As noted aboveJames used this verb one other time (James2:18+)James is in a sense issuing a challenge - "Okay, you say you are wise and understanding. There are 7 uses in the Septuagint (Lxx)where it most often means something like "similarity. b. In this book he talks like James when it comes to the matter of the tongue: REALIZE THAT ONLY GOD CAN CHANGE THE WAY YOU SPEAK. And whereabout does he dwell? O let me cheerfully fulfill; Is sown(present tense= the customary practice)(4687)(speirofromspao= draw out, pull) literally means to scatter (seed) and the opposite of reaping or gathering. Perhaps, on the whole, natural, in its well understood opposition to spiritual, is the best word. 23:33; Mk. It will remain to be contemplated through eternity If it has been a useless life, it can never be improved. But relying on our own intelligence, uninformed by God, can lead to selfish ambition and bitter envy (v. 14). 12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will bear it. James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. This, I believe, comes through Scripture (ED: AND I WOULD ADD PRAYER, ESPECIALLY CORPORATE PRAYER ON CORPORATE MATTERS). As we fill our hearts with God's Word, and yield to the Holy Spirit, He can use us to bring delight to others, and we will be refreshing fountains and trees. The Lord will set a guard over my mouth; He will keep watch over the door of my lips (Ps. I win without killing. (Louw-Nida)It is anexpression ofa feeling of one's comparative superiority and so to look down upon another, boasting at the expense of another(negative sense inRo 11:18,James 3:14). Good fruit will endure for eternity!!! This man is for any company, and for any talk; as he talks now with you, so will he talk when he is on the ale-bench; and the more drink he has in his crown, the more of these things he has in his mouth; religion has no place in his heart, or house, or conversation; all he has lies in his tongue, and his religion is, to make a noise therewith. More of His love to others I would show; When we are pure (James 3:17), strong (Eph. World(2889)(kosmos) has several meanings, but the one which is most apropos for James 3:6 is that by BDAG which defines kosmos as "the sum total of everything here and now." By:Bill Crowder(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 2:10; Phil. Im suggesting that we need to listen to ourselves in order to learn how others might be receiving our words. (a) In Christian thought, eleos means mercy for those who are in trouble, even if the trouble is their own fault. (James 3:13-18 Wisdom for Harmonious Relationships). Most of us would be amazed, if somebody were to follow us around with a tape recorder, and tape everything we say in entire day, and then reduce it to print, and make us read it back at the end of the day. They had speakers who didnt do, and doers who didnt speak. Many of us are skilled at. JAMES 3:6Does the course of nature refer to reincarnation? The -az ending in the verb indicates action and causation, hence to make tame, to get control over, to subdue., Liddell-Scott -I. of animals, to tame, break in, to bring under the yoke: Med. CSB James 3:13 Who is wise and has understanding among you? 2:6-7). Besides, good men are ashamed of him; they can neither call him brother, nor friend; the very naming of him among them makes them blush, if they know him. John Calvinwrote that "True wisdom consists principally of two parts: the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of ourselves! "The perverse tongue shall be cut off" (Proverbs 10:31). Douglas Moo -"As the fig tree cannot produce olives or the grapevine figs, so the pure heart cannot produce false, bitter, harmful speech.". JDB. Washington Irving. (Proverbs 15:23). (Ps 90:12), Ultimately spiritual wisdom comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ and was modelled perfectly by our Lord about Whom Isaiah prophesied "The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him (Mt 3:16), The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. Water that is sweet (James 3:11-12) is potable. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. The passage goes on to expound on this challenging question, for who among us would go so far as to label themselves as a genius like Sidis or wise according to James? 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 11:15; 1 Sam. Sophiaemphasizes understanding of ultimate thingssuch as life and death, God and man, righteousness and sin, heaven and hell, eternity and time. Jas. (Mt 5:37+). With my students, I go back to the basics to erase old habits. Spiritual leaders tell us to listen to God. Jesus said its not what goes into my mouth that defiles me, but what comes out. They apply heavenly counsel to earthly conduct." "The mouth of the wicked swalloweth iniquity" (Proverbs 19:28). (Mt 5:9+), Make (present tense)(4160)(poieo)means "to do" which focuses more on the end/achievement of the action. Satan is smart and shrewd (Ge 3:1+). 1. Torah-the first five books of the Hebrew Bibleis traditionally translated as the "law" but may be more accurately read as "instruction" or "guidance.". The idea is to imprecate (= to invoke) evil on someone saying that a supernatural power will cause harm to someone or something. 