are to be eschewed. But still, the glory of God and the welfare of the world demand the exhibition of the fruits which Divine grace has produced in the character and conduct of the man.

II. The man must show his works out OF A GOOD CONVERSATION. A mans conversation is the course and tenor of his life. Consistency of conduct and comprehensive moral excellence are here required.

III. Out of this good conversation the man must show his works in a certain way--WITH MEEKNESS OF WISDOM. Meekness--which is, as it were, kindness and humility blended into one harmonious feeling of the mind--is very frequently enforced in the Word of God--sometimes by express command, sometimes by a reference to the meekness of Christ Himself, sometimes by a statement of the personal benefits which follow in its train, and sometimes by an exhibition of its fitness to sustain the cause and promote the influence of religious truth. It is here associated with wisdom. And assuredly not only do wisdom and meekness dwell together, but the former dictates, originates, fosters, and upholds the latter. (A. S.Patterson, D. D.)

How to prove ones possession of wisdom

James intimates that if a man is to be selected for wisdom he cannot make manifest that wisdom by an argument to prove its existence, but all he has to do is to show from a good life, a life of truth, fidelity, and beneficence, that he has so used what he has acquired as to adapt all objects in his control to their intended end.

Not only by words but by works let the world see his wisdom, not only in one field but in all fields, not only on one side of his character, but on all sides let all who know anything of him know that it is good; and let him not parade this, let him shrew no exultation when it is discovered nor distressful disappointment when it is neglected, and by that very meekness men will be sure that he has wisdom. Meekness may not always be wise, but wisdom is always meek. (C. F. Deems, D. D.)

Wisdom and meekness

Men are naturally fond of a reputation for superior understanding and wisdom. Here, then, is the best way to show the real possession of such superiority; not by a forward self-consequence--a self-commendatory, and over-eager desire to dictate to others fromthe teachers chair; not by a magisterial dogmatism of manner; not by a lofty and supercilious contempt of other men and their views and modes of instruction; not by a keen, contentious, overbearing zeal. No; let the man of knowledge and wisdom show his possession of these attributes--acquaintance with truth, and sound discretion to direct to the right use of it--by keeping his station, and studying to adorn it. Let him, first of all,maintain a good conversation--or course of conduct, private and public--a conversation upright and holy, in full harmony with the genuineinfluence of Divine truth, and let trim show, out of such a conversation, his works--the practical results of his knowledge and professed faith. These works consisted in active conformity to the duties required by Divine precept, in all the various relations of life, more private or more public. And these works were to be shown with meekness of wisdom--that is, with the meekness by which genuine wisdom is everdistinguished. Vanity is one of the marks of a weak mind. Humility and gentleness are the invariable associates of true wisdom. The two were united, in their respective fulness of perfection, in the blessed Jesus. Let the man, then, who would have a character for true wisdom manifest in his entire deportment the meekness and gentleness of Christ. (H. Wardlaw, D. D.)

A sham religion useless

This paragraph is, in fact, simply a continuation of the uncompromising attack upon sham religion which is the main theme throughout a large portion of the Epistle. St. James first shows how useless it is to be an eager hearer of the Word, without also being a doer of it. Next he exposes the inconsistency of loving ones neighbour as oneself if he chances to be rich, and neglecting or even insulting him if he is poor. From that he passes on to prove the barrenness of an orthodoxy which is not manifested in good deeds, and the peril of trying to make words a substitute for works. And thus the present section is reached. Throughout the different sections it is the empty religiousness which endeavours to avoid the practice of Christian virtue, on the plea of possessing zeal, or faith, or knowledge, that is mercilessly exposed and condemned. Deeds! deeds! deeds! is the cry of St. James; these ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone. Without Christian practice, all the other good things which they possessed or professed were savourless salt. (A. Plummer, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jas 3:13-16. Who is a wise man, &c. — People are naturally desirous of the reputation of possessing an understanding superior to that of others. Now, let us consider in what way the sense we have may be best manifested; let him who would be thought wise show his wisdom, as well as his faith, by his works; let him show out of a good — That is, a holy and useful conversation, his commendable and beneficent works, with meekness of wisdom — “This beautiful expression,” says Macknight, “intimates, that true wisdom is always accompanied with meekness, or the government of the passions.” But if ye have bitter envying — Ζηλον, zeal, as the word properly signifies, or zeal accompanied with a bitter spirit, or an unkind disposition toward others. True Christian zeal is only the flame of love; but bitter, unhallowed zeal is evil, even if it be only found in the heart, and go no further. If that kind of zeal be in you, glory not — Or boast not of your improvement in Christianity; and lie not against the truth — By pretending that such zeal may consist with heavenly wisdom. This wisdom — That which is attended with such zeal; descendeth not from above — Does not come from God; but is earthly — Not heavenly in its origin, or end; sensual — Ψυχικη, animal; not spiritual, not from the Spirit of God; devilish — Not the gift of Christ, but such as Satan breathes into the souls of men. For where this bitter zeal and strife — Or contention; is, there is confusion — Ακαταστασια, tumult, or unquietness; and every evil work — Many other mischiefs attending it. It may be proper to observe, that about this time the Jews, from their intemperate zeal for the law of Moses, raised seditions in Judea and elsewhere, which were the occasion of many crimes and of much bloodshed. And as the apostle expected that this epistle would fall into the hands of some of the unconverted Jews, and indeed, perhaps, partly addressed them in it, he probably might refer to these tumults and disorders in this verse.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. True test of teachers and hearers—a heaven-descended wisdom, evinced by rectitude and peacefulness of temper and life, Jas_3:13-18.

13. Who—Of these contrasts be sure to exhibit the right one.

Wise man— Truly on the side of divine wisdom; the wisdom of Jas_1:5.

Let him show— Like a good fountain let him pour forth the sweet and not the bitter stream; like a good tree, the right fruit. What the good fruits are he now tells.

Conversation—Conduct, mode of life.

Works—Special good doings.

Meekness—The opposite of the tongueiness of the many teachers.

Wisdom—The wisdom of the just. If there be among you a professed Christian let him come out of an equivocal state, half holy and half wicked, and let him, both by general life and special act, show the Christian tempers.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES

Jas_3:13. Good conversation.—Or, his “good life”; “good conduct.” The usual New Testament idea of “conversation.”

Jas_3:14. Strife.—Prefer “rivalry.”

Jas_3:15. Sensual.—Or, “animal.”

Jas_3:17. Gentle.—Lit. “forbearing.” Intreated.—Persuaded. Partiality.—Chap. Jas_2:4; R.V. “variance”; without doubtfulness, vacillation, which leads to wrangling.

Jas_3:18. Sown in peace.—So as to consist in peace. “Every good deed is a fruit produced by the good seed sown in good soil; and every such deed is in its turn the seed of a future fruit like in kind.” “True wisdom will go on to sow the fruits of righteousness in peace, and thus, if it may be, to make peace in the world. And that which is sown in peace will produce a harvest of joys. Let others reap the fruits of contentions, and all the advantages they can propose to themselves by them; but let us go on peaceably to sow the seeds of righteousness, and we may depend upon it our labour will not be lost” (Matthew Henry).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Jas_3:13-18

Practical Wisdom seen in the Spirit of a Life.—Two things need to be kept in mind if the point of teaching in this passage is to be apprehended.

1. St. James began his epistle by dwelling on the importance of wisdom. He meant that sort of practical wisdom for the ordering and guiding of life and relations which comes to a man through

(1) waiting upon God in believing prayer, and

(2) through sanctified personal observations and experiences.

2. St. James recognises that these would-be teachers, who set up for themselves in the Jewish Christian Churches, claimed a superiority of wisdom and knowledge, and based their claim to teach on this claim to superior wisdom. The claim was founded on self-assurance; there was no characteristic Christian humility in it. And self-assertive work was doing the practical mischief in the Churches which it always does. It could be known by the bad fruits that it was bringing forth. There is something very like satire in the contrast between the false wisdom and the true in this passage. The man truly wise never is found pushing himself into the place of teacher—he has to be found out; and he will be known by the character of his ordinary conversation, and by the skill with which he orders all his conduct, and tones all his relationships.

I. What will indicate the wise man?—How may we recognise him? What tests shall we apply to him? Here is a man who claims to be wise for the practical management of life, and possessed with altogether superior intellectual knowledge. How shall we satisfy ourselves concerning his claim?

1. It is a ground of suspicion if he pushes himself forward as a teacher. True wisdom always has humility for its companion. The man who thinks himself to be something, generally is nothing. Men find out the true teachers; very seldom do they find themselves out. The true teacher teaches because he cannot help it, and often does not know that he can teach. The man who pushes himself into the teaching-place will usually be found more interested in self-aggrandisement than in teaching.

2. It is suspicious if the supposed wise man is more anxious about putting other people’s lives straight than about putting his own. Let a man be really wise, and the responsibility of the trust of his own life is sure to weigh heavily upon him; and he will be anxious about his own “conversation,” his own turning about in the relations of life, his own good conduct. Let a man assume wisdom for self-seeking ends, and he will usually be found indifferent to his own conduct and relations; attention to these things will in no way serve his purpose.

3. It is more than suspicious if there is to be seen no sign of “meekness.” Meekness, in the Scriptures, is not precisely the same thing as “humility.” It is the opposite of “self-assertiveness.” The meek man never pushes himself to the front. He trusts to value, not to show; to what he is, not to what he can make himself out to be. But precisely what these would-be teachers in the Churches, whom St. James reproves, lacked, was this meekness in their so-called wisdom. From this Jas_3:13 the importance of personal character and holy example in all Christian teachers may be earnestly presented. Holy living must ensure confidence in him who teaches, and wing the arrows of his good words.

II. What will indicate the unwise man?—The results of his personal influence and of his teaching. His pushing will create envying. The places into which he gets other people will be sure to think that they ought to have. Hence will come strife, contentions, disputes, rivalries, schemes for injuring one another, and every evil work. James and John wanted to push into the chief places in the coming kingdom, and they upset the kindly relations of the apostolic company, introducing envying and strife. And that which is true of the unwise man’s personal influence will also be true of his teaching. It will upset the kindly relations of the people. It will be inconsiderate. It will be peculiar. It will exaggerate the teacher’s own ideas. It will fail to keep the harmony and proportion of Christian truth; and so it will cause heart-burnings, jealousies, envyings, hatred, strife. It is the secret of sectarianism. One is for Paul, and separates himself to Paul. One is for Apollos, and separates himself to Apollos. One is for Cephas, and separates himself to Cephas. And so sectarianism creeps in, and in Christ’s Church there is confusion and every evil work.

