Causes and Cures of Conflict: A Case Study of James 3 and 4.

I. Introduction.

A. In these in chapters 3 and 4 of his epistle James deals with a conflict.

1) The aim of this paper is to look at what that conflict was, how he dealt with it, and see if what he says has any relevance to us today.

2) The reason why I what to look at how James dealt with this conflict is because his approach is unique from what we see in the rest of New Testament.

a) In the rest of New Testament, conflict is dealt with by stressing reconciliation (Mat. 5:23ff) and agreement (Phil. 4:2).

b) James, on the other hand, does not talk about either.

c) Rather, he deals with conflict by identifying the fundamental causes of conflict and then how to correct them.

d) This step in reconciliation is important.

e) It does persons or groups no good to sooth over hurt feelings if what caused those hurt feelings is not dealt with, because sooner or later what caused the hurt will come back and cause more hurt.

f) It is like taking aspirin for the pain caused by a thorn in one’s foot.

g) The aspirin may take the pain away for a while, but because the thorn is still there, the pain will come back.

h) Sooner or latter, in order to stop the pain, the thorn will have to be removed.

i) It’s the same with conflict.

j) There are certain things that cause conflict.

k) If we don’t eliminate these causes, no matter how much people what to get along, or no matter how effort we put in to help people get along, or no matter how successful we are at helping people to get along, sooner or later the conflicts will come back.

l) To get rid of conflict, we must get rid of the causes of conflict.

m) This is where James helps us.

n) He discusses the causes of conflict.

B. My hope is that by determining how James managed this conflict, we will we will be able to manage our own and perhaps avoid them.

C. Our outline will cover four topics: the conflict he was addressing; the causes of this conflict; the cures for this conflict; and how James can help us deal with conflict.

II. The first topic we will address is: What is the conflict James was writing about.

A. We need to begin this topic by tying chapters 3 and 4 together.

B. Although, we usually disjoin these two chapters, and even the various elements within these two chapters, they should be read as a whole.

C. The reason for this is because of the structure of these two chapters.

1) Structurally, chapters 3 and 4 are tied together.

2) In 3:1-12 he refers to a conflict that was created by bad speech.

3) In 3:13-18 he refers to a conflict that was created by bad thinking.

4) In 4:1-12 he tells his reader where this conflict came from and what to do stop it.

5) The question, “πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν” in 4:1 assumes the previously mentioned conflict in chapter 3.

6) If chapter 3 is not tied to chapter 4, we would be left wondering what conflict James was referring to.

7) So, chapter 3 lays out what the conflict is and chapter 4 the causes and cures for it.

8) Therefore, chapters 3 and 4 must be joined together.

D. What is the conflict that James’ is talking about in these two chapters?

1) James does not give us a detailed account of this conflict.

2) Rather, what he does is touch on the major issues involved in this conflict.

3) The reason he does not give us a detailed account of the conflict is because the community he was writing to already knew what the conflict was about they were facing.

4) Because of this, the only thing he had to do was try to correct the conflict.

5) Therefore, although we do not have a detailed account of the conflict, we can come to a fairly good idea about what it was by what James writes to fix it.

E. It appears as though there were certain persons in this community who wanted to be teachers.

1) This is seen in three words that he uses.

2) The first word is διδάσκαλος, which is the usual New Testament word for teacher (3:1) (BDAG διδάσκαλος).

3) The second word is σοφὸς (3:13).

a) The principal meaning of σοφὸς is to be skilled at a handicraft (LSJ σοφος 6).

b) Σοφος could be used of an architect because he was skilled in building buildings (BDAG σοφος 8, cp. 1 Cor. 3:10) or of craftsmen because they could create works of art (cp. Ex. 31:3 LXX).

c) In intellectual matters it spoke of one who was practical and prudent (LSJ σοφος 6).

d) In rabbinic circles it was used to describe one who was trained in the Torah and it became a technical term for a scribe or ordained rabbi (TDNT 7:505, Ropes 244).

e) In this sense it refers to a teacher, which is probably how James is using it here because of the presence of the next word (cp. Martin 128).

4) The third word is ἐπιστήμων (3:13).

a) Ἐπιστήμων refers to one who is an expert in any field (BAGD ἐπιστήμων 1).

b) In the Old Testament σοφὸς and ἐπιστήμων are found together and refer to a person or persons who have a correct understanding of God (Deut. 1:13, 4:6).

c) Taking these σοφος and ἐπιστήμων together, one gets the idea that James is referring to persons who were, at least in their own mind, expert teachers regarding the things of God.

5) The context suggests that these persons were not teachers yet.

a) In 3:1 James tells the community that not many of them should become teachers, inferring that some in the congregation wanted to be teachers, but were not yet.

b) The context also suggests that their desire to become teachers was denied (4:2).

F. It appears as though when they were denied they responded with a barrage of negative responses.

1) They became vindictive (3:9f), bitter (3:13), jealous (3:13), and belligerent (3:16).

2) These responses appear to what have thrown the community into turmoil and conflict.

3) For whatever reason, the community did not handling this well and James stepped in to help.

III. The next topic we will address is: What were the causes of this conflict.

A. Broadly speaking the cause of all conflict is sin.

1) James mentions three sins that these Christians were guilty of that caused this conflict.

2) They were an undisciplined tongue, unspiritual wisdom, and unrestrained passions.

B. At the outset, we should note that these build on each other.

1) The undisciplined tongue comes from the unspiritual wisdom and both of these come from the unrestrained passions.

