16—Forty Days with James: The Tongue of the Teacher

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.James 3:1-2What is the context of James's warning?James is the most influential person in the Jerusalem church. 3:1 applies to him.What’s the leadership model in the communities James is addressing? Teachers & elders (3:1; 5:16)—no mention in this epistle of prophets, evangelists, or other leadership roles involving speaking. Actually, there seem to be multiple models of church governance in the New Testament:Antioch – prophets, teachers, and probably elders (13:1; implied by 14:23).Corinth – teachers and prophets—apostles also mentioned, in the gift lists, though no evidence they were present in Corinth—(1 Cor 12:28).Ephesus – elders (shepherds), deacons (servants), teachers, evangelists (at least Timothy), and possiblyprophets (Eph 2:20; 3:5; 4:11). 1 Tim 3:1-7.Jerusalem – apostles, elders (Acts 15:22).Philippi – shepherds, deacons (servants) (Phil 1:1).Rome – teachers and prophets, a collaborative model (Rom 12:6-8).Evangelists show up only in the Ephesian "model," though I presume that they were mobile, planting churches, exposed to danger in a variety of situations. In Acts 20:17 Paul called for the elders, who appear to be the church leaders. No evangelist as "senior pastor" (as among many Protestant churches). Let's not get bogged down with titles and definitions. The N.T. seems to indicate that church governance is an area of freedom.In speaking of the tongue of the teachers, in other words, James is almost certainly referring to church leaders. To those who speak, teach, influence the body of Christ.Unfit teachers troubled many first-century churches (Acts, 2 Cor, Col, 1-2 Tim, Titus, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, Jude).It seems unfit teachers were also a negative influence among the communities James oversaw.For suggested criteria for anyone serving as a congregational teacher, please click here.And so it is today.People want to be teachers but they don’t know what they’re talking about (1 Tim).People have wrong motives—e.g. seeking to undermine legitimate leadership (2 Cor; Phil 1).Their doctrines are spiritually unhealthy. (Ways of approaching spiritual life, as opposed to misinterpretations of isolated scriptures.)Some seek popularity / a following, or to be accepted by the world (thus giving in to liberal sexual ethics or worldly politics).Many presume to speak authoritatively in areas they have never properly studied. (I often ask, when people approach me with a new idea, what they have studied… and to cite their sources…)Some are attracted to novelty for the sake of novelty.Biblical integrity means:Respect context—not just choosing isolated words or phrases that seem to say what we want them to say, or what we expected. Reading the paragraph in which those words appear, in light of the entire book of the Bible in which they are found.Message preparation—starting with the text, not adding scriptures in at the end to fortify inspirational messages.Teaching or preaching Scripture's agenda, not our own.Learning and applying all of scripture: no mere lip-service to 2 Tim 3:16-17.Training‚ and continuing education for ministers of the gospel!This task requires prophetic courage.Jas 3:1-2 applies not only to leaders / speakers, however, but to us all.All of us sin with the tongue!The “perfect man” isn’t sinless. Don’t despair. Teleios = completeness and maturity. Holiness.All of Jas 3 is about the tongue, so let’s seek connections with other passages throughout James. There are many!Next: The Rudder