James 1:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

So too blessed David commands: "Be angry, and do not sin" (Ps 4:5). That is, do not be quick to anger, and do not fall from anger into frenzy.

The present commandment about words and anger is similar, especially about anger which, when allowed to reach irrationality, deprives one of the righteousness of God.

Therefore the Apostle says, "The anger of man does not work the righteousness of God" (v. 20).

This probably refers to Saint Arsenius.

While being taught, let him with all circumspection restrain his tongue, not only from idle speech, but also from preaching the very truth he has learned.

For this reason Solomon says in Scripture, distinguishing the times: "A time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Eccl 3:7).

For this reason the Pythagoreans, who direct instruction in natural science, appoint their disciples to keep silence for five years. Only then do they admit them to preaching.

For it is safer to hear the truth than to preach it. In hearing, humility is preserved. In preaching, it is scarcely possible that at least some small portion of vainglory should not creep into a man.

For this reason Jeremiah, describing the life of a well-instructed youth, counts prudent silence among the chief exercises of virtue. He says, "It is good for a man when he bears the yoke in his youth. He will sit alone and keep silence" (Lam 3:27-28).

And slow to anger. Perfect wisdom is acquired only in tranquility of spirit. For it is written: "Anger rests in the bosom of a fool" (Eccl 7:9).

The Apostle censures swiftness to anger, not in order to approve slowness to anger as a goal. Rather, he counsels us to be watchful, lest anger creep into us amid disturbance of soul and disputes.

And if anger does enter, let us restrain its assault within the enclosure of the lips. Then, when the danger has passed, let us remove it from our heart in good time, so that we may more easily return to our former state.

This also is true: the Apostle instructs us to be slow to anger, so that, without evident cause, on any occasion whatever, we do not turn a calm face into a gloomy one.

If, for example, we see that our neighbors, especially those entrusted to us, cannot be corrected otherwise, then let us show them severity in word, or even in sterner rebuke.

Yet let us remember that a man bears much with submission when we remain in a calm state of soul.

As I know, Phinehas, Samuel, Elijah, and Peter were slow to anger. Yet they put sinners to death, some by the sword and some by a word.

Even Moses, though he was the meekest of men, went out from Pharaoh exceedingly angry when he saw his stubbornness. He threatened him with the punishment that he afterward brought upon him.

Therefore, for divine instruction and soul-profiting words, he commands Christians to show quickness, readiness, and obedience. But in dangerous and harmful matters, he commands them to be slow.

For someone to speak and become angry, or to speak in fury, will not have a good end. For this reason one God-wise Father said that the man who spoke much repented of it, but the one who kept silent did not regret it.

Blessed David also said, “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ps 4:5). That is, if it happens that you become angry, brothers, do not take vengeance.

The brother of the Lord agrees with these words of David concerning anger. A man must slow these movements and must not take vengeance at all.

The wise Mitrophan interprets this saying as follows: “Let every man be swift to hear, but slow to speak.

Let him hasten his hearing toward the one speaking and calling, while setting a guard over his mouth and a door of enclosure. Let him say nothing improper or unprofitable.

Rather, with much examination and discernment, let him always say what is fitting, for the edification and benefit of those who hear.”

As the saying in Proverbs declares, “He who answers a word before hearing, it is folly and reproach to him” (Prov 18:13).

Again, “Uncovered lips create disorder” (Prov 26:28). And again, “By the sin of the lips the sinner falls into snares” (Prov 12:13).

The divine Paul says, “Let no corrupt word proceed from your mouth, but only what is for the edification of faith” (Eph 4:29).

Observe, beloved, that the divine James did not say, “Let every man be absolutely silent,” but “slow to speak.” That is, let him speak, but let him not hurry to do so.

Let him speak with discernment, saying the words that are fitting and when they are fitting.

Likewise, he did not say, “Let every man be absolutely without anger.” Let him be angry, though it is better not to hurry even in this, at sin and at the devil.

This teaching of the Apostle agrees with the teaching of the Lord, Who forbade irrational anger and did not bless it, saying, “Whoever is angry with his brother without cause” (Mt 5:22).

We will speak further about this in the footnote to “for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God.”

For this reason Abba Nistheros also said to Abba Joseph when he questioned him: “If you happen to converse with someone, listen more than you speak.”

One wise man said that nature gave us two ears and one tongue for this reason: that from this man might learn to listen more and speak less.

It is not without reason that Proverbs says, “By much speaking you will not escape sin” (Prov 10:19).

