The Tongue
Dr. James Smith
James 3:1-12
23 April 2006
Listen to this sermon.
This morning we continue in our spring series on the Epistle of James and we come to this very practical passage in chapter 3 regarding the tongue. And I confess that I struggle as much as anyone in this area.
Perhaps one of our problems is the contradictory teaching we have all heard and received over the course of our lifetimes regarding the tongue.
When I read this passage, my mind is instantly transported back to my childhood when my Germanic grandmother frequently reminded me to “watch my tongue.”
I struggled with what was sometimes called a “sharp tongue” and I was rightly corrected because of it. Others warned me that “that tongue is going to get you into trouble some day” and sure enough it has.
But of course, it would be ridiculous for me to blame my tongue, when it was simply the vehicle for what was on my mind at the moment or worse yet, what was in my heart.
On the other hand, we have also been taught that one of our rights as citizens is this thing called freedom of speech. People, supposedly have the right to say what they want, when they want and whenever they want. After all, we are told, “It’s a free country.”
But I believe that James would question such a notion of freedom of speech. In fact, he makes it clear, in no uncertain terms, that it can be very dangerous.
James would probably critique such an uncritical appropriation of freedom of speech by reminding us that God has given each of us only one tongue, but two ears.
Additionally, I think that he would remind us that God has put the tongue behind a cage of teeth for good and practical reasons.
And as an old poem, states so well.
“The boneless tongue so small and weak, can crush and kill declared the Greek. The tongue destroys a greater hoard the Turk asserts than does the sword. The Persian proverb wisely says, a lengthy tongue, an early death.
Or sometimes takes this form instead. Don’t let your tongue cut off your head. The tongue can speak a word whose speed, says the Chinese, outstrips the stead.
While Arab sages this impart, the tongue’s great storehouse is the heart. From Hebrew wit the maxim sprung, though feet should slip never let the tongue. The sacred writer crowns the whole, whoever keeps their tongue, keeps their soul.”
And indeed, in ancient times, a slip of the tongue could land you in jail, literally have your tongue cut out or even lead to execution. Would that we were half as careful today with our tongues.
In the Greco-Roman world of Bible times, philosophers and moralists of all kinds, frequently admonished people to watch their tongues and to be careful with their speech.
In addition, they often encouraged people to be brief and to the point or even silent altogether.
What makes James a bit different from others in his day, is that James states that no one can completely control their tongues. In fact, he is quite a bit more pessimistic than others in regard to the tongues capacity for doing evil.
Note how he calls it a “fire,” “a world of wickedness,” “polluting the entire body,” “set aflame by hell’s fire” and “full of deadly poison.”
It is in this context that James says that not everyone should become a teacher, which may strike some of us as strange. And the reason is, is that unlike people in the ancient world, we look on teachers as people who primarily pass on knowledge.
For people (both Jews & Gentiles), in James’ day, education was ultimately concerned with the student’s moral development.
With that in mind, being a teacher who regularly speaks could be a potentially perilous occupation.
James has previously condemned in chapter 2, improper forms of speech such as negative speech, flattering speech that is partial to the rich, careless speech that is of no practical help to the poor and superficial speech that claims to have faith but no deeds.
Mistakes and errors in speech are virtually unavoidable for teachers and the awesome truth of the matter is that speech is a kind of act or work that ultimately influences and directs the actions of others.
And this modern idea that teachers merely pass on knowledge to others is simply ridiculous.
And one of the great contributions of post-modernity is its insistence on “the fact” that everyone is biased and has an agenda, especially those who claim to merely teach or pass on “objective” information.
The ancients, including James, believed that teaching was deeply concerned with modeling virtue, and strains within post-modernity are rediscovering this idea in some exciting ways.
And this is why I tell my students each quarter, that if they ever have a professor that says that they are unbiased or completely objective in their teaching, that they should drop that class immediately, because they are being lied to.
I tell them, without apology, that I am a Christian and the “worst” kind at that; I am an evangelical Protestant pastor.
I tell them that I am very much biased toward the life and person of Jesus Christ and that while they will never be graded on what they believe or don’t believe, I sincerely hope and pray that by the end of the quarter they come to a life changing faith in Jesus.
James and other writers of his day, remind us of the tremendous power of the tongue and they used common images of things such as bridles and rudders as illustrations.
And as Christians we know that true freedom comes from exercising discipline and the bridles we place upon ourselves will allow us to be steered in the right direction. After all, we are sanctified not merely for ourselves, but for the good of others as well.
The great philosopher Socrates offers us some useful advice on this topic in the form of the “Triple filter test.”
When a friend came to Socrates with a tasty piece of gossip, Socrates said, “Before you tell me this, will it pass the triple filter test?”
First, “Is what you are about to tell me true?” His friend said that he could not verify its truthfulness.
Second, “Is what you are about to tell me good?” His friend said that it certainly was not good.”
Third, “Is what you are going to tell me, going to be useful to me?” His friend said that it would not be useful.”
Socrates replied, “so you want to tell me a piece of gossip that may not be true, that certainly is not good and will not be useful to me?” . . . “Then, my friend, I do not want to hear what you have to say!”
James and the ancients practically call us to watch our tongues as Christians. This will be of great practical blessing not only to us and our church, but to neighbors as well.
In Bible times, it was a miracle when in Numbers 22, an ass spoke. Today, it is a greater miracle when one shuts his mouth and so I’m done. But let us remember James’ word to us today . . . Christian, watch your tongue!
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