III. What will indicate the Christianly wise man? (Jas_3:17).—This verse seems distinctly to lift us into a higher plane. St. James appears now to be thinking of the true Christian teacher, in whom is both the spirit and the wisdom of the “great Teacher”; the man who is not inspired to teach by a self-seeking, self-satisfied, and self-reliant spirit, but by the wisdom and the grace that come down from above; the man who is wise through the gifts and teachings of the Holy Spirit; the man who is an “epistle of Christ.” St. James does not describe the true Christian teacher; he says that you can always know him by the tone which is on all the results of his personal influence and Christian work. The terms he uses express two things: righteousness, peaceableness. The Christian teacher stands firm to that which is right, just, pure. He shows no partiality, favours no one to serve his own end, is “without hypocrisy”; he always is what he seems to be, and so can be fully trusted. And he is peaceable; never makes difficulties, always smoothes them; is accessible to all, pitiful to the erring, gentle to the weak, and inventive in forms of service to others. The atmosphere in which alone the Christian can work is the atmosphere of peace. Spiritual life can never be cultured by any Christian teaching where self-assertive men are creating envying and strife, confusion and every evil work. Three go together—wisdom, humility, and peaceableness.

IV. What will be the moral power of the Christianly wise man? (Jas_3:18).—He who makes peace wherever he goes, sows peace; and when the seeds of peace come to their fruitage, that fruitage is found to be “righteousness.” And that is the supreme end of Christ’s work; and the supreme end of all the work which Christ’s servants do for Him. Heaven is come when of humanity it can be said, “The people are all righteous.” Out of the seeds of the wise Christian teaching, that makes for peace, that universal righteousness alone can come.

SUGGESTIVE NOTES AND SERMON SKETCHES

Jas_3:12. Wisdom seen in Wise Speech.—“Let him show out of a good conversation his works.” While it may be admitted that St. James uses the term “conversation” in the general sense of “conduct,” it may also be recognised that he had in mind the sins of the tongue, and the mischievous talking and teaching of those who pushed themselves into places of authority in the Christian Churches. We may therefore take St. James to suggest that a man can always be known by his talk. Illustrate from different kinds of men: the unclean-minded man; the vain man; the hypocrite; the shallow-minded man; the foreigner; the learned man; the humorous man; the depressed man; etc. The same must be true of the Christian man.

1. What should be the characteristic conversation of a Christian man?

2. How can he secure that the right character shall always rest upon his conversation? To answer with St. James we may say—It depends upon his keeping the “meekness of wisdom.” Several shades of meaning attach to the term “meekness,” and in each of them we may notice a close connection with wisdom, that is, with the practical wisdom which enables a man to order his life aright, gaining a restraint over himself, and over his circumstances, which is at once represented and illustrated by the control he gains over his speech. 1. Meekness may mean humility, the spirit of the man who has come to estimate himself aright. But that right estimate is the work of wisdom, which guides judgment and presents the Divine standard. A man is never humble until he is wise enough to look at himself in the light of God and God’s claims.

2. Meekness may mean modesty, the spirit that does not push, that will not assert itself. And this never comes to a man save out of the practical wisdom that reads life aright, and knows that in the long-run God always proves to be on the side of the man who is good, not on the side of the man who asserts that he is.

3. Meekness may mean receptiveness, the disposition which keeps a man open to ever fresh supplies of Divine grace and strength. And only practical wisdom brings home to a man that sense of insufficiency which prepares him to receive ever fresh Divine help.

Jas_3:14-16. The Secret Source of Strife.—Self is pushing to the front somewhere. That will always be found the source of strife in families, churches, society, nations. Somebody wants something for himself. His getting it is against the interests of others. Nevertheless, he is determined to get it.

Jas_3:15. A Threefold Description of False Wisdom: “Earthly, Sensual [Animal], Devilish [Demoniacal].”—Each word is full of meaning.

1. The counterfeit wisdom is “earthly” in its nature and origin, as contrasted with that which cometh from above (Php_3:19).

2. It is “sensual.” The word is used by classical writers for that which belongs to the “soul,” as contrasted with the “body.” This rested on the twofold division of man’s nature. The psychology of the New Testament, however, assumes generally the threefold division of body, soul, and spirit, the second element answering to the animal, emotional life, and the third being that which includes reason and will, the capacity for immortality and for knowing God. Hence the adjective formed from “soul” acquired a lower meaning, almost the very opposite of that which it once had, and expresses man’s state as left to lower impulses without the control of the spirit. What St. James says of the false wisdom is, that it belongs to the lower, not the higher, element in man’s nature. It does not come from the Spirit of God, and therefore is not spiritual.

3. In “devilish” we have a yet darker condemnation. Our English use of the same word “devil,” for two Greek words, διάβολος and δαιμόνιον, tends, however, to obscure St. James’s meaning. The epithet does not state that the false wisdom which he condemns came from the devil, or was like his nature, but that it was demon-like, as partaking of the nature of “demons” or “unclean spirits,” who, as in the gospels, are represented as possessing the souls of men and reducing them to the level of madness. Such, St. James says, is the character of the spurious wisdom of the “many masters” of Jas_3:1. Met together in debate, wrangling, cursing, swearing, one would take them for an assembly of demoniacs. Their disputes were marked by the ferocity, the egotism, the boasting, the malignant cunning of the insane.—Dean Plumptre.

Jas_3:17. Practical Christian Wisdom.—If a man has it, no doubt it will find its first sphere in the management of his own body, mind, temper, passions, etc. But it will be sure also to find its sphere in the relationships and associations of life. It will direct all his dealings with others, and give them a peculiarly gracious character. What will be the leading features of that character? Will they, as St. James gives them, go into the word “sensitiveness” (not touchiness, nor the mere weakness of a nervous disposition)?—sensitive to the clean, to the very beginnings of strife, to the needs of others, to insincerity, to everything unsympathetic, and to a proper response, in good fruits, to the grace of which the Christian feels himself to be the monument. “Confound not wisdom with erudition. They may be connected, and should accompany one another; but they are not always so, and perhaps only in a few instances. Confound not wisdom with a sullen, morose character, with a gravity frightful to all mirth and pleasure, with a life consisting entirely in rigid abstinence and perpetual mortification. Confound not wisdom with singularity in the bad sense of the term, according to which it is an endeavour to attract notice, and to distinguish oneself from others, not so much in important and essential matters, as in insignificant trifles relative to externals. Confound not wisdom with understanding and sagacity. They come, indeed, the nearest to it, are more or less implied in it, and belong in some measure to it; however, they are not wisdom itself.”—Zollikofer.

Jas_3:18. Righteousness and Peace always go together.—“The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” “Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” “Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” Righteousness always works towards peace. Peace provides a seed-bed in which righteousness can be sown. Find either one of these anywhere, and you will find the other close by. If everybody simply wanted the right, and worked for the right, there could be no wars of nations, no contentions of society, no ruptures in families. The absolute right may sometimes seem to be unattainable; but the Christian right is always within our reach, and that is the interest of my brother and my neighbour rather than my own. In the triumph of the Christian right comes the world’s eternal peace.

ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 3

Jas_3:13. The Power of Temptation lessens as Life advances.—The precious sago-palm, when young and tender, is covered with strong sharp thorns, which effectually guard it from injury by wild animals. As soon, however, as the tree, shooting on high, grows strong, and is no longer a tempting morsel to wild hogs and other animals, the thorns fall off. It is very often thus with young Christians. They frequently display an asperity and sharpness in their treatment of the ungodly that answers something in their case to the thorns of the sago-palm. There is a use in this. They are inexperienced in the Christian life, and especially are liable by reason of their youth to be snared and enticed by the world’s blandishments. This very roughness and angularity is a great preservative in erecting around them, as it were, a bristling fence, and cutting them off from contact with dangerous foes. But as faith and love grow, as experience is gained, and they become established in grace, their life, though not a whit less faithful, becomes less severe and forbidding. The power of many temptations which especially beset the young as the pilgrim’s path is further pursued becomes necessarily lessened with the lessening heat of the calmer pulse of age. The head that once may have been turned by pride with advancing years has been tutored to “wise meekness” by long and invaluable discipline. Now that they are not in so much danger from the world as formerly the thorns fall off. There is a similar train of thought to be met with in the poet Southey’s verses on the “Holly.” This tree somewhat resembles the sago-palm in that its lower leaves only are armed with thorns, while those which rise out of reach are quite smooth. Unlike our palm, however, these thorns on the leaves near the ground never fall off with age, but continue to the last.—James Neil, M.A.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chapter 16

THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM BELOW.

Jam_3:13-16

THIS section, which again looks at first sight like an abrupt transition to another subject, is found, upon closer examination, to grow quite naturally out of the preceding one. St. James has just been warning his readers against the lust of teaching and talking. Not many of them are to become teachers, for the danger of transgressing with the tongue, which is great in all of us, is in them at a maximum, because teachers must talk. Moreover, those who teach have greater responsibilities than those who do not; for by professing to instruct others they deprive themselves of the plea of ignorance, and they are bound to instruct by example of good deeds, as well as by precept of good words. From this subject he quite naturally passes on to speak of the difference between the wisdom from above and the wisdom from below; and the connection is twofold. It is those who possess only the latter wisdom, and are proud of their miserable possession, who are so eager to make themselves of importance by giving instruction; and it is the fatal love of talk, about which he has just been speaking so severely, that is one of the chief symptoms of the wisdom that is from below.

This paragraph is, in fact, simply a continuation of the uncompromising attack upon sham religion which is the main theme throughout a large portion of the Epistle. St. James first shows how useless it is to be an eager hearer of the word, without also being a doer of it. Next he exposes the inconsistency of loving ones neighbor as oneself if he chances to be rich, and neglecting or even insulting him if he is poor. From that he passes on to prove the barrenness of an orthodoxy which is not manifested in good deeds, and the peril of trying to make words a substitute for works. And thus the present section is reached. Throughout the different sections is the empty religiousness which endeavors to avoid the practice of Christian virtue, on the plea of possessing zeal, or faith, or knowledge, that is mercilessly exposed and condemned. "Deeds, deeds, deeds," is the cry of St. James; "these ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone." Without Christian practice, all the other good things which they possessed or professed were savor-less salt.

