02.03. Chapter 3 - Verse 13

James 3:13. Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

He now diverteth to another matter, though that which is near of kin with the former, which is an exhortation to meekness, as opposed to envy and strife. Who is a wise man among you, and endued ivith knowledge? Some apply this, as all the former discourse, to the ministry, as if the meaning of the question or supposition were, If any be qualified for this dispensation; and they are strengthened in this conceit by the words here used, σόφος καὶ ἐπιστήμων, which hold forth the two gifts that are necessary for the ministry. The apostle elsewhere calleth them ‘the word of knowledge’ and ‘the word of wisdom,’ 1 Corinthians 12:8; but the very structure of the words showeth them to be generally intended. He speaketh of wisdom and knowledge, because all the former evils come from a presumption of greater skill and ability than others; or because they affected the repute of prudent, knowing Christians. Now, saith the apostle, if you would be so indeed, you must be meekly godly. The questionary proposal intimateth the rare contemperation of these two qualities; wisdom and knowledge are very seldom coupled: knowing he might grant these censors to be, but not wise.

Let him show out of a good conversation.—The first requisite of true wisdom is to honour knowledge with practice, that being the end of all information; and the knowing person having a greater obligation to duty than others. His works with meekness of wisdom.—Here is the second requisite, prudent meekness in converse, wisdom being most able to consider of frailties, and to bridle anger. The points are these:—

Obs. 1. Wisdom and knowledge do well together; the one to inform, the other to direct. They are elsewhere coupled: Hosea 14:9, ‘Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them?’ There is a difference between these two, knowledge and wisdom, wisdom and prudence, as appeareth by that Proverbs 8:12, ‘I, wisdom, dwell with prudence.’ A good apprehension and a good judgment make a complete Christian. Where heavenly wisdom is, there will be also prudence, a practical application of our light to the occurrences of life; and where God giveth knowledge, he giveth also wholesome and needful counsels for the ordering of the conversation. Prudence dispenseth the light of knowledge according to particular occasions. Faith is opposed to folly as well as ignorance: Luke 24:1-53, ‘O ye fools, and slow of heart to believe!’ Faith is a wise grace, a spiritual prudence, more for practical inferences than nice speculations. Well, then, do not rest in ‘a form of knowledge,’ Romans 2:20; couple it with wisdom. A Christian is better known by his life than discourse. Bare ‘knowledge puffeth up,’ 1 Corinthians 8:1, getteth into the head or tongue; then it is right, when ‘wisdom entereth into thy heart,’ &c., Proverbs 2:10. Men of abstracted conceits and sublime speculations are but wise fools; like the lark, that soareth high, peering and peering, but falleth into the net of the fowler. Knowledge without wisdom may be soon discerned; it is usually curious and censorious.

Obs. 2. That true wisdom endeth in a good conversation. Surely the practical Christian is the most wise: in others, knowledge is but like a jewel in a toad’s head: Deuteronomy 4:6, ‘Keep these statutes, for this is your wisdom.’ This is saving knowledge, the other is but curious. What greater folly than for learned men to be disputing of heaven and religion, and others less knowing to surprise it!¹ This is like him that gazed upon the moon, but fell into the pit. One property of true wisdom is to be able to manage and carry on our work and business; therefore none so wise as they that ‘walk circumspectly,’ Ephesians 5:15. The careless Christian is the greatest fool; he is heedless of his main business. Another part of wisdom is to prevent danger; and the greater the danger, the more caution should we use. Certainly, then, there is no fool like the sinning fool, that ventureth his soul at every cast, and runneth blindfold upon the greatest hazard. I might enlarge myself in all points of wisdom, but I forget the laws of this exercise.² The use of all is to check those that please themselves in a false wisdom. (1.) The worldly wise. Men are cunning to spin a web of vanity, and to effectuate their carnal purposes. Alas! this is the greatest folly: Jeremiah 8:9, ‘Since they have rejected the word of God, what wisdom is in them?’ Who would dig for iron with mattocks of gold? The strength of your spirits, your serious cares, are better worth than vanity. Usually providence maketh fools of the worldly wise; ‘their understanding undoeth them,’ as it is said of Babylon, Isaiah 47:10, they overwit and outreach themselves. (2.) Such as content themselves with human knowledge. Some can almost with Berenger dispute de omni scibili; or with Solomon, unravel nature ‘from the cedar to the hyssop;’ but know not God, know not themselves: like the foolish virgins, make no provision for the time to come; and so do but wisely go to hell.³ Some of the heathens had large endowments; but ‘professing themselves wise, they became fools,’ Romans 1:22. (3.) Such as hunt after notions and sublime speculations, knowing only that they may know. A poor soul that looketh heaven ward hath more true wisdom than all the great rabbis of the world: ‘The testimonies of the Lord make wise the simple,’ Psalms 19:7. And in another place, ‘A good understanding have all they that do there after.’ Others may have sharper wits, but they have more savoury apprehensions; as blunt irons, if heated, pierce deeper than those that are sharp and edged if cold. (4.) Such as are sinfully crafty have wit enough to brew wickedness. Oh! it is better be a fool in that craft: 1 Corinthians 14:20, ‘Be not children in understanding, but in malice be ye children.’ Happy they whose souls never enter into sin’s secrets! Romans 16:19, ‘I would have you wise in that which is good, and simple in that which is evil.’ It is best be one of the devil’s fools; simple as to wicked enterprises. They that affect the glory of acuteness in sin do but resemble their father the devil, who is of great knowledge, but much malice.

