James 3:2

‘If any stumbles not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.'

Taking up the thought of stumbling he now points out that if any Teacher never stumbles in what he says, or how he says it, then he is indeed a perfect man, and able to bridle the whole body, exercising total self control. He is a kind of paragon. This may be intended to be ironic, really indicating that ‘none of us Teachers are perfect, so that we all need to be very much aware of our weaknesses'. Or he may be indicating that such ‘perfect' and mature teachers, who are mature in the faith, are rare, and it is they who should be sought for and appointed, for they will have control of both their tongues and their lives.

He then points out that the unwise or unruly tongue can affect the whole body, and/or is a manifestation of how that body will behave. Mouth and behaviour tend to go in tandem. What we say, unless we are being hypocrites, is what we do. The thought may either be that what a man says affects his behaviour, or alternately that what he says reveals what his behaviour will be like.

Being able to bridle the whole body may thus be saying:

1) That the Teacher who is true to the word ensures that his body does not interfere with his message. And he can do this because he is able to control it with an iron grip and never let it get out of hand. Thus he never preaches ‘in the flesh', but always ‘in the Spirit'. He never panders to people's tastes because ‘his body' (he himself) wants popularity or praise. And he never lets exhaustion make him say something that is unwise, nor allows his passions to control his preaching. He can control his tongue because he can control himself.

2) That this Teacher always practises what he preaches. Control of his tongue results in control of the whole body. And because he has full control of his body and its emotions and desires, he will not, after preaching, be drawn into acting contrary to how he has preached, for his life is well controlled by the reins of God.

3) That this teacher never lets his tongue run away with him, or becomes unnecessarily angry or sarcastic or hurtful when he is preaching (compare James 1:19) because he has a tight control on himself.

4). That the tongue is such a clear manifestation of how the person will behave as a whole, that the ability to control the tongue indicates that such a person will be able to control their whole body.

The fact is that men's tongues reveal their sinfulness and that is why none can teach without stumbling, for all men are sinful. As the Scriptures remind us, "None is righteous, no not one -- for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23). "If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). "There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins," (Ecclesiastes 7:20).

One way or another then James is declaring that the way a man speaks and the way that he behaves go hand in hand, and that one who would teach must first ensure that he has control of himself, with of course the help of God. Otherwise being a teacher will bring him into grater condemnation.