King James Version
What Does James 3:5 Mean?
“Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! a matter: or, wood”
Context
3
Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth .
5
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! a matter: or, wood
6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. course: Gr. wheel
7
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind : kind: Gr. nature mankind: Gr. nature of man
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(5) **Even so . . .**—*Thus*, like the tiny rudder of the mighty ship, whereon its course most critically depends—*the tongue is a little member;* for it “vaunts great words which bring about great acts of mischief.” The verb translated *boasteth* is peculiar to this place, but occurs so often in the works of Philo that we may be almost certain St. James had read them. And many other verses of our Epistle suggests his knowledge of this famous Alexandrian Jew.
**Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!**—It would be more in the spirit and temper of this imaginative passage to render it, “Behold, how great a *forest* a little spark kindleth!” Thus it is expressed in the Latin Vulgate; and note our own margin, “wood.” The image constantly recurs in poetry, ancient and modern; and in the writer’s mind there seems to have been the picture “of the wrapping of some vast forest in a flame, by the falling of a single spark,” and this in illustration of the far-reaching mischief resulting from a single cause. (Comp. Ecclesiasticus 28:10.)
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of James. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
James 3:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to James 3:5
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge