Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

the whole body. As a fire it does not leave anything untouched. In its wake it
leaves everything scorched, a scorched earth and a scorched history. One
needs only to look at false religions that have destroyed the human soul as
well as false ideologies that have destroyed human life on a world-wide scale,
to recognize the havoc produced by the human tongue (and by the “pen” as its
modern extension)!
In terms of its destructive impact it relegates nuclear devices to the kindergarten
of life. In the words of an 18 th Century writer, “It diffuses error,
kindles strife, inflames the passions, stimulates to vice, and originates crime.
It breaks hearts, embitters families, distracts communities, divides and destroys
churches” (J. Adam, as quoted in Johnstone, 254; see also Keddie, 132;
Cranfield, 344, with reference to “the confusion and ruin caused by false
teachings in the Church, blind hatreds and unreasoning prejudices produced
by demagogy and propaganda, (and) the moral havoc spread by corrupt suggestion”).
It displays its destructive influence in every phase and sphere of
life. It affects the young, the old and everyone in between, during the week,
on the weekend, at work or on vacation, at home, on the road or in the air. It
affects politics, agriculture, industry, business, education, in short, in the
length and breadth of life.
However, the tongue is not only “defiling” in its operation and destructive
in its impact it is ultimately devilish in its root (Phillips, 102-106). The
origin of that “fire” is to be traced back to hell (Gehenna!) itself (Mt. 5:22,
29; 13:42; 18:8; 25:41; Mk. 9:43-45; Lk. 12:5; Rev. 14:10; 20:10, 15). While
hell is mostly described as the place of eternal punishment, it is here portrayed
not as much as a “circumlocution of Satan” (with Nystrom, 173), but
rather as the headquarters of Satan, and the base of his “hellish” operations
(Mitton, 128-129). But there is an additional feature! In this context the spotlight
is specifically upon the horrifying and all-consuming flames that leap
from the fire of everlasting destruction. The tongue (James), as well as all
other “members” of the body (Paul), is fed by its never-dying flames, and
functions as their outlet, not as a well-regulated and regulating valve, but as a
towering inferno.
they scoop up water, which they disgorge again while going downward. The tongue, then, resembles
the rotator (“spil”) of such device. However, rather than serving the purpose of irrigation
with wholesome water of life, it makes it possible for an endless downward movement
into hell to sweep up hellish flames in order to spew them out going upwards, leaving massive
destruction in their wake. “Round and round” the tongue goes! The sobering fact is that no
human is able to stop its movement. It is hardly surprising that James introduces the tongue in
this context to pave the way for his emphasis upon God as the only source for victory and
prayer as the only instrument to secure it. Incidentally, this better not be the missing message
in anyone’s booklet on James. It would be to miss a golden opportunity to drive both of these
two Gospel truths home in order to destroy any and all vestiges of human pride.
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