The Untamable Tongue

Our words, James tells us, can direct the course of our lives and others’ lives, and they also have incredible power to destroy (James 3:1–6). It follows from this that we should strive to keep our tongues under control. Yet this is not as easy as it seems, as we see in today’s passage.

James 3:7–8 emphasizes the difficulty of reining in our tongues by contrasting what humans have accomplished in the animal kingdom with the unruly nature of the tongue. In so doing, the passage alludes to biblical truths first given all the way back in Genesis 1. First, note that James 3:7 says that “every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind.” This fourfold division of the animal kingdom first appears in Genesis 1:26, where mankind is given dominion over “the fish of the sea [the sea creatures of James 3:7] and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock [the birds and beasts of James 3:7] . . . and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth [the reptiles of James 3:7].” When God made human beings, He set them over creation and commissioned them to bring the animals into submission for the good of people. James’ point is that human beings have largely fulfilled and are continuing to fulfill this task. He does not mean that we have actually tamed all living creatures but that we have been able to rule the earth, however imperfectly.

On the other hand, we have not been able to control our tongues as effectively. In fact, our tongues are restless evils and “full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). There may be a subtle allusion to a snake here, especially one poised to strike, recalling the serpent in Eden and the first sins of speech in human history (Gen. 3:1–5). In any case, James reminds us that fully taming the tongue cannot be accomplished, at least not by our own efforts. Mankind can tame the animals without outside help, but we need the aid of the Holy Spirit to control our tongues. Matthew Henry comments: “The apostle does not intend to represent [taming the tongue] as a thing impossible, but as a thing extremely difficult, which therefore will require great watchfulness, and pains, and prayer, to keep it in due order. . . . Not only does it need to be watched, and guarded, and governed, as much as an unruly beast, or a hurtful and poisonous creature, but much more care and pains will be needful to prevent the mischievous outbreakings and effects of the tongue.”