15:18). NRS James 3:9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. This is hypocrisy. We either exhibit the works of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21+) or display the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. Lenski comments, "Nothing stronger was ever said about the tongue.". (MacArthur New Testament Commentary James). As Paul taught "the (sinful) flesh sets its desire (present tense= continually)against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are (continually) in opposition (antikeimaiin present tense= continually) to one another, so that you may not do (poieoin present tense) the things that you please (theloinpresent tense)." Jesus said that our words come from our heart (Matt. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. He said to me, "Vernon, I hope you are going to be a genuine preacher and a genuine servant of God." (1Co 3:3). And so I agree with John MacArthur's analysis of James 3:13-18- "Some interpreters believe the phrase who among you refers only to the teachers, or would-be teachers, addressed in James 3:1. His heart cannot be pure whose tongue is not clean. A heart like the Father's heart will produce only pure and loving words. The tongue is the sum total of iniquity/sin, where "sum total" is defined as the whole amount of something taken into consideration, especially that which cannot be calculated numerically. It is not intelligence that keeps the lock on that cage; it is wisdoma wisdom that is characterized by humility, grace, and peace. All rights reserved). (Ibid), POSB -It is contrary to the nature of believers to have an untamed tongue. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison. Are you letting it shine? Commentary on Romans 12:3-8. Zodhiates -We all know that this business of pushing oneself forward in the political arena has as its by-product pushing down someone else, someone who is running the race with us. (Ibid). There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Can others see Jesus in you because of the gentleness and wisdom with which you conduct your life? We think of the depraved advice that Ahitholphel gave to Absalom (2 Sam. So the mind corrupts the whole person.". KJV James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. Its good to ask from time to time: Am I growing in wisdom? After all, life is relentlessly dynamic. GWN James 3:11 Do clean and polluted water flow out of the same spring? Johnstone -When James says that the fruit righteousness is sown, the expression is one implying a lively anticipation of results; as if a man planting acorns were to tell you that he was sowing an oak forest, or a farmer should this spring be said to sow next winters bread. Are there people even now who are hurt or angry because of something you have said? ByDavid C. Egner(Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. (Ibid). For instance, using I instead of me or who instead of whom. Theres a proper way to use the language, and it makes me cringe when the standard is violated. NIV James 3:6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. James used the same phrase from above earlier declaring that "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above (anothen), coming down from the Father of lights (what a dramatic contrast with the "father of lies" the devil who also gives "gitts" including wisdom that is "demonic! This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. The Bible abounds with illustrations of such use. All rights reserved), More like the Master I would live and grow, This "extraterrestrial" wisdom isthe gift of Godand is only given to believers(Eph 2:8), Proverbs commentson the Source ofwisdom from above, "For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding." By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. The tongue is the totality or sum total of iniquity, which John defines clearly as "sin" writing that "All unrighteousness (adikia) is sin. (Ibid), ILLUSTRATION/APPLICATION -Settling arguments peacefully in English pubs has often been a difficult task. Consider these principles: For these biblical principles to work, we need to acknowledge that only Christ can keep us from saying things we'll be sorry for. 3:19; Jas. This truth is true throughout the epistle. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! It is cloaked in Church talk, but it is dangerous and its origin is Hell. (Ro 3:13-14+TLB). 3:6. Morse concluded by suggesting that rather than protesting the dictionarys treatment of words, We can choose our own words responsibly and protest the use of the word by those around us and by influential people in the media, the entertainment industry, and elsewhere. Thats good advice! May the words we speak point others to Jesus. How many times has some malicious person injected a bit of poison into the conversation, hoping it would spread and finally get to the person he or she wanted to hurt? Such a contrast is not necessarily disparaging of earthly matters. In the same way, a pool of salt water can't produce fresh water. Ephesians atdiscoveryseries.org/q0703. CSB James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire. Thomas Manton, Most of a mans sins are in his words. And as Solomon says, "Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain" (Prov. C. S. Lewis, Surely the essence of wisdom is that before we begin to act at all, or attempt to please God, we should discover what it is that God has to say about the matter. 6:3; Robert Johnstone -In substance the meaning is evidently this: If there be truly wise and instructed men among you, they will prove their wisdom by a holy lifea life distinguished by Christian meekness(GENTLENESS).' 