"Who is wise and understanding among you?" The same two words meet us in the questionings of Job {Job_28:12} "Where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?" Of all the words which signify some kind of intellectual endowment, e. g., "prudence," "knowledge," and "understanding," "wisdom" always ranks as highest. It indicates, as Clement of Alexandria defines it ("Strom.," 1. 5.), "the understanding of things human and Divine, and their causes." It is the word which expresses the typical wisdom of Solomon, {Mat_12:42; Luk_11:30} the inspiration of St. Stephen, {Act_6:10} and the Divine wisdom of Jesus Christ. {Mat_13:54; Mar_6:2; and comp. Luk_11:49 with Mat_23:34} It is also employed in the heavenly doxologies which ascribe wisdom to the Lamb and to God. {Rev_5:12; Rev_7:12} St. James, therefore, quite naturally employs it to denote that excellent gift for which Christians are to pray with full confidence that it will be granted to them, {Jam_1:5-6} and which manifests its heavenly character by a variety of good fruits. {Jam_3:17}

Whether we are to understand any very marked difference between the two adjectives ("wise" and "understanding") used in the opening question, is a matter of little moment. The question taken as a whole amounts to this: Who among you professes to have superior knowledge, spiritual or practical? The main thing is not the precise scope of the question, but of the answer. Let every one who claims to have a superiority which entitles him to teach others prove his superiority by his good life. Once more it is a call for deeds, and not words-for conduct, and not professions. And St. James expresses this in a specially strong way. He might have said simply, "Let him by his conduct show his wisdom," just as he said above, "I by my worlds will show thee my faith." But he says, "Let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom." Thus the necessity for practice and conduct, as distinct from mere knowledge, is enforced twice over; and besides that, the particular character of the conduct, the atmosphere in which it is to be exhibited, is also indicated. It is to be done "in meekness of wisdom." There are two characteristics here specified which we shall find are given as the infallible signs of the heavenly wisdom; and their opposites as signs of the other. The heavenly wisdom is fruitful of good deeds, and inspires those who possess it with gentleness. The other wisdom is productive of nothing really valuable, and inspires those who possess it with contentiousness. The spirit of strife, and the spirit of meekness; those are the two properties which chiefly distinguish the wisdom that comes from heaven from the wisdom that comes from hell.

This test is a very practical one, and we can apply it to ourselves as well as to others. How do we bear ourselves in argument and in controversy? Are we serene about the result, in full confidence that truth and right should prevail? Are we desirous that truth should prevail, even if that should involve our being proved to be in the wrong? Are we meek and gentle towards those who differ from us? or are we apt to lose our tempers, and become heated against our opponents? If the last is the case we have reason to doubt whether our wisdom is of the best sort. He who loses his temper in argument has begun to care more about himself, and less about the truth. He has become, like the many would-be teachers rebuked by St. James; slow to hear, and swift to speak; unwilling to learn, and eager to dogmatism; much less ready to know the truth than to be able to say something, whether true or false.

The words "by his good life" are a change made by the Revisers for other reasons than the two which commonly weighed with them. As already stated, their most valuable corrections are those which have been produced by the correction of the corrupt Greek text used by previous translators. Many more are corrections of mistranslations of the correct Greek text. The present change of "good conversation" into "good life" comes under neither of these two heads. It has been necessitated by a change which has taken place in the English language during the last two or three centuries. Words are constantly changing their meaning. "Conversation" is one of the many English words which have drifted from their old signification; and it is one of several which have undergone change since the Authorized Version was published, and in spite of the enormous influence exercised by that version. For there can be no doubt that our Bible has retained words in use which would otherwise have been dropped, and has kept words to their old meaning which would otherwise have undergone a change. This latter influence, however, fails to make itself felt where the changed meaning still makes sense; and that is the case with the passage in which "conversation" (as a rendering of αναστροφη) occurs in the New Testament. "Conversation" was formerly a word of much wider meaning, and its gradual restriction to intercourse by word of mouth is unfortunate. Formerly it covered the whole of a mans walk in life (Lebenswandel), his going out and coming in, his behavior or conduct. Wherever he "turned himself about" and lived, there he had his "conversation" (conversatio, from conversari, the exact equivalent of αναστροφη, from αναστρεφεσθαι). It was exactly the word that was required by the translators of the Greek Testament. In the Septuagint it does not appear until the Apocrypha. {/RAPC Tob 4:14} But it causes serious misunderstanding to restrict the meaning of all the passages in which the word occurs to "conversation" in the modern sense, as if speaking were the only thing included; and the Revisers have done very rightly in removing this source of misunderstanding; but they have been unable to find any one expression which would serve the purpose, and hence have been compelled to vary the translation. Sometimes they give "manner of life"; {Eph_4:22; 1Ti_4:12; 1Pe_1:18; 1Pe_3:16} once "manner of living"; {1Pe_1:15} three times "behavior"; {1Pe_2:12-13} three times "life"; {Heb_13:7; 2Pe_2:7; and here} and once "living." {2Pe_3:9}

These different translations are worth collecting together, inasmuch as the give a good idea of the scope of "conversation" in the old sense, which really represents the word used by St. James. That "conversation," with the modern associations which inevitably cling to it now, should be used in the passage before us, is singularly unfortunate. It not only misrepresents, but it almost reverses the meaning of the writer. So far from telling a man to show his wisdom by what he says, in his intercourse with others, St. James rather exhorts him to show it by saying as little as possible, and doing a great deal. Let him show out of a noble life the conduct of a wise man in the gentle spirit which befits such.

In modern language, let him in the fullest sense be a Christian gentlemen.

"In meekness of wisdom." On this St. James lays great stress. He has already told his readers to "receive with meekness the implanted word," {Jam_1:21} and what implies the same thing, although the word is not used, to "be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath". {Jam_1:19} And in the passage before us he insists with urgent repetition upon the peaceable and gentle disposition of those who possess the wisdom from above (Jam_1:17-18). The Christian grace of meekness is a good deal more than the rather second-rate virtue which Aristotle makes to be the mean between passionateness and impassionateness, and to consist in a due regulation of ones angry feelings ("Eth. Nic." 4. 5.). It includes submissiveness towards God as well as gentleness towards men; and exhibits itself in a special way in giving and receiving instruction, and in administering and accepting rebuke. It was; therefore, just the grace which the many would-be teachers, with their loud professions of correct faith and superior knowledge, specially needed to acquire. The Jew, with his national contempt for all who were not of the stock of Israel, was always prone to self-assertion, and these Christian Jews of the Dispersion had still to learn the spirit of their own psalms. "The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will He teach His way". {Psa_25:9} "The meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace". {Psa_37:11} "The Lord up-holdeth the meek". {Psa_147:6} "He shall beautify the meek with salvation". {Psa_149:4} In all these passages the Septuagint has the adjective (πραεις) of the substantive used by St. James (πραυτης). "But if," instead of this meekness, "ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not, and lie not against the truth." With a gentle severity St. James states as a mere supposition what he probably knew to be a fact. There was plenty of bitter zealousness and party spirit among them; and from this fact they could draw their own conclusions. It was an evil from which the Jews greatly suffered; and a few years later it hastened, if it did not cause, the overthrow of Jerusalem. This "jealousy" or zeal (ζηλος) itself became a party name in the fanatical sect of the Zealots. It was an evil from which the primitive Church greatly suffered, as passages in the New Testament and in the sub-Apostolic writers prove; and can we say that it has ever become extinct? The same conclusion must be drawn now as then.

Jealousy or zeal may be a good or a bad thing, according to the motive which inspires it. God Himself is called "a jealous God," and is said to be "clad with zeal as a cloak," {Isa_59:17} and to "take to Him jealousy for complete armor". {/RAPC Wis 5:17} To Christ His disciples applied the words, "The zeal of Thine house shall eat me up". {Joh_2:17} But more often the word has a bad signification. It indicates "zeal not according to knowledge," {Rom_10:2} as when the high-priest and Sadducees arrested the Apostles, {Act_5:17} or when Saul persecuted the Church. {Php_3:6} It is coupled with strife, {Rom_13:13} and is counted among the works of the flesh. {Gal_5:20} To make it quite plain that it is to be understood in a bad sense here, St. James adds the epithet "bitter" to it, and perhaps thereby recalls what he has just said about a mouth that utters both curses and blessings being as monstrous as a fountain spouting forth both bitter water and sweet. Moreover, he couples it with "faction" (εριθεια), a word which originally meant "working for hire," and especially "weaving for hire," {Isa_38:12} and thence any ignoble pursuit, especially political canvassing, intrigue, or factiousness (Arist., "Pol.," 5 2:6 3:9 Rom_2:8; Php_1:16; Php_2:3). This also St. Paul classes among the works of the flesh. {Gal_5:20} What St. James seems to refer to in these two words is bitter religious animosity; a hatred of error (or what is supposed to be such), manifesting itself, not in loving attempts to win over those who are at fault, but in bitter thoughts, and words, and party combinations.

"Glory not and lie not against the truth." To glory with their tongues of their superior wisdom, while they cherished jealousy and faction in their hearts, was a manifest lie, a contradiction of what they must know to be the truth. In. their fanatical zeal for the truth they were really lying against the truth, and ruining the cause which they professed to serve. Of how many a controversialist would that be true; and not only of those who have entered the lists against heresy and infidelity, but of those who are preaching a crusade against vice! "The whole Christianity of many a devotee consists only, we may say, in a bitter contempt for the sins of sinners, in a proud and loveless contention with what it calls the wicked world" (Stier).

"This wisdom is not a wisdom that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." The wisdom which is exhibited in such a thoroughly unchristian disposition is of no heavenly origin. It may be proof of intellectual advantages of some kind, but it is not such as those who lack it need pray for, {Jam_1:5} nor such as God bestows liberally on all who ask in faith. And then, having stated what it is not, St. James tells in three words, which form a climax, what the wisdom on which they plume themselves, in its nature, and sphere, and origin, really is. It belongs to this world, and has no connection with heavenly things. Its activity is in the lower part of mans nature, his passions and his human intelligence, but it never touches his spirit. And in its origin and manner of working it is demoniacal. Not the gentleness of Gods Holy Spirit, but the fierce recklessness of Satans emissaries, inspires it. Just as there is a faith which a man may share with demons, {Jam_2:19} and a tongue which is set on fire by hell, {Jam_3:6} so there is a wisdom which is demoniacal in its source and in its activity.

