26 If a man seems to have religion and has no control over his tongue but lets himself be tricked by what is false, this man's religion is of no value.
O Lord, keep a watch over my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
For it is said, Let the man who has a love of life, desiring to see good days, keep his tongue from evil and his lips from words of deceit:
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from words of deceit.
For we all go wrong in a number of things. If a man never makes a slip in his talk, then he is a complete man and able to keep all his body in control. Now if we put bits of iron into horses' mouths so that they may be guided by us, we have complete control of their bodies. And again ships, though they are so great and are moved by violent winds, are turned by a very small guiding-blade, at the impulse of the man who is using it. Even so the tongue is a small part of the body, but it takes credit for great things. How much wood may be lighted by a very little fire! And the tongue is a fire; it is the power of evil placed in our bodies, making all the body unclean, putting the wheel of life on fire, and getting its fire from hell.
Better is the poor man whose ways are upright, than the man of wealth whose ways are twisted.
The mouth of the upright man is budding with wisdom, but the twisted tongue will be cut off.
And let there be no low behaviour, or foolish talk, or words said in sport, which are not right, but in place of them the giving of praise.
Let your talk be with grace, mixed with salt, so that you may be able to give an answer to everyone.
For if a man has an idea that he is something when he is nothing, he is tricked by himself.
Knowledge is dropping from the tongue of the wise; but from the mouth of the foolish comes a stream of foolish words.
Where there is much talk there will be no end to sin, but he who keeps his mouth shut does wisely.
<To the chief music-maker. Of Jeduthun. A Psalm. Of David.> I said, I will give attention to my ways, so that my tongue may do no wrong; I will keep my mouth under control, while the sinner is before me. I made no sound, I said no word, even of good; and I was moved with sorrow.
Do you not see, O foolish man, that faith without works is of no use?
But from those who seemed to be important (whatever they were has no weight with me: God does not take man's person into account): those who seemed to be important gave nothing new to me;
By which you have salvation; that is to say, the form in which it was given to you, if it is fixed in your minds, and if your faith in it is not without effect.
Let no man have a false idea. If any man seems to himself to be wise among you, let him become foolish, so that he may be wise.
You have said, It is no use worshipping God: what profit have we had from keeping his orders, and going in clothing of sorrow before the Lord of armies?
As for him whose food is the dust of a dead fire, he has been turned from the way by a twisted mind, so that he is unable to keep himself safe by saying, What I have here in my hand is false.
All the day the sinner goes after his desire: but the upright man gives freely, keeping nothing back.
There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
Do not be like the horse or the ass, without sense; ...
When they saw the grace which was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who had the name of being pillars, gave to me and Barnabas their right hands as friends so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on James 1
Commentary on James 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The General Epistle of James
Chapter 1
After the inscription and salutation (v. 1) Christians are taught how to conduct themselves when under the cross. Several graces and duties are recommended; and those who endure their trials and afflictions as the apostle here directs are pronounced blessed and are assured of a glorious reward (v. 2-12). But those sins which bring sufferings, or the weakness and faults men are chargeable with under them, are by no means to be imputed to God, who cannot be the author of sin, but is the author of all good (v. 13-18). All passion, and rash anger, and vile affections, ought to be suppressed. The word of God should be made our chief study: and what we hear and know of it we must take care to practise, otherwise our religion will prove but a vain thing. To this is added an account wherein pure religion consists (v. 19-27).
Jam 1:1
We have here the inscription of this epistle, which consists of three principal parts.
Jam 1:2-12
We now come to consider the matter of this epistle. In this paragraph we have the following things to be observed:-
Jam 1:13-18
Jam 1:19-27
In this part of the chapter we are required,