C. The first cause of this conflict that James identifies is an undisciplined tongue.

1) Although James is talking about our physical tongue in these verses (cp. 3:5), it is not the tongue, in and of itself, that is the cause of conflict; it is what the tongue produces: bad speech.

2) In this sense he uses the tongue metaphorically for what is spoken.

a) This metaphorical use of the tongue could refer to one of two kinds of speech in this chapter.

b) On the one hand, it could referrer to teachings.

(1) This comes from the dative ἐν λόγῳ (3:2).

(2) This is probably how ἐν λόγῳ is to be understood in Matthew 22:15, where Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus in his teaching.

(3) Since one of the uses of λόγος in the New Testament is what is taught (cp. 1 Cor. 1:18, 2 Cor. 5:19) and since James is addressing would be teachers, one could argue that the λόγος in 3:2 refers to the doctrine that these people were teaching or wanted to teach.

c) On the other hand, the tongue could refer to simply what was spoken.

(1) Because James is talking about specific blessing and curse in chapter 3, he is more likely he using the tongue to refer to speech rather than doctrine.

(2) We can refine this comment a little bit.

(3) The phrase ἐν λόγῳ is also used in the New Testament to mean the quality of what is said (2 Cor. 6:7).

(4) Therefore, James is using the tongue in this chapter not only to refer to what these persons spoke but also the quality of what they spoke.

3) The problem with these persons’ tongue was it was undisciplined.

a) This is seen in seen the phrase οὐδεὶς δαμάσαι δύναται (3:8).

b) The basal meaning of δαμάζω is “to reduce from an uncontrolled to a controlled state” (BDAG δαμάζω).

c) When used of animals it means to “tame” (LSJ δαμάζω I 1).

d) One would think that because James is setting the tongue (3:8) parallel with animals (3:7), he probably using δαμάζω to speak of training the tongue.

e) These peoples’ tongues were undisciplined.

f) This is also seeing in the word ἀκαταστᾰτος.

g) Ἀκατάστατον is often translated “restless” (BAGD ἀκατάστατος, RSV), but can also mean “disorderly” (LSJ ἀκαταστᾰτος).

4) The product of these persons’ undisciplined tongue was vindictiveness and vilification.

(1) Their vindictiveness is seen in three words that James uses in these chapters.

(2) The first word that he uses is κατάρα and it verbal form καταράομαι (3:9f).

(a) Κατάρα means to curse.

(b) This word however, does not mean cursing in the sense that we understand cursing today, using foul words.

(c) In the ancient world the curse was the execution of a human or divine judgment on someone (TDNT 1:449, cp. Gal. 3:10, Heb. 6:8).

(d) This family of words means “to cause injury or harm by means of a statement regarded as having some supernatural power” (LN καταράομαι 33.471 [1]).

(3) The next word that he uses is κρίνω (4:11).

(a) Κρίνω is the usual New Testament word for the judical process (BDAG κρίνω 5 [1]).

(b) It is the word that is used when a person is hand over for judicial punishment (BDAG κρίνω 5 [1]) or pass sentence upon, condemn (LSJ κρίνω [2]).

(4) The last word that he uses is καταλαλέω (4:11).

(a) In the LXX καταλαλέω translates the Hebrew דבר which means hostile speaking (TDNT λαλέω).

(b) Thought used sparingly, καταλαλέω in the New Testament, it means to speak degradingly of, speak evil of, defame, and slander (BDAG καταλαλέω [1].

b) James' point is, these people had not trained their tongue to speak what was edifying (Eph. 4:30).

c) Rather, they were using their tongue to destroy people.

D. The second cause of conflict that James identifies is unspiritual wisdom.

1) James mentions three kinds of wisdoms in chapter 3.

a) The first kind we have already dealt with.

b) It was that σοφία was a technical term for a teacher.

c) The next two are found in next verses, 13-17.

d) They are an earthly, unspiritual, and demonic type wisdom in verse 15 and ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν in verses 15 and 17.

2) These two types of wisdom are more like how we usually think of wisdom.

a) The principle meaning of the word σοφος is “skilled in any handicraft or art” or “clever” (LSJ σοφος 1).

b) It is used of persons who build building or write poetry (BDAG σοφος).

c) After this it takes on the meaning of “wise” or “prudent” (LSJ σοφος 2).

d) In the New Testament this wisdom and prudence exhibits itself in wise attitudes and conduct (BDAG σοφος 2).

3) James contrasts these two wisdoms.

a) The first he labels as wisdom from above and the second he characterizes as earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

b) Because he is contrasting these two kinds of wisdoms, is not difficult to conclude that because the first is set opposite the earthly, unspiritual, and demonic, it is from the Spirit and therefore spiritual wisdom, and because the second is set opposite to the wisdom from above it is wisdom from below.

4) The problem with this unspiritual wisdom is its nature.

a) James describes this nature with three words.

b) The first is ἐπίγειος.

(1) Philo actually writes of ἐπίγειαν σοφίαν in distinction from οὐράνιον σοφίαν.

(2) He says that it is an imitation of the wisdom God employed to create this world (Leg. All. 1.43).

(3) In the New Testament ἐπίγειος refers to human activities in contrast to divine activities (LN ἐπίγειος 9.7 [2]) and therefore has earthly characteristics in contrast to heavenly characteristics (BDAG ἐπίγειος 1).

(4) When it is set in antithesis to αἰώνιος it usually takes on a negative sense (Martin 131 [ἐ ἐπίγειος 3]), which is certainly how James wants us to understand it here.

c) The second word James uses is ψυχικός.