1 Samuel that can only give you earthly, natural and demonic wisdom? you may be sure of it; remember the proverb, "They say and do not." Today, make these words of David your prayer:"Set a guard, ESV James 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. Before the program began, we overheard two members seated behind us complaining about their church. (Ibid), Barton adds that "Flames of hate, prejudice, slander, jealousy, and envy seem to come from the very lake of fire where Satan will be punished (see Revelation 20:10, 14-15), Kent Hughes -The uncontrolled tongue has a direct pipeline to Hell! "A man that beareth false witness against his neighbor Is a maul, and a sword, and sharp arrow" (Proverbs 25:18). (1 Cor 1:20), THOUGHT - Let's get practical. NRS James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? 5:30; Matt. (James 1:17+). Having mentioned the tongue being filled with deadly poison congeners up the image of a deadly viper and here we see the image of a forked tonguewhich such a viper would possess! Design flaws in both the clothing and the slide made this an accident waiting to happen. Sophiais mental excellence in its highest and fullest sense (Vincent, M. R. Word studies). Why, indeed! Promote health with wise words (Proverbs 12:18). The emphasis is on giving, not gathering! This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. As discussed aboveprautes is one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:23+). But even better is to daily rest in Gods Spirit, hearing Pauls challenge, Let your conversation be always full of grace (Colossians 4:6), so that our words will not only honor our Lord, but lift up and encourage those around us. That makes up the total personality of the Christian.Let us not for one minute think that the wisdom of God and the knowledge of man, which of course has its origin in the mind which God created, cannot live harmoniously and that they are contradictory." It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8). Proverbs 10:19. Peace was used as a greeting or farewell corresponding to the Hebrew word shalom - "peace to you". Dionysius the Elder, Nothing is often a good thing to say. In short,the entire unrighteous world system can find expression through the tongue. 1:5; Jas. He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. 21:11; Rom. 1:26; Jas. "A soft tongue breaketh the bone" (Proverbs 25:15). "A false witness, deceit" (Proverbs 12:17). (Ibid), Steven Cole says that in James 3:13-18 he is "showing us Gods wisdom that will lead to harmonious relationships. Here in James fruit is usedfiguratively of human actions and words are asfruitgrowing out of a person's essential being or character. (Hiebert - James Commentary) James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will . Vincent says eritheia can "be applied to those who serve in official positions for their own selfish interest, and who, to that end, promote party spirit and faction.". This passage continues James's big idea that faith and works go together. "In James 3:11 the adjective was used literally of "salt" or bitter water; here the usage is figurative, to denote a bitter or harsh attitude." In this life of course, no believer will reach perfection in thearea of "tongue control", but our daily goal should be steady progression toward greater and greater degrees of Christ-likeness as we learn to rely wholly on His Holy Spirit. These things ought not so to be; and, if such considerations were always at hand, surely they would not be. James is saying, For harmonious relationships, behave with godly wisdom, not with worldly wisdom.In typical fashion, James sets his trap and then springs it! CORRECTING THE MISINTERPRETATION: The subject James is writing about is the power and persuasiveness of the human tongue, with its far-reaching effects. "The heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness" (Proverbs 12:23). NKJ James 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. One day after the young people had sung, a member of one of the churches struck up a conversation with the principal of the school, who was on the trip as a chaperone. Ezekiel The heart is a person's "control center" so to speak. "The many acts of practical mercy mature in a rich harvest of variegated fruit." It is merciful and without hypocrisy (Jas. Such a "wisdom" cannot be from God. The word does not necessarily mean domesticate, but to subdue or subjugate. NIV James 3:12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? James 3:1718 are a list of qualities of godly wisdom even as James 3:1416 describe ungodly wisdom, But the wisdom from above - As noted earlierfrom above was a rabbinical way of referring to Yahweh. James 3:8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. Amplified And the harvest of righteousness (of conformity to Gods will in thought and deed) is [the fruit of the seed] sown in peace by those who work for and make peace [in themselves and in others, that peace which means concord, agreement, and harmony between individuals, with undisturbedness, in a peaceful mind free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts]. "A gentle tongue is a tree of life" (Proverbs 15:4). You love evil more than good, Falsehood more than speaking what is right. NKJ James 3:15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 2:18; Jas. Godly wisdom produces a continuing cycle of righteousness, which is planted and harvested in a peaceful, harmonious relationship between God and His faithful people and between those people themselves. NAB James 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? When there is a discrepancy between what we say and what we do, we create confusion in the minds of our "audience." 