The Epistle of James
Part 12
In our lesson for today, James addresses and contrasts two different kinds of "wisdom". There is earthly wisdom and there is the wisdom that comes from above, as we have seen since the beginning of his epistle, James continues to admonish believers to make wise choices in their lives…to be sure their actions reflect what they believe so that they do not blaspheme the fair name by which (they) have been called. (James 2:7 NASB95)
Both Scripture and ancient philosophers placed a premium on wisdom, which, broadly defined, is not simply a matter of possessing factual knowledge but of properly and effectively applying truth to everyday life. Solomon wrote, Acquire wisdom; and with all your acquiring, get understanding (Proverbs 4:7). Some nine hundred years later, the first-century b.c. Roman philosopher Cicero stated that wisdom is "the best gift of the gods" and is "the mother of all good things." Both men considered wisdom to be the highest and most noble and valuable of all possessions. But it was the Hebrews who clearly understood that true wisdom was not intellectual, but behavioral. Thus, the biggest fool was one who knew truth and failed to apply it. To the Jews, wisdom was skill in living righteously.
In order to make my next point, I want to take you back to a paragraph from our introduction to James:
I still think those were valid assumptions, but as we come to the end of chapter 3 today, I have thought of another possible theme for the Epistle: Actions speak louder than words!
Did you notice the phrase valid assumptions? The quality of our assumptions invariably determines the quality of our conclusions. Valid assumptions lead to valid conclusions. Invalid assumptions lead to invalid conclusions! The negative side of this concept has been rather cleverly described by partitioning assume into three words: ass, u, and me. The idea being that if I make a foolish assumption, it will make an ass (foolish person) out of both you and me.
Nowhere is this truer than in Bible study. Differences in interpretations invariably arise from differences in assumptions…if everybody came to "the Book" with the same assumptions, there would be greater agreement on "what the Book says"! How do we reconcile this? We don’t! Not until all the invalid assumptions have been removed will there be unity of thought…not until God removes all the deceptions will there be unity on the truth.
Why does God allow different assumptions?
Without different assumptions, different scenarios would not exist. Now, my assumption is that God created this world to demonstrate that every possible scenario of trying to exist without dependence upon God would end in disaster…utter failure…death. God has to allow invalid assumptions for the demonstration to work. When the invalid assumptions have worked themselves out completely, God will remove the scales from our eyes and for the first time, we will all see the truth. Until then, let’s give each other the liberty of being led by the Spirit.
Let’s look at the verses we will be discussing:
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:13-18 NASB95)
What are the characteristics of earthly "wisdom"?
What are the characteristics of the wisdom that "comes from above"?
How does James say a believer can obtain this "wisdom from above" and avoid earthly wisdom?
In our verses for today, James does not give any method for obtaining the right kind of wisdom…he seems content to contrast the two types of wisdom while obviously showing the advantages and encouraging his hearers to seek the "wisdom from above".
Later in the Epistle there is a "mixed bag" of possible approaches, again depending upon assumptions. If you start, as our pastor Wayne would, with the assumption that "the Christ life" is everywhere in James, verses like: Submit therefore to God…(James 4:7 NASB95); Draw near to God… (James 4:8 NASB95); and Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord… (James 4:10 NASB95) will seem to fit with your assumption: James understands that it is only by allowing Jesus to be Jesus in the believer that any true behavioral change will occur.
If you start with the assumption that James is basically approaching the Christian life from an Old Covenant perspective, those same texts will seem to support the Nike approach: Just Do It! That assumption will be reinforced by focusing on the last part of these verses: Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7 NASB95); Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8 NASB95); Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you (James 4:10 NASB95). These verses can be understood to say, "If you will respond in humble obedience, God will exalt you." All three of these verses, when taken in their entirety, seem "egocentric" and support the Old Covenant assumption.
How do you reconcile the last verse in our lesson today, And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace, with these words of Jesus: Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:34 NASB95)
In the Greek, verse 18 literally says, and the fruit of the righteousness in peace is sown to those making peace. The NASB95 adds the words seed whose because they fit with the idea of being sown. I believe James is simply saying that among believers, those who live peacefully, will experience generally peaceful responses from other believers.
In my Bible, these words of Jesus are found under the heading, The Meaning of Discipleship…here’s the context:
Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39 NASB95)
I believe that Jesus is saying that people in general, but families especially, will be divided over Him…some will believe, others will not…that is, not initially. Of course, most of you now know that I believe (contrary to Hoffmantown's stated position) everybody will eventually believe. When all the invalid assumptions are finally removed, we will all see the truth and before the last of the "ages" in time have ended, everyone will have responded to God’s call: Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness and will not turn back, that to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. They will say of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’ Men will come to Him, and all who were angry at Him will be put to shame. (Isaiah 45:22-24 NASB95)