True vs. False Wisdom
The Test of Wisdom
We therefore think that James invites any of his readers who might pride themselves on their wisdom to consider seriously what he is about to say.
For James assesses these people’s claim to wisdom not in theological terms—how much doctrine do they know, how many Greek verbs can they parse—but in practical terms: Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
The “let him show”26 challenge reminds us of James’s challenge in 2:18 to the “believer” who thinks works and faith can be separated: “Show me your faith without deeds.”
“Good conduct,” James insists, is the basis on which one can demonstrate wisdom. This phrase, or similar ones, occurs several times in the letters of Peter in a general way to denote a lifestyle that pleases God. See especially 1 Pet. 2:12: “Live such good lives [lit., ‘have good conduct’] among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
The idea that “good deeds” are to be shown on the basis of good conduct is a little unusual, but clear enough: it is our acts of obedience to God, performed consistently day after day, that make up the “good conduct” of the wise person.
What James appears to mean, however, is that the good works are to be done in a spirit of humility—a humility that itself is the product, or result, of wisdom (taking the genitive sophias as a genitive of source). James is clearly trying to say two things here: true wisdom produces good works and true wisdom produces humility.
Humility, or “meekness” (Gk. praütēs) was not usually prized by the Greeks. They thought it signaled a servility unworthy of a strong and confident person. But a different picture emerges in the NT. Jesus himself claimed to be “meek” (Matt. 11:29; cf. Matt. 21:5) and blessed those who were meek (Matt. 5:5). This Christian meekness, or humility, comes from understanding our position as sinful creatures in relationship to the glorious and majestic God (note James’s elaboration of this point in 4:7). It recognizes how unable we are in and of ourselves to achieve spiritual fulfillment or to chart our own course in the world. And this humility before God should then translate into humility toward others
False Wisdom
If a person harbors bitter envy and selfish ambition in the heart, that person is, in effect, living a lie: claiming to be wise but conducting himself in a way that denies that claim. The reason that James can draw this conclusion is that bitter envy and selfish ambition are contrary to humility. If, then, humility marks the wise person, these negative qualities exclude a person from being considered wise.
The Motivation
To boast about wisdom when one is displaying jealousy and selfish ambition is, in effect, to give the lie to the truth about what wisdom is and does. For wisdom must always be accompanied by humility.
The Characteristics
The Results of False Wisdom
The qualification “bitter” (pikros; used in v. 11 of water) makes clear that James has the bad kind of “jealousy” in mind here. Particularly, as the context suggests, he is thinking of the kind of jealousy or envy that people display when other people challenge their own ideas and gain some hearing for them (this sense is evident in the NT in Acts 5:17 and 13:45).
Some who pride themselves on their wisdom and understanding are displaying a jealous, bitter partisanship that is the antithesis of the humility produced by true wisdom.
The simple form of this verb is also translated “boast”—probably the best translation of a word that usually has the dual sense “take pride in” and “put confidence in.”
To boast about wisdom when one is displaying jealousy and selfish ambition is, in effect, to give the lie to the truth about what wisdom is and does. For wisdom must always be accompanied by humility.
To be sure, James now goes on to note, people such as those he has described in v. 14 do possess “wisdom”—but it is not biblical wisdom. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven.
James has used the same word in 1:17 to identify the realm from which all good gifts come. This is God’s realm, who delights to give his children what they ask for—especially wisdom (see 1:5). True wisdom comes not (or, at least, not only) through intellectual effort or study; it is the gift of God (cf. Prov. 2:6).
But the “wisdom” that people who are selfish and partisan have has just the opposite nature and origin. It is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. The word “earthly” has as its opposite “heaven” (see esp. John 3:12; 1 Cor. 15:40; 2 Cor. 5:1; Phil. 2:10).
But the word always has a negative sense in the NT, in all five of its occurrences being placed in explicit opposition to “spirit” or “spiritual” (see also 1 Cor. 2:14; 15:44, 46; Jude 19). It has to do with that part of man “where human feeling and human reason reign supreme.”31 This consistent contrast between “soulish” and “spiritual” justifies the NIV rendering “unspiritual” see also NRSV; TEV; NLT).
It may mean that the wisdom is demonic either in nature or, more probably, in origin. For such a nuance would make a neat opposition with what James has said earlier in the verse. The false wisdom that some in the community are boasting about is not “from above”; it is “from the demons.” In sum, then, this false wisdom, which does not lead to good works and humility (v. 13), is characterized by “the world, the flesh, and the devil.” In each of these ways, it is the direct antithesis of “the wisdom that comes from above”—heavenly in nature, spiritual in essence, and divine in origin.
The earthbound, unspiritual, and even demonic character of this wisdom is evident from the effects it has in the life of the church.
In order to make this point, James reiterates the two character traits displayed in the lives of those who are (wrongly) claiming to be “wise” (v. 14): envy and selfish ambition. When people hold such attitudes, the result can only be disorder and every evil practice.
While what James says here applies to any Christian who prides himself or herself on being “wise and understanding,” he may especially have in mind the leaders of the community.32 For envy and selfish ambition among the leaders have tremendous potential to damage the unity and order of the church as a whole. When those who are being looked to for direction and wise counsel act on the basis of a personal agenda or in a spirit of “one-upmanship” toward one another, great damage to the church ensues
True Wisdom
The wrong kind of wisdom brings about just about every kind of evil practice that one could name.
True Wisdom
The Motivation
The Characteristics
For the believer who is characterized by these three traits—peace loving, considerate, submissive—is the exact opposite of the envious, selfish, and ambitious person who is driven by demonic wisdom (vv. 15–16).
James has told us what the “wisdom that comes from above [NIV heaven]” is not (v. 15); now he tells us what it is. Or, more accurately, he lets us know what the wisdom that comes from heaven does.
The Results of True Wisdom
Like true faith (2:14–26), true wisdom is identified by the quality of life that it produces.33
In a general sense, what Paul claims that the Spirit produces, James claims true wisdom produces.
The seven qualities that follow in the list are specific dimensions of this overall purity.
James has arranged them into three groups. The first three words all begin with the same letter and have similar endings as well: eirēnikē (“peace loving”), epieikēs (“considerate”), eupeithēs (“submissive”). James sets off the middle two character traits (“mercy” and “good fruit”) by subordinating them to the word “full of.” Alliteration is again used to group the last two words, each beginning with an “a” sound. Moreover, the two have an almost rhyming, metrical similarity: adiakritos (“impartial”), anypokritos (“sincere”).
For the believer who is characterized by these three traits—peace loving, considerate, submissive—is the exact opposite of the envious, selfish, and ambitious person who is driven by demonic wisdom (vv. 15–16).
“Considerate” (epieikēs) indicates a willingness to yield to others and a corresponding unwillingness “to exact strict claims” (Hort). With such an attitude, the believer, motivated and empowered by wisdom, will follow in the footsteps of his or her Lord, who also was characterized by “meekness and gentleness [epieikeia]” (2 Cor. 10:1).
The word (eupeithēs; its only NT occurrence) means, literally, “easily persuaded.” What is meant is not a weak, credulous gullibility, but a willing deference to others when unalterable theological or moral principles are not involved.
In the second group of virtues, James now notes that wisdom from heaven is also full of mercy and good fruit. Jesus frequently highlighted mercy (eleos) as a key indicator of the godly person (Matt. 5:7; 18:21–35; 23:23; Luke 10:37). James provides his own definition of “mercy”: love for the neighbor that shows itself in action (2:8–13). It is not surprising, then, that James couples mercy so closely with good fruit—acts of mercy are those “fruits” that genuine wisdom, like genuine faith, must produce.
The person characterized by wisdom from heaven will be stable, trustworthy, transparent—the kind of person consistently displaying the virtues of wisdom and on whom one can rely for advice and counsel.