Verse 2. "In many things," &c. As if to say, we needed not the additional responsibility of teachers, to have to render a heavy account already. St. James manifestly makes the tongue the principal instrument in the commission of those daily faults into which we all fall; to this fault of the tongue the teacher is, of all others, the most liable This is one of the texts which are adduced in proof of a point of faith defined in the Council of Trent (SS. vi.. Canon 23), viz. :—"That no man can, during his entire life, avoid all, even venial sins, except by a special privilege, on the part of God, such as the Church holds was conferred on the Blessed Virgin." "A perfect man," inasmuch as he shows how perfectly he can master all his other passions, having mastered his tongue, which it is most difficult to restrain. "The whole body," i.e.., the other members of the body—this interpretation is rendered probable by the following comparisons—or, it may mean the whole moral body of his actions.

Verse 3. By two comparisons, the Apostle illustrates the importance of governing the tongue, and the influence it exercises over all the other members, and the entire body of our actions. From the same examples, we may easily infer the evil of not bridling it. "For, if we put," &c. In some Greek copies it is, ιδε, βαλλομεν, behold, roe put, 6zc., according to which reading the sentence is complete. In our Vulgate, the sense is suspended, and the proposition, conditional. The proposition can, however, be made absolute, by throwing out "and" in the words "and we turn," &c. We find the word "and " oftentimes to be superfluous; or, we may give it the meaning of "also." Some suppose, by comparing this with verse 4, that the true reading is, ιδε, behold, to which εἰ δέ , "but if," followed by the Vulgate, is so like in the Greek. The reading in the Codex Vaticanus is εἶδε, " but if."

Verse 4. Another comparison, "the force," ορμη, impetus, the will which the "governor," or steersman, forcibly exerts in turning round the vessel in a storm.

Verse 5. "So the tongue also is indeed a little member." This is the application of the two foregoing examples—the bit and helm are comparatively small, so is the tongue. "And boasts great things." "Boasts" (μεγαλαυχει, magna exaltat), operates, stirs up, great things—sets whole communities, cities, nay, even kingdoms, in a blaze. According to its proper use, or, abuse, it is a powerful instrument lor accomplishing good or evil. "Behold how small a fire, what a great wood it kindles." Another illustration of the evil effects which the tongue, although a small instrument, is capable of producing.

Verse 6. "The tongue is a fire," capable of setting the world in a blaze. Nay, it is "a world of iniquity," i.e., a general, universal instrument for effecting every sort of evil; this general universal power of the tongue, as the instrument of all sorts of evil, is aptly represented by "the world," composed of so many different elements, and species of creatures of every description; for this reason, it is called "a world," a general instrument of "iniquity," i.e., evil of all kinds. In the construction preferred by Cornelius a 'Lapide, the words are interpreted thus:—"The tongue is a fire, the world of iniquity —that is to say, this wicked world—is the wood, which the tongue sets in a blaze." So that, according to him, the example adduced in the preceding is fully explained in this verse; as the tongue is the small fire, so the "world of iniquity " is the great wood, which it enkindles and sets in a blaze. The construction adopted in the Paraphrase is, however, far the more probable, as appears from the following words, in which, according to the ordinary Greek reading, the preceding illustration is applied and explained:—"The tongue is placed," &c. According to the ordinary Greek, ουτω και η γλωσσα, it is "so the tongue is placed,” &c. the meaning of which is, as the fire kindles up a great burning; so, is the tongue, though with a very different intention, placed among the members of man, having become, instead of being the instrument of good, according to the original design of God, the corrupter of the entire body, owing to the malice of man. "So," is wanting in the principal manuscripts and chief versions, and rejected by critics generally. "It sets on fire," i.e., it inflames with the fire of lust, anger, and all the passions, "the wheel of our nativity," i.e., the entire course of life, consisting of a revolving succession of days, and seasons, and years. Certain vices are peculiar to certain seasons and periods of life; but the vices of the tongue pervade every season of human existence; “being set on fire by hell," i.e.., it is an instrument of evil prepared for mischief, by the powers of hell, the devil, and his infernal associates.

Verse 7. Here, St. James points out the great difficulty o curbing and subduing the tongue, and consequently, the great vigilance and care that should be employed with regard to it. "And of the rest;" in Latin, "caeterorum." The present Greek reading is, εναλιων, of whales, or the whole tribe of marine monsters— τῶν ἄλλων, " of the rest,'' or εναλλων, of various kinds., was the reading followed by our Vulgate interpreter. "Is tamed," i.e., capable of being tamed, "and hath been tamed." The Greek word for "tamed,' δεδαμασται, means, subdued, and reduced by force, so as to be deprived of the power of inflictmg injury.

