Earthly Wisdom versus Heavenly Wisdom
James 3:13-18
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Jas.3.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τις: PRON,nom,sg,m
- σοφος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- επιστημων: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- υμιν: PRON,dat,pl,2
- δειξατω: VERB,aor,act,imp,3,sg
- εκ: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- καλης: ADJ,gen,sg,f
- αναστροφης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- τα: ART,acc,pl,n
- εργα: NOUN,acc,pl,n
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- πραυτητι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- σοφιας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- James 3:17 (verbal): Uses the same cluster of ideas—‘wisdom’ characterized by meekness/gentleness and good conduct—expanding what godly wisdom looks like.
- Proverbs 11:2 (thematic): Contrasts pride and humility with the presence of wisdom; links wise status to humble behavior rather than boastful speech.
- Matthew 11:29 (thematic): Jesus’ call to learn his gentleness and lowliness parallels James’ emphasis that true wisdom is shown in meek, humble conduct.
- Philippians 2:3-4 (thematic): Exhorts humility and putting others first—practical ethical attitudes that manifest a Christlike, wise character consistent with James’ demand for meek works.
Alternative generated candidates
- Who among you is wise and understanding, my brothers? Let him show by good conduct his works in the meekness of wisdom.
- Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct his works in the meekness of wisdom.
Jas.3.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- δε: CONJ
- ζηλον: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- πικρον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- εχετε: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- εριθειαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- καρδια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- υμων: PRON,gen,pl,2
- μη: PART
- κατακαυχασθε: VERB,pres,mid,imper,2,pl
- και: CONJ
- ψευδεσθε: VERB,pres,mid,imper,2,pl
- κατα: PREP
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- αληθειας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
Parallels
- 1 Corinthians 3:3 (verbal): Uses the same terms—envying (ζῆλος) and strife/selfish ambition (ἐριθεία)—and links them to carnality and divisiveness, directly paralleling James' charge.
- Galatians 5:19-21 (verbal): Lists works of the flesh including jealousy/envy and factions/strife (emulations, wrath), echoing James' pairing of bitter zeal/envy and quarrels.
- James 4:1-3 (thematic): Explains the root of conflicts and rivalries as inward desires and coveting—closely related to James 3's diagnosis of bitter jealousy and strife in the heart.
- Proverbs 14:30 (thematic): States that envy is corrosive to life (‘envy is rottenness to the bones’), providing a wisdom background for James' condemnation of bitter jealousy.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4 (thematic): Asserts that love ‘does not envy,’ offering an ethical contrast to the bitter envy and boasting James condemns and pointing to the proper disposition toward others.
Alternative generated candidates
- But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and do not lie against the truth.
- But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and do not lie against the truth.
Jas.3.15 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτη: PRON,dat,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- σοφια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- ανωθεν: ADV
- κατερχομενη: PART,pres,mid,nom,sg,f
- αλλα: CONJ
- επιγειος: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- ψυχικη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- δαιμονιωδης·: ADJ,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- James 3:17 (structural): Direct chapter-contrast: immediately contrasts the ‘not-from-above’ wisdom of v.15 with the qualities of heavenly wisdom (pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield) in v.17.
- 1 Corinthians 2:6-8 (thematic): Contrasts divine wisdom with the ‘wisdom of this age’ and the rulers of this age—parallels James’ opposition between heavenly wisdom and worldly/demonic wisdom.
- Galatians 5:19-21 (thematic): Lists works of the flesh (enmity, strife, jealousy, dissensions) that correspond to the destructive, earthly fruits James associates with non-heavenly wisdom (envy, strife, disorder).
- 1 Timothy 4:1 (allusion): Speaks of departure influenced by ‘deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,’ providing an explicit NT parallel for James’ characterization of certain wisdom as ‘demonic.’
Alternative generated candidates
- This wisdom does not come down from above but is earthly, natural, and demonic.
- Such 'wisdom' does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
Jas.3.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- οπου: ADV,rel
- γαρ: PART
- ζηλος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εριθεια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- εκει: ADV
- ακαταστασια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- παν: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- φαυλον: ADJ,nom,sg,n
- πραγμα: NOUN,nom,sg,n
Parallels
- Galatians 5:19-21 (thematic): Lists 'works of the flesh' including envy and strife; thematically links jealousy/ambition with moral disorder and evil practices.
- 1 Corinthians 3:3 (verbal): Paul rebukes Christians for being 'of the flesh' and having 'jealousy and strife'—verbally close and similarly connects these attitudes with unspiritual, harmful behavior.
- 2 Corinthians 12:20 (thematic): Paul fears finding 'jealousies, contentions, wraths, strifes' among the Corinthians—parallels James' association of jealousy and rivalry with disorder in the community.
- Proverbs 17:14 (thematic): Warns that the beginning of strife is like breaching waters, illustrating how quarrels (strife) lead to escalating disorder—echoes James' link between rivalry and widespread evil.
Alternative generated candidates
- For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every vile practice.
- For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every vile practice.
Jas.3.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δε: CONJ
- ανωθεν: ADV
- σοφια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- πρωτον: ADV
- μεν: PART
- αγνη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- επειτα: ADV
- ειρηνικη: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- επιεικης: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- ευπειθης: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- μεστη: ADJ,acc,sg,f
- ελεους: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- και: CONJ
- καρπων: NOUN,gen,pl,m
- αγαθων: ADJ,gen,pl,m
- αδιακριτος: ADJ,nom,sg,f
- ανυποκριτος·: ADJ,nom,sg,f
Parallels
- Galatians 5:22-23 (thematic): Both passages list virtues as the fruit of a rightly ordered life (peace, gentleness/meekness, goodness, self-control) and connect wisdom/spiritual life with moral fruit.
- Colossians 3:12-14 (thematic): Exhorts believers to put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience—virtues closely corresponding to mercy, gentleness and peacefulness in James 3:17.
- 2 Corinthians 6:6-7 (verbal): Paul speaks of conduct 'in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness'—language that closely parallels James’s terms 'pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy.'
- Romans 12:9 (verbal): Paul’s command that love be 'without hypocrisy' echoes James’s explicit 'without hypocrisy,' linking sincerity of character to true wisdom.
- Matthew 7:17-18 (thematic): Jesus’ teaching that a good tree bears good fruit parallels James’s description of heavenly wisdom as 'full of good fruits,' connecting inner disposition with outward results.
Alternative generated candidates
- But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and without hypocrisy.
- But the wisdom from above is first pure; then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
Jas.3.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- καρπος: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- δε: CONJ
- δικαιοσυνης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- εν: PREP
- ειρηνη: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- σπειρεται: VERB,pres,pass,ind,3,sg
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- ποιουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- ειρηνην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
Parallels
- Isaiah 32:17 (verbal): States that 'the work/fruit of righteousness is peace,' closely echoing James' formula linking righteousness and peace as the resulting fruit.
- Matthew 5:9 (thematic): 'Blessed are the peacemakers' parallels James' focus on those who 'make peace' as the ones who receive or sow the fruit of righteousness.
- Proverbs 11:18 (verbal): Uses the sowing imagery—'He who sows righteousness has a sure reward'—which corresponds to James' language of righteousness being 'sown'.
- Romans 14:17 (thematic): Describes the kingdom as 'righteousness and peace,' linking righteousness and peace as complementary moral outcomes as in James 3:18.
- Psalm 85:10 (thematic): Declares that 'righteousness and peace have kissed,' poetically uniting righteousness and peace in the way James pairs them as outcome and context.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
- And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Who then is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct his works in the meekness of wisdom, my brothers. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and do not lie against the truth.
For that wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
For where envy and selfish ambition are, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.