02.03. Chapter 3 - Verse 01

James 3:1. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

Here the apostle diverteth to another matter, reinforcing what he had said in the first chapter of the evil of the tongue; however, this discourse is with good reason subjoined to the former. Those that vainly boast of their own faith are most apt to censure others; and they that pretend to religion are wont to take the greatest liberty in rigid and bitter reflections upon the errors of their brethren. My brethren.—The compellation, though familiar and usual to our apostle, hath here a special emphasis. (1.) Good men are many times surprised, and usurp too great a liberty over the failings of others. (2.) He would not deal too rigidly himself, and therefore tempereth his reproof with sweetness. (3.) The title carrieth the force of an argument; brethren should not affect a mastership over each other. Be not many masters.—What is the meaning? The word master hath divers significations. Sometimes it is taken for an absoluteness of power and authority in the church: thus Christ alone is a master, Matthew 23:10; his word is a law; his will is authentic. Sometimes it is taken for a subordinate teaching and opening the counsels of God; and those who do so by way of office are called ‘masters in Israel,’ John 3:10; and so some take it in this place, and make the sense of the apostle’s dissuasive to be, that every one should not easily or unlawfully invade the office of public teaching. And the reason, ‘knowing that we shall receive,’ &c., they open thus: because God requireth more of them that are teachers than of others, and so by rash entering into the office they run the hazard of the greater judgment. But the context will not bear this sense, the bent and drift of it being against the ill use of the tongue; and the reason annexed will not gratify it without much straining; and the scripture saith, that for not reproving and warning we draw the greater judgment upon ourselves, rather than by teaching or reproving, Ezekiel 32:6. Therefore this second sense is not proper; neither can the first be applied, as master is taken for authenticness in the church, though Austin and Beda seem so to understand it, as if the apostle had dissuaded them from setting up themselves as masters and heads of factions, and broaching novel doctrines, that they might appear in the head of a train, or, in the scripture phrase, ‘draw disciples after them.’ But this is wholly alien and foreign to the apostle’s scope. Master, then, is sometimes taken in the worst sense, καταχρηστικῶς, for a supercilious reprover, for one that is gotten into a chair of arrogance, whence he doth pro imperio, magisterially enough inveigh against the practices of other men; and so it is taken here. And the apostle maketh choice of this expression, ‘be not many masters’—(1.) To show he doth not speak of public and authorised reproof. God hath set some in the church that are to be censores morum, masters of manners, as the teacher and ecclesiastical magistrate; but because God hath allowed a few, let not every one be a master, or turn censurer: ‘Be not many;’ we are all apt, but this itch must be killed. (2.) To show that he doth not forbid private brotherly admonitions, such as proceed from Christian care and love, but such a reproving as was supercilious and masterly, managed with as much sharpness and rigour as a man would use to his slave, or a master to a scholar of the lowest class and standing. And so some understand that πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι, be not much masters, as if πολλοὶ were taken for πολὺ, many for much.

Knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.—This is the first reason the apostle produceth against the pride of censuring, which is grounded upon a consideration of the danger of the sin, or the severity of judgment following it; μεῖζον κρῖμα, ‘a greater judgment,’ either from men. Censurers have their own measure usually returned into their bosoms, Matthew 7:1-2. Or from God. Who can expect pardon for him that is severe to others? Matthew 18:32-33. I chiefly understand judgment and condemnation from God, which is the more severe to censurers, upon a threefold ground: (1.) The justice of retaliation. We condemn others, and God condemneth us; we are severe to their failings, and how can we expect that God should be merciful to ours? (2.) Because God is the avenger of injuries, Romans 11:19, and among them, blasting the repute of others is the greatest. (3.) A censurer’s sins are more aggravated, because of that garb of indignation that he seemeth to put on against them: see Romans 2:1. In censuring others we do but pronounce our own doom and judgment, which the scripture manifestly representeth to us in those known instances of David, 2 Samuel 12:1-31, and Ahab, 1 Kings 20:39, &c.