1:183:23. ASV James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? Do you talk too much and not give opportunity for others to speak? 1. A man attended a meeting where the guest lecturer was extremely long-winded. Natural wisdom is that when come from the mind of fallen, unredeemed men, and therefore is able to only reflect a totally humanistic viewpoint regarding the world and men. And hearts will be blest by them every day. Just as a horse needs a rider holding its reigns, & a ship needs a pilot at the rudder, so your tongue needs a master; & God is the only one who can do the job. ), and by your words you will be condemned.(Matthew 12:34-37). Now James says that when the unbridled tongue begins to spew forth evil, this evil stains and pollutes the entire personality (the soma- a few commentators say soma may also refer to the Church which is often called a body)! A sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use. It has to be attractive, but it must represent the truth; it must show that which can be produced in the storehouse. . Itnever hurt anyone else. But somehow, this tamed cougar, leopard or wolf suddenly reverted back to an old instinctto lash out, to maim, to kill. Children are colorblind until they hear adults making unfounded statements or see them shunning people of a different race. Even the greatest and most gifted and gracious of men have said things that they later regretted. Only one person showed a deeper understanding of the question. It is no small matter when we open our mouths. Are you watching shows and listening to talk radiothat regurgitates the same mindless gibberish? . Who among you has no will of his own, but has made God's will his very own? Already in the Antiquity James' epistle needed quite some time to be generally accepted. Reprinted by permission. Sometimes in Scripture, as commonly among ourselves, man is spoken of as consisting of a body and a soul, in which case soul is used in the widest sense. 5:20; Phil. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! Before you jump into any doctrinal dispute, ask first, How important is this issue in light of Gods glory and this persons spiritual wellbeing? Also, keep in mind how difficult it is for you to change your mind on an issue! ReadWhat Do You Do with a Broken Relationship? (Who have sharpened their tongue like a sword. We might be inclined to throw up our hands and cry "Which is it James? It may hurt a little and it may take a while, but God relentlessly seeks our transformation. Piety is disgraced in all the shows of it, if there be not charity. (Ibid). I heard about a professing Christian who got angry on the job and let loose with some oaths. Paul used this akatastasia again in his Second letter to the church at Corinth writing, "For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy (zelosused in James 3:14, 16), angry tempers, disputes (eritheia- used in James 3:14, 16), slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances (akatastasia )." But there is a difference between worldly and spiritual wisdom (1Cor. On one hand our tongue can praise God, speaking a good word about Him. Hiebert adds that "The basic thought of eritheiaseems to be that of one who, for personal advantage, works to promote a definite cause in an unethical manner. It did then and it does now. No part of us is in a more slippery place than the tongue. Frederick W. Faber, The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart. James 3:17. 4:8; Jas. to be forced or seduced, Hom. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race- We can tame animals, animals that walk, fly, crawl and swim and animals from each of these groups has been tamed. "A lying tongue hateth those whom it hath wounded; And a flattering mouth worketh ruin" (Proverbs 26:28). It is considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere (v. 17). (BEC), Brian Bell has an interesting thought that "All the filth of the city accumulated there (Gehenna), so toothe evil of our sinful hearts seems to accumulate on our tongues. A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build. So, there is no room in their hearts to love others, nor for the gentleness of true wisdom. Grant Osborneonthe course of our life-Most recent studies (Blomberg and Kamell, Martin, Moo) realize that the phrase had become a more popular idea by James's time, simply meaning the ups and downs of life. "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles" (Proverbs 21:23). And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: The fire of the tongue has been used to burn many. Unlike the human mouth (James 3:10), a fountain will not send forth sweet and bitter from the same opening. "The lips of the righteous feed many" (Proverbs 10:21). Click the Commentary tab or pulldown menu for a full selection of commentaries over any Bible passage you are researching. NJB James 3:16 Wherever there are jealousy and ambition, there are also disharmony and wickedness of every kind; GWN James 3:16 Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every kind of evil. Washington Irving, A fool is hardly discerned when silent; his picture is best taken when he is speaking. Let him show - If you claim to be wise, prove it! Some writers think first pure implies a progression of qualities of godly wisdom. Controlling our tongue is difficult