The next section on wisdom from above and below (3:13-4:10) contains four subsections. The first section (3:13–15) establishes the existence of the two wisdoms: the one from above, the heavenly, and the other from below, the demonic. The second subsection (vv. 16–18) contrasts the fruits of these wisdoms. The third subsection (4:1–5) delineates the conflicts stemming from enmity with God. The fourth subsection (vv. 6–10) outlines the letter’s second spiritual exercise in self-humbling (cf. 1:9–10). Much in this section is highly sermonic, containing rhetorical questions, lists of deeds that are good and evil, striking imagery, descriptive phrases of quality, and antitheses. Just as the Word of God is to be received wisely with humility (cf. 1:21), the development of wisdom and character of the wise man or wise woman is put at a premium here.
A key to the right talk is the right thought. The tongue is contained in a cage of teeth and lips, but it still escapes. It is not intelligence that keeps the lock on that cage; it is wisdom—a wisdom that is characterized by humility, grace, and peace.
Up to this point, James had been focusing on human deeds and their sources within the heart. In this section, while retaining that focus on deeds, he introduced insights on the transcendent sources of good and evil from which various deeds emanate. The two chief categories of reference in this entire passage are a friend of God and a friend of the world. Anticipated in the declaration that the evil of the tongue is ignited by the evil of hell (3:6), the chief question to be posed to James’s hearers was, Which wisdom is guiding you, the heavenly (v. 17) or the hellish (v. 15) variety? This third part of the body of James’s epistle alerted them to their interpersonal warring, to the peaceable wisdom among them, and to the source for correcting their warring desires.
Wisdom was an important thing for Jewish people. They realized that it was not enough to have knowledge; wisdom was necessary to be able to use that knowledge correctly. All of us know people who are very intelligent, perhaps almost geniuses, and yet who seemingly are unable to carry out the simplest tasks of life. They can run the biggest projects but they cannot manage their own lives! “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight” (Prov. 4:7, ESV).
James continued to exhort the people in the assembly who wanted to be teachers of the Word (James 3:1). It is not enough simply to stand before the people and say words; you must have something to say. This is where spiritual wisdom comes in. Knowledge enables us to take things apart, but wisdom enables us to put things together and relate God’s truth to daily life.[1] All of us have heard preachers and teachers who say many good things, but who somehow miss the heart of God’s message and fail to relate truth to everyday life. It is this kind of “knowledge without wisdom” that James is writing about. He is contrasting true wisdom and false wisdom in three different aspects.
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (NASB)
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Ask God to help you develop true wisdom as the dominating characteristic of your life.
- When we are in love with our own ideas instead of the Lord Jesus, we struggle to promote our ideas and our success rather than promoting Him.
- Believers with true wisdom avoid envy and selfish ambition that results in confusion and evil, and produce peace and righteousness.
- James 3 can be summed up as follows: God wants His people to control their tongues and to display true wisdom
CLOSER LOOK
Verse 13: James asked the rhetorical question, “Who among you is wise and understanding?” “Wise” (sophos;[2] cf. sophias in 1:5) describes one with moral insight and skill in the practical issues of life. “Understanding” (epistēmōn)[3] refers to intellectual perception and scientific acumen. We are to show the presence of wisdom by good deeds practiced with humility. Only obedient deeds, not mere talk, prove the presence of wisdom.
The phrase, “Let him show…” here is an original version of what we know as “show and tell.” Wisdom is not measured by degrees but by deeds. It is not a matter of acquiring truth in lectures but of applying truth to life. The “good behavior” (or life) and deeds are best portrayed in the gentleness (also translated humility) of wisdom, or “wise meekness”[4] (prautēti sophias). The truly wise person is humble.
