The Meaning of James 3:3 Explained

James 3:3

KJV: Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

YLT: lo, the bits we put into the mouths of the horses for their obeying us, and their whole body we turn about;

Darby: Behold, we put the bits in the mouths of the horses, that they may obey us, and we turn round their whole bodies.

ASV: Now if we put the horses bridles into their mouths that they may obey us, we turn about their whole body also.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold,  we put  bits  in  the horses'  mouths,  that  they  may obey  us;  and  we turn about  their  whole  body. 

What does James 3:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

It is the same with horses as it is with humans. If we can control the tongue, we can bring the whole animal under control.
"Nothing seems to trip a believer more than a dangling tongue." [1]

Context Summary

James 3:1-12 - Bridle The Tongue
It is much easier to teach people what they should be and do than to obey our own precepts. Even the best of us stumble in many respects; but our most frequent failures are in speech. If we could control our tongues, we should be masters of the whole inner economy of our natures. The refusal to express a thought will kill the thought. Let Christ bridle your mouth, and He will be able to turn about your whole body. Let Him have His hand on the tiller of your tongue, and He will guide your life as He desires.
A single spark may burn down a city. The upsetting of an oil lamp in a stable led to the burning of Chicago. Lighted at the flames of hell, the tongue can pass their, vitriol on to earth. Man cannot tame the tongue, but Christ can. He goes straight for the heart, for, as He said long ago, the seat of the mischief is there. See Mark 7:14-15; Psalms 51:10. [source]

Chapter Summary: James 3

1  We are not rashly or arrogantly to reprove others;
5  but rather to bridle the tongue, a little member,
9  but a powerful instrument of much good, and great harm
13  The truly wise are mild and peaceable, without envy and strife

Greek Commentary for James 3:3

If we put [ει βαλλομεν]
Condition of the first class assumed as true. [source]
The horses‘ bridles [των ιππων τους χαλινους]
ιππων — Hippōn (genitive plural of ιππος — hippos horse, old word, in N.T. only here except in the Apocalypse), put first because the first of the several illustrations of the power and the peril of the tongue. This is the only N.T. example of χαλινος — chalinos old word for bridle (from χαλαω — chalaō to slacken, let down), except Revelation 14:20.That they may obey us (εις το πειτεσται αυτους ημιν — eis to peithesthai autous hēmin). Present middle infinitive of πειτω — peithō with εις το — eis to as a purpose clause with the dative ημιν — hēmin after πειτεσται — peithesthai and αυτους — autous the accusative of general reference.We turn about Present active indicative of μεταγω — metagō late compound to change the direction (μετα — meta αγω — agō), to guide, in N.T. only here and James 3:4. The body of the horse follows his mouth, guided by the bridle. [source]
That they may obey us [εις το πειτεσται αυτους ημιν]
Present middle infinitive of πειτω — peithō with εις το — eis to as a purpose clause with the dative ημιν — hēmin after πειτεσται — peithesthai and αυτους — autous the accusative of general reference. [source]
We turn about [μεταγομεν]
Present active indicative of μεταγω — metagō late compound to change the direction (μετα — meta αγω — agō), to guide, in N.T. only here and James 3:4. The body of the horse follows his mouth, guided by the bridle. [source]
Behold []
Following the old reading, ἴδε . All the best texts read εἰ δὲ , now if. So Rev. [source]
Bits [χαλινοὺς]
Only here and Revelation 14:20. It may be rendered either bit, as A. V., or bridle, as Rev., but bridle is preferable because it corresponds with the verb to bridle (James 3:2) which is compounded with this noun. [source]
Horses []
The position in the sentence is emphatic. [source]
We turn about [μετάγομεν]
Used by James only. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for James 3:3