The second of the three terms of condemnation used by St. James (ψυχικος) cannot be adequately rendered in English, for "psychic" or "psychical" would convey either no meaning or a wrong one. It does not occur in the Septuagint, but is found six times in the New Testament-four times in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, {1Co_2:14; 1Co_15:44; 1Co_15:46} where most English versions have "natural"; once in Jude, {Jud_1:19} where Tyndale, Cranmer, and the Genevan have "fleshly," the Rhemish, the Authorized, and the Revised "sensual"; and once here, where Genevan, Rhemish, Authorized, and Revised all give "sensual," the last placing "natural or animal" in the margin. When mans nature is divided into body and soul, or flesh and spirit, every one understands that the body or flesh indicates the lower and material part, the soul or spirit the higher and immaterial part. But when a threefold division is made, into body, soul, and spirit, we are apt to allow the more simple and more familiar division to disturb our ideas. "Soul" is allowed to keep its old meaning, and to be understood as much more allied with "spirit" than with "body" or "flesh." This causes serious misunderstanding. When the soul is distinguished, not only from the flesh, but from the spirit, it represents a part of our nature which is much more closely connected with the former than with the latter. The "natural" or "sensual" man, though higher than the carnal man, who is the slave of his animal passions, is far below the spiritual man, who is ruled by the highest portion of his nature, which is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The natural man does not soar above the things of this world. His inspirations are not heavenly. "Of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaketh." The wisdom from above is heavenly, spiritual, Divine; the wisdom from below is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Does this seem to be an exaggeration? St. James is ready to justify his strong language. "For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed." And who are the authors of confusion and vile deeds? Are they to be found in heaven, or in hell? Is confusion, or order, the mark of Gods work? If one wished to sum up succinctly the manner in which the activity of demons specially exhibits itself, could one do so better than by saying "confusion and every vile deed"? "God is not a God of confusion, but of peace," says St. Paul, using the very word that we have; {1Co_14:33} and every one heartily assents to the doctrine. The reason and conscience of every man tell him that disorder cannot in origin be. Divine; it is part of that ruin which Satanic influences have been allowed to make in a universe which was created "very good." Jealousy and faction mean anarchy; and anarchy means a moral chaos in which every vile deed finds an opportunity. We know, therefore, what to think of the superior wisdom which is claimed by those in whose hearts jealousy and faction reign supreme. It may have a right to the name of wisdom, just as a correct belief about the nature of God may have a right to the name of faith, even when it remains barren, and therefore powerless to save. But an inspiration which prompts men to envy and intrigue, because, when many are rushing to occupy the post of teacher, others find a hearing more readily than themselves, is the inspiration of Cain and of Korah, rather than of Moses or of Daniel. The professed desire to offer service to God is really only a craving to obtain advancement for self. Selfseeking of this kind is always ruinous. It both betrays and aggravates the rottenness that lurks within. It was immediately after there had been a contention among the Apostles, "which of them was accounted to be greatest," {Luk_22:24} that they "all forsook Him and fled."

William Robertson Nicoll, ed., The Expositor's Bible (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1887–1910) — public domain. 65 of 66 books (1 Corinthians is not separately keyed, as that volume carries no machine-parseable verse references); section-level commentary keyed to the opening verse. Introductory and overview sections not keyed to a specific passage are excluded.

3:13 If you are wise and understand: The wisdom that comes from God (1:5) is not mere intellectual skill nor the collection of information, it is practical insight and spiritual understanding which expresses itself in moral uprightness, as described in 3:17-18 (see also Job 28:28; Prov 1:2-4; 2:10-15).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Jas 3:13. Τίς, who?) All wish to appear wise; though all are not so: see App. Crit. on this passage.[44]—δειξάτω, let him show) by deed, rather than by words.—καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς, a good conversation) The opposite is found in Jas 3:16. This good conversation itself is described, Jas 3:17-18, compared with 1Pe 2:12.—ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας, with meekness, with which true wisdom is connected.

[44] Inferior authorities read εἴ τις.—E.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jam_3:13. With this verse apparently begins a new section, which, however, stands in close connection with the warning in Jam_3:1, whilst the true wisdom is here contrasted with the false wisdom of which the readers boasted, and by which they considered themselves qualified to teach. Also here in the words: τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων ἐν ὑμῖν, the chief point is again placed at the beginning. These words are usually understood as a direct question (Tischendorf and Winer, p. 152 [E. T. 211]); on the other hand, Lachmann has only placed a comma after ὑμῖν, which is approved by Al. Buttmann (p. 217 [E. T. 252]); an inversio structurae then here takes place; whilst the direct interrogative form, owing to the construction which follows, passed naturally over into the meaning of the kindred relative clause. Certainly in the N. T. the direct question is frequently used instead of the indirect, indeed instead of the relative pronoun; also in the usual meaning the disruption of the clauses, as well as the asyndetic transition to δειξάτω without any subject, is surprising. But, on the other hand, the discourse by the direct question evidently gains in liveliness, as it is, moreover, peculiar to the diction of James; see, however, Sir_6:34, to which Schneckenburger appeals in support of the incorrect opinion that τις is here the indefinite pronoun.

σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων] The same combination of these two words is found in Deu_1:13; Deu_4:6, LXX., as the translation of the Hebrew חָכָם וְנָבוֹן; comp. also Hos_14:9. If James here considered these two synonymous ideas as different, σοφός is to be referred to the general, and ἐπιστήμων to the particular. Wiesinger refers the former to the intelligence, and the latter to the practical insight into the correct judgment of any given case; others differently.

That whosoever is actually wise is to show it by action, is the chief thought of the following sentence. The construction of δειξάτω with ἐκ and the object following on it, reminds us of chap. Jam_2:18 : δείξω ἐκ τῶν ἔργων μου τὴν πίστιν, but the relation is not entirely the same. In that passage πίστις is the invisible, which is to manifest itself as the visible by ἔργα; but here both ἡ καλὴ ἀναστροφή and τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ are visible; the former is the general, the latter is the particular, which as individual special manifestations proceed from it. The verb δείκνυμι means here, as there, not to prove or demonstrate, but to show. The addition ἐν πραΰτητιwhich is to be connected neither with τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ nor with τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς, forming one idea, but belongs to δειξάτω, more exactly defined by ἐκ τῆς … αὐτοῦhas the principal accent, as πραΰτης σοφίας, i.e. the meekness springing from wisdom, and therefore peculiar to it (opposite of ὀργή), is the necessary condition under which the showing forth of works out of a good conversation alone is possible. The mode in which the individual ideas of the sentence are united together is certainly somewhat surprising, but it is explainable from the fact that James placed together all the points which occurred to him as briefly as possible. James might have put τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ as the object belonging to δειξάτω; but instead of this he puts τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ, in conformity with the importance which works have to him, in which as faith (Jam_2:10) so also wisdom manifests itself. He then makes the idea σοφία to follow in the adverbial addition ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας. The sentence might also be divided by a point after ἀναστροφῆς; then the first clause would mean: let him show it out of a good conversation; and the second clause might either be taken as an addition dependent on δειξάτω (so Neander: works performed in meekness suitable to wisdom), or a verb would have to be supplied. However, the detachment of the second clause decides against this construction. ὡς σοφοῦ is not, with Schneckenburger, Theile, Wiesinger, to be supplied to αὐτοῦ, as the reference to wisdom is contained in the additional clause; but also αὐτοῦ must not be referred to σοφός (his works, that is, of the wise man), but it refers to the subject contained in δειξάτω (thus Lange and Brückner). The whole idea πραΰτης σοφίας is neither to be resolved into πραεῖα σοφία (Beza, Grotius, Baumgarten, Semler, Gebser, Hottinger, Schneckenburger), nor into πραΰτης σοφή (Laurentius), but to be explained: the meekness which is proper to wisdom, and proceeds from it (Wiesinger), or in which σοφία evidences itself (Lange).[182] With the emphasis on πραΰτης James passes on to βραδὺς εἰς ὀργήν (chap. Jam_1:19), of which what follows is a further explication.

[182] Luther inaccurately translates the passage: who shows with his good conversation his works in meekness and wisdom.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jas 3:13 . Τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων ἐν ὑμῖν : The writer’s appeal to the self-respect of his hearers. σοφός and ἐπιστήμων (the latter does not occur elsewhere in the N.T.) are connected in Deu 1:13 , where in reference to judges it is said, δότε αὐτοῖς ἄνδρας σοφοὺς καὶ ἐπιστήμονας καὶ συνετούς , cf. Deu 4:6 ; Isa 5:21 . ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς : Cf. 1Pe 2:12 . ἀναστροφή is literally a “turning back,” but later connotes “manner of life”. Cf. a quotation from an inscription from Pergamos (belonging to the second century B.C.) given by Deissmann, in which it is said concerning one of the royal officials: ἐν πᾶσιν κα [ ιροῖς ἀμέμπτως καὶ ἀδ ] εῶς ἀναστρεφόμενος ( op. cit. , p. 83). ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας : cf. with the whole of this verse Sir 3:17-18 , Τέκνον , ἐν πρᾳύτητι τὰ ἔργα σου διέξαγε , καὶ ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπου δεκτοῦ ἀγαπηθήσῃ . Ὅσῳ μέγας εἶ , τοσούτῳ ταπεινοῦ σεαυτόν , καὶ ἔναντι Κυρίου εὑρήσεις χάριν . The pride of knowledge is always a subtle evil, cf. 1Co 8:1 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13–18. BUT BESIDES THE EFFECT AND DANGERS OF SPEECH, THE TOPIC OF TEACHING SUGGESTS ANOTHER POINT—THE POSSESSION AND USE OF WISDOM. HENCE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TRUE WISDOM AND THE FALSE WISDOM

13–18. Another line of thought, also springing from the topio of teaching (Jas 3:1), is the right use of wisdom and knowledge (Jas 3:13), contrasted with a perverted use of them (Jas 3:14). Then follows a description of the false wisdom (Jas 3:15-16) and the true wisdom (Jas 3:17-18).