(1) In the LXX ψυχικός means soulish and mental (LEH ψυχικός).

(2) In the New Testament, ψυχικός generally means natural (LSJ ψυχίκός 2) and therefore what is unspiritual (BDAG ψυχικός).

(3) It does not necessarily refer to the fallen nature of man, although it is not excluded.

(4) In reference to Christians it refers to those element in them that are not under the control of the Spirit of God (LN ψυχικός 79.5 [4]).

d) The last word he uses is Δαιμονιώδης.

(1) Δαιμονιώδης refers to what has originated from the lower spirit-world; what is infernal and demonic (BDAG δαιμονιώδης).

e) The problem with this lower wisdom is where it comes from.

(1) These three adjectives taken together not only indicate the character of the wisdom from below, but also its source.

(2) The source of this wisdom is from the devil and the natural world.

(3) It is not from the Spirit and therein lays it weakness and danger.

(4) It cannot produce those qualities God desires in a Christian.

5) The product of the lower wisdom is everything that is conducive to conflict.

a) It produces bitter with jealously.

(1) Πικρός is a strong word.

(a) It speaks of anger, spitefulness, meanness, vindictiveness (LSJ πικρός [4]) and resentfulness (LN πικρός [7]).

(b) It speaks of what yields pain instead of expected pleasure (LSJ πικρός [2]).

(2) Ζῆλος refers to the intense, and usually negative, the notion of jealousy or envy over another is achievements or success (BAGD ζῆλος 2).

(3) Jealousy carries with it the idea of coveting (OED “Jealousy” 1).

(4) These two words taken together create the idea that these persons had a wanting that was laced with anger and resentfulness.

b) It produces selfishness.

(1) The New Testament word for selfishness is ἐριθεία, and it has a fascinating history.

(2) Ἐριθεία originally meant a day laborer (TDNT ἐριθεία 2:660).

(3) Because a day laborer works for himself the idea of selfishness became attached to the word. From there the word was used to refer to a person who canvassed for public office (LSJ ἐριθεία II) and especially one who got into public office illegally (TDNT ἐριθεία 2:660).

(4) In the New Testament it means selfishness or factious ambition (LSJ ἐριθεία II 2).

(5) This word indicates that the persons James was speaking to became selfish and manipulative became they were denied.

c) It produces belligerence (3:16).

(1) Ἀκαταστασία means “disorder” (BAGD ἀκαταστασία 2) and “political unrest” (TDNT ἀκαταστασία 3:446).

(2) It refers to opposition to the established authority (BAGD ἀκαταστασία 2).

(3) The idea of belligerence is farther developed with the words πόλεμοι and μάχαι in 4:1.

(4) The NIV translates them fights and quarrels.

(5) Πόλεμοι means war (BAGD πόλεμος 1a ) and μάχαι means a battle with in a war (LSJ μᾰχη).

(6) I doubt if James used these words by accident.

(7) These words suggest that these persons who were causing the turmoil in the community were fighting against its leadership.

d) It produces foul deeds.

(1) James’ final comment, πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα is general.

(2) He might be referring to some activities of these persons what he did not specify directly.

(3) He could also be referring to their undisciplined tongue.

(4) In any event, in James mind their undisciplined tongue seems to have been caused by their lower wisdom.

(a) This connection comes from the fact that the two words, ἀκαταστᾰτος and ἀκαταστασία, share a similar root and sense.

(b) They both mean disorder and unrest.

(c) The difference between them seems to be, that well ἀκαταστᾰτος tends to be more of a personal trait, ἀκαταστασία tends to be more of a social trait.

(d) If the lower wisdom causes the ἀκαταστασία then it probably also causes the ἀκαταστᾰτος.

(5) The lower wisdom fuels the tongue.

E. The third cause of this conflict James identifies is unrestrained passions.

1) This comes from the word ἡδονή (4:1).

2) The word ἡδονή derives from the same root as ἡδύς, which means something “sweet,” “pleasant,” or “delightful” to the taste (TDNT ἡδονή 2:910 [23]).

a) The Greeks first used this word to mean a good pleasure, like taking pleasure in a beautiful work of art (TDNT ἡδονή 2:910 [23]).

b) However, as time went on it started to take on the sense of sensual and sexual pleasure (TDNT ἡδονή 2:912 [23]).

c) When the word is set parallel with ἐπιθυμία, as it is in James 4:1-2, the ideas of sensual pleasure and the desire combine to form the idea of the “passionate yearning” (TDNT ἡδονή 2:910 [23]).

d) When the word is used in the plural, as it is in James 4:1-2, it means desiring after pleasure or pleasant lust (LSJ ἡδονή [4]).

e) In James, it seems ἡδονη carries this double meaning.

f) It is just not pleasure; it is desire for pleasure.

3) In the New Testament the ἡδονή have no redeeming value.

a) The problem with the ἡδοναί is that they provide an avenue for our sinful impulses.

b) The ἡδονή are in our μέλη (4:1).

c) “If we live κατὰ σάρκα, then τὰ μέλη are completely in the service of ἁμαρτία (cf. R. 6:13, 19; 7:5, 23), and the ἡδοναί are orientated accordingly” (TDNT ἡδονή 2:920 [11]).

d) In the end, they enslave men and women (Tit. 3:3) and prevent them from obtaining spiritual maturity (Luke 8:14).

4) Because the ἡδοναί are orientated κατὰ σάρκα, they become the sinful impulses of the σάρξ and what they produce stand in contrast to fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22) (TDNT* ἡδονή 2:920 [11]).

a) According to James the ἡδοναί produce selfishness.