James 3:4 Though they are so great [τηλικαυτα οντα]
Concessive participle of ειμι — eimi The quantitative pronoun τηλικουτος — tēlikoutos occurs in the N.T. only here, 2 Corinthians 1:10; Hebrews 2:3; Revelation 16:18. If James had only seen the modern mammoth ships. But the ship on which Paul went to Malta carried 276 persons (Acts 27:37).And are driven (και ελαυνομενα — kai elaunomena). Present passive participle of ελαυνω — elaunō old verb, in this sense (2 Peter 2:17) for rowing (Mark 6:48; John 6:19).Rough Old adjective (from σκελλω — skellō to dry up), harsh, stiff, hard (Matthew 25:24).Are yet turned (μεταγεται — metagetai). Present passive indicative of the same verb, μεταγω — metagō in James 3:3. James is fond of repeating words (James 1:13.; James 2:14, James 2:16; James 2:21, James 2:25).By a very small rudder For the use of υπο — hupo (under) with things see Luke 8:14; 2 Peter 2:7. There is possibly personification in the use of υπο — hupo for agency in James 1:14; James 2:9; Colossians 2:18. Πηδαλιου — Pēdaliou (from πηδον — pēdon the blade of an oar) is an old word, in N.T. only here and Acts 27:40. Ελαχιστου — Elachistou is the elative superlative as in 1 Corinthians 4:3 (from the Epic ελαχυς — elachus for μικρος — mikros).The impulse (η ορμη — hē hormē). Old word for rapid, violent motion, here of the hand that worked the rudder, in N.T. only here and Acts 14:5 (rush or onset of the people).Of the steersman Present active genitive articular participle of ευτυνω — euthunō old verb, to make straight (from ευτυς — euthus straight, level, Mark 1:3), in N.T. only here and John 1:23. Used also of the shepherd, the charioteer, and today it would apply to the chauffeur. “The twin figure of the control of horse and of ship are frequently found together in later Greek writers” (Ropes). As in Plutarch and Philo.Willeth (βουλεται — bouletai). Present middle indicative of βουλομαι — boulomai common verb to will. Here intention of the steersman lies back of the impact of the hand on the rudder. [source]
James 3:4 Rough [σκληρον]
Old adjective (from σκελλω — skellō to dry up), harsh, stiff, hard (Matthew 25:24).Are yet turned (μεταγεται — metagetai). Present passive indicative of the same verb, μεταγω — metagō in James 3:3. James is fond of repeating words (James 1:13.; James 2:14, James 2:16; James 2:21, James 2:25).By a very small rudder For the use of υπο — hupo (under) with things see Luke 8:14; 2 Peter 2:7. There is possibly personification in the use of υπο — hupo for agency in James 1:14; James 2:9; Colossians 2:18. Πηδαλιου — Pēdaliou (from πηδον — pēdon the blade of an oar) is an old word, in N.T. only here and Acts 27:40. Ελαχιστου — Elachistou is the elative superlative as in 1 Corinthians 4:3 (from the Epic ελαχυς — elachus for μικρος — mikros).The impulse (η ορμη — hē hormē). Old word for rapid, violent motion, here of the hand that worked the rudder, in N.T. only here and Acts 14:5 (rush or onset of the people).Of the steersman Present active genitive articular participle of ευτυνω — euthunō old verb, to make straight (from ευτυς — euthus straight, level, Mark 1:3), in N.T. only here and John 1:23. Used also of the shepherd, the charioteer, and today it would apply to the chauffeur. “The twin figure of the control of horse and of ship are frequently found together in later Greek writers” (Ropes). As in Plutarch and Philo.Willeth (βουλεται — bouletai). Present middle indicative of βουλομαι — boulomai common verb to will. Here intention of the steersman lies back of the impact of the hand on the rudder. [source]
James 3:4 Are yet turned [μεταγεται]
Present passive indicative of the same verb, μεταγω — metagō in James 3:3. James is fond of repeating words (James 1:13.; James 2:14, James 2:16; James 2:21, James 2:25). [source]
Revelation 14:20 Without the city [εχωτεν της πολεως]
Ablative case with εχωτεν — exōthen (like εχω — exō). This was the usual place (Hebrews 13:12). See εχωτεν — exōthen in Revelation 11:2. Joel (Joel 3:12) pictures the valley of Jehoshaphat as the place of the slaughter of God‘s enemies. Cf. Zechariah 14:4.Blood from the winepress (αιμα εκ της ληνου — haima ek tēs lēnou). Bold imagery suggested by the colour of the grapes.Unto the bridles Old word (from χαλαω — chalaō to slacken), in N.T. only here and James 3:3. Bold picture.As far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs (απο σταδιων χιλιων εχακοσιων — apo stadiōn chiliōn hexakosiōn). A peculiar use of απο — apo for “distance from (of)” as also in John 11:18; John 21:8, somewhat like the use of προ — pro in John 12:1. The distance itself covers the length of Palestine, but it is more likely that “the metaphor is worked out with the exuberance of apocalyptic symbolism” (Swete) for the whole earth. [source]
Revelation 14:20 Unto the bridles [αχρι των χαλινων]
Old word (from χαλαω — chalaō to slacken), in N.T. only here and James 3:3. Bold picture.As far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs (απο σταδιων χιλιων εχακοσιων — apo stadiōn chiliōn hexakosiōn). A peculiar use of απο — apo for “distance from (of)” as also in John 11:18; John 21:8, somewhat like the use of προ — pro in John 12:1. The distance itself covers the length of Palestine, but it is more likely that “the metaphor is worked out with the exuberance of apocalyptic symbolism” (Swete) for the whole earth. [source]

What do the individual words in James 3:3 mean?

If now of the horses - bits into the mouths we put for - to obey them us even all the body of them we turn about
Εἰ δὲ τῶν ἵππων τοὺς χαλινοὺς εἰς τὰ στόματα βάλλομεν εἰς τὸ πείθεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἡμῖν καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτῶν μετάγομεν

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἵππων  horses 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἵππος  
Sense: a horse.
τοὺς  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
χαλινοὺς  bits 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: χαλινός  
Sense: a bridle.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
στόματα  mouths 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: στόμα  
Sense: the mouth, as part of the body: of man, of animals, of fish, etc.
βάλλομεν  we  put 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: βάλλω 
Sense: to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls.
τὸ  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πείθεσθαι  to  obey 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: ἐπισείω 
Sense: persuade.
ἡμῖν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
καὶ  even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
σῶμα  body 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: σῶμα  
Sense: the body both of men or animals.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
μετάγομεν  we  turn  about 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: μετάγω  
Sense: to transfer, lead over.

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