James 3:1-12 is the third in a series of texts from this book appointed during the Year of Mark. This passage is appointed for the 17th Week of Pentecost. As is true of the whole book of James, this passage comes from the wisdom literature, most commonly found in the Hebrew Scriptures, but sprinkled throughout the New Testament. It will be the preacher's task to proclaim this wisdom.
(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions with other concerns. These questions have been developed to help the exegete discover the function of the Word in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)
1. How does the Word function in the text? This passage is devoted almost solely to the dangers of the tongue (i.e. wicked speech). The way this is done is by lifting up the power of the tongue to control and destroy. Near the end of the passage, the writer seems to despair at the thought that the same tongue is used to bless and curse. This is the Word functioning as Law, alerting us to our need for the Spirit, whose gifts are love, patience, kindness, and self-control, among others.
2. How is the Word not functioning in the text? There is no Gospel word here, no word that proclaims God's embrace, or God's work in Christ.
3. With whom are you identifying in the text? We, as readers, are being spoken to here. We identify with the audience to whom this was written. We need to "watch our tongues" as well.
4. What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text? In some ways, this whole passage, a call to tame the tongue, is an implicit call to obedience. That is to say, our response to Christ's love, is that we speak only in love. That is, of course, a fine thought, but that is not the way the Word functions in this text.
5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? We can take some of the vocabulary from this text and create several couplets that might be helpful. Some ideas: astray/guided on right paths; stained/cleansed; cursed/blessed.
6. Exegetical work: It is helpful to note that the term in verse 2 translated "perfect" is telios, a common Greek word, often translated complete, or mature. In this case, it means a person who is morally mature, not one who is without sin. The writer is pointing out that the person who can control their tongue is morally mature. In verse 8 we read that "no one can tame the tongue." This points to our need for the Spirit in controlling our tongue. Pheme Perkins, in her fine commentary on this passage, says this: "The wisdom traditions that James employs insist that wisdom is God's gift, not a human achievement. By underlining the power that the tongue has over human beings, James also reminds readers that any success they have in disciplining speech will also be a gift from God." (Interpretations Series, First and Second Peter, James, and Jude, p.120). In Augustine's well-known work, On Nature and Grace, he argues with Pelagius about this passage, insisting that James "was determined to show what a great evil a man's tongue can be, so great that it cannot be tamed by anyone, even though that is not true of wild beasts. He said this not in order that we should tolerate evil but in order that we should ask for divine grace to tame our tongue." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XI, p. 40).
7. Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic? David Buttrick advised the preacher to be alert to the number of moves one made in a sermon. Were there too many or too few? In this text it will be important to find a number of appropriate moves since the text itself is so focused.
Blessings on your proclamation!
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