(1) The New Testament word for selfishness is ἐριθεία.

(2) Ἐριθεία originally meant a day laborer (TDNT ἐριθεία 2:660).

(3) Because a day laborer works for himself the idea of selfishness became attached to the word.

(4) From there the word was used to refer to a person who canvassed for public office (LSJ ψυχίκός II) and especially one who got into public office illegally (TDNT ἐριθεία 2:660).

(5) In the New Testament it means selfishness or factious ambition (LSJ ψυχίκός II 2).

b) Also according to James the ἡδοναί produce willfulness.

(1) This thought comes from the word ἐπιθυμέω.

(2) Ἐπιθυμέω is a very strong word.

(a) It originally meant a violent movement of air (TDNT θυμός 3:167 [2]).

(b) In ethics it means setting one’s heart upon a thing, long for, covet, and desire (LJS ἐπιθυμέω [8]).

(c) It can denote the impulse for food or sexual satisfaction (TDNT θυμός 3:167 [3]).

(d) In Greek philosophy ἐπιθυμία comes to mean the waywardness of man in conflict with his rationality (TDNT θυμός 3:169 [4]).

(e) In the Old Testament ἐπιθυμία is an offence against God (TDNT θυμός 3:169 [8]).

(f) This is certainly seems to be how James is using the word.

(g) These persons have set their heart on what they want to the point that they have replaced the wisdom of the Spirit with the wisdom of the world and the devil.

(3) We should not overlook the tense of ἐπιθυμεῖτε in 4:2.

(a) The present indicates that these persons have not only set their heart on what they wanted, they did it in an odorant way.

(b) They set their course and would not change.

(c) Their desires or passions where unstrained.

c) The ἡδοναί need to be satisfied.

(1) James tells us that what these persons wanted they wanted ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε (4:3).

(2) Δαπανάω means to spend one’s money on something, as is the case of women with the flow of blood, who spent all she had on doctor’s care (Mark 5:24), or to waste one’s resources, as is the case of the prodigal son (Luke 12:12).

(3) What does it mean to spend something on one’s desires on passions?

(4) It probably means to satisfy them (cp. TDNT ἡδονή 2:921 [15]).

(5) Of course, the principle problem that these persons had was that their desires were denied.

5) What happens when these persons’ ἡδοναί were denied?

a) James point out three results and none of them were good.

b) First, James writes that when these persons were denial they committed murdered (4:2).

(1) James used of φονεύετε presents some problems.

(2) Does he mean us to understand it as murder; are Christians murdering each other; and does frustration lead to murder.

(3) The various attempts to explain the present of φονεύετε can be summarized in four ways.

(a) One, φονεύετε is taken literally.

(i) Martin posits this position in his commentary on James (Martin 146).

(ii) He suggests that that James is trying to get across of these Christians that “killing has not freed anyone from Roman rule” and “that those so bent on killing are enmeshed in a vicious cycle” (Martin 146).

(iii) In support of this some posit that murder was an acceptable way of handling problems in the first century.

(iv) There are two problems with this view.

(v) The first is that φονεύετε is a present indicative.

(vi) If taken literally, the present indicative does not indicate that they killed sometime in the past.

(vii) It indicates habitual murder (cp. Jer. 7:6).

(viii) The second problem with this is that, if these persons were murdering, why didn’t James tell them to stop.

(ix) Murder is a far greater crime than sins of the tongue and is not an acceptable why for the people of God to settle conflicts (Deut. 5:6).

(x) It seems reasonably that if James had reprimanded these people for judging he certainly would have reprimanded them for murder, beyond just mentioning it.

(b) Some take φονεύετε metaphorically.

(i) In this view φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε is treated as a hendiadys and translated something like “you murderously covet” (LH 138).

(ii) In interpretation φονεύω become a discription of the extent of the ζῆλος.

(iii) Phillips translates this verse this way, “you are murderously jealous of....”

(c) A third solution is to lessen the force of φονεύετε.

(i) One way that the force of φονεύω lessened is by understood it as the readiness to kill.

(ii) Several translation adopt this approach.

(iii) The TEV reads, “so you are ready to kill” while the NEB reads, “and so you are bent on murder”.

(iv) Ropes adopts this view suggesting that James is not talking about actually killing but what will happen if one’s passions are not checked (254-55).

(v) Another way to lessen the force of φονεύω is to read it as hate or contempt, follow the interpratation of Jesus in Matthew 5.21-24.

(d) A final solution was given by Erasmus.

(i) Erasmus assumed that φονεύω, to murder, was a textual error and simply changed it to φθονεῖτε, to envy (BDAG φονεύω [1]).

(ii) It approach has been favored by several commentators, among them Calvin and Mayor (BDAG φονεύω [1]).

(iii) The major problem with this view is that it has no textual support.

(4) My own approach to the problem of φονεύετε is that it probably refers to the murderous words these persons were speaking against others

(a) God often speaks of killing persons with the words of the prophets (Hos. 6:5, Jer 5:14, cp. Isa. 11:4).

(b) This approach is not without its drawbacks.

(i) One is that φονεύω is not used in any of the contexts where God speaks about slewing persons with his words.

(ii) Ἀποκτείνω is used in Hosea 6:5 and πατάσσω in Isaiah 11:4 instead of φονεύω.

(iii) Also, the idea of killing a person with words is only used of God.

(c) Not withstanding these drawbacks, understanding φονεύετε as murderous words fits well in the context.

