James 3:1

"Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur. stricter judgment"."Let not many of you" -"The verb 'be not'…a present middle imperative…signifies 'stop becoming many teachers'(Woods p. 154)."become teachers" -"Like so many aspects of life that provide great advantages, however, communication through speech has its darker side. Sometimes speech can injure. It can do more harm than good. It can convey wrong information that can lead to disaster" (Kent p. 113).

Points To Note:

1. Teachers in the early church were viewed as. very important group of people, listed along with apostles and prophets (Acts 13:1; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11). 2. It would appear from the above warning, that some were becoming teachers without due consideration of the responsibility involved in such. work. 3. There were people who wanted to teach, before they had really learned the concepts themselves (1 Timothy 1:7). Others taught, but failed to live the lessons that they were teaching others (Romans 2:17). In addition, in teaching there is always the danger of becoming arrogant. "the profession is more liable to beget spiritual and intellectual pride…He must, therefore, all his life struggle to avoid two things. He must always have every care that he is teaching the truth, and not his own opinions, or even his own prejudices…He must have every care that he does not contradict his teaching by his life" (Barclay pp. 94-95). The Pharisees had allowed the thought of being an instructor of the blind, to go to their heads, to the point that they became blind themselves (Matthew Chapter 23). 4. James is not trying to discourage competent and qualified individuals from teaching (2 Timothy 2:2; Hebrews 5:12). Rather, he is warning those who might be tempted to view teaching is an easy and effortless task, or those who start teaching from ulterior motives, prestige, the public spotlight, etc…

Unfortunately, we tend to make the same mistake. It is easy to view teaching as an easy job. It is also easy to encourage people to teach, before they are in fact ready to do so. The same mistakes can also be made in reference to preaching. We can in fact encourage men to preach, who shouldn't be preachers. James makes it clear that while the teacher or preacher simply uses words---words are very powerful! Adam and Eve fell into sin because they believed the wrong words, wars have started over words, whole nations have been destroyed because of. certain ideology. While the teacher or preacher simply uses words in their trade, let us remember that the course of history and the eternal destiny of individuals has been altered by "words". Jesus said, "every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned" (Matthew 12:36)."my brethren" -"There is no caste system in Christ. Inasmuch as we are all brethren, it behooves us to conduct ourselves as brethren should" (Woods p. 157)."knowing that as such" -That is, as such teachers. James places himself in the same category as all other teachers. He wasn't exempt from his own admonitions. The following information should keep the teacher humble and on his toes."we shall incur. stricter judgment" -"judged with special strictness" (Mof); "by. more severe standard" (TCNT).

Points To Note:

1. The above judgment could be either divine or human, or both. 2. "to assume the role of teacher is. most serious undertaking because of its potential for directing the actions of others. If God is going to judge men for every idle word they speak (Matthew 12:36), how great is the responsibility of teachers, whose words are intended by them to be taken as directives for the lives of their hearers" (Kent p. 115). 3. James isn't saying that teachers are going to be judged by. higher moral standard, for the same standard applies to all (John 12:48). Rather, like other passages, those who are given more opportunities and talents are going to be held accountable for the use of such privileges (Matthew 23:14; Matthew 25:15; Matthew 25:29; Luke 12:47); to whom much is given from him much is required (Luke 12:48). 4. The judgment here may also include human scrutiny. Those who teach will be put on the spot, challenged concerning the truthfulness of what they are teaching and so on. 5. The teacher must constantly check himself to make sure that what he is teaching is the Word of God and not his version of the truth (Matthew 5:19; Galatians 1:6; 1 Peter 4:11).