Gentleness/meekness refers to a submissive spirit opposed to arrogance and self-seeking. The person with meekness is not a doormat for the desires of others, but controls and overpowers the natural human tendency to be arrogant and self-assertive. Non-Christian Greeks felt that this type of humility was a vice. Christianity made meekness into a virtue. “Meek” in Matthew 5:5 is the adjectival form of the noun translated here as gentleness. Jesus promised the “meek” they would inherit the earth. Jesus meant a believer who relates to God with dependence and contentment will reap God’s abundant blessings.[5]
Even when you are involved in a disagreement, you must demonstrate a gentleness and kindness of attitude. You must banish all contentiousness and mutual accusation. The Bible calls on all Christians to show the presence of spiritual wisdom in their lives by deeds of humility and goodness.
False wisdom destroys unity and develops rivalry. Verses 14-16 discuss the demonstration of false wisdom (v. 14), the source of false wisdom (v. 15), and the results of false wisdom (v. 16).
Verse 14: True wisdom makes no room for “bitter jealousy” (“zealous jealousy”; envy) or for “selfish ambition” (“factious rivalry,” erithian, from eritheuō, “to spin wool,” thus working for personal gain).[6] This is nothing to glory about. To be arrogant or boast (lit., “exult,” katakauchasthe) in such attitudes is to deny or “lie against” the truth.
Bitter envy and selfish ambition prove that a person is following the route of false wisdom. Envy describes a determined desire to promote one’s opinion to the exclusion of the opinions of others. Selfish ambition pictures a person who tries to promote a cause in an unethical manner. This person becomes willing to use divisive means to promote a personal viewpoint. Bitter rivalries develop out of these practices.
Verse 15-16: Envy and strife are clear indicators that one’s so-called wisdom is not from above (cf. 1:17), but is earthly, natural (unspiritual, “sensual,” psychikē), and demonic[7] (“of the devil,” daimoniōdēs). “Jealousy and selfish ambition,” or rivalry, can only produce disorder, or confusion, and every evil practice. A truly wise person does not seek glory or gain; they are gracious and giving.
The true wisdom comes from above, but the false wisdom comes from below. In other words, there is a “heavenly wisdom” that comes from God, and there is a “man-made wisdom” that does not come from God. Whatever does not come from God is destined to fail, no matter how successful it may seem at the time.
The believer has three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil (Eph. 2:1–3). These enemies are suggested by the terms “earthly, sensual, devilish.”
First, the wisdom of this world (1 Cor. 1:20–21). Do not confuse the world’s knowledge and the world’s wisdom. Certainly, there is a great deal of knowledge in this world, and we all benefit from it; but there is not much wisdom. humanity unlocks the secrets of the universe, but we do not know what to do with them. Any person enamored with the wisdom of this world ought to read the first two chapters of 1 Corinthians and notice how much Paul has to say about God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom. Human’s wisdom is foolishness to God (1 Cor. 1:20), and God’s wisdom is foolishness to human’s (1 Cor. 2:14). Our wisdom comes from reason, while God’s wisdom comes from revelation. Our worldly wisdom will come to nothing (1 Cor. 1:19), while God’s wisdom will endure forever.
But this false wisdom has another source: it is “sensual,” that is, it is “natural.” The Greek word is psukikos, which comes from the Greek word psuke meaning “life,” or “soul.” Our English word “psychology” is derived from it. The main idea seems to be that of man’s fallen nature as opposed to the new nature given by God. There is a wisdom that gets its origin in man’s nature totally apart from the Spirit of God.
This “wisdom that is from beneath” is also demonic. Beginning with Genesis 3, where Satan successfully deceived Eve, and continuing through the entire Bible, there is a “wisdom of Satan” at work, fighting against the wisdom of God. Satan convinced Eve that she would be like God. He told her that the tree would make her wise. Ever since that event, people have continued to believe Satan’s lies and have tried to become their own gods (Rom. 1:18–25). The devil has wisdom that will confound and confuse us if we do not know the wisdom of God.