(i) James had already introduced the notion of murderous word in 3:8 where is said the tongue is μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου.

(ii) Also, if we accept that φονεύετε are murderous words, then what James tells us in 4:2 is that the ἡδονα is the cause for everything he just spoke about in chapter 3: the undisciplined tongue and the wisdom from below.

(iii) In this scenario, φονεύετε corresponds to the undisciplined tongue and ζηλοῦτε, being one of the principle results of the wisdom from below, corresponds to that wisdom.

c) The second result of these persons’ ἡδοναί being denied was they became jealous.

(1) We already studied jealously when looked at the word ζῆλος above.

(2) It is being resentful and jealous.

d) The third result of these persons’ ἡδοναί being denied was they fought and quarreled.

(1) The words he used to show this were μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε.

(2) We also defined μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε above.

(3) What James tells us here is that the denied ἡδοναί created inner στρατευομένων within these persons.

(4) This inner conflict was between these passions and their new spiritual nature.

(5) This thought comes from phrase πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα (4:5).

(a) There is some question how to translate this phrase.

(i) It is translated five ways.

(a) Πνεῦμα could be understood as the Holy Spirit, making the translation read: “the Spirit he caused to live in us longs jealously” (NIV fn.).

(b) Or, ἐπιποθεῖ could refer to God making the translation read: “God jealously longs for the spirit that he made to live in us” (NIV fn.).

(c) Πρὸς could be understood as “to” or “towards” and τὸ πνεῦμα as our spirit, making the translation read: “the spirit he caused to live in us and these intensely” (NIV).

(d) Or finally, πρὸς could be understood as “against” and τὸ πνεῦμα as the Holy Spirit, making the translation read: “the Spirit he put in us resists envy” (cp. Martin 149).

(ii) I prefer the last translation because it has the advantage of supplying an antagonism for the ἡδοναί that gives rise to τῶν στρατευομένων.

(iii) Without this antagonism, there would be no source for the internal battles.

(b) These inner battles overflowed into their life, which in turn overflowed into the community at large.

(6) Whatever the reason for the choice of the word, James traces the battles within the church to the rise and dominance of passions (ἡδονή 24 (WBC).

6) In James construction, the ἡδοναί is the cause for this community’s turmoil.

a) The ἡδοναί cause the undisciplined tongue with it vindictiveness and vilification and the lower wisdom with it jealously and rebellion, which end in quarreling and fighting.

7) There are two comments that we can make about the causes that James has identified for this conflict.

a) One, he discredits their qualification as teachers.

(1) He does this by showing them that the very things they are doing indicates that they are not qualified for the position they desire.

(a) A teacher should have the ability to speak properly, yet they cannot control their tongue (3:1-10).

(b) A teacher should have the ability to conduct himself properly, yet their wisdom leads to πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα (3:16).

(i) Js 3:13 the expert in σοφία will be verified by quality of performance (ἐπιστήμων 1).

b) Two, there is an inversion of causes.

(1) In normal Christianity one's wisdom should dictate one's desires.

(2) These Christians reversed this equation.

(3) They allowed their passion to dictate their wisdom, which is what happened to Eve in Garden (cp. Gen 3).

F. James takes his discussion of cause one step further.

1) If we go no farther than assign the cause for this community’s conflict to the ἡδοναί, we miss some of James’ point.

2) The principle cause of this conflict was not these Christians’ ἡδονῶν.

a) We all have passions and desires and are tempted by them.

b) A Christian however good had these passions and desires under control of the Holy Spirit.

c) This was not the cause in the Christians that James was addressing.

d) These Christians did not have their tongue, wisdom, and passions under the control of the Holy Spirit and were causing conflict.

e) This raises the question: why were these Christian lost control of their tongue, wisdom, and passions and cause so much turmoil?

f) The answer is found in the word μοιχαλίς (4:4).

3) The principle cause of this conflict was that these Christians adulterated their relationship with God.

a) Μοιχαλίς should not be thought of as literal adultery in this context.

(1) There is nothing in James 3 and 4 to suggest this.

(2) Μοιχαλί more likely refers to religious unfaithfulness to God (LH 141 [μοιχαλίς 3]).

(3) In the Old Testament God often speaks of his covenantal relationship with his people as a marriage (Isa. 54:1, Jer 2:2).

(4) Following this imagery, he also calls unfaithfulness to his covenant adultery (cp. Hos. 1-3).

(5) This seems to be more of what James has in mind in chapters 3 and 4.

(6) These had Christians adulterated their relationship with God and this, in turn, adulterated their speech, wisdom, and desires, opening up the door to conflict.

b) They adulterated their relationship with God by making three bad choices.

(1) They chose the world over God.

(a) James does not come right out and say that they chose the world over God.

(b) But, his words “ἐὰν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται” (4:4) suggest as much.

(c) Βούλομα means to desire something, implying a choice or preference (LSJ βούλομα) as well as planning to fulfill the desire (cp. BDAG βούλομα).

(d) Φιλία means love based on interpersonal relations (LSJ φιλία).

(e) It can be translated “friendship” (BDAG φιλία) as it is in the NIV.

(f) What James is telling these people is that they have made a deliberate choice, whether or not the realize it, to choose to side with the world.

(g) The very act of making that choice makes them enemies of God and corrupted their Christianity.

(h) This love made them enemies of God.

(i) This is a difficult comment.

(ii) This probably does not mean that they ceased being Christian.

(iii) It more likely means that God began resisting them (vs. 6).