¹ ‘Surgunt indocti, et rapiunt cœlum, et nos cum omnibus doctrinis nostris detrudimur in Gehennam.’

² See Dr Sibbs in Hosea 14:8.

³ ‘Sapientes sapienter descendunt in infernum.’—Hieron.

Obs. 3. The more true wisdom, the more meek. Wise men are less angry and more humble. (1.) Less angry: There is much spoken of a fool’s wrath: Proverbs 27:3, ‘A stone is heavy, and the sand is weighty, and a fool’s wrath is heavier than them both.’ He wanteth judgment and understanding to allay and moderate the rage of it; so that where it falleth, it falleth with the whole strength and weight of it. The more wisdom a man hath, the more can he give check to passion; they can oppose wise considerations, the frailties of nature, their own slips, their need of pardon from God; at least they will not trust such a furious passion, and let it out without restraint: Proverbs 19:11, ‘A wise man deferreth his anger,’ lest it burn with too hot a flame. Once more we hear of the wrath of a fool: Proverbs 17:12, ‘Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly;’ that is, in the heat of his rage (as the similitude implieth); and it is called folly, for then men are most foolish. (2.) They are more humble: Proverbs 11:2, ‘With the lowly there is wisdom.’ Pride and folly always go together, and so do lowliness and wisdom. The world many times looketh upon meekness as folly, but it is heavenly wisdom. Moses is renowned in scripture for wisdom and meekness. Men that are but morally wise, we see, are most meek. The laden lusters will bow the head. Well, then, we all affect the repute of wisdom; discover it in meekness, in bearing with others, in being lowly within yourselves; other wisdom may serve your carnal ends best; but this is true wisdom, this pleaseth God best: ‘The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit is a thing of great price in the eyes of the Lord,’ 1 Peter 3:4. The world counteth it an effeminate softness; God counteth it an ornament; this the best Christian temper. Christ is ‘the lion of the tribe of Judah,’ but that is to his enemies; he is a ‘lamb’ to his followers. Fierce ruffianly spirits do not become Christianity, no more than the wolves would the lamb’s bosom. There are excellent fruits of meekness that discover the use of it, either in setting on doctrine—man is won by love: ‘With meekness instruct those that oppose themselves,’ 2 Timothy 2:25; this is like the small rain upon the tender grass: or in preventing contention: ‘A soft answer pacifieth strife;’ Abigail stopped David’s fury, &c.

Obs. 4. Meekness must be a wise meekness. It is said, ‘Meekness of wisdom.’ It not only noteth the cause of it, but the quality of it. It must be such as is opposite to fierceness, not to zeal. The Spirit appeared in ‘cloven tongues of fire,’ as well as in the form of a dove; and the apostle saith there is ‘a spirit of love and power,’ which may well consist and stand together, 2 Timothy 1:7.

Obs. 5. From that let, him show forth. A Christian must not only have a good heart, but a good life, and in his conversation show forth the graces of his spirit: Matthew 5:16, ‘Let your light shine,’ &c. We must study to honour God, and honour our profession. It is one thing to do works that may be seen, and another to do them that they might be seen—‘that they may see your good works,’ Ἱνα, or the word for that, is taken, ἐκβατικῶς, not αἰτιολογικῶς. It doth not note the scope, but the event.^{4 4} Chrysost. in locum.