Even so the tongue is indeed a little member and boasteth great things. Behold how small a fire kindleth a great wood.
ουτως και η γλωσσα μικρον μελος εστιν και μεγαλαυχει ιδου ολιγον πυρ ηλικην υλην αναπτει
11 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Therefore guard the tongue more than a maiden. The tongue is a royal horse. If you put a bridle in it and train it to walk steadily, the king will trust it and mount it. But if you leave it unbridled and allow it to rush and leap, it will become the chariot of the devil and the demons.
This too is said to the same purpose: the tongue must not be moved at random, but directed toward what is better.
As we restrain the impulses of a horse by a bridle and change the course of a ship by a rudder, so we must direct the tongue toward what is better.
The expression "so also the tongue" (Jas 3:5) means precisely that the tongue must be directed by sound reason.
Though it is small, it does great things. It kindles a great fire for us, because it too is a fire.
What else does it do? It adorns unrighteousness with eloquence and grace. It defiles the body by persuading women with enticements.
Through temptation it commits murders. Through perjuries it appropriates what belongs to another. It sets on fire the course of Gehenna, being itself set on fire by Gehenna.
This is seen in the rich man suffering in the flame (Lk 16:24). Thus the tongue, scorching the course of life, defiles life.
Life is a course in that it turns within itself. "So also" means that the tongue too should move in the same way, under rational direction.
It is a small member, yet it does much, both evil and good. "Boasts great things" is said instead of "produces great deeds."
A sword pierces the body, but not the soul. The tongue pierces the soul.
The tongue has no middle course: it is either a great evil or a great good. A great good is to confess Christ as God. A great evil is to deny Christ as God.
Therefore let no one think or say: I have not committed great sins. If I sinned, I sinned with the tongue.
What sin is greater than blasphemy? Why did the devil fall? Did he steal? Did he kill? Did he commit adultery?
All these are terrible sins, but the devil did not fall because of them. His tongue brought him down.
What did he say? "I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will be like the Most High" (Is 14:13-14).
The tongue accomplishes much if the soul governs it well, as with Solomon, who possessed the gift of understanding and yet held the rudder. But when the tongue is badly restrained, it draws its master into great destruction.
"So also the tongue is a small member, and boasts great things." Theophylact and Oecumenius interpret this saying as follows: the tongue's duty is to act within the limits of right and fitting words.
So horses move properly according to the bridle, and ships according to the rudder. Though these are small, they accomplish great things.
Mitrophan interprets it this way. The bridle and the rudder, though small, boast, so to speak, and take pride over things greater than themselves.
Through these small things, huge horses and ships are governed and made useful in our life. So also the tongue is small in size, yet it "boasts great things" and takes pride before the whole human body.
It can save or slay the whole body, as many people have often been put to death through their own tongue alone. Therefore Solomon said: "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov 18:21).
"Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles." As one small spark of fire kindles a great blaze and burns a whole city or a great hill, so the tongue is the smallest member in man.
Yet it raises a great fire of many temptations and sorrows, and burns the whole body and soul.
Therefore Basil the Great spoke wisely when interpreting "Keep your tongue from evil" in Psalm 33: "The first commandment, that is, David's, is: keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
For the sin committed by the tongue is in practice very easy and manifold. Were you angry? The tongue runs ahead. Has desire mastered you?
The tongue first serves you as an interpreter and bearer, helping in sin and leading neighbors into temptation. The tongue is also a weapon of unrighteousness for you, if it speaks not from the heart, but to deceive others.
But why enumerate in words all the sins committed by the tongue? Our life is filled with falls of the tongue: shameful speech, jesting, foolish and indecent talk, gossip, idle words, false oaths, false testimonies.
All these, and a still greater number of evils, are the work of the tongue. Those who open their mouths to insult the glory of God and speak unrighteousness on high, by what other instrument do they commit this impiety, if not by the instrument of the tongue?