According to Ecclesiastes, the one who speaks much shows ignorance: “The fool multiplies words” (Eccl 10:14).

One of the outsiders, Sextus Empiricus, also said: “An unconsidered word and thoughtless anger do no good.”

Saint John of Carpathos also cites this saying of the brother of God, saying: “Even one unkind word barred Moses from entering the promised land.

Let us therefore not consider sickness of the tongue a small disease. For those who speak evil and vain words shut the Kingdom of Heaven against themselves.

A certain wise man rightly said that it is better to fall from a height to the ground than by the tongue. Therefore we ought to obey Saint James, who writes: ‘Let every man be swift to hear and slow to speak.’”

Basil the Great also said: “Since our nature has need of hearing the word, accordingly we have two ears and one tongue” (On Virginity).

In the eyes of the just God, such anger is unjust. This last point is clear in itself. The manifestation of anger in a man first of all witnesses to his lack of love for his neighbor.

For true love is not provoked, thinks no evil, endures all things, and covers all things (1 Cor 13:5-7).

Second, even in cases when a man has the right to be angry with another, seeing his improper conduct or suffering insults from him, prudence requires caution and restraint in the expressions of lawful anger against the guilty person.

This applies, for example, when a father sees his son acting wrongly, an authority his subordinate, or a teacher his pupil, or when someone does not fulfill lawful requirements.

On this matter the Apostle expresses himself thus: "Let every man be slow to anger" (v. 19).

Another Apostle expresses the same thought still more clearly when he counsels Christians: "Be angry, and do not sin" (Eph 4:26; compare Ps 4:5).

As for insults, which most often arouse a man's anger against offenders, a Christian must not avenge himself for them. He must give place to the wrath of God.

For it is written: "Vengeance is Mine, and I will repay, says the Lord" (Rom 12:19; Deut 32:35).

A beautiful example of how apparently just anger can sometimes make a man unjust toward his neighbor is given to us in the parable of the prodigal son.

There it is told how the elder son is angry over what seems to him the father's unjust merciful attitude toward the repentant and returning son.

Proceeding from one-sided ideas about the established lawful relations between himself and the father, he was unable to weigh the force and degree of the sinful brother's repentance.

Nor was he able to understand the whole depth of the father's joy over the return of the one who was perishing.

He forgot that precisely this return of the sinner to the right path makes every anger against him unnecessary and unjust.

He also forgot that it was fitting to make merry and rejoice, because this brother of his was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found (Lk 15:28-32).

By slowness to speak, as may be concluded from comparison with Jas 3:1-2 and what follows, the Apostle means caution about teaching and the bridling of the tongue.

By slowness to anger he means restraint from contentiousness and quarrelsomeness, against which he also warns later (Jas 3:14 and following).

Perhaps, in giving this instruction, the Apostle also had in view the well-known admonition of the Old Testament wise man, and reminded his Hebrew readers of it: "Be swift in your hearing, and with patience give answer" (Sir 5:13).

To these, in fact, the holy Apostle James wrote his epistle. They reviled their opponents for this resistance and for the persecutions they suffered from them.

It is precisely these outbursts of fanaticism and intolerance that the holy Apostle James evidently wishes to heal by the words cited above.

Earlier he showed, on the one hand, that good-hearted and joyful endurance in temptations and calamities is the direct and best mark of true Christians.

On the other hand, he showed that the highest good which Christians joyfully possess is the word of Gospel truth that has regenerated them.

From this the holy Apostle naturally draws the following two edifying conclusions, or moral lessons.

If the word of Gospel truth serves for the regeneration of men, then let every man be swift to hear this word. This is the first consequence.

But what if the preached Gospel word is not only stubbornly rejected, but also provokes persecution and grievous insults? Then let no one give himself over to obstinacy.

In this case, let every man be slow to speak and slow to anger. This is the second consequence.

"For the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God," the Apostle adds. This means that even if one were to contend for the word of God with anger and violence, it would still not constitute God's righteousness.

That is, it would not prove to be a righteous and pleasing deed before the eyes of God.

By contrast, the word of truth, received with meekness, can lead to salvation. This happens if they keep it in a good and pure heart and bear fruit with patience, as Jesus Christ Himself said in the well-known parable of the sower (see Lk 8:15).

However strong the impulses of anger may be in your soul, do not be carried away by them. Do not hasten to express them in words. Give yourself time to grow calm.

You will not repent of this. But if you do not restrain the impulses of anger, you will say much that is rash. You will repent of it, perhaps too late.