ACC ~ James 3 v5

THE TONGUE AND THE BODY. DIDYMUS THE BLIND: In attacking what they say, James singles out the tongue, which is the instrument of speech. But since their thoughts are present in the body as a whole, it ought to be understood that his remarks apply to the entire body. COMMENTARY ON JAMES.

THE TONGUE KNOWS GREAT GOOD AND GREAT EVIL. JEROME: The sword kills the body, but the tongue kills the soul. The tongue knows no moderation—either it is a great good or it is a great evil. It is a great good when it acknowledges that Christ is God, and a great evil when it denies that. Let no one deceive himself into thinking that he has never sinned, for if I have sinned, it is with my tongue. What more monstrous sin is there than blasphemy against God? The devil did not fall because he committed theft, murder or adultery; he fell because of his tongue. He said: “I will scale the heavens; above the stars I will set up my throne, I will be like the most high.” SERMONS 41.

THE MISERY OF THE TONGUE. JEROME: The more the tongue has sinned, the more it is miserable. SERMONS 86.

THE VARIABLE CAPACITY OF THE TONGUE. BEDE: The tongue can indeed boast of great things if it is properly controlled. But if the tongue is evil it will only be able to boast of evil things, which are not great at all. CONCERNING THE EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES.

Jas