Interpretation of the Bible / James 3:2

This verse helps us to consider the importance of our words, and how careful we should be in what we say. It shows us that we are not only to avoid offensive speech, but to control our tongue and choose our words wisely.

This verse also calls us to consider perfection. The only man who can never offend with words is one who is truly perfect, in the sense in which the apostle goes on to explain; he is able to control every other member of his body.

His design is not to represent a man as absolutely blameless in every respect, and entirely free from sin, as he himself said, "we all stumble in many ways" but his design is to show that if a man can control his tongue, he has as complete a control over himself as a man has over a horse, or as a helmsman has control over a ship if he holds the rudder.