Articles
Are You Wise?
“Who among you is wise and understanding?” (James 3:13a). On what basis do we answer this question? Often we relate someone’s wisdom to what he knows. That is important, but James says the real answer is in our behavior, our application of knowledge (vv. 13b-17). “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.”
In this section James may still have teachers in mind (cf. v. 1), but his remarks are appropriate for anyone who may think he has superior understanding or judgment. Wisdom is shown in good behavior, in deeds done in meekness, “a healthy understanding of our own unworthiness before God and a corresponding humility and lack of pride in our dealings with our fellow-men” (Moo). Anyone who teaches or in any other way acts from a heart of jealousy or selfish ambition is not wise, regardless of his claims. His bad attitudes make his claim of wisdom a lie against the truth. He may be wise in one sense, but it is the wrong kind of wisdom.
James contrasts the two kinds of wisdom. One is earthly, both in its outlook and its source; it is natural or sensual, making human feelings and reasoning supreme; and it is demonic, its real source! The other wisdom is from above, from God (1:5).
Earthly wisdom is jealous and ambitious, and often arrogant. It says, “Promote yourself and your ideas.” In so doing it doesn’t mind at all creating an uproar. Heavenly wisdom operates much differently. It is pure, always leading to purity of life. It is peaceable—not to the point of compromising truth, but operating peaceably as much as possible. It is gentle and reasonable. It is full of mercy and good works; it does not merely talk about doing good, it does good. It is unwavering. That may mean it is stable, unlike ever-shifting worldly thinking, or the idea may be consistency in application, “impartial” (NIV). It is without hypocrisy.
To no one’s surprise, these opposite kinds of wisdom produce opposite outcomes. Earthly wisdom results in disorder and evil deeds. One example is the Corinthian church’s assemblies, where brethren were making a display of their gifts (1 Corinthians 14, esp. v. 40). Heavenly wisdom, on the other hand, results in peace. “And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (v. 18).