Obs. 1. The best need dissuasives from proud censuring. The apostle saith, ‘My brethren, be not many masters;’ and afterwards he putteth himself in the number, ‘If we,’ &c. It is the natural disease of wit, a pleasing evil: it suiteth with pride and self-love, and feedeth conceit. Proud nature thinketh itself somebody, when it can get into a chair of arrogance, and cast out censures according to its own will and pleasure, as if God hath advanced us into some higher rank and sphere, and all the world had been made to be our scholars. It suiteth with self-love, because it diverteth the care of our souls; they that so narrowly look after the mote, forget the beam. And it strengtheneth self-conceit; so many evils in others make our own the less odious. It serveth vainglory, and provideth for our esteem abroad; we demolish the esteem of others, that out of the ruins of it we may raise a structure of praise to ourselves. Now all these evils are in the best of God’s children. ‘Pride of life’ is last mentioned, 1 John 2:16, because it is last mortified; it groweth with the decrease of other sins, and thriveth by their decay. Well, then, ‘suffer the words of exhortation,’ Hebrews 13:22. Some religious persons think such dissuasives as to them are either superfluous or injurious, this touchiness argueth guilt: no evil is more natural, no evil desireth less to be touched; insensibly it stealeth from our hearts into our tongues. We sin, and do not think of censuring; pride, being crossed, rageth: hear such matters patiently; James speaketh to the brethren, ‘Be not many masters.’

Obs. 2. Censuring; it is an arrogation of mastership over others. All teaching, especially reproof, is an act of power, and therefore the apostle forbiddeth it to women, 1 Corinthians 14:34, because they cannot have power over a man. Well, then, when you are about to censure, check it with this thought—What power hath God given me over my fallen brother? ‘Why should I judge another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth,’ Romans 14:4. It is a wrong to God to put myself in his room; it is a wrong to my neighbour to arrogate a power over him which God never gave me. We all stand upon the same level; needless and unprofitable censuring is but a bold usurpation; and besides the idleness of the words, we shall give an account for the sauciness of them.

Obs. 3. Christians should not affect this mastership over their brethren. You may admonish, reprove, warn, but it should not be in a masterly way. How is that? (1.) When we do it out of pride and self-conceit, as conceiving yourselves more just, holy, wise, &c.: Luke 18:1-43, ‘I am not as other men;’¹ he speaketh indefinitely. With praise a Christian may say he is not as some men; some are as brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed; and with thankfulness we may acknowledge that God hath not suffered us to run into the excess of their riot. The Pharisee speaketh as if he were above common weakness: Galatians 6:1, ‘Restore with meekness, considering yourselves;’ we are all involved in the same state of frailty. (2.) When we do it as vaunting over their infirmities and frailties, in a braving way, rather to shame than to restore them; as Ham laughed at Noah’s drunkenness: this doth not argue hatred of the sin, but envy, malice against the person. Paul’s temper was truly Christian: Php 3:18, ‘I have told you often, and now tell you weeping, they are enemies of the cross of Christ.’ A good man taketh no delight to rake in a dung hill, others’ failings cannot serve his mirth and triumph: ‘My soul shall weep sore for your pride in secret places,’ Jeremiah 13:17. Censures are full of passion, but Christian reproofs of compassion; such a difference there is between reproving out of pride, and out of love and charity. (3.) When the censure is unmerciful, and we remit nothing of extreme rigour and severity; yea, divest the action of those extenuating circumstances of which the matter is capable. The censure should be extended no further than what may be necessarily inferred from the fact; jealousy collecteth more than is offered, but ‘charity thinketh no evil,’ 1 Corinthians 13:5, οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακὸν; it reasoneth no evil; that is, doth not seek to make sins, but cover them; as when an action is capable of two interpretations, it doth not fasten upon that which is evil, or interpret doubtful things in the worst sense, or conclude a sin from an inevident sign; as Eli did from Hannah’s fervency conclude her drunkenness, 1 Samuel 1:14-15; or if there be evil in it, it doth not by undue surmises make it worse; as judge the heart by the fact, or by one or more single actions infer a habit or malignity in the offender; or if that be visible, it doth not prejudge their future condition. Though charity be not blind, it looketh upon things as they are; yet charity is not jealous to argue things into what they are not. It is against all law and right to be judge and accuser too, and to hunt out an offence, and then censure it. (4.) When we infringe Christian liberty, and condemn others for things merely indifferent, this is to master it indeed, and lay snares upon the conscience a wrong not so much to our brethren as to God’s own law, which we judge as if it were an imperfect rule, James 4:11. In habits and meats there is a great latitude; and as long as rules of sobriety and modesty are not violated, we cannot censure, but must leave the heart to God. See Romans 14:1-23 per totum. (5.) When men do not consider what may stand with charity as well as what will agree with truth; there may be censure where there is no slander. Many religious persons think they are safe if they can speak only of others what is true. But this is not all; every evil must not be divulged, some must be covered with the cloak of love; there may be malice in reporting the truth. An eager desire to spread a fault wanteth not sin: ‘Report, say they, and we will report it,’ Jeremiah 20:10. Nay, if there be no ill intent, such prattle will come under the charge of idle words, for which we are responsible. The apostle forbiddeth ‘whispering,’ and ‘meddling in others’ matters;’ at best it is but a wanton vanity. All that we do herein should be to promote some aim of love and charity, that the offender may be seasonably reproved; or for some common good, that by the uncasing of a hypocrite others be not deceived and ensnared. (6.) When we do it to set off ourselves, and use them as a foil to give our worth the better lustre, and by the report of their scandals to climb up and commence into a better esteem. In the whole matter we are to be acted by love, and to aim at the Lord’s glory. Well, then, look to yourselves in your reproofs, that they be not censures; they are so when they are supercilious and magisterial, the issues of pride rather than love. Envy often goeth under the mask of zeal; we had need be careful, especially in times of public difference. For remedies:—(1.) Cherish a humble sense of your own vileness and frailty. Others fall sadly and foully; but what are we?² we were as bad, Titus 3:2-3; we may be worse, 1 Corinthians 10:12. Bernard³ telleth of a man that, hearing of a fallen brother, fell into a bitter weeping, crying out, He is fallen to-day, and I may to-morrow. (2.) Exchange a sin for a duty: 1 John 5:16, ‘If any see his brother sin, let him pray.’ This will be a holy art and means to spend your zeal with least danger and most profit.