(iv) The immediate context suggests that this resistance took the form of God not answering their prayers.

(i) This love corrupted their tongue.

(i) James calls the tongue ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας.

(a) There are three principle interpretations for this phrase.

(b) ὁ κόσμος could means “ornament.”

(i) This interpretation implies that the tongue adorns wickedness with winsome language making wickedness look attractive (LH 109 [κόσμος 9] UBS).

(ii) This is probably not the case.

(iii) What these people were doing was verbally abusing and condemning people (4:11ff).

(iv) Καταλαλέω and κρίνω hardly indicate that they were using winsome language to sway others to evil.

(c) ὁ κόσμος could also means “sum total.”

(i) This interpretation suggests that the tongue is the “totality of wickedness.” (LH 109 [κόσμος 10] UBS).

(ii) Although this interpretation is possible, it probably not correct when we take into consideration how James uses κόσμος in the other places in his letter.

(iii) He uses κόσμος in 1:27 and 2:5, and in both places κόσμος means the fallen world of men (cp. BDAG κόσμος [1]).

(iv) Because of this, Marin suggests that the simplest translation of ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας is the “world of wickedness” (124 [κόσμος 14], cp. LH 109 [κόσμος 11]).

(ii) What James is saying is by ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας is that the tongue is that part of us that communicates the wickedness of the fallen world.

(j) This love corrupted their wisdom

(i) This thought comes from the fact that the wisdom from below is ἐπίγειος (3:15).

(ii) As noted above, ἐπίγειος refers to human activities in contrast to divine activities (LN ἐπίγειος 9.7) and therefore, has a worldly quality to it.

(iii) When these persons chose the world over God their wisdom became ἐπίγειος (Martin 131).

(iv) They became practical in the ways of the world rather than they way of God.

(k) This love corrupted their desires.

(i) James implies this by following his discussion of the ἡδοναί with his accusation that these persons love the world.

(ii) Although his discussion of the ἡδοναί and his accusation are not connected grammatically, their juxtaposition suggests that their ἡδοναί are cause by their love the world.

(iii) If this is the case, then these would be teachers’ love of the world corrupted their affections.

(iv) There affection became focused on the things of the world rather than the things of God.

(2) Another way they adulterated their relationship with God was they chose the natural over the spiritual.

(a) This idea comes from the word ψυχικός.

(i) Generically, ψυχικός means natural as opposed to what is spiritual (BDAG ψυχικός [1]).

(ii) In reference to people it refers to those element in them that are not under the control of the Spirit of God (LN 79.5 [ψυχικός 4]).

(iii) Ψυχικός does not necessarily refer to the fallen nature of man.

(iv) Rather, it is simply man without the Spirit of God.

(v) Therefore, it usually refers to persons who are not Christian (cp. 2 Cor. 2:14).

(b) We should not infer from James’ use of this word that these persons were not Christian, because he addresses them as brothers (4:11).

(c) What the presence of ψυχικός more likely means is that they allowed themselves to be influenced by the thinking of non-Christian persons and so adopted a non-Christian mindset.

(3) The final way they adulterated their relationship with God was chose the Devil over God (4:7).

(a) This is seen in three verses.

(b) First, he says of the tongue that it is φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης (3:6)

(c) Γεέννης is a reference to hell which suggests he has infernal forces in mind.

(d) This thought is reinforced his comment in 3:15 where he said that the wisdom from below is δαιμονιώδης (3:15).

(e) Finally, he tells them to resist the Devil and submit to God (4:7), suggesting that they were following Devil rather than God.

4) The temptation to follow the world and Satan is always present.

a) These Christians choose to give into the temptation.

b) The final result of this was they destroyed their relationship with man and God.

IV. The third topic we will address is: What were the cures for this conflict.

A. These are found in verses 4:6-12.

B. James begins on a hopeful note.

C. James tells these Christians that God gives greater grace (4:6).

1) He does not tell them what God’s grace is or what it is greater than.

2) The presence of the δὲ in verse 6 means that God’s grace is contrasted with the battle that exists between these persons’ worldly passions and their new nature he just spoke about in verse 5.

3) This suggests that God’s grace is greater than these passions and so sufficient for these Christians to overcome the battle going on within them and within the community.

D. James also tells these Christians that God’s grace is given to humble.

1) This means that God’s grace is conditional; only those who are humble receive it.

2) Humility, ταπεινός, usually refers to what is lowly, undistinguished, or of no account (BDAG ταπεινός [1]).

3) This is not how James uses the word, however.

4) Verses 7-9 are bracketed with the word ταπεινός.

5) Verse 6 ends with ταπεινός and verse 10 begins with ταπεινός.

6) This bracketing suggests that James is talking about ταπεινός in these verses.

What he seems to be telling these Christians is what humility is and how to become humble.

E. For James humility is submission to God (4:7).

1) Ὑποτάσσω principally means to “place under” or “arrange under” (TDNT 8:39 [ὑποτάσσω 3]).

2) In the passive, as it is here, it means to “subject oneself to” or “submit oneself to” to a person (TDNT 8:40 [ὑποτάσσω 3]), with the clear idea of obeying that person.

3) The idea of arranging under and subjecting oneself work together.

4) One subjects himself to another person by putting himself in proper arrangement under that person and obeying him.

5) The fact that James has to tell them to submit indicates that they were not in submission to God.

6) The context seems to indicate that for James, when a person is not in submission to God he or she allows the Devil is close enough to influence their thought life to be δαιμονιώδης (3:15) and in their tongue to be set on fire by γεέννης (3:6).

