James 3:6

James 3:6. And the tongue is a fire possesses the destructive power of fire. a world of iniquity. These words have been differently translated. Some render them as follows: ‘The tongue is a fire, the world of iniquity the forest;' but this is an unwarrantable insertion of the words ‘the forest.' Others connect the words with what follows: ‘The tongue is a fire. As a world of unrighteousness the tongue is among our members: ‘but it is best to consider ‘the world of iniquity' in apposition with the tongue, as is done in our version. Hence the meaning is: the tongue is a combination of all that is evil. The expression is of similar import to that of St. Paul, when he calls the love of money ‘the root of all evil' (1 Timothy 6:10).

So is, or rather ‘so makes itself,' or ‘so steps forward:' so is constituted the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, is the cause of universal pollution, and setteth on fire, inflameth, the course of nature. This phrase has been very differently translated, and indeed is in our version hardly intelligible. The word rendered ‘course' denotes something that revolves, and is generally used of a wheel; and the words ‘of nature' are in the Greek ‘of birth,' or metaphorically ‘of creation.' Hence the literal translation is ‘the wheel of life' or ‘of creation.' Some accordingly understand it of the whole creation ‘the orb of creation;' [1] the meaning being that the tongue sets the universe in flames; but it is extremely improbable that St. James would use such a strong hyperbole. Others consider it as a figurative expression for the body; [2] but such an explanation is forced, and it is improbable that St. James would express that figuratively which he had immediately before expressed in plain terms. Others suppose that by it the successive generations of men are meant ‘the circle of human existence:' [3] the meaning being that, as the tongue set our forefathers on fire, so it has the same pernicious effect on us and on all succeeding generations; but this is a meaning which is too vague and indirect. It is best to understand by the phrase the circle of the individual's own life, and which commences its revolutions at his birth; hence it is to be translated ‘the circle or wheel of life.' [4] ‘The present life of man,' says Benson, ‘is here compared to a wheel which is put in motion at our birth, and runs swiftly until death stops it. The tongue often sets this wheel on a flame, which sometimes sets on fire the whole machine.'

[1] So Alford, Basset.

[2] Wiesinger.

[3] Staudlin.

[4] So Erdmann Brückner, Plumptre

And it is set on fire, inflamed or inspired, of, or by, hell: Gehenna, the place of future torment, different from Sheol or Hades the place of disembodied spirits. Except in the synoptical Gospels, the word Gehenna is only found here in the New Testament. It denotes ‘the valley of Hinnom,' and was used by the Jews to signify the place of future punishment, because it was in that valley that the rites of human sacrifice were practised, and a perpetual burning was kept up for its cleansing. The reference here is not to the future punishment of the tongue, but to the source from which it derived its destructive properties, namely, from hell that is, from the devil. ‘A bad tongue,' as Estius says, ‘is the organ of the devil.' At Pentecost the outpouring of the Spirit was manifested by tongues of fire which lighted upon the disciples, and enabled them to speak with new tongues; the tongue was then set on fire of heaven; but that tongue which we have by nature, unpurified by grace, is often kindled from hell.