For a further treatment of σοφία in its N.T. sense, and of the distinction here drawn by St James between ἡ ἄνωθεν σοφία and that designated as ἐπίγειος, ψυχική, δαιμονιώδης, see Introduction, p. xxxviii. Here it will suffice to say that ἡ ἄνωθεν σοφία is that beautiful conception of wisdom or Chokmah, which had sprung up among the Jews after the return from Babylon, and which is embodied chiefly in the books of Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Proverbs and Job. By the contrasted earthly σοφία appears to be meant not Hellenic or Græco—Roman philosophy, degraded though it was on its practical side at this epoch, but rather the principles of the Zealots—that conception of the kingdom of God and consequent plan of life which Josephus himself terms a φιλοσοφία (Ant. XVIII. 1. 1) and which by its passionate and misguided zeal and mundane view of the destiny of Israel precisely answers to this description.

13. τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων. St James is here thinking of σοφία and ἐπιστήμη as practical systems of life. σοφία as well as πίστις and ἔλεος must have its ἔργα. Comp. Eph 5:15 βλέπετε οὖν ἀκριβῶς πῶς περιπατεῖτε μὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι ἀλλʼ ὡς σοφοί, where the Apostle indicates a philosophy of life. σοφία, ἀκρίβεια and ἐπιστήμη are closely connected terms: see Aristotle Eth. Nic. I. 7:18. Comp. Sir 16:26 ἐν ἀκριβείᾳ ἐπαγγελῶ ἐπιστήμην. σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων are also connected Deu 1:13; Deu 1:15; Deu 4:6: δότε ἑαυτοῖς ἄνδρας σοφοὺς καὶ ἐπιστήμονας καὶ συνετοὺς εἰς τὰς φυλὰς ὑμῶν. Comp. Isa 33:6 σοφία καὶ ἐπιστήμη καὶ εὐσέβεια πρὸς τὸν Κύριον, Dan 1:20 καὶ ἐν παντὶ ῥήματι σοφίας καὶ ἐπιστήμης ὦν ἐζήτησε παρʼ αὐτῶν ὁ βασιλεὺς κ.τ.λ.

σοφός, as in Classical Greek, is used of practical skill (thus Oholiab and Bezalel and his fellow-craftsmen are σοφοὶ τῇ διανοίᾳ Exo 36:1; Exo 36:4; Exo 36:8; comp. Arist. Eth. Nic. VI. 7 where the Margitis is cited: τὸν δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ σκαπτῆρα θεοὶ θέσαν οὔτʼ ἀροτῆρα | οὔτʼ ἄλλως τι σοφόν) as well as of supreme and heavenly wisdom. If any distinction is to be drawn here ἐπιστήμων would refer to the trained and exact Rabbinical knowledge which would tempt its possessor to seek the office of a διδάσκαλος, Jas 3:1.

ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς. ἀναστροφή lit. a turning back; of a ship returning for a second attack, διέκπλοι δὲ οὐκ εἰσὶν οὐδὲ ἀναστροφαί, Thuc. II. 89. So of a horse wheeling round, Xen. Mag. Eq. 3. 14, hence from the notion of turning about in a place, a habitation, δαιμόνων ἀναστροφή Aesch. Eum. 23. Then later, as here, a mode of life, in old English ‘conversation.’ Comp. Polyb. IV. 89 ὁ Φίλιππος κατά τε τὴν λοιπὴν ἀναστροφὴν καὶ κατὰ τὰς πράξεις τεθαυμασμένος. So in Apocr. ἴσθι πεπαιδευμένος ἐν πάσῃ ἀναστροφῇ σου, Tob 4:14 and 2Ma 5:8, and in N.T. τὴν ἐμήν ποτε ἀναστροφὴν ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ, Gal 1:13; in two other passages of the Pauline Epp. Eph 4:22, 1Ti 4:12, and eight times in 1 and 2 Peter, in Heb 13:7 τὴν ἔκβασιν τῆς ἀναστροφῆς, the issue of their life. ἀναστροφή is therefore the life of movement and action. The life of Christian Wisdom and of ‘Zeal’ are contrasted in their outcome. καλός as a philosophical term is associated with that which is ideally perfect in life or art. ἡ καλὴ ἀναστροφή is therefore the perfect life of action.

ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας, in mildness of wisdom, gentleness which is characterised by wisdom. Comp. mitis sapientia Laeli. See ch. Jas 1:21. The gentleness of wisdom is perhaps emphasized in contrast to the asperity of philosophic discussion, but here it is more especially opposed to the rivalry of religious parties among the Jews and to that fierce and fanatical spirit indicated by ζῆλος. In a good sense ζῆλος is used of passionate devotion to the cause of Jehovah, ὁ ζῆλος κυρίου τῶν δυνάμεων ποιήσει ταῦτα, 2Ki 19:31; ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκος σου κατέφαγέν με, Psa 68:9 cited by our Lord, Joh 2:17, the only passage where the word occurs in the Gospels. But comp. Σίμωνα τὸν καλούμενον ζηλωτήν, Luk 6:15 and the parallel καναναῖος from the Hebrew (קִנְאָה) equivalent to ζῆλος. Thus like other elements in Jewish life ‘zeal’ was turned to account in the kingdom of God. The zealots derived their tenets from the signal instances of zeal in the O.T. such as that of Phinehas Num 25:7; Num 25:11 or of Jehu 2Ki 10:16. Then by a natural transition the word became associated with the thought of contention and strife: comp. ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ, Rom 13:13; ζῆλος καὶ ἔρις καὶ διχοστασίαι, 1Co 3:3; θυμοὶ ἐριθίαι, 2Co 12:20; ἔρεις ζῆλοι θυμοί, Gal 5:20. St Paul however recognises its good side as a characteristic of Israel: ζῆλον θεοῦ ἔχουσιν· ἀλλʼ οὐ κατʼ ἐπίγνωσιν, Rom 10:2.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The eighth part which hangeth with the former, touching meekness of mind, against which he setteth envy and a contentious mind. And in the beginning he stoppeth the mouth of the chief fountain of all these mischiefs, to wit, a false persuasion of wisdom, whereas notwithstanding there is no true wisdom, but that is heavenly, and frameth our minds to all kinds of true moderation and simplicity.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Who--(Compare Psa 34:12-13). All wish to appear "wise": few are so.

show--"by works," and not merely by profession, referring to Jam 2:18.

out of a good conversation his works--by general "good conduct" manifested in particular "works." "Wisdom" and "knowledge," without these being "shown," are as dead as faith would be without works [ALFORD].

with meekness of wisdom--with the meekness inseparable from true "wisdom."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 13. Who is a wise man] One truly religious; who, although he can neither bridle nor tame other men's tongues, can restrain his own.

And endued with knowledge] και επιστημων. And qualified to teach others.

Let him show] Let him by a holy life and chaste conversation show, through meekness and gentleness, joined to his Divine information, that he is a Christian indeed; his works and his spirit proving that God is in him of a truth; and that, from the fulness of a holy heart, his feet walk, his hands work; and his tongue speaks. We may learn from this that genuine wisdom is ever accompanied with meekness and gentleness. Those proud, overbearing, and disdainful men, who pass for great scholars and eminent critics, may have learning, but they have not wisdom. Their learning implies their correct knowledge of the structure of language, and of composition in general; but wisdom they have none, nor any self-government. They are like the blind man who carried a lantern in daylight to keep others from jostling him in the street. That learning is not only little worth, but despicable, that does not teach a man to govern his own spirit, and to be humble in his conduct towards others.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

13 Who is a wise man. As the lust of slandering arises mostly from pride, and as the false conceit of wisdom for the most part generates pride, he therefore speaks here of wisdom. It is usual with hypocrites to exalt and shew off themselves by criminating all others, as the case was formerly with many of the philosophers, who sought glory for themselves by a bitter abuse of all other orders. Such haughtiness as slanderous men swell with and are blinded by, James checked, by denying that the conceit of wisdom, with which men flatter themselves, has in it anything divine; but, on the contrary, he declares that it proceeds from the devil.

Then the meaning is, that supercilious censors, who largely indulge themselves, and at the same time spare none, seem to themselves to be very wise, but are greatly mistaken; for the Lord teaches his people far otherwise, even to be meek, and to be courteous to others. They, then, are alone wise in the sight of God, who connect this meekness with an honest conversation; for they who are severe and inexorable, though they may excel others in many virtues, do not yet follow the right way of wisdom.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(13) Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge?—Who is wise, i.e., in the wisdom of God, and learned in that of man? The latter state is of knowledge natural or acquired, the former is Sophia, the highest heavenly wisdom, “the breath of the power of God—the brightness of the everlasting light—more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars” (Wis_7:25-29). Just as the devils hold with man the lower kinds of faith, that is belief merely (Jas_2:19), so do they share in his earthly knowledge. The self-same term as that describing it above is used by the evil spirit who answered the presumptuous sons of Sceva, “Paul I know,” while a different one altogether referred to the Lord Jesus (Act_19:15).

“Where shall Wisdom be found,

And where is the place of Understanding?”

was the question of Job (Job_28:12). And the LXX, version marks the parallelism in the same Greek words as those used by St. James to distinguish between the two ideas.

Let him shew out of a good conversation—i.e., right conduct. “Conversation” has slipped from its original meaning, which exactly represented the Greek, and is often misapprehended by the English reader. Literally, “turning oneself about,” it changed to “walking to and fro,” and the talking while engaged in these peripatetics, and then to its limited modern use. There is to be general good conduct, and particular proofs of it in kindly works in meekness of wisdom; noble acts of a holy habit.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13–18. The false Wisdom and the true

13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you?] The adjective corresponding to “endued with knowledge” (literally knowing or understanding) is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, but occurs in the LXX. of Deu_1:13; Deu_1:15; Deu_4:6; Isa_5:21. So far as a distinction is intended, it expresses the intellectual, as “wise” does the moral, aspect of wisdom. Both qualities were required in one who claimed to be, as in Jas_3:1, a “Master” or “Teacher,” and St James, in strict sequence of thought, proceeds to point out how the conditions may be fulfilled.

out of a good conversation] The tendency of modern usage to restrict the meaning of the substantive to “talk” is in this instance, where the immediate context suggests some such meaning, specially unfortunate, as lowering the range of the precept. Better by, or out of, his good (the word expresses the nobler form of goodness) conduct. Comp. the use of the word in Gal_1:13; 1Pe_1:15; 1Pe_1:18, and elsewhere.

with meekness of wisdom] Better, in meekness, as expressing not something super-added, but the very form and manner in which the noble conduct was to be shewn. The “meekness” thus defined is thought of as belonging to “wisdom” as its characteristic attribute. St James is hence led back to the thought with which the Epistle opened, that wisdom is the crown and consummation of the character of a true believer; and lest a counterfeit wisdom should be taken for the true, he proceeds to give the notes of difference between them.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who is a wise man. Meaning, not in things natural and civil, or merely moral, but in things spiritual: and he is a wise man, who is both wise to do good, and wise unto salvation; who has learned to know his own ignorance, folly, and stupidity; for the first lesson in the school of spiritual wisdom is for a man to know that he is a fool: and he is a wise man who considers his latter end, thinks of a future state, and what will become of him in another world; and who builds his faith and hope of eternal salvation on the sure and only foundation, the rock Christ Jesus; and who takes up a profession of religion upon principles of grace, and with views to the glory of God, and, upon mature deliberation, reckoning the cost, and what he must expect to meet with; and which he holds fast, without wavering, and yet does not depend upon it; and who walks circumspectly, and with wisdom, towards them that are without; and who observes both providences and promises, for the encouragement of his faith; and keeps looking to the mark for the prize, preferring heavenly things to earthly ones.

And endued with knowledge amongst you? as he is, who is endued with the knowledge of himself; of the impurity of his nature, and the plague of his heart; and of his impotency and inability to do any thing that is spiritually good of himself; and of the imperfection and insufficiency of his righteousness to justify him before God; and of his lost state and condition by nature, how deserving of the wrath of God, and obnoxious to the curses of the law; and how miserable he must be without the grace of God and righteousness of Christ: and who is also endued with the knowledge of Christ, so as to see a fulness, suitableness, and ability in him as a Saviour; so as to love him, approve of him, as such, and trust in him; which knowledge is always practical and soul humbling; and the least degree of it saving; and though it is imperfect, it is growing, and will at last come to perfection: now such a man is a Gnostic, in the best sense; for this question is put with a view to the Gnostics of those times, who valued themselves upon their knowledge, and despised practical religion and godliness: hence it follows,

let him show out of a good conversation his works, with meekness of wisdom; such an one ought to perform good works, and he will perform them; and it is right in him to show them forth, that they may be a means of others glorifying God upon the sight of them; and that they may be evidences of the truth of faith in themselves to others; and that they may be for the imitation of others; and that they may put to silence, and stop the mouths of false accusers, and adorn the Gospel, and recommend religion: and these should be shown forth "out of a good conversation"; not in a single act or two, but in a series and course of living; which may be said to be good, when it is ordered aright, according to the word of God, and is honest among the Gentiles, and upright and holy; and is as becomes the Gospel of Christ, and is worthy of the calling of God to grace and glory; and when it is influenced by the grace of God: and the works shown out of it, and in it, are done in faith, from love in the strength of Christ, and are directed to the glory of God: and all this should be "with meekness of wisdom"; in a wise and humble manner, without trusting to, and depending upon, such works for justification and salvation; and without glorying in them, and boasting of them; acknowledging the deficiency and imperfection of them, and his own weakness in the performance of them; and ascribing them to the power and grace of God, by the assistance of which they are performed.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Ver. 13. Who is a wise man] Not he that words it most; for multiloquio stultiloquium; follish excessive talking and as any one is more wise, he is more sparing of his censures; but every fool will be meddling. Sapiens is est, cui res sapiunt prout sunt, saith Bernard (lib. iii. cap. 30). He is a wise man that judgeth aright of everything. And all the wisdom of a man is in this one thing, saith Lactantius, ut Deum cognoscat et colat, that he know and worship God.

With meekness of wisdom] As it is said of Athanasius, that he was high in worth and humble in heart; a loadstone in his sweet, gentle, drawing nature, and yet an adamant in his wise and stout deportment towards those that were evil. (Nazianzen in encom. Athan.) Jerome and Austin in their disputations, it was no matter who gained the day; they would both win by understanding their errors. What a sweet resolution was that of Calvin, Though Luther call me devil, yet I will honour him as a servant of God.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? - This is spoken with reference to the work of public teaching; and the meaning of the apostle is, that if there were such persons among them, they should be selected for that office. The characteristics here stated as necessary qualifications, are wisdom and knowledge. Those, it would seem, on which reliance had been placed, were chiefly those which were connected with a ready elocution, or the mere faculty of speaking. The apostle had stated the dangers which would follow if reliance were placed on that alone, and he now says that something more is necessary, that the main qualifications for the office are wisdom and knowledge. No mere power of speaking, however eloquent it might be, was a sufficient qualification. The primary things to be sought in reference to that office were wisdom and knowledge, and they who were endowed with these things should be selected for public instructors.

Let him show out of a good conversation - From a correct and consistent life and deportment. On the meaning of the word “conversation,” see the notes at Phi 1:27. The meaning here is, that there should be an upright life, and that this should be the basis in forming the judgment in appointing persons to fill stations of importance, and especially in the office of teaching in the church.

His works - His acts of uprightness and piety. He should be a man of a holy life.

With meekness of wisdom - With a wise and prudent gentleness of life; not in a noisy, arrogant, and boastful manner. True wisdom is always meek, mild, gentle; and that is the wisdom which is needful, if men would become public teachers. It is remarkable that the truly wise man is always characterized by a calm spirit, a mild and placid demeanor, and by a gentle, though firm, enunciation of his sentiments. A noisy, boisterous, and stormy declaimer we never select as a safe counsellor. He may accomplish much in his way by his bold eloquence of manner, but we do not put him in places where we need far-reaching thought, or where we expect the exercise of profound philosophical views. In an eminent degree, the ministry of the gospel should be characterized by a calm, gentle, and thoughtful wisdom - a wisdom which shines in all the actions of the life.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? i.e. if there be a wise man, &c. See Psa 25:12, and 1Pe 3:10, where what David speaks by way of interrogation, Peter explains by way of assertion. The apostle having shown the disease of the tongue, comes now to remove the cause, viz. men’s opinion of their own wisdom; (they censure others, because they take themselves to be wiser than others); and to point out the remedy, godly meekness, which is the truest wisdom. By wisdom and knoledge the same thing may be meant; or if they be taken for several things, (as sometimes there may be great knoledge where there is but little wisdom), yet these masterly censors he speaks of pretended to both, and were so rigid toward others because so well conceited of themselves: the sense is: You pretend to be wise and knowing, but if you would approve yourselves as such indeed,

show out of a good conversation, & c.

His works; let him show as the testimony of his wisdom, not his words in hard censures, but his works, viz. good ones, and those not done now and then, or on the by, but in the constant course and tenor of his life; or show his works to be good, by their being not casual, but constant, and his ordinary practice in his whole conversation.

With meekness of wisdom; i.e. meek and gentle wisdom, which can bear, and answer, and teach, and admonish, and rebuke mildly and sweetly, with long-suffering, as well as doctrine, 2Ti 4:2; and then it notes the quality of this wisdom, or such meekness as proceeds from wisdom, or is joined with it, there being some which is foolish, affected, carnal, viz. that which is opposed to zeal; whereas true meekness is only opposed to fierceness and rashness: and thus it notes the cause of meekness.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 13-18. WARNING AGAINST JEALOUSY AND FACTION. Ver. 13 contains the positive exhortation to meekness; ver. 14 the negative warning against jealousy and party spirit; and then the following verses place side by side the portraits of the earthly and the heavenly wisdom.

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? (tiv sofov kaimwn ejn uJmin;); better, who is wise and understanding among you? "Episthmwn is found here only in the New Testament. In the LXX it is joined with sofov (as here) inmwn Deu_1:13 Deu_4:6. "The ejpisth) is one who understands and knows: the sofov is one who carries out his knowledge into his life" (Dr. Farrar, who aptly quotes Tennyson"s line, "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers"). Out of a good conversation (ejk thv kalhv ajnastrofhv); better, as R.V, by his good life. "Conversation" is unfortunate, because of its modern meaning. Meekness (prauthv); cf. Jam_1:21.

Vers. 13-18.

Wisdom.

I WISDOM SHOWS BY ITS FRUITS IN HEART AND LIFE. The following are some of the fruits of the heavenly wisdom:

(1) purity;

(2) peacefulness;

(3) forbearance under provocation, i.e. slowness in taking offence;

(4) placability, i.e. readiness to forgive an offence actually committed.

their fruits ye shall know them;" and therefore the presence or absence of such qualities as these form tests by which every one may recognize the presence or absence in his own heart of the wisdom which is from above.

II THE SINFULNESS OF PARTY SPIRIT. A sin which is not always recognized, especially in religious circles, as being a sin. Its true character, however, may be seen by a consideration of

(1) its source, which is not from above, but from beneath (ver. 15); and

(2) its results. It leads to "confusion and every evil work" (ver. 16).

III THE CHARACTER OF THE NATURAL MAN. The meaning of "animal" or "natural" (yucikov) in Scripture requires careful consideration. The fact that wherever a moral emphasis rests upon this word it is always depreciatory, and that here (ver. 15) it stands between "earthly" and devilish," forms one of the clearest indications of the absolute need of grace. Scripture has nothing but condemnation for the man who is ruled by the yuch. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God." Mere good nature will never save a man. It is not enough to be "well disposed. " Esau was all this. He stands out in Holy Scripture as the type of the natural man, ruled only by the yuch goodnatured, generous, brave, and kindly, but" not having the Spirit;" no grace, and therefore, by the verdict of an inspired writer, his character is stamped as that of "a profane person". (Heb_12:16)

Vers. 13-16.

False wisdom.

The apostle suggests here that those who aspired too hastily to become Christian teachers (ver. 1) showed themselves to be sadly deficient in wisdom. They were unwise at once in their estimate of their own powers, and in their judgment as to the kind of public discussions, which would be profitable for the Church. The cause of gospel truth could never be advanced by dogmatic disputations or bitter personal wrangling. Attend, therefore, says James in ver. 13, to a description first of false wisdom (vers. 14 16), and then of true (vers. 17, 18). Many members of the Churches of "the Dispersion" desired to appear "wise" (ver. 13), but only some were really so. Many might even be "knowing," or "endued with knowledge," who were not wise.

Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one, Have ofttimes no connection. (Cowper. )

Knowledge is only a hewer of wood, while wisdom is the architect and builder. A man may possess a large library, or even amass vast stores of knowledge, and yet be "a motley fool." Indeed, no fool is so great as a knowing fool. The wise man is he who can use his knowledge for the largest moral and spiritual good. And the true wisdom is bound up with the life of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Job_28:28; 2Ti_3:15) It makes the will of God its rule, and his glory its end. So the man who lives without God should be thought of as the impersonation of stupidity, and Satan as the supreme fool of the universe. But, if a man be "wise unto salvation," how will his wisdom appear?

1. By his good life. " (Ver. 13.) The quiet even flow of one"s daily occupation will furnish an ample sphere for it. Even the heathen philosopher, Seneca, has said, "Wisdom does not show itself so much in precept as in life in a firmness of mind and a mastery of appetite. It teaches us to do, as well as to talk; and to make our words and actions all of a color." The weighty "Essays" of Lord Bacon "come home to men"s business and bosoms;" yet their author cannot justly be called "the wisest," if he was in his own life "the meanest of mankind.

2. By his works in meekness of wisdom. " Character is perceived not only by its subtle aroma, but in connection with individual actions. Wisdom shows itself in acts of holiness. And these acts are done "in meekness," which is one of wisdom"s inseparable attributes. True wisdom is mild and calm, patient and self-restraining. And yet a meek spirit is not a mean spirit. The "poor in spirit" are not the poor-spirited. The "meekness of wisdom" consists with the greatest courage and the most ardent zeal. An old commentator says, "Moses was very meek in his own cause, but as hot as fire in the cause of God." And the Man Christ Jesus was mild, just because he was strong and brave. There was no fierceness, no fanaticism, no sourness, about him. He is our perfect Pattern of the "meekness of wisdom" (1Pe_2:22, 1Pe_2:23; Mat_27:12-14) The spirit of strife and wrangling is not the spirit of Christ. James now proceeds to a statement of principles regarding false or earthly wisdom (vers. 14 16).

I ITS NATURE. (Ver. 14.) The spurious wisdom of the many teachers" carried in it not so much burning zeal as "bitter zeal." Its spirit was factious, arrogant, bigoted, Its roots lay in the angry passions of the heart. Its aim was personal victory rather than the triumph of the truth. While it may be sometimes dutiful to contend earnestly in defense of the gospel, the love of controversy for its own sake, and the cherishing of a contentious spirit towards brethren, is always sinful, much less a ground for "glorying." A professing Christian who lives to foster either doctrinal wranglings or social quarrels presents to the world a caricature of Christianity, and is himself a living lie "against the truth.

II ITS ORIGIN. (Ver. 15.)

1. Earthly. " Every good gift is from above; but this so-called wisdom is of earthly origin, and busies itself about earthly things. Those cultivate it whose souls are wholly immersed in worldly pursuits.

2. Sensual;" i.e. psychical or natural, as opposed to spiritual. It originates in the lower sphere of man"s intellectual nature; it is the wisdom of his unspiritual mind and his unsanctified heart. Until the human spirit becomes possessed by the Spirit of God, its works will be "the works of the flesh.

3. "Devilish." The false wisdom is demoniacal in source, as it is in character. The envious heart, like the evil tongue, "is set on fire by hell" (ver. 6). Implicitly followed, this wisdom will tend to make a man "halfbeast, half-devil." These three adjectives correspond to our three great spiritual enemies. Earthly wisdom has its origin in the world; natural wisdom, in the flesh; demoniacal wisdom, in the devil. And, recognizing this, our prayer should be, "From all such deceits, good Lord, deliver us.

III ITS RESULTS. (Ver. 16.) Where there are "bitter zeal and faction" in the heart, these may be expected to produce commotion and wretchedness in society. What misery has not the spirit of strife and self-seeking wrought in the midst of families, and in the bosom of Churches! It is a fruitful source of heart-burnings and of lifelong alienations. It sows tares among the wheat. And the harvest of "this wisdom" shall be "a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.

LESSONS.

1. Loathe the vile spirit of strife.

2. Covet earnestly the gift of holy wisdom.

3. Remember that the climax of the true wisdom consists in meekness. C.J.

Vers. 13-18.

Wisdom, true and false.

The temptation to be "teachers" (ver. 1) arose from the notion that they possessed wisdom. How shall they show this wisdom, how shall they even use it, if they may not teach? The life is to be at once the practice and the manifestation of a wisdom that is true (ver. 13). James here reverts to his earlier theme; (Jam_1:5) and we have for our consideration The false wisdom and the true, in their origin, nature, and fruits.

I THE FALSE WISDOM.

1. What was the nature of the false wisdom which prompted them to much speaking? It was nothing other than the spirit of faction and jealousy competing with one another for precedence; envying one another. And this was a lying against the truth! What truth? Their brotherhood in Christ, and the love which such brotherhood required. Such false wisdom was:

(1) Earthly: it pertained altogether to the corrupt ways of this world.

(2) Sensual: it was prompted, not by the spirit which God had made his home, but by the passions (see critical notes).

(3) Devilish: they were as demoniacs, in their ungoverned rage and wild clamorings.

1. What were the fruits of such wisdom as this? "Confusion." Think of their assemblies, with the wrangling, cursing, and swearing! so also confusion in all the relations of social life. "And every vile deed;" for what would not men descend to, to further their base, party aims?

2. What was the origin of such wisdom? "Not from above:" no, indeed, but rather "set on fire of hell"!

II THE TRUE WISDOM.

1. Its nature. "First pure:" for at any cost, even at the cost of peaceableness, a Christian must be true. So Christ, even though it involved the "woes" of Matthew 23.; even though it involved the cross! And his followers likewise. (Mat_10:34) "Then peaceable," as against the jarrings and discords of the false wisdom; "gentle," as against faction and jealousy; "easy to be entreated," as against the sullen resentments shown by those who imagine themselves to be offended; "without variance," i.e. fickleness of purpose; and "without hypocrisy," to which double-mindedness so easily leads.

2. Its fruits. Peace, as opposed to confusion; and the good fruits of mercy, as opposed to vile deeds.

3. Its origin. "From above:" yes, from the Father of lights. (Jam_1:17) So the tongues of fire. (Act_2:3)

Who is a wise man? Alas, who! But let us ask of God, who giveth liberally; remembering that "he that winneth souls is wise," and that "they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars forever and ever T.F.L. (Pro_11:30; Dan_12:3)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let him show his wisdom as well as his faith by his works; not by words only.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Warning against strife:

v. 13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

v. 14. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

v. 15. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

v. 16. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

v. 17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

v. 18. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

The apostle now makes a direct application of the lessons contained in the first part of the chapter: Who is wise and intelligent among you? Let him show his works out of an excellent conduct in the meekness of wisdom. Christians should make use of proper wisdom, prudence, and common sense; they should show that their intelligence, controlled by their obedience to the Word of God, is well able to direct their actions in life. Such wisdom is not boastful and proud, vaunting itself at the expense of others, hut it is modest, humble, meek. It does the right thing, it behaves itself in a conduct which agrees with the will of God, not with the purpose of seeking its own glory, but only that of serving the Lord, this in itself being a sufficient reward for the believer. In this spirit he performs the works which the Word of God teaches him as pleasing the heavenly Father.

The opposite conduct may be expected in the case of a man that is full of carnal pride: But if you have bitter zeal and quarrelsomeness in your hearts, do not boast-and thus lie against the truth. If people calling themselves Christians cherish emulation and party-strife, jealousy and rivalry, if they are so puffed up with pride and self-satisfaction that they insist always upon being in the right and ever claim that the one disagreeing with them is wrong, they are doing so at the expense of love. Should they under such circumstances gain an advantage over the other and boast in triumphant glee of their having been proved in the right, this will almost invariably be a lying against the truth, since most victories gained under such circumstances are gained at the expense of truth and love, and will not aid in furthering the harmony which should be found in a Christian community.

Of such an exhibition of pride the apostle says: This wisdom is not that which is coming down from above, but earthly, sensual, devilish; for wherever jealousy and rivalry exist, there is disorder and every evil deed. People that make use of such schemes in overcoming their opponents, that always insist upon being right and want their ideas carried out, may think themselves exceptionally wise, as, indeed, their self-sufficient air would cause the uninitiated to believe. But the wisdom which they boast has nothing in common with true wisdom, such as is given by God, whenever the Church is in need of intelligent management. It is a wisdom, rather, which is of this earth only; it is sensual, in the domain of the senses, which is as far as human beings will ever proceed; it is devilish, it succeeds only in bringing about such conditions as are particularly pleasing to the devil, who is a liar and a murderer from the beginning. This, in fact, is the only fruit that can be expected where emulation and party-strife, jealousy and rivalry, exist, where everyone insists upon having his own ideas accepted, regardless of the views of others. Naturally, there will be disturbances, disorders, everything will be upset in such a congregation, a condition will result which will give rise to every evil deed, the passions finally having free and full sway.

Altogether different is the situation where true meekness and kindness are ever in evidence: But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, lenient, yielding, full of mercy and good fruits, not critically inclined, not hypocritical. This wisdom is from above, it is given by God and should be required of Him in prayer, chap. 1:5. If any man thinks that he is not in need of it, he will surely find himself in a position where he will make one mistake after the other. The wisdom which God gives, and which should at all times rule in the Church, is pure, chaste, holy, it guards against sin in every form; it is peaceable, wherever this can be done without denial of the truth, it maintains peaceful relations; it is lenient, forbearing, even under severe provocation; it is yielding, conciliatory, ready to enter upon a compromise or accept the opponent’s views if this can be done without harm to the work of the Lord; it is full of mercy, compassion, and good, wholesome fruits, eager to be of service to the cause; not critically inclined, but generous, even when the discussion tends to become bitter; not hypocritical, but genuine, the Christian does not make use of tricks and devices to trap his opponent.