Therefore, since by your words you will be condemned (Mt 12:37), keep your tongue from evil. Do not make vain treasures with a lying tongue (cf. Prov 21:6)."
What a man infected with plague is, such is the slanderer. A man infected with plague harms the one who associates with him and acts incautiously. The slanderer harms the one who listens to his slander.
From an infected man the contagious disease passes to another, from the other to a third, from the third to a fourth, and so to all men, if they do not beware. Thus it happens that many thousands are infected and perish from one infected man.
So also with the slanderer. One man hears slander from him and tells another, the other tells a third, the third a fourth, and so all hear and are harmed by slander. It happens that a whole country and an entire kingdom hear and are harmed.
Some, when they hear, condemn the one about whom the slander is spread. They say, "He has done evil," or, "He is doing evil." Thus they sin gravely, seizing for themselves what belongs to Christ alone, the righteous Judge. He alone is the Judge of all.
Others are incited to the same lawless deed. What they hear, they also do. In all this destructive evil the slanderer is guilty, the sower of evil.
So you see, Christian, what a destructive evil slander is. Yet today’s Christians take comfort and delight in nothing so much as slander.
What is now on the lips of people gathered together? Now one name is carried about, now another. What do they speak of most? Now of one poor sinner, now of another.
One speaks about one person, another about another, a third about a third. Thus there are as many sins and iniquities in the gathering as there are words. The cause of all this evil is the slanderer, from whom the slander began.
The slanderer harms the one whom he slanders, for with his tongue he wounds him as with a sword. He tears his reputation as a dog tears clothing with its teeth, saying, "He does this and that."
He also harms himself, for he sins gravely. He harms those who hear his slander, for he gives them occasion for slander and condemnation. Thus he brings them into the same lawless deed in which he himself stands.
As from one infected man many people are infected in body and perish, so from one slanderer, the originator of slander, many Christian souls are infected and perish.
O unbridled tongue! How much evil you do to the world! As the wind spreads a fire through a whole city or village, so the unbridled tongue carries every evil through the whole kingdom and the whole world.
One slanderer has learned it, and all already know. One has said it, and all are speaking. Truly, it is better to fall a hundred times with the feet than with the tongue.
"The tongue is a little member, but it does much evil" (Jas 3:5-6). It is enclosed by a double fence, that is, by the teeth and the lips. Yet it breaks out and leaps forth very easily.
Christian, beware of the slanderer, as you fear a man infected with plague, lest you be infected by him and perish yourself.
Slanderers usually investigate the affairs of men, saying, "What is this one doing, and what is that one doing?" Having investigated, they spread slander. They know one another and come together, asking each other now about this person, now about that.
Then, having learned, they scatter slander. Beware of such people as of lepers. Beware also of investigating the sins of others, lest you judge and slander your neighbor.
The investigation and knowledge of another’s sins is the beginning of condemnation and slander. Turn your eyes away from your neighbor and turn them upon yourself.
Examine and know your own sins, and cleanse them by true repentance and faith. This is the Christian work to which you have been called by Christ. Strive by every means to guard your tongue, and you will avoid many sins.
So also the human tongue is a small member, like the bits and the rudder, yet it does much. More precisely, it has great significance.
The Greek word μεγαλαυχεῖν does not mean deed or action. It contains the notion of boasting and is used in a bad sense.
Here this word is contrasted with the word "small," as in "a small member." It is small, yet it has important significance.
With this saying the Apostle passes to a depiction of the destructive significance and ruinous power of this small member.
Here "tongue" is used in place of "word." It is not the tongue as the natural organ of speech, but the word uttered by the tongue.
A word has significance insofar as it is the expression of thought. A word in itself is an empty sound. Thought gives it meaning and significance.
Here the significance of the tongue is indicated by comparing it with a ship's rudder and with a small fire that burns much.
These comparisons define the significance of the tongue with the greatest accuracy. It is truly small, like a ship's rudder, yet it governs much.