Verse 17: True wisdom is free from self-interest and strife. This verse lists eight traits or characteristics of true wisdom. “Wisdom from above” (cf. “from above” in 1:17) is first pure or “holy” (hagnē),[8] then peaceable, gentle[9] or considerate or forbearing, reasonable or compliant or obedient[10] (eupeithēs, only used here in the NT), full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering or impartial[11] (literally “without uncertainty”; cf. “not doubt” in 1:6), and without hypocrisy.
Because so much time could be spent individually on each trait for both false wisdom and true wisdom, let’s look at the eight charateristics of true wisdom in a quick, overview fashion.
People with true wisdom are pure in that they have put aside the vices of a self-seeking nature and factionalism. This trait provides the secure foundation for all that follows.
The following five traits show the attitude of true wisdom toward other people. Peaceable means it demonstrates a desire to promote peace between struggling factions. Gentle refers to being reasonable/considerate in the demands it makes on others. Reasonable indicates a willingness to learn from others by being open to reason. Full of mercy is revealed by offering compassion to those in distress. Full of good fruit is shown by kind actions and helpful deeds to others.
The final two traits describe the essential nature of true wisdom in itself. It is unwavering, without prejudice and unwavering (impartial) in its commitments. True wisdom is sincere, genuine and open in its approaches to others. It does not show any hypocrisy. Jesus particularly showed his genuineness in his dialogues with Pilate (John 18:33–37).
In contrast to the wisdom that is earthly, sensual, and devilish, James describes a “wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17). “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). The Christian looks up to heaven for all that they needs.
What is the Christian’s wisdom? Do we look to the philosophies of this world? No! To begin with, Jesus Christ is our wisdom (1 Cor. 1:24, 30). In Jesus Christ “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3, ESV). The first step toward true wisdom is the receiving of Jesus Christ as Saviour.
The Word of God is also our wisdom. “See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people’” (Deut. 4:5–6, ESV). The Scriptures are able to make us “wise for salvation” (2 Tim. 3:15).
James 1:5 indicates that we find wisdom through believing prayer. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.” The Holy Spirit of God is “the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation” (Eph. 1:17) and He directs us in the wisest paths as we trust the Word and pray.
The origin of true spiritual wisdom is God. To get your wisdom from any other source is to ask for trouble.
Verse 18: Peace is the seed sown that yields a harvest (“fruit”) of righteousness. The truly wise person is a person of peace.
To achieve “righteousness,” spiritual maturity, practical holiness—the theme of this book—a believer must learn to speak with care.[12] Appealing speech comes from a wise spirit. A controlled tongue is possible only with wise thought. A mouth filled with praise results from a mind filled with purity.
We can recap James so far as: a believer should stand confidently (chap. 1), serve compassionately (chap. 2), and speak carefully (chap. 3). The believer should be what God wants them to be, do what God wants them to do, and speak as God wants them to speak.
[1] Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1996),n.p.
[2] BDAG – “pertaining to understanding that results in wise attitudes and conduct, wise in that the wisdom is divine in nature and origin.” sagacious, skillful in discernment
[3] BDAG – “pertaining to being knowledgeable in a way that makes one effectual in the exercise of such knowledge, expert, learned, understanding. the expert in σοφία will be verified by quality of performance.”
[4] BDAG – the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance, gentleness, humility, courtesy, considerateness, meekness”
[5] Thomas D. Lea, “James,” in Homan New Testament Commentary: Hebrews & James (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999), n.p.
[6] J. Ronald Blue, “James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 828.
[7] originating from the lower spirit-world, infernal, demonic
[8] Strong’s 53; pure, holy, innocent. an attribute of the divinity and everything belonging to it
[9] epieikēs ; not insisting on every right of letter of law or custom, yielding, gentle, kind, courteous, tolerant
[10] Eupeithēs; DBL – “easily persuaded, submissive (niv), compliant (nab), open minded (reb), willing to yield (nrsv, nkjv) reasonable (rsv, nasb), open to reason”
[11] Adiakritos; impartial, i.e., not prejudiced; unwavering, without variance, uncertainty, inconsistency
[12] J. Ronald Blue, “James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 829.