7) On the other hand, when a person submits to God and resists the devil they will flee.

8) We cannot overlook the order of James admonition in verse 7.

9) These Christians must first submit to God before they can resist the Devil.

10) Humility then, begins with understanding one's place under God, putting oneself in that place, and submitting oneself to God's will.

F. For James humility is also drawing near to God (4:8).

1) Some think that the act of drawing near to God is the result of submission to God (Martin 153).

a) To be sure, one cannot draw near to God until he is in submission to God.

b) However, submission to God and drawing near to God are two different things.

c) Submission has to do with accepting God's authority, while drawing near to God has to do with an intimate relation with him (Ps. 33:18, LN 149).

d) The idea of drawing near to God better goes with what follows, cleansing their hands and purifying their heart.

e) The reason for this is that cleansing one's hands and purifying one's heart is what is necessary to draw near to God.

f) Only the pure can draw near to God.

g) This is an Old Testament teaching (cp. Ps 24:4, Isa. 29:13).

h) Verse 8 is much like Psalm 24:3-4: “3Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false” (NIV).

i) In this comparison ascending “the hill of the LORD” is similar with “draw near to God”; and “clean hands” and “a pure heart” is similar with “cleanse your hands” and purify your heart.”

j) As such, what James is telling these Christians is that they must draw near to God, and they can do so by purifying their hands and hearts.

2) The admonition καθαρίσατε χεῖρας is a figure of speech for innocent behavior (TWOT 596).

a) It may be a reference to the damage these persons were producing by their bad speech and their φαῦλον πρᾶγμα (3:16).

b) James’ point is they will not have a close relation with God unit they purge themselves of their sinful behavior.

3) The admonition ἁγνίσατε καρδίας, δίψυχοι probably refers to cleansing one’s self of a worldly mindset.

a) The basal meaning of δίψυχοι is “two minded (EDNT 338 [δίψυχος 4]).

b) It used to signify either “doubt” (LN, 1:370) or having a “double life” (Martin 153).

c) The context strongly favors the latter meaning because these Christians heart was set on both the things of God and the world (cp. Martin 153).

d) James is telling them to cleanse their minds of this love for the world.

e) The command to be pure sets the stage for his next admonition: “ταλαιπωρήσατε καὶ πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε. ὁ γέλως ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος μετατραπήτω καὶ ἡ χαρὰ εἰς κατήφειαν” (4:9).

(1) The language of verse 9 is similar to what the Old Testament prophets told the people how they should respond to God's in pending judgment (cp. Jer. 6:26).

(2) If this is in fact what James is telling these people then, their gaiety and laughter are out of place and they must purge them from their minds and become contrite.

(3) They have become enemies of God and may be on the verge of being judged for their conduct.

4) Humility for James then, is the quality of those who practice what God desires (Martin 151, [ταπεινός 5]).

G. Just as James began on a hopeful note in verse 6, he ends on a hopeful note in verse 10.

1) He tells then if they do humble themselves before God, i.e. submit to God and purify their lives, God will lift them up rather than judged them.

2) In the context, God lifting them up may well refer to answering their prayers and giving them what they want.

3) This thought introduces a new concept into James’ teachings.

4) The thought of humbling themselves before God in order that he will lift them up introduces the concept of faith.

5) The reason is they must believe that God will lift them up.

H. James concludes these two chapters in the same way that he started them, condemning these would be teacher vilifying and condemning their fellow Christians (4:11-12).

1) He does add two more thoughts to his discussion though.

2) The first is by condemning others they condemn the Law.

3) The second is by condemning others they take the place of God.

V. Summary

A. From what we can glean from James’ discussion of the conflict, it seems to stem from certain persons who wanted to be teachers, but for want ever reason were denied.

1) Instead of handling the denial by submitting their circumstance to God, they chose to handle it the way the world, their natural desires, and demonic forces directed them to.

2) As a result, they turned to jealously, anarchy, and verbal abuse, which in turn caused fighting and quarreling in the community.

B. We cannot overlook the order in which these causes take place.

1) The principle cause this conflict was the fact that they decided disobey and not to submit to God; which, in turn, opened the door to choose Satan and the world; which, in turn, opened the door to choose their passions; which, in turn, opened to door to choose the lower wisdom; which in turn ended in bad speech and conflict.

C. In order to correct this situation James tells these persons that they had to undue the decisions they had made in the same order they made them.

1) Instead of following Satan and the world they had to submit anew to God.

2) Instead of following their passions and the lower wisdom, and instead of using their tongue as a weapon they had to draw near to God.

3) Finally, they had to, and repent.

VI. The final topic we will address is: How James can help us deal with conflict.

A. The best place to begin this topic is to determine if what James told this community can be applied to our conflicts.

1) Because James is addressing a particular conflict in a particular community, does what he say only apply to this particular situation, or can what he says be applied to all conflicts?

2) Are the dynamics that caused this local conflict applicable to all conflicts?

3) It is not difficult to show that conflict comes when a person or persons disobey God.

a) This is what happened in the Garden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God.

b) No sooner had they done so, than they started blaming and criticizing.

4) It is also not difficult to show that is a person is not following God they are following Satan and the world (cp. 1 John 3).

5) However, it is a little more difficult to show that as a rule, after a person has stopped following God, their passions take over and spawn conflict.

6) Is this what James is saying in this passage?

7) I think yes.

