ACC ~ James 3 v1b

LET WORDS AND DEEDS CORRESPOND. CHRYSOSTOM: Teaching without setting an example is not only worthless but also brings great punishment and judgment on the one who leads his life with such heedlessness, throwing out the pride of those who do not want to practice what they preach. So reject the teaching of those who teach without setting an example and pass judgment on them. Yet if there is no contradiction between what he says and what he does, and he is able to control his entire body, then do not condemn him. For if he teaches such things and surrounds the right words of his faith with outstanding deeds corresponding to it, it is clear that he is fully in charge of his body and has no love for the things of the world. CATENA.

MORE SEVERE JUDGMENT. OECUMENIUS: If a person does not practice what he preaches, he will be judged more severely, since his teaching has borne no fruit. For such a person is condemned along with the one who has sinned with his tongue. COMMENTARY ON JAMES.

THE UNDERLYING TEXT. BEDE: James indicates that judgment which was pronounced long ago [in Psalm 50:16-17]. ON THE TABERNACLE AND ITS VESSELS 3.1.95.

OVEREAGERNESS TO TEACH. BEDE: In the days of the apostles there were many who were eager to go out preaching the Word of God but who lacked proper instruction. One of them was Apollos, who preached Christ perfectly well but who for some reason knew only the baptism of John. But because he was a wise person, it was not long before a teacher appeared and led him into greater truth, which he readily accepted and thus became even better at his preaching task. There were others who were much less skilled who went to Antioch from Judea and told people there that they had to be circumcised according to the law of Moses if they wanted to be saved, a message which gave orthodox preachers no little trouble. It is this second kind of teacher that James wants to remove from office, so that they will not be a hindrance to those who are trying to preach the gospel in the right way. For just as someone who serves well obtains a good report, so someone who tries to usurp the right to teach when he is not prepared to do so deserves greater punishment than the one he would have received if he had kept his wickedness to himself. CONCERNING THE EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES.

Jas