Verse 8. "But the tongue no man," i.e., no human skill or industry, "can tame," or render innocuous. Man cannot do so, of himself, without God's grace; or, the words, more probably, mean, that the evils arising from tongue are more difficult to be checked, than those produced by the most savage beasts. "An unquiet evil," (In some Greek copies. ακατασχετον κακον, an unruly evil. The Vatican and Alexandrian MSS. have ακατάστατον, "unquiet") The idea is borrowed from a virulent disease, the progress of which cannot be stopped. " Full of deadly poison." The idea here, probably, is borrowed from the incurable bite of a venomous reptile.

Verse 9. He here shows the monstrous and incompatible uses for which the tongue is employed. It is employed to " bless God," i.e., to praise and glorify the Adorable Trinity, who is also our " Father," both by creation and redemption, "and curse men," i.e., wish all kinds of evil for them; by it, we calumniate, detract, and treat them contumeliously, although made to the image of God, his most perfect work; and hence, we curse God himself in those creatures by whom his attributes are most clearly reflected.

Verse 10. "Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing" of God, "and cursing" of him in his creatures. "My brethren, these things ought not to be." This is the mild language of rebuke, wherein is conveyed more than is expressed, and even the asperity of the rebuke is softened down by the words, "my brethren."

Verse 11. By a reference to the analogy of nature, he shows the justice of his rebuke, and the incongruity of employing the tongue for such opposite purposes, for, producing such opposite effects. From what is impossible in nature, he argues against what is inconsistent and opposed in morals.

Verse 12. "Bear grapes." The Greek for grapes is, ελαιας, olive berries. "So neither can the salt water yield sweet." In some Greek readings it is —so no fountain can yield salt and sweet water, as if it were a repetition of the idea conveyed in the words (verse 11), "does a fountain send forth. ..sweet and bitter water?" The Vulgate reading is that of the chief manuscripts, of all the Latin copies, and of the Syriac. Hence, it was probably the ancient Greek reading followed by the Syriac. Reason itself would seem to favor the Vulgate; for, what necessity is there for repeating a thing so clear and incontrovertible as the sentence in verse 11? In our reading, then, a fourth illustration is derived from the salt water of the sea. The reasoning of St. James, in these verses, is this:—The same fountain will not produce sweet and bitter water, nor will the same tree produce fruits different from those of its own kind; such, then, being the order of nature, it is monstrous, that in the order of morals, the same instrument should produce not only different, but contrary effects—viz., good and evil.

Verse 13. After a rather lengthy digression regarding the vices of the tongue, the Apostle now returns to the subject with which he commenced this chapter, regarding the inordinate desire of acting in capacity of teachers, wherein men are most liable to fall into serious faults of the tongue. He now explains the qualities with which a teacher  of others should be gifted. "A wise man and endued with knowledge." Wisdom and knowledge are two indispensable qualifications for a religious teacher. By “wisdom," which is the same as the sermo sapientiae (1 Cor. 12:8), is meant the power or faculty of explaining the truths of faith, on the principles of faith (v.g.), showing the congruity of the Incarnation, on the grounds pointed out by faith ; by "knowledge," the faculty of explaining moral precepts, or of explaining the truths of faith, by examples derived from human things. St. James, by asking the question, "who is gifted with knowledge and wisdom?" supposes that no one can undertake the office of teacher without these qualifications. "His word." (In Greek, τα εργα αυτου, his works)." In the meekness of wisdom;'' without showing good example, teaching will avail but very little. The example of a teacher will be a stronger incentive to virtue than his words can be. "Meekness" is a quality of all others the most necessary; a supercilious moroseness in the exercise of teaching or correction, will only serve to disgust the hearers, instead of promoting edification.

Verse 14. "Bitter zeal;" feelings of envy, which embitter the mind, and are "bitter" in their effects to others. " And there be contentions in your heart." The Greek has not "there be," it simply is, και εριθειαν, and contention in your heart, i.e., an inward disposition to indulge in contentions and strife, the constant attendants of bitter zeal or envy; and this bitter zeal results from an inordinate desire to exercise unduly the functions of teacher. "Glory not and be not liars against the truth," by laying claim to what they have not, viz., true wisdom; for, this they could not possess, together with a spirit of envy in their hearts. "And be not liars," &c. "Not," is omitted in the Greek. It is, however, clearly understood.

Verse 15. He assigns in this verse reasons for saying, that the envious, contentious men of whom he spoke, would glory against the truth by laying claim to true wisdom; because, the wisdom of such person is not the wisdom "descending from above," whence alone true wisdom can come (1:17). He describes this wisdom by three characters wholly incompatible with true wisdom—"earthly," "sensual," "devilish." —Vide Paraphrase. It is diabolical or devilish., because the devil is a spirit of pride, the author of lies, of cunning and deceit; and this false wisdom, seeking only for the gratification of pride, urges us on, by means of cunning and intrigue, to self-advancement and self-exaltation. How perfectly similar to the description of the spirit of the world  given by 1 John 2 ("Concupiscence of the flesh"), "sensual." ("Concupiscence of the eyes"), "earthly." ("Pride of life"), "diabolical." ("Which is not from the father.") "This is not wisdom descending from above."