Like fire, it often stirs and inflames both the speaker himself, with hot and inflammatory speeches, and others as well.
This fire is often so destructive and evil that it ruins the whole fortress of our body. It disturbs the peace, calm, and purity of spirit of many people.
The ruling and free position of the tongue in our organism, and the influence of evil power upon it, make it a very fearful source of evil (cf. Jas 3:6; Mt 15:11, 18).
This is all the more so because it can adorn evil, appearing as flattery and that captivating eloquence which distinguishes uncalled teachers and all kinds of deceivers (cf. Ps 140:4).
Yes, an evil tongue is our enemy. It can serve sin in every respect.
As terrible disasters can occur when an axle in a wheel catches fire, so through the evil speech of our tongue dreadful calamities can occur throughout the whole course of our life.
One of our interpreters sees in the words "adornment of unrighteousness" an indication of a whole world, an immeasurable abyss of unrighteousness, to which a lying and flattering tongue leads.
Empty piety, which goes no farther than words, often shows itself in a desire to teach others how to live.
Exposing this passion for teaching, the Apostle explains in chapter 3 of the Epistle the immense significance of speech in life. He also explains the great moral responsibility that rests upon the teacher.
Therefore one must undertake the ministry of a teacher of life with caution. "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive greater condemnation. For we all stumble in many things.
If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body" (vv. 1-2).
The Apostle James explains the significance of the tongue, as the organ of speech, in human life by comparing it with bits, a rudder, and fire.
In a man's hands, small bits make a strong and spirited horse obey. A small rudder gives direction to a huge ship, despite the opposition of strong winds.
So too the tongue is a small member, yet it does much. "See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, an adornment of unrighteousness. It defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of life" (vv. 5-6).
If your faith remains "without works" and therefore "is dead" (Jas 2:20), then the sacrifice of your spirit is not living.
If you speak grandly about rebirth, contemplation, and mystery, yet do not care for the fulfillment of God's commandments, and do not act according to the ordinances of Mother Church as befits a son of obedience, then you think you worship God in spirit, but you do not worship Him in truth.
If your works are not ensouled by faith, then the blood of Christ does not "cleanse your conscience from dead," or death-dealing lawless "works" (Heb 9:14).
If, even in the subtle, pure forms most proper to spiritual worship of God, with which Christianity clothes it, you draw no spirit and power for yourself, then the sacrifice of your body is not living.
You offer incense, but do not offer prayer. You light a candle, but do not burn in spirit. You hear divine wisdom in the Church's reading and singing, but do not sing to the Lord in your heart.
You bow with the body, but are not contrite in spirit. You have only "the form of piety," for which the Jews were rejected, and not its "power" (2 Tim 3:5), by which Christians are saved.
Whoever brings into the holy temple of God a heart weighed down with gluttony and drunkenness, flesh with untamed passions, lying lips, and a wounding tongue, wishes to offer an unclean animal or a serpent as a sacrifice instead of a lamb or dove.
According to the Evreinov collection: whoever brings lips filled with the soul's poison of wickedness and malice wishes to offer a swine, a horse neighing wildly, or an asp as a sacrifice instead of a lamb or dove.
Whoever limps on both knees, inclining now toward God and now toward the world, standing firm in one virtue but wavering or carelessly falling in another, offers a lame thing in sacrifice.
Whoever does not strive to advance in the knowledge of the Son of God and His saving teaching, and thinks to please God haphazardly, offers a blind thing in sacrifice.
Whoever imagines that he serves God, but secretly seeks his own advantage or human glory in it, sacrilegiously serves himself and men. He does not offer sacrifice to God.
As all such sacrifices cannot be called holy, so they cannot be pleasing to God.
In reproving the speech of those who talk much, James censures the tongue because speech uses it and chatters about many empty things. Since these things are present in this very body, the same must therefore be understood of the whole body.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS