Conflict Paper

Gene B. Burnes

PTH808

7 July 2007

The Causes and Cures of Conflict in a Christian Community:

A Case Study of James 3 and 4.

In Chapters 3 and 4 of his epistle, James deals with a conflict in a Christian community. The aim of this paper is to look at what this conflict was and how James deals with it to see if what he says has any relevance in dealing with conflict in Christian communities today.

My reason for choosing these two chapters to study the subject of conflict management is that James’ approach in dealing with this particular conflict is unique from the rest of the New Testament. In the rest of the New Testament, conflict is dealt with through reconciliation (cp. Mat. 5:23ff) and agreement (cp. Phil. 4:2). James, on the other hand, deals with conflict by identifying its fundamental causes and then by showing his readers how to correct them.

My outline will cover four topics: (1) the conflict James is addressing; (2) the causes of this conflict; (3) the cures for this conflict; and (4) how James can help us deal with conflict in Christian communities today.

The first topic we will cover is the conflict James is addressing. We need to begin this topic by tying Chapters 3 and 4 together. Although we usually disjoin these two chapters, and the various elements within them, their content and structure tie them together. In Chapter 3, James writes about a conflict that was created by bad speech (vss. 1-12) and by bad thinking (3:13-18). In Chapter 4:1-12, he tells his readers where this conflict came from and how to stop it. The question in 4:1, “πόθεν πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν,” assumes the previously mentioned conflict in Chapter 3. If Chapter 3 is not tied to Chapter 4, we would be left wondering what conflict James is referring to in Chapter 4. Structurally Chapter 3 lays out what the conflict is and Chapter 4 lays out what the causes and cures for it are.

What is the conflict that James is writing about in these two chapters? James does not give a detailed account of this conflict. Rather, he only touches on the major issues involved. The reason for this is because the community he was writing to already knew what the conflict was about. Therefore, James’ main concern is not to tell them what they already knew, but to tell them how to overcome their clash. We can, however, deduce what the conflict was about by studying both the causes that James identifies for it and the cures that he tells this Christian community they must follow to fix it.

It appears that there were certain persons in this community who wanted to be teachers. This is seen in three words that James uses: διδάσκαλος, σοφὸς, and ἐπιστήμων.

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

The second word is σοφὸς (3:13). Although σοφὸς is generally translated “wisdom,” it can also mean “teacher” (WPTN James 3:13). In rabbinic circles, σοφὸς became a technical term used to describe a scribe or ordained rabbi who was trained in the Torah (TDNT 7:505, Ropes 244). In this context James probably uses σοφος to mean teacher because of the presence of the third word that James uses, which is ἐπιστήμων (3:13) (cp. Martin 128).

Ἐπιστήμων refers to one who is an expert in any field (BAGD ἐπιστήμων 1). In the Old Testament, when σοφὸς and ἐπιστήμων are found together, they refer to one who has a correct understanding of God (Deut. 1:13, 4:6). In James Chapter 3, we get the idea that James is referring to persons who are thinking, at least in their own minds, that they are expert teachers regarding the things of God.

The context suggests that these persons are not teachers yet. 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. The context also suggests that their desire to become teachers was denied (4:2).

It seems as though when these would-be teachers were denied, they responded with a barrage of negative responses. They became vindictive (3:9f), bitter (3:14), jealous (3:14), and belligerent (3:16). These responses appear to have thrown the community into turmoil and conflict. For whatever reason, the community did not handle this well and James stepped in to help.

The second topic we will cover is the causes of this conflict. Broadly speaking, the cause of all conflict is sin (cp. Gen. 3). James mentions that these Christians were guilty of three sins that caused this conflict: an undisciplined tongue, unspiritual wisdom, and unrestrained passions.

The first cause of this conflict that James identifies is an undisciplined tongue. Although James is talking about the physical tongue in Chapter 3 (cp. vs. 5), it is not the tongue, in and of itself, that is the cause of this conflict; rather, it is the bad speech that their tongues produced. In this sense, he uses the tongue metaphorically for what is spoken. This metaphorical use of the tongue could refer to one of two kinds of spoken words in Chapter 3.

On the one hand, it could refer to teachings. This comes from the dative ἐν λόγῳ (3:2). The term λόγος in the New Testament can mean what is taught (cp. 1 Cor. 1:18, 2 Cor. 5:19, Matt. 22:1). Since James is addressing would-be teachers, one could argue that the term λόγος in 3:2 refers to the doctrine that these people were teaching or wanted to teach.

On the other hand, the tongue could refer simply to speech. Because James is talking about specific blessings and curses that are spoken of in Chapter 3, he is, more likely, using the tongue to refer to speech rather than doctrine. We can refine this comment a little bit. The phrase ἐν λόγῳ is also used in the New Testament to mean the quality of what is said (cp. 2 Cor. 6:7). 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.

The problem with these would-be teachers’ tongues was that what they spoke was undisciplined; they did not exercise control over what they said. This is seen in the phrase οὐδεὶς δαμάσαι δύναται (3:8). The basal meaning of δαμάζω is “to reduce from an uncontrolled to a controlled state” (BDAG δαμάζω). When used of animals, it means to “tame” (LSJ δαμάζω I 1). Because James is setting the tongue (3:8) parallel with animals (3:7), he is probably using δαμάζω to speak of training or disciplining. These people’s tongues were not trained or disciplined. This thought is also seen in the word ἀκαταστᾰτος, which James uses to qualify the tongue (3:8). Ἀκατάστατος is often translated “restless” (BAGD ἀκατάστατος, RSV) but can also mean “disorderly” (LSJ ἀκαταστᾰτος), pointing again to the undisciplined nature of their tongues. It would seem that these would-be teachers said whatever they wanted to say regardless of the consequences.

The product of these undisciplined tongues was vindictiveness and vilification. This is seen in the words κατάρα, καταράομαι, κρίνω, καταλαλέω, which James uses in these chapters.

The first word, κατάρα, and its verbal form, καταράομαι (3:9f), have the meaning of “to curse.” 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). This family of words means “to cause injury or harm by means of a statement regarded as having some supernatural power” (LN 33.471).

The next word that he uses is κρίνω (4:11). Κρίνω is the usual New Testament word for the judicial process (BDAG κρίνω 5). This word was used when a person was handed over for judicial punishment (BDAG κρίνω 5) or when a sentence was passed upon someone (LSJ κρίνω). It can also mean “condemn” (LSJ κρίνω).

The last word that he uses is καταλαλέω (4:11). In the LXX, καταλαλέω translates the Hebrew דבר in the piel and niphel when it is used in the sense of “hostile speaking” (Job 19:3, Ps. 43:16 BH) (TDNT 4:3). Though used sparingly in the New Testament, καταλαλέω means to speak “degradingly of,” “speak evil of,” “defame,” and “slander” (BDAG καταλαλέω). James’ point is that these people had not trained their tongues to speak what was edifying (cp. Eph. 4:30). Rather, they were using their tongues to destroy people.

The second cause of conflict that James identifies is unspiritual wisdom. James mentions three kinds of wisdom in Chapter 3. The first kind of wisdom we have already identified as a teacher.

The next two kinds of wisdom are found in 3:13-17. The first he labels as σοφία ἄνωθεν (3:15, 17) and the second he characterizes as ἐπίγειος, ψυχική, δαιμονιώδης (3:15). The principal meaning of σοφὸς is “to be skilled at a handicraft” (LSJ σοφος 1). The word could be used of an architect because he was skilled in building buildings (BDAG σοφος 8, cp. 1 Cor. 3:10) or of a craftsman because he could create a work of art (cp. Ex. 31:3 LXX). In intellectual matters it spoke of one who was practical and prudent (LSJ σοφος 6). After this, σοφος takes on the meaning of “wise” (LSJ σοφος 2). In the New Testament, this wisdom or prudence exhibits itself in wise attitudes and conduct (BDAG σοφος 2).

James contrasts these two types of wisdoms. Because the first kind, ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν, is set opposite to the ἐπίγειος, ψυχική, δαιμονιώδης kind, it is from the Spirit and is spiritual wisdom; because the second kind is set opposite to the wisdom from above, it is wisdom from below.

The problem with this unspiritual or lower wisdom is its nature. James qualifies this nature as ἐπίγειος. Philo actually writes of ἐπίγειαν σοφίαν in contrast to οὐράνιον σοφίαν. He says that it is an imitation of the wisdom God employed to create this world (Leg. All. 1.43 found in BDAG ἐπικατάρατος). In the New Testament, ἐπίγειος refers to human activities in contrast to divine activities (LN 9.7). Therefore, it has earthly characteristics in contrast to heavenly characteristics (BDAG ἐπίγειος 1). When it is set in antithesis to αἰώνιος, it usually takes on a negative sense (Martin 131), which is certainly how James wants this community to understand it here.

James also qualifies the nature of this lower wisdom as ψυχικός. In the LXX, ψυχικός means “soulish” and “mental” (LEH ψυχικός). In the New Testament, ψυχικός generally means natural (LSJ ψυχίκός 2). Therefore, it refers to what is unspiritual (BDAG ψυχικός) and not under the guidance of the Spirit of God (LN 41.41). James uses the word to refer to wisdom that does not come from God.

Lastly, James qualifies the nature of this lower wisdom as Δαιμονιώδης. Δαιμονιώδης refers to what originates from the lower spirit-world, which is infernal and demonic (BDAG δαιμονιώδης).

Another problem with this lower wisdom is where it comes from. The three adjectives James uses to describe this wisdom not only indicate the character of the wisdom, but also its source. The source of this wisdom is from the Devil, from what is unspiritual, and from the world of men. It is not from the Spirit and therein is its weakness and danger. It cannot produce those qualities God desires in a Christian.

The product of the lower wisdom is everything that is conducive to conflict. James writes that it produces “ζῆλον πικρὸν”. Ζῆλος is an intense, usually negative, jealousy over another’s achievements or success (BAGD ζῆλος 2). Jealousy carries with it the idea of coveting (OED “Jealousy” 1). Πικρός is a strong word. It speaks of “anger,” “spitefulness,” “meanness,” “vindictiveness” (LSJ πικρός), and “resentfulness” (LN 88.170). It speaks of what brings pain instead of expected pleasure (LSJ πικρός). These two words together create the idea that these persons had a yearning that was laced with anger and resentfulness. It could possibly indicate that these would-be teachers were jealous and resentful of the established teachers in the community.

Lower wisdom produces selfishness. The New Testament word for selfishness is ἐριθεία. Ἐριθεία originally meant a day laborer (TDNT 2:660, RR 451). 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 2:660). In the New Testament, it means selfishness or factious ambition (LSJ ἐριθεία II 2). This word indicates that the persons James is speaking to became selfish and manipulative because they were denied what they wanted.

Lower wisdom produces belligerence (3:16). Ἀκαταστασία means “disorder” (BAGD ἀκαταστασία 2) and “political unrest” (TDNT 3:446). It refers to opposition to the established authority (BAGD ἀκαταστασία 2). The idea of belligerence is further developed with the words πόλεμοι and μάχαι in 4:1. The NIV translates them “fights” and “quarrels.” Πόλεμοι means war (BAGD πόλεμος 1a) and μάχαι means a battle within a war (LSJ μᾰχη). It is hard to believe that James used these words by accident. These words suggest that these persons were fighting against the community’s leadership.

Lower wisdom produces foul deeds. James’ final comment, πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα, is general. He could be referring to these would-be teachers’ undisciplined tongues or any other activities they were engaged in that disrupted the life of the community. In any event, in James’ mind their undisciplined tongues seem to have been caused by their lower wisdom. This connection comes from the fact that the two words ἀκαταστᾰτος and ἀκαταστασία share a similar root and sense. They both mean disorder and unrest. The difference between them seems to be that while ἀκαταστᾰτος tends to be more of a personal trait, ἀκαταστασία tends to be more of a social trait. If the lower wisdom causes the ἀκαταστασία, then it probably also causes the ἀκαταστᾰτος. The lower wisdom fueled their tongues.

The third cause of this conflict that James identifies is unrestrained passions. This comes from the word ἡδονή (4:1). The word ἡδονή derives from the same root as ἡδύς, which means something that is “sweet,” “pleasant,” or “delightful” to the taste (TDNT 2:910). The Greeks first used this word to mean a good pleasure, like taking pleasure in a beautiful work of art (TDNT 2:910). However, as time went on, it started to take on the sense of sensual and sexual pleasure (TDNT 2:912). When the word is set parallel with ἐπιθυμία, as it is in James 4:1-2, the ideas of sensual pleasure and the desire for it combine to form the idea of “passionate yearning” (TDNT 2:910). When the word is used in the plural, as it is in James 4:1-2, it means desiring after a pleasure or a pleasant lust (LSJ ἡδονή). In James, then, the presence of ἡδονη seems to connote a passionate desire for whatever is pleasing.

In the New Testament, the ἡδοναί́ have no redeeming value. The problem with the ἡδοναί is that they provide an avenue for our sinful impulses. The ἡδοναί are in our μέλη (4:1). Μέλη could refer to parts of the human body (so Ropes 254) or members of the body of Christ (so Martin 140). Because of the connection of μέλος with γλῶσσα in 3:5, it is easier to view μέλος as a body part. “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 2:920). In the end, they enslave men and women (Tit. 3:3) and prevent them from obtaining spiritual maturity (Luke 8:14). Because the ἡδοναί gain their orientation from the σάρκα, they become the sinful impulses of the σάρξ, and what they produce stands in contrast to the fruit of the Holy Spirit *(Gal. 5:22f) (TDNT 2:920).

These would-be teachers’ ἡδοναί produce unsavory results. According to James their ἡδοναί produce willfulness. This thought comes from the word ἐπιθυμέω in 4:2. Ἐπιθυμέω is a very strong word. It originally meant a violent movement of air (TDNT 3:167). In ethics, it means “setting one’s heart upon a thing,” “long for,” “covet,” and “desire” (LJS ἐπιθυμέω). It can denote the impulse for food or sexual satisfaction (TDNT 3:167). In Greek philosophy, ἐπιθυμία comes to mean the waywardness of man in conflict with his rationality (TDNT 3:169). In the Old Testament, ἐπιθυμία is an offense against God (TDNT 3:169). In James 4:2, ἐπιθυμία is the outward expression of the inward desires of their ἡδοναί.

We should not overlook the tense of ἐπιθυμεῖτε in 4:2. The present indicates that these persons had not only set their heart on what they wanted, they did it in an obdurate way. They set their course and would not change. Their desires were unrestrained.

The ἡδοναί of these would-be teachers needed to be satisfied. James tells us that what these persons wanted, they wanted ἵνα ἐν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὑμῶν δαπανήσητε (4:3). Δαπανάω means: (1) to spend one’s money on something, as is the case of the woman with the flow of blood who spent all she had on the care of doctors (Mark 5:24); or, (2) to waste one’s resources, as in the case of the prodigal son (Luke 12:12). What does it mean to spend something on one’s desires or passions? It probably means to satisfy them (cp. TDNT 2:921).

Of course, the principle problem that these persons had was that their desires were denied. What happened when these persons’ ἡδοναί were denied? James points out three results and none of them are good.

The first result that happened when these would-be teachers were denied was that they committed murdered (4:2). James’ use of the word φονεύω presents a problem. Does he mean us to understand φονεύω as murder; that is, these Christians actually murdered each other? The various attempts to explain the presence of φονεύω can be summarized in four ways.

One, φονεύετε can be taken literally. Martin posits this position in his commentary on James (Martin 146). He suggests that James is trying to get across to 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). In support of this, some point out that murder was an acceptable way of handling problems in the first century (Martin 146).

There are two problems with this view. The first is that φονεύετε is a present indicative. If taken literally, the present indicative does not indicate that these persons killed sometime in the past, but that they were on-going serial killers (cp. Jer. 7:6 LXX). The second problem with this view is that if these persons were murdering, why didn’t James tell them to stop. Murder is a far greater crime than any sin of the tongue and it is not an acceptable way for the people of God to settle conflicts (Deut. 5:6). It seems reasonable that if James had reprimanded these people for judging, he certainly would have reprimanded them for murder, especially serial killing, beyond just mentioning it.

Two, some take φονεύω metaphorically. In this view φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε is treated as a hendiadys and translated something like “you murderously covet” (LH 138). In this interpretation, φονεύω becomes a description of the extent of the ζῆλος. Phillips adopts this view, translating it “you are murderously jealous of....”

Three, another solution is to lessen the force of φονεύω. One way that the force of φονεύω is lessened is to understand it as the readiness to kill. Several translations adopt this approach. The TEV reads, “so you are ready to kill,” while the NEB reads, “and so you are bent on murder.” 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). Also, another way to lessen the force of φονεύω is to read it as hate or contempt, following the interpretation of Jesus in Matthew 5:21-24 (Mayor 134).

Four, a final solution was given by Erasmus. Erasmus assumed that φονεύετε, “you murder,” was a textual error and simply changed it to φθονεῖτε, “you envy” (BDAG φονεύω). This approach has been favored by several commentators, among them Calvin and Mayor (BDAG φονεύω). The major problem with this view is that it has no textual support.

My own approach to the presence of φονεύετε is that it probably refers to words that destroy persons. God often speaks of killing persons with the words of the prophets (Hos. 6:5, Jer 5:14, cp. Isa. 11:4). This approach is not without its drawbacks. One is that the term φονεύω is not used in any of the contexts where God speaks about slewing persons with his words. Instead, ἁποκτείνω is used in Hosea 6:5 and πατάσσω in Isaiah 11:4. Also, the idea of killing a person with words is only used of God.

Notwithstanding these drawbacks, understanding φονεύετε as words that destroy fits well in the context. James has already introduced the notion of verbally killing a person in 3:8 where he says the tongue is μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου. Also, if we accept that φονεύετε is killing a person by what is spoken, we have a tidy summation in 4:2 of the relationship between the ἡδοναί and the tongue and the wisdom from below. In 4:2 James writes, “ἐπιθυμεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε: φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε.” The juxtaposition of φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε with ἐπιθυμεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε suggests that when these persons’ ἡδοναί were denied, their ἡδοναί caused their undisciplined tongue and its side effects, and their wisdom from below and its side effects. In this scenario, ἐπιθυμεῖτε expresses the desires of the ἡδοναί; φονεύετε corresponds to the damage done by the undisciplined tongue; and ζηλοῦτε, being one of the principle results of the wisdom from below, corresponds to the effects resulting from that wisdom.

The second result that happened when these would-be teachers’ ἡδοναί were denied was that they became jealous (4:2). We already studied jealously when we looked at the word ζῆλος above. It is being resentful and jealous.

The third result that happened when these would-be teachers’ ἡδοναί were denied was that they fought and quarreled (4:1). The words James uses to show this are μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε. We also defined μάχεσθε καὶ πολεμεῖτε above. What James adds in 4:1 is that the denied ἡδοναί created inner στρατευομένων within these persons. These inner wars were between their ἡδοναί and the Spirit in them. This thought comes from the phrase πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα (4:5). There is some question as to how to translate this phrase. It can be translated four ways.

One, πνεῦμα could be understood as the Holy Spirit, making the verse read: “The Spirit he caused to live in us longs jealously” (NIV fn.). Or, two, ἐπιποθεῖ could refer to God, making the verse read: “God jealously longs for the spirit that he made to live in us” (NIV fn.). Or, three, πρὸς could be understood as “to” or “towards” and τὸ πνεῦμα as our spirit, making the verse read: “The spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely” (NIV). Or, four, 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). Πνεῦμα can refer to the human spirit (cp. Luke 1:47), but the context suggests the Divine. Verses 4-6a talk about God’s response to sin. In verse 4, love of the world makes one an enemy of God; in verse 5, envy is resisted by God; and in verse 6, pride is opposed by God. Understanding πνεῦμα as the human spirit in verse 5 introduces a disaccord into James’ pattern of thought in these verses and seems out place (cp. Martin 150).

The final translation of verse 5, “the Spirit he put in us resists envy,” has the advantage over the others because it supplies an antagonism against the ἡδοναί that gives rise to τῶν στρατευομένων. Without this antagonism there would be no source for the internal battles. These inner battles overflowed into their life, which, in turn, overflowed into the community at large.

However “πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα” is translated, in the end, James traces the battles within the church to the rise and dominance of the would-be teachers’ ἡδοναί (Martin 145). Their ἡδοναί caused their undisciplined tongues with vindictiveness and vilification as well as their lower wisdom with jealously and rebellion, which brought them to quarreling and fighting.

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

One, his comments show he discredits the would-be teachers’ qualifications as teachers. 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 teacher should have the ability to speak properly, yet they could not control their tongues (3:1-10); and a teacher should have the ability to conduct himself properly, yet their wisdom lead to πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα (3:16).

Two, there is an inversion of causes. In normal Christianity, one’s wisdom should dictate one’s desires (cp. Rom. 12:2). However, with these Christians, this order is reversed. They allowed their passions to dictate their wisdom, which is what happened to Eve in the Garden (cp. Gen 3).

James takes his discussion of cause one step further. If we go no further than to assign the cause for this community’s conflict to the ἡδοναί of these would-be teachers, we miss some of James’ point. All Christians have passions and desires that tempt them. A Christian, however, should have these passions and desires under the control of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:25). This was not the case of the Christians that James addresses. The question arises: Why had these Christians lost control of their tongues, their wisdom, and their passions and caused so much turmoil?

The answer is found in the word μοιχαλίς (4:4). The principle cause of this conflict was not these Christians’ ἡδοναί, but that they had adulterated their relationship with God. Μοιχαλίς should not be thought of as literal adultery in this context. There is nothing in James 3 and 4 to suggest this. Μοιχαλίς, more likely, refers to religious unfaithfulness to God (LH 141). In the Old Testament, God often speaks of his covenantal relationship with his people as a marriage (Isa. 54:1, Jer 2:2). Following this imagery, he also calls unfaithfulness to his covenant “adultery” (cp. Hos. 1-3). This seems to be more of what James has in mind in Chapters 3 and 4. These Christians had adulterated their relationship with God, and this, in turn, adulterated their desires, speech, and wisdom, opening up the door to conflict. They adulterated their relationship with God by making two bad choices.

Their first bad choice, which adulterated their relationship with God, was that they chose the ways of world over the ways of God. James does not come right out and say this, but his words “ἐὰν οὖν βουληθῇ φίλος εἶναι τοῦ κόσμου, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσταται” (4:4) suggest as much. Βούλομα means to desire something, implying a choice or preference (LSJ βούλομα), as well as planning to fulfill the desire (cp. BDAG βούλομα). Φιλία means love based on interpersonal relations (LSJ φιλία). It can be translated “friendship” (BDAG φιλία), as it is in the NIV.

What James is telling these people is that they have made a deliberate choice, whether or not they realized it, to choose the ways of the world. The very act of making that choice made them enemies of God and corrupted their Christianity. The comment ἐχθρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ is difficult. It does not mean that they ceased being Christians because James addresses them as brothers in 4:11. It more likely means that God began opposing them (vs. 6) (cp. Swanson 2:815). The immediate context suggests that this opposition took the form of God not answering their prayers.

Their love for the world corrupted their tongues. James calls the tongue “ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας.” There are three principle interpretations for this phrase. One, ὁ κόσμος, can mean “ornament.” This interpretation implies that the tongue adorns wickedness with winsome language, making wickedness look attractive (LH 109). This is probably not the case. These people were verbally abusing and condemning others (4:11ff). This hardly indicates that they were using winsome language to sway others to evil. Two, ὁ κόσμος, can also mean “sum total.” This interpretation suggests that the tongue is the “totality of wickedness” (LH 109). Although this interpretation is possible, it is probably not correct when we take into consideration how James uses κόσμος in other places in his letter. He uses κόσμος in 1:27 and 2:5 to mean the fallen world of men (cp. BDAG κόσμος). And, three, because James uses κόσμος to mean the fallen world of men, Martin suggests that the simplest translation of ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας is the “world of wickedness” (124, cp. LH 109). The fact that James qualifies their tongues with κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας indicates that these would-be teachers used their tongues to communicate the wickedness of the fallen world.

Their love for the world also corrupted their wisdom. This thought comes from the fact that the wisdom from below is ἐπίγειος (3:15). As noted above, ἐπίγειος refers to human activities in contrast to divine activities (LN 9.7) and, therefore, has a worldly quality to it. When these persons chose the world over God, their wisdom became ἐπίγειος (Martin 131). They became practical in the ways of the world, rather than in the ways of God.

Their love for the world also corrupted their desires. Although James’ discussion of their ἡδοναί and his accusation of their love of the world are not connected grammatically, their juxtaposition suggests that their ἡδοναί were caused by their love of the world. If this is the case, then these would-be teachers’ love of the world corrupted their affections. Their affections became focused on the things of the world rather than on the things of God.

Their second bad choice, which adulterated their relationship with God, was that they chose the ways of the Devil over the ways of God (4:7). This is seen in three verses. In 3:6, James writes that the tongue is φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης. Γεέννης is a reference to hell, which suggests he has infernal forces in mind (Martin 116). In 3:15, he writes that the wisdom they were living by was δαιμονιώδης. Finally, in 4:7, he tells them to resist the Devil and submit to God, suggesting that they were following the Devil rather than God. The temptation to follow the world and Satan is always present. These Christians chose to give into the temptation. The end result of this was that they damaged their relationship with God and man.

Therefore, the principle cause of this conflict was that these persons made the decision to follow the ways of the world and the ways of the Devil, rather than the ways of God. The reason why such choices cause conflict is because the world and the Devil produce forces with create conflict: the ἡδοναί and the wisdom from below. So, if a person chooses to follow the world and the Devil, they run the risk of being influenced by forces that cause conflict.

The order in which these causes take place is important; they build on each other. The principle cause of this conflict was the fact that they decided to disobey God and not to submit to God; which, in turn, opened the door to choose the world and the Devil; which, in turn, opened the door to choose their passions; which, in turn, opened the door to choose their lower wisdom; which, in turn, ended in bad speech and conflict.

The third topic we will cover is the cures James prescribes for the conflict he was addressing. These are found in verses 4:6-12.

He begins on a hopeful note. James tells these Christians that God gives greater grace (4:6). He does not tell them what God’s grace is or what it is greater than. 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 the Holy Spirit within them, which James had just addressed in verse 5. This suggests that God’s grace is greater than these passions and, therefore, is sufficient for these Christians to overcome the battle going on within them and within the community.

James also tells these Christians that God’s grace is given to the humble (4:6, cp. Prov. 3:35 LXX). This means that God’s grace is conditional: Only those who are humble receive it. Humility, ταπεινός, usually refers to what is “lowly,” “undistinguished,” “of no account,” (BDAG ταπεινός) or “obedient” (TDNT 8:4). James probably wants us to read it as “obedience” here because of what follows. Verses 7-9 are bracketed with the word ταπεινός. Verse 6 ends with ταπεινός, and verse 10 begins with ταπεινός. This bracketing suggests that what James is talking about in verses 7-9 has to do with ταπεινός. More precisely, he seems to be telling these Christians what humility is and how to become humble.

For James, humility includes submission to God (4:7) (TDNT 8:16). Ὑποτάσσω principally means to “place under” or “arrange under” (TDNT 8:39). In the passive, as it is here, it means to “subject oneself to” or “submit oneself to” a person (TDNT 8:40), with the clear idea of obeying that person. The ideas behind this word, arranging under and subjecting oneself to, work together. One subjects himself to another person by putting himself in proper arrangement under, or being in a proper relationship with, that person and obeying him. The fact that submission to God is the first thing James mentions in his discussion about humility, most likely, indicates that submission to God is the most important part of humility and the first step toward humility.

The fact that James has to tell these would-be teachers to submit to God indicates that they were not in submission to God. The context indicates that, for James, when persons are not in submission to God, they have put themselves in a position to allow the Devil to influence their lives to the extent that their thoughts can be characterized as δαιμονιώδης (3:15) and their tongues can be set on fire by γεέννης (3:6). This is why James tells these Christians that they must not only submit to God, but they must also resist the Devil. He tells them this because only when they resist the Devil, will the Devil’s influence stop in their lives. We cannot overlook the order of James’ instructions in verse 7. These Christians must first submit to God; then they can resist the Devil. They should not expect the Devil to stop influencing them if they are not in submission to God.

Humility then, begins by submitting oneself to God and resisting the Devil’s influence.

For James, humility also includes drawing near to God (4:8). Some think that the act of drawing near to God is connected with submission to God (Martin 153). To be sure, one cannot draw near to God until he is in submission to God. This may be why James mentions submission first. However, submission to God and drawing near to God are two different things. Submission has to do with accepting God’s authority, while drawing near to God has to do with an intimate relationship with him (Ps. 33:18, TDNT 2:330-31).

The idea of drawing near to God better goes with what follows, cleansing one’s hands and purifying one’s heart. It is noteworthy that James’ instruction in verse 8 is much like Psalm 24:3-4 and may have been drawn from this Psalm. Psalm 24:3-4 reads: “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, cp. Isa. 29:13). In this comparison, ascending “the hill of the LORD” in Psalm 24:3 is similar to “draw near to God” in James 4:8; and the “clean hands” and “pure heart” in Psalm 24:4 are similar to “cleanse your hands” and purify your heart” in James 4:8. As such, what James is telling these Christians is that they must draw near to God, and that they can do so by purifying their hands and hearts.

Καθαρίσατε χεῖρας is a figure of speech for innocent behavior (TWOT 596). The fact that they must clean their hands may be an admonition for these persons to stop their bad speech and their φαῦλον πρᾶγμα (3:16). James’ point is that they will not have a close relation with God until they purge themselves of their sinful behavior. The admonition, ἁγνίσατε καρδίας, δίψυχοι, probably refers to cleansing one’s self of a worldly mind-set. The basal meaning of δίψυχοι is “two minded” (EDNT 1:338). It is used to signify either “doubt” (LN 31.38) or having a “double life” (Martin 153). The context strongly favors the latter meaning, because these Christians’ hearts were set on both the things of God and the world (cp. Martin 153).

For James, humility also includes repentance (4:9). The command that these would-be teachers cleanse their minds of the love for the world 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). The language of verse 9 is the language of repentance (EDNT 3:875). It is similar to how the Old Testament prophets addressed the people before God’s impending judgment (cp. Jer. 6:26). If James was using these words in the same way, then he is telling these people that their gaiety and laughter are out of place and that they must purge them from their minds and become contrite, because they have may be on the verge of being judged for their conduct. In short, they need to repent. We cannot overlook the irony of this instruction. Whereas these persons were judging others (4:11-12), they, themselves, may have been on the threshold of God’s judgment. This thought is reinforced by James’ comments that teachers will be judged more strictly (3:1 NIV). Therefore, humility, for James, includes repenting from disobedience and practicing what God desires (Martin 151).

Just as James began on a hopeful note in verse 6, he ends on a hopeful note in verse 10. He tells these would-be teachers that if they do humble themselves before God, i.e., submit to God and purify their lives, then God will lift them up, rather than judge them. In the context, God lifting them up may well refer to answering their prayers and giving them what they want.

James concludes these two chapters in the same way that he started them: Condemning the vindictiveness and vilification of these would-be teachers (4:11-12). He adds two more thoughts to his conclusion. The first is that by condemning others, they condemn the Law; and the second is that by condemning others, they take the place of God.

The grammar of verses 7-12 is important. The words ὑποτάγητε (vs. 7), ἀντίστητε (vs. 7), ἐγγίσατε (vs. 8), ταλαιπωρήσατε (vs. 9), πενθήσατε (vs. 9), κλαύσατε (vs. 9), and καταλαλεῖτε (vs. 11) are all in the imperative mood, which is the mood of volition (DM 179). What James’ use of the imperative mood indicates here is that he wants these Christians to undo the decisions they have made. Instead of choosing to follow the world and Satan, they must choose to submit anew to God. Instead of choosing to follow their passions and lower wisdom and using their tongues as a weapon, they must choose to draw near to God. And, finally, they must choose to repent.

In summary, what we can glean from James’ discussion is that this conflict seemed to stem from certain persons who wanted to be teachers, but for whatever reason, were denied. Instead of handling the denial by submitting themselves and their circumstances to God, they chose to handle it in a worldly, natural, and demonic fashion. As a result, they turned to jealously, anarchy, and verbal abuse, which in turn caused fighting and quarreling in the community. To undo this predicament they had to undo the decisions that created it.

The fourth and final topic we will cover is how James’ instructions to this community can help us deal with our own conflicts in Christian communities today. The place where we have to begin this topic is to determine whether or not what James told this community can be applied to our conflicts. Because James is addressing a particular conflict in a particular community, can his instructions, in this particular situation, be applied to all conflicts?

It is not difficult to show that conflict, in general, comes from disobedience to God. This is seen in Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden. No sooner had they disobeyed God, than they started blaming and criticizing (Gangel 155). However, it is more difficult to show that, as a rule, after persons have stopped following God their passions take over and spawn conflict. This, however, seems to be what James is saying. The anarthrous construction in 4:1, πόλεμοι and μάχαι, points to general rather than specific results of a person’s ἡδοναί. If James wants his readers to understand that he is addressing only their particular quarrel, he probably would have introduced both πόλεμοι and μάχαι with articles. For James, then, it appears that one’s ἡδοναί are the cause of all wars and battles.

The connection between passion and fighting was also held by many ancients. Plato writes: “The sole cause of wars and revolutions and battles is nothing other than the body and its desires.” (Barclay 98). 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 98). 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 98).

As we mentioned earlier though, James does not stop here. He takes the cause of conflict one step further by showing that conflict is the result of a corrupted relationship with God. It seems, for James, that what he is describing here is at the heart of all conflict: Disobedience to God opens the door for Satan and the world to influence us, which in turn causes persons to live by their passions, which in turn produces conflict.

How then can James help us deal with conflict? Perhaps the most important contribution James brings to the topics of conflict resolution and conflict management is that he defines the causes and effects of conflict and shows us what to do about them. Jesus said that we are to ἴσθι εὐνοῶν or become “well disposed” or “friendly” (BDAG εὐνοέω) with those who oppose us (Matt. 5:25a). Paul told Eudia and Syntyche τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν, or be in agreement with each other (Phil. 4:2). Although these two verses tell us that we are to settle our disagreements with others, neither speaks about why there was a conflict in the first place or what specifically to do about them. James fills in this gap. He teaches us that the source of conflict is not bad attitudes or bad interrelations or bad speech, but a corrupt relationship with God, or, in James’ words, a spiritual μοιχαλίδες.

This understanding changes the way we go about dealing with conflict. In theory, I suppose, Christians should be able to live in harmony because of the presence of the Spirit in their lives and in the life of the community (1 Cor. 14:33). However, due to immaturity and the constant pressure felt from the world and the demonic, conflict is inevitable. Even the embryonic church experienced conflict (Acts 6). Therefore, we need to know how to deal with conflict. James gives us some directions in this regard.

One, we cannot treat the symptoms of conflict and expect to treat the sources of conflict. Doug Whallon reflects this thought in his chapter in Small Group Leaders’ Handbook: the Next Generation, where he says that conflict “...is often dealt with by offering only Band-Aids for deep wounds.” Putting Band-Aids on conflict is a little like taking aspirin for the pain caused by a thorn in one’s foot. The aspirin may take the pain away for a while, but because the thorn is still there, the pain will come back. Sooner or later, in order to stop the pain, the thorn will have to be removed.

The same can be said for conflict. One can curb a malicious tongue or bad attitude. However, if we don’t eliminate the causes of a malicious tongue or bad attitude, no matter how much people want to get along or how successful they are at getting along in the short term, sooner or later the malicious tongue or bad attitude will come back, along with the conflict they spawn.

Two, we need to be humble. James inversely ties conflict to one’s spiritual humility. According to James, the more Christians are humble, the less conflict a community will experience. Harmony, then, exists where there is humility. Since humility, for James, is submission to God and drawing near to God, we can say that a Christian community will live in harmony when its members are in submission to God and drawing near to God.

This rule can be stated in another way. Remember that we said that submission is being in one’s proper place with respect to God. This is as much as saying that submission to God is harmonizing ourselves with God’s authority. Also remember that we said that being near to God results from living an innocent and obedient life. This is as much as saying that drawing near to God happens when we harmonize ourselves with God’s will. With these thoughts in mind, we can restate this rule as: A Christian community will live in harmony when its members live in harmony with God. The reason it can live in harmony is because when its members are in harmony with God, it does not give in to the influences that cause conflict: the world and the Devil.

In conclusion, James teaches us a basic truth that we can apply to any conflict in a Christian community. The only way to resolve conflict is to cure the causes of the conflict. This cure is living in harmony with God: coming under God’s authority and living in obedience to God. As the members of a community do this, they can overcome the worldly and satanic influences that produce the passions and bad thinking that produce conflicts in themselves and in the community as a whole. The great truth of James’ Chapters 3 and 4 is that resolving, managing, and, perhaps, even avoiding conflict in a Christian community can be reduced to a simple principle: Live in harmony with God.