¹ ‘Non dicit, ut aliqui, modestiæ fuisset istud; sunt enim aliqui profecto dæmones humana specie larvati, universalem naturam sortitur indefinitus enunciandi modus.’—Dr. Hall, Serm. Synod. Dord.

² ‘Aut sumus, aut fuimus, aut possumus esse quod hic est.’

³ ‘Bernard, de Resurrect. Dom.’

Obs. 4. From that knowing that we, &c. A remedy against vain censures is to consider ourselves, Galatians 6:1. How is it with us? Gracious hearts are always looking inward; they inquire most into themselves, are most severe against their own corruptions. (1.) Most inquisitive after their own sins. ‘The fool’s eyes are to the ends of the earth,’ always abroad; like the windows of the temple, broad outward, narrow inward; curious to sift the lives of others, careless to reform his own. But with good men it is otherwise, they find deceit enough in their own hearts to take up their care and thoughts. (2.) Most severe against themselves. A good heart is ready to throw the first stone against itself, John 8:4-5; others can, with much heat, inveigh against other men’s sins, and with a fond indulgence cherish their own. Hatred against the person doth but take advantage of the miscarriage to shroud itself from notice and censure; and though they hate the traitor, yet they love the treason.

Obs. 5. Rash and undue judging of others, when we are guilty our selves, maketh us liable to the greater judgment. The apostle proceedeth upon that supposition. Sharp reprovers had need be exact, otherwise they draw a hard law upon themselves, and in judging others pronounce their own doom; their sins are sins of knowledge, and the more knowledge the more stripes. Ignorants have this advantage, ut mitius ardeant, they have a cooler hell. Well, then, rest not in talking and prescribing burdens to others; it is a cheap zeal; but ‘thinkest thou that thou shalt escape?’ Romans 2:3, and Romans 2:21, ‘Thou which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?’ &c. There is little sincerity in that, as well as little self-denial; and hypocrisy will render us liable to condemnation. Hell is the hypocrite’s fee-simple, Matthew 24:51. The phrase of ‘receiving the greater judgment’ is also applied to the Pharisees, Matthew 23:14, because of their hypocrisy. So that those that reprove, whether out of office or charity, had need look to themselves; their sins are sins against knowledge, and so have more of malice and hypocrisy in them, and therefore draw on the greater judgment. Lewd ministers could not but tremble in their hearts, if they were sensible of their work. God purified Isaiah before he sent him to reprove Israel, Isaiah 6:7. Your first work should begin at your own hearts, and then you will carry on the duty with more comfort and boldness.