If this condition of affairs obtains in a Christian congregation, in a Christian community, then it will follow: But the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace to them that are peacemakers. Wherever the virtues are practiced as outlined by the apostle in the previous verse, there the people that practice them are sure to reap the fruit of their work. Where the peace of God rules the heart, there all the virtues that make for true righteousness of life will grow and flourish abundantly. Peace and righteousness are thus the result of the wisdom which is given from above, truly a splendid harvest to those that have shown the disposition which should always characterize the professed followers of Jesus.

Summary

In cautioning the Christians against false activity in teaching and the use of the tongue, the apostle shows them the dangers which attend much speaking, especially when the tongue is fanatically excited; he warns against the abuse of the tongue and against the disposition of mind which engenders strife.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As if our apostle had said, "If any among you desire to approve yourselves more knowing than others, wiser and better than others, as you would be thought when you censure and despise others, shew it to the world by a better conversation, by your abounding fruitfulness in good works, and by such meekness of spirit as will be an evidence of true wisdom."

Hence we learn, that the wise man is a meek and patient man; as pride and folly, so wisdom and meekness, are companions; the more wisdom a man has, the more he can check himself, and curb his passion: Moses is renowned in Scripture for his wisdom, and for meekness; we all affect the reputation of wisdom, let us discover it by humility, in being lowly within ourselves: and by our meekness in bearing with and forbearing one another; yet must our meekness be a wise meekness, it must be opposite to fierceness, but not to zeal; Moses was very meek in his own cause, but as hot as fire in the cause of God; meekness and zeal are consistent, let us then shew out of a good conversation our works with meekness of wisdom.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13–16. Who is a wise man? Discreet and well informed? It must be shown in conversation, that is, in life, both words and deeds, meekness of wisdom. True wisdom will not speak boastfully.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Who is wise and understanding among you?

James uses this question to teach his audience about proper behavior. The words "wise" and "understanding" are similar. AT: "I will tell you how a wise and understanding person is to act." (See: Rhetorical Question and Doublet)

Let that person show a good life by his works in the humility of wisdom

This can be restated to remove the abstract nouns "humility" and "wisdom." AT: "That person should live a good life by doing the kind of deeds that come from being humble and wise" (See: Abstract Nouns)

if you have bitter jealousy and ambition in your heart

Here "heart" is a metonym for a person's emotions or thoughts. This can be restated to remove the abstract nouns "jealousy" and "ambition." AT: "if you are jealous and selfish" or "if you desire what other people have and you want to succeed even if it harms others" (See: Metonymy and Abstract Nouns)

do not boast and lie against the truth

The abstract noun "truth" can be stated as "true." AT: "do not boast that you are wise, because that is not true" (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

wise

good

works

humble

heart

boast

true

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

13-18.] an exhortation, to prove a man’s wisdom by mildness, not by a contentious spirit.

13-18.] Wisdom must be shewn by meekness and peaceableness, not by contentiousness. This paragraph is closely connected with the subject of the chapter as enounced in ver. 1. Where that ambition, and rivalry to be teachers, existed, there was sure to be contentiousness and every evil thing.

13.] Who is (cf. the similar question in Psa 33:12, τίς ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὁ θέλων ζωὴν κ.τ.λ.; παῦσον τὴν γλῶσσάν σου ἀπὸ κακοῦ κ.τ.λ.) wise and a man of knowledge (the same adjectives are joined in reff. It is not easy to mark the difference, if any is here intended. Wiesinger says, “σοφός is a general term for the normal habit as regards intelligence, cf. ch. 1:5: while ἐπιστήμων denotes the practical insight which in any given case judges rightly and teaches the right way to put σοφία in practice.” Rather would it follow the general analogy of the words to regard σοφία as denoting general ability backed by knowledge, ἐπιστήμη as acquaintance with particular facts and departments of knowledge. The σοφός is an able man, the ἐπιστήμων a well-informed man. But the distinction must be very uncertain: for while Plato says, Rep. 5. p. 477 b, ἐπιστήμη ἐπὶ τῷ ὄντι πέφυκε γνῶναι ὡς ἔστι τὸ ὄν, in the Phædrus, p. 96 b, he says again, οἱ σοφοὶ ἐπιστήμῃ σοφοί εἰσιν … ἐπιστήμη ἄρα σοφία ἐστίν) among you? Let him shew (aor. because referring to each individual ἔργον when performed, rather than to his general habit) out of (ref.: to which passage and its reasoning the Apostle seems again to be referring. The σοφία and ἐπιστήμη would be dead without this exhibition, as faith without works) his good conduct (in life: see reff.) his works (the good conduct is the general manifestation: the works, the particular results of that general manifestation. The sum of both makes up the ἔργα in the former case, ch. 2.) in meekness of wisdom (an adverbial clause belonging to δειξάτω: not to be tamed down into πραεία σοφία as Beza, Grot., al., nor into πραΰτης σοφή as Laurentius: meekness is the attribute, σοφία the character to which it belongs: ‘in that meekness which is the proper attribute of wisdom’).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13-18. The true Wise Man’s wisdom must be meek and peaceable; such wisdom alone comes from above, and only peaceable righteousness receives the divine reward.

13. The Wise Man must by a good life illustrate the meekness which belongs to true wisdom.

τίς. For similar rhetorical questions, see Psa 33:12, Psa 107:43, Isa 50:10, Ecclus. 6:34, etc. These short interrogative sentences (frequent in Paul) are characteristic of the diatribe; Bultmann, pp. 14 ff.

It is not necessary here, although it would be possible, to take τίς in the sense of ὅστις. See Buttmann, § 139 (Thayer’s translation, p. 252); Blass, § 50. 5; J. H. Moulton, Prolegomena, p. 93; Winer, § 25. 1.

σοφός. The technical term for the Teacher (cf. v. 1); in Jewish usage one who has a knowledge of practical moral wisdom, resting on a knowledge of God. The words of James relate to the ideal to be maintained by a professional Wise Man and Teacher, not merely to the private wisdom of the layman.

ἐπιστήμων, “understanding,” with a certain tone of superiority, like our “expert.” Cf. Ecclus. prol., Dan 1:4 νεανίσκους … ἐπιστήμονας ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ.

σοφός and ἐπιστήμων are used as synonyms in Deu 1:13, Deu 1:15, Deu 1:4:6, Dan 5:12, cf. Philo, De prœm. et pœnis, 14 σοφὸν ἄρα γένος καὶ ἐπιστημονικώτατον.

δειξάτω ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας, “let him by his good life show that his works have been done in the meekness appropriate to wisdom.”

The relation of the parts of the sentence must be interpreted by the aid of 2:18, δείξω ἐκ τῶν ἔργων μου τὴν πίστιν. The wise Man is here called on to prove not (as many commentators suppose) his wisdom (which would require δειξάτω τὴν σοφίαν), but his meekness. For Jewish examples of the tendency of learned discussion to excite passion, see J. Friedmann, Der gesellschaftliche Verkehr und die Umgangsformeln in talmudischer Zeit, 1914, pp. 58 f.

It is better to take ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας in this way than as if it were used in deprecation of the possible ostentation implied in δειξάτω (“Let him point to his good works, but let him do so with due meekness such as befits wisdom”). This would have to be indicated more clearly, as by inserting ἀλλά before ἐν.

The reason for rejecting the (at first sight simpler) interpretation, “Let him prove his wisdom by his good life” (Clem. Rom. 38:2 ὁ σοφὸς ἐνδεικνύσθω τὴν σοφίαν αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐν λόγοις ἀλλʼ ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς), which many commentators have adopted, has been indicated above. It does not do justice to the text of v. 13 and does not give to “meekness” the emphasis that is needed in order to prepare for v. 14.

ἐν πραΰτητι, cf. 1:21 (of the hearer, as here of the teacher).

“Meekness” is the opposite of arrogance and of the qualities referred to in v. 14; see Trench, Synonyms, § lxii. Pirke Aboth, iv, 11, “He that is arrogant in decision is foolish, wicked, and puffed up in spirit,” is a maxim which refers to this besetting danger of rabbis; see Taylor’s Sayings of the Fathers2, p. 69, notes 13 and 14, with quotation from R. Jonah, and cf. Pirke Aboth, iv, 12, 14.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wise and endued with knowledge [σοφος και επισπημων] . A rendering needlessly verbose, yet substantially correct. Probably no very nice distinction was intended by the writer. It is somewhat difficult to fix the precise sense of sofov, since there is no uniformity in its usage in the New Testament. In classical Greek it primarily means skilled in a handicraft or art. Thence it runs into the sense of clever, in matters of common life, worldly wise. Then, in the hands of the philosophers, it acquires the sense of learned in the sciences, and, ironically, abstruse, subtle, obscure, like the English cunning, which originally meant knowing or skillful, and is often used in that sense in the English Bible (see Gen 25:27; 1Sa 16:16).

In the New Testament sofov is used - 1. In the original classical sense, skilled in handicraft (1Co 3:10). 2. Accomplished in letters, learned (Rom 1:14, 22; 1Co 1:19, 26; 1Co 3:18). So of the Jewish theologians and doctors (Mt 11:25), and of Christian teachers (Mt 23:34). 3. In a practical sense, of the practice of the law of piety and honesty; so Eph 5:15, where it is joined with walking circumspectly, and 1Co 6:5, where it is represented as the quality adapted to adjust differences in the church. 4. In the higher, philosophical sense, of devising the best counsels and employing the best means to carry them out. So of God, Rom 16:27; 1Ti 1:17; Jude 1:25; 1Co 1:25. In this passage the word appears to be used in the sense of practical wisdom in pious living.

'Episthmwn occurs only here in the New Testament. In classical Greek it is often used like sofov, in the sense of skilled, versed; and by the philosophers in the higher sense of scientifically versed, in which sense it is opposed by Plato to doxasthv, a mere conjecturer. In this passage sofov would seem to be the broader, more general, and perhaps more dignified term of the two, as denoting the habit or quality, while ejpisthmwn indicates the special development and intelligent application of the quality to particular things. The Rev., wise and understanding, gives the distinction, on the whole, as nearly as is necessary.

Conversation [αναστροφης] . See on 1Pe 1:15.

Meekness of wisdom. On meekness, see on Mt 5:5. The meekness which is the proper attribute of wisdom.

"Knowledge is proud that she has learned so much, Wisdom is humble that she knows no more."

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.