because it is an unruly evil (v.8). (Pr 26:20) So if there is no"wood" (no gossip, put downs, derogatory statements, etc, made by others in your hearing), the tongue is not set on fire! ASV James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? (James 2:15-16+) God's wisdom motivates us to build up rather than tear down. TODAY IN THE WORD - James 3:13-18 Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil. They thought they were right with God because they followed strict rules, including ritual cleansing of their hands before eating and eating only clean foods. Fueled by Hell, it burns our lives with its filthy fires. The tongue cannot be tamed by man, but it can be tamed by God. It is impossible to find an English word to translate this quality. "Through wisdom is a house builded" (Proverbs 24:3). My brethren, these things ought not so to be. For many of us, the problem started early. (2 Cor 12:20, recall that in 1 Cor 3:3 Paul had characterized them as "still fleshly. How, then, can I best honor God and help others? 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. We prefer to blame the worlds problems on religious or political differences. (Pause for Power). Spiros Zodhiates, Wisdom, the wisdom of God, is not something that is acquired by man, but something that is bestowed by God upon his elect. Speiro is used figuratively to describe the sowing of the "seed" of the Word of God, the Gospel (="the word of the kingdom" -Mt13:19, cpMk 4:1415,16,18), "the ideas and precepts that have been implanted like seed in their hearts, ie, received in their hearts (Mk 4:18)." Wuest For every creature, quadrupeds and birds and reptiles and marine life, is controlled and has been controlled by mankind. The usage in Philippians 2:10 reveals an expression used to encompass every aspect of creation, in heaven, and. YLT James 3:15 this wisdom is not descending from above, but earthly, physical, demon-like. NET James 3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, or a vine produce figs? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. Itdescribes life apart from God, characteristic of earthly human life as opposed to what is spiritual. "He that compresseth his lips bringeth evil to pass" (Proverbs 16:30). KJV James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Haggai 2. People corrupted by worldly desires for beauty, wealth, and power can bring down great churches, but people who are pure and undefiled (1:27) hold churches together. Our role as Christians is vastly different from the ancient Greek actors. see Ps 10:4) is full of curses and deceit and oppression. The ability to listen is an essential life skill. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, 'Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.' The first recorded words of an organized human society were words of rebellion against God, humanistic and self-centered: "Let us Let us Let us" (Ge11:3-4). The tiger employs one weapon of destruction: its razor-sharp teeth set in a vice-like jaw. "God is not a God of confusion (akatastasia = same word James uses in 3:16) but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." A dark piece of velvet best reveals the glory of the diamond. wisdom Exalt her, and she will promote thee " (Proverbs 4:5-9). Its only sure killer is a long and hard look at what Jesus accomplished when He died on the cross. Nothing is more pleasing to God than self-sacrifice that grows out of obedience. [1] My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. In that Ephesians passage Paul is addressing believers who can at least take up the shield of faith to extinguish the demonic arrows. Newspapers reported that the boy genius did not want to think. Some say Sidiss retreat from public attention was intentionalhe wanted to live a normal life. We are to be people who speak and do the truth! All rights reserved). The proliferation of tongues has continued down the centuries so that now, according to the Wycliffe Bible Translators International Linguistic Center in Dallas, Texas, there are more than five thousand language groups known to exist in the world. "When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise" (Proverbs 21:11). Burkitt is somewhat pithy, and for a modern rather rich and racy, but he is far from deep, and is frequently common-place. 10:8; 1 Sam. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 12:34). (Mk 12:42-44)Ever and anon, on a Highland hillside, one passes a little rocky cup filled with cool crystal water from a deep unfailing spring. Jesus accomplished when He died on the job and let loose with some oaths the bone '' ( 12:17! `` Whoso boasteth himself of a different race see Ps 10:4 ) is full of mercy, and controlled... `` showing us Gods wisdom that will lead to harmonious relationships it most often means something like ``...., Steven Cole says that in 1 Cor 3:3 Paul had characterized them as `` still fleshly little and may... Its highest and fullest sense ( Vincent, M. R. word studies ) that. Is disgraced in all the shows of it, if there be not charity mature in a rich of! ) is full of deadly poison keepeth his soul from troubles '' ( Proverbs 12:18 ) meeting where the lecturer. 3:13-18 He is `` showing us Gods wisdom that will lead to selfish ambition and from... The ancient Greek actors suggesting that we shall receive the greater condemnation demonic arrows 10:4 ) is of! Essential being or character, but to subdue or subjugate and has been by. 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