8) This is seen in the anarthrous πόλεμοι and μάχαι (4:1).

a) If he wanted his readers to understand that he was about to speak to the cause of this particular quarrel, he probably would introduce πόλεμοι μάχαι with articles.

b) Because he didn’t, he was thinking of the general cause for all wars and battles.

9) The connection between passion and fighting is not unique with James.

a) This is also true mind of the ancients.

b) Plato writes, “The sole cause of wars and revolutions and battles is nothing other than the body and its desires.” (Barclay).

c) Lucian writes, “All the evils which come upon man—revolutions and wars, stratagems and slaughters—spring from desire. All these things have as their fountain-head the desire for more” (Barclay).

d) Cicero writes, “It is insatiable desires which over-turn not only individual men, but whole families, and which even bring down the state. From desires there spring hatred, schisms, discords, seditions and wars” (Barclay).

10) As we mentioned earlier, James takes the cause of conflict one step farther, showing that they are the result of a corrupted relation with God.

11) The passions caused the bad tongue and wisdom.

12) It seems for James, that what he is describing here is at the heart of all conflict.

13) That disobedience to God opens the door for Satan and the world to cause a person to live by their passions, which in turn produces conflict.

B. How then can James help us deal with conflict?

C. Perhaps the most important contribution James brings to the topics of conflict resolution and management conflict is the fact that he defines the causes and effects of conflict.

1) Jesus said that we are to ἴσθι εὐνοῶν or become “well disposed” or “friendly” (BDAG εὐνοέω) with those who oppose us (Matt. 5:25a).

2) Paul told Eudia and Syntyche τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν, or be in agreement with each other (Phil. 4:2).

3) Although these two verses tell us we are to settle our disagreements with others, neither speaks about why there was a conflict in the first place.

4) James fills in this gap.

5) What James teaches us is the source of conflict is not bad attitudes, or bad interrelations, or bad speech.

6) The source of conflict is a corrupted relationship with God, in James’ words spiritual μοιχαλίδες.

D. This understanding changes the way we go about dealing with conflict.

1) I suppose, in theory, because we are Christians, we should be able to live in harmony, without conflict.

a) However, due to our immaturity and the constant pressure we feel from the demonic and the world, conflict is inevitable.

b) Even the embryonic church experienced conflict (Acts 6).

c) Therefore, we need to know how to deal with conflict.

d) James gives us some direction in this regard.

E. One, we cannot treat the symptoms of conflict and expect to treat the conflict.

1) This would be like taking aspirin for the pain caused by a thorn in one’s foot.

2) The aspirin may take the pain away for a while, but because the thorn is still there, the pain will come back.

3) Sooner or latter, in order to stop the pain, the thorn will have to be removed.

4) The same can be said for conflict.

5) One can curb a malicious tongue or bad attitudes.

6) But, if we don’t eliminate the causes of a malicious tongue or bad attitudes, no matter how much people want to get along or no matter how successful we are at helping people to get along, sooner or later the malicious tongue or bad attitudes will come back along with the conflicts.

7) The only way to truly resolve conflict is to cure the causes of conflict, which for James is under God’s authority and living a living a holy life and resisting Satan and not giving into the world.

F. Two, we need to be mature.

1) James inversely ties conflict to one’s spiritual maturity.

a) According to James, the more a community matures, the less conflict it will experience.

b) What does James tell us Christian maturity is?

c) For James Christian maturity is submission to God and holiness.

d) There are four ways a person can become mature.

e) First, we must be under God’s authority.

(1) Only then can we resist Satan.

(2) Only then can we order our life.

f) Second, we must feed our mind with proper information.

(1) If God is not the object of our affection we will miss his wisdom.

(a) We will miss his will (Jn. 5:35)

(b) We will not be able to obey him (Jn. 13:13).

(2) Wisdom from above.

(a) Scripture

(b) Holy Spirit.

(3) Not worldly media.

(4) We will know the difference by the results.

g) Third, we must set our affections in the right direction.

(1) We cannot love the world.

(2) The ἡδοναί destroy our relation God.

(a) ἡδονή influences all aspects of man’s relations with God, his attitude to the divine will, to the divine Word and to prayer (ἡδονή 13. TDNT).

(b) Man lives either according to his own desires or according to God’s will (cf. 1 Pt. 4:2: εἰς τὸ μηκέτι ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαις ἀλλὰ θελήματι θεοῦ … βιῶσαι) (ἡδονή 14. TDNT).

(c) The ἴδιαι ἐπιθυμίαι etc. (R. 1:24; 2 Tm. 4:3; Jam. 1:14; 2 Pt. 3:3; Jd. 16; 18) as a goal in life denote rejection of God’s will in an impotent attempt at revolt. Persistence in lusts (Herm.s., 8, 8, 5; 8, 9, 4: ἐπιμένωιν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς) is the state which follows decision against God (ἡδονή 14. TDNT).

(d) prayer, that is affected by the destructive operation of ἡδονή. Jam. 4:3: αἰτεῖσθε ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε (ἡδονή 15. TDNT).

(3) We must love God.

h) Fourth, we must not use our gifts as weapons.

(1) James speaks about the tongue because that is what is being use here.

(a) The tongue is one of our principle weapons.

(b) There are other weapons.

(c) Does not mean the tongue cannot be brought under control.

(i) The τέλειος ἀνὴρ is able to bridle his words and whole body (3:1).

(ii) He is talking about the contrast between those who walk by the wisdom from above and those who walk by the wisdom from below.

(iii) Those who walk by the lower wisdom cannot control their tongue.

Conflict Outline