ACC ~ James 3 v12

MIXING HUMAN AND DIVINE THINGS. ANDREAS: For being power-hungry and filled with the wisdom of the world, they preached with the force and zeal of orthodox teachers, gathering a crowd with no trouble at all and deceiving them, mixing human things with the divine, so that the hearers might be dazzled by the newness of what was being said. That is how heresy arose. But James forbids that kind of teaching and whatever comes from a wisdom which is not divine but diabolical. He said all this in order to praise good teaching, the wisdom which comes from humility in words and in useful deeds. CATENA.

THE HEART AND THE TONGUE. BEDE: It is clear from this that a heart which is not right with God cannot bring forth the words or the works of righteousness. On the contrary, if the heart is wicked, everything it says and does will be wicked also. CONCERNING THE EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES.

TRUE WISDOM JAMES 3:13-18

OVERVIEW: James picks up the theme of wisdom from the first chapter and discusses it in greater detail here. True wisdom is a gift of God, and therefore it reflects his character. By your humble and wise actions show who you are (BEDE). People who boast or who display signs of jealousy and selfishness do not have God’s wisdom but a false imitation that comes from the world, the flesh and the devil. This false wisdom is a lie that leads to every kind of evil practice, and Christians must do their utmost to avoid it. God’s wisdom has many important features, but it is most noticeable when it brings peace within and among believers. Bitterness and jealousy are demonically conceived (CASSIODORUS) and taint everything they touch (BEDE). As long as the soul seeks earthly glory, it is deprived of spiritual grace (BEDE). As filth blinds, so does ambition (CHRYSOSTOM). Gracious wisdom, born of pure thoughts (BEDE), comes from above, not from our power (AUGUSTINE). Having labored in this world, rejoice in the harvest of righteousness in the world to come (ORIGEN). Those who desire peace sow the earth with the best seed and by their daily actions gain an increase that entitles them to inherit the fruits of righteousness in eternal life (BEDE).

Jas