Who [is] wise and understanding among you; let him shew out of a good conversation his works in meekness of wisdom;
James writes to people who are eager to teach and quick to speak. He asks who among them is wise — and the proof he wants is not a speech.
The verse follows a long warning about the tongue. One writer states plainly what James is after.
The aim is to correct haste in speech, and the character of speech in general, and the readiness to teach in particular.
Another writer names the contrast James has in mind.
A wise man will show his works out of a good manner of life, with meekness of wisdom. This stands in contrast to the man who simply makes himself a teacher.
James asks for the man who is "understanding." Older translations say "endued with knowledge." The word points to a particular kind of knowing.
epistamai first means "to know" — the knowledge you gain by being close to the thing known. It is also used for fixing the mind or thoughts on something. So it is the knowledge gained by experience, like that of an expert. (epistemon, an adjective formed from it, is found only in James 3:13, where it is translated "endued with knowledge.")
The older translations say "conversation," which today suggests talking. That is not what the word means.
We know that "conversation" means manner of life, not just our speech — though speech itself is an important part of it.
Another writer wonders whose life James had in mind as he wrote.
The word translated "conversation" really means "manner of life; behaviour; conduct."… James uses the same word in his Epistle. (James 3:13) I wonder what was in his mind as he wrote those words. Was it "the manner of life," "the behaviour," "the conduct" of Him whom he had watched so closely through childhood, boyhood, and manhood?
James asks wisdom to show itself. But some ways of showing works defeat the whole point.
The wise man understands the mind of God. He will show that he is wise not by boastful words, and not necessarily by any words at all, but by good conduct and by works done in meekness. Meekness is the outcome of true wisdom. Too often the flesh wants to show itself off in boastful words and showy works. That is not the wise man's way.
Kelly puts the same counsel, then asks how wisdom looks when it goes wrong.
Let him show his works out of the good course of conduct that suits such a man, in deed and in truth — not smugly or for show, but in meekness of wisdom. What could be more holy, sober, or fitting? What is sadder than wisdom that seems self-important or harsh?
James joins two words we do not expect to meet. Knowledge usually works the other way.
The expression "with meekness of wisdom" is most striking. Man's knowledge commonly puffs up his pride. But true wisdom produces meekness. Meekness involves a self-judgment that seeks no self-exaltation, but recognises God's rights as supreme over ourselves.
Meekness also changes life among believers.
If there were more of this blessed spirit of meekness among us, there would be less confusion, less controversy, less pointless arguing about words. If we were all meek, God would guide us all and teach us all, and so we would see eye to eye.
This wisdom is not something we produce.
This is not natural to any of us, so we must ask for it. We will not get it if we do not ask. We must have dealings with God.
Kelly names what makes such a life fruitful.
It is abiding in Christ that produces fruit acceptable to our God and Father. But we need His words too, and prayer.
- Asked — this wisdom is not natural to any of us. We must ask God for it, or we will not have it.
- Known — the word behind "understanding" is found only here in the New Testament. It means knowledge gained by nearness and experience, not theory.
- Shown — the proof is "conversation": the whole manner of life and behaviour, not speech alone.
- Meek — knowledge puffs up pride. Real wisdom produces a self-judgment that seeks no self-praise.
- Quiet — James aims at the eager teacher who appoints himself. Wisdom that looks self-important or harsh has already failed the test.
but if ye have bitter emulation and strife in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
This is a warning for people who are sure they are in the right. James has just asked who among them is wise, and now he turns to the heart behind the claim.
The verse names a pair, and one commentator treats them as two steps down, not one thing said twice. He uses an older translation, which calls the jealousy "bitter emulation" and the ambition "faction." The first sin is private. The second drags other people in.
If Christ is the Christian's life, what does it mean for him to have "bitter emulation" in his heart? Is it not indulging an evil work of the old nature, the servant dishonouring his Master? This was bad, but "faction" is worse. It is not only one person feeding the vanity of an evil nature. It spreads that vanity to others, who are all too ready to exalt self and look down on people who ought to be loved and honoured.
James says the trouble sits "in your hearts," and one writer traces how it gets out. The usual cover story is faithfulness to the truth.
The evil, as always, starts in the heart. Envy in the heart leads to boasting, and boasting leads to lying against the truth. How often the envious man tries to hide his jealousy! He protests that he has no bitterness in his heart, but is only resisting evil and standing for the truth. Suppose we deliberately say offensive things, under cover of exposing some evil or telling a brother the plain truth for his good. Then we may be quite sure that malice in the heart lies behind our offensive words.
"Be false to the truth" raises a question: which truth? One commentator sets two claims side by side. Only one of them can be true.
What is this truth, against which we all far too often lie? Every outbreak of the flesh, by the tongue or in some other way, denies in practice that sin in the flesh was condemned at the cross of Christ. Which is truth — the cross of Christ, or my bitter strife and fiery tongue? They cannot both be truth. The cross of Christ is TRUTH, and my evil is a lie against the truth.
Another writer reaches the same conclusion by a different route — through pride.
Notice too that envy and strife lead to boasting and lying against the truth. These things stem from pride. The truth speaks clearly against self-exaltation. So if I justify my pride, I lie against the truth.
So where does this bitterness come from? One writer names its source, and it is not heaven.
Where there is divine life, knowledge does not show itself in mere words. It shows itself in the way a person walks, and in works that display the meekness of true wisdom. Bitterness and contention are not the fruits of a wisdom that comes from above. They are earthly. They belong to the nature of man, and to the enemy.
The same writer follows the trail forward to verse 16. What starts as a feeling ends in public wreckage.
Envy and strife in the heart may lead to boastful and lying words, spoken to excuse and cover the envy. If so, those boastful and hypocritical words will produce scenes of disorder and confusion, which open the door to "every evil work". Here, then, plain and searching words lay bare the root cause of every scene of disorder among the people of God.
Since this sin hides so well, one writer gives a test. Envy always admits something about the person who feels it.
We do well to remember that envy is always a confession of inferiority. To envy a man with a big income is to admit that your own is smaller. In the same way, to be jealous of a man with a gift is to confess that your own gift is inferior.
- Root. The evil starts in the heart, not on the tongue. Envy leads to boasting, and boasting leads to lying against the truth.
- Reach. Jealousy is the private sin. Ambition is worse, because it spreads to others who exalt self and look down on people who should be loved and honoured.
- Mask. The envious man claims he is only resisting evil and standing for the truth. But envy is always a confession of inferiority: to be jealous of another man's gift is to admit your own is smaller.
- Lie. Every outbreak of the flesh denies that sin in the flesh was condemned at the cross. Both cannot be true — the cross is truth, so my evil is the lie.
- Harvest. Bitterness is earthly, human and from the enemy. Its boastful words end in disorder and open the door to every evil work.