3:1 My child,
flee evil of all kinds, and everything like it.
3:2 Don't be prone to anger,
for anger leads to murder. Don't be jealous or quarrelsome or hot-tempered, for
all these things lead to murder.
3:3 My child, don't be lustful, for lust leads to illicit sex. Don't be a filthy talker or allow your eyes a free reign, for these lead to adultery.
3:4 My child, don't observe omens, since it leads to idolatry. Don't be an enchanter, or an astrologer, or a purifier, or be willing to see or hear about these things, for these all lead to idolatry.
3:5 My child, don't be a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Don't love money or seek glory, for these things lead to thievery.
3:6 My child, don't grumble, since it leads to blasphemy, and don't be self-willed or evil-minded, for all these things lead to blasphemy.
3:7 On the contrary, be gentle, since the gentle will inherit the earth.
3:8 Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good, and with trembling, treasure the words you have received.
3:9 Don't exalt yourself or open your heart to overconfidence. Don't be on intimate terms with mighty people, but with just and lowly ones.
3:10 Accept whatever happens to you as a blessing, knowing that nothing comes to pass apart from God.
3:3 My child, don't be lustful, for lust leads to illicit sex. Don't be a filthy talker or allow your eyes a free reign, for these lead to adultery.
3:4 My child, don't observe omens, since it leads to idolatry. Don't be an enchanter, or an astrologer, or a purifier, or be willing to see or hear about these things, for these all lead to idolatry.
3:5 My child, don't be a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Don't love money or seek glory, for these things lead to thievery.
3:6 My child, don't grumble, since it leads to blasphemy, and don't be self-willed or evil-minded, for all these things lead to blasphemy.
3:7 On the contrary, be gentle, since the gentle will inherit the earth.
3:8 Be long-suffering and pitiful and guileless and gentle and good, and with trembling, treasure the words you have received.
3:9 Don't exalt yourself or open your heart to overconfidence. Don't be on intimate terms with mighty people, but with just and lowly ones.
3:10 Accept whatever happens to you as a blessing, knowing that nothing comes to pass apart from God.
The third chapter, at first glance, might seem like
a continuation of Chapter II; however, there is a large difference. In this
chapter the authors go further than just saying “do not do this…,” but they
actually explain the reasons why one should stay away from those actions. After
each exhort to stay away from a sin, it is explained what it will lead to, what
you will become. In 3:2 it is stated that anger, jealousy, being quarrelsome,
and hot tempered leads to murder; the first is a sin that one can train
themselves against and can be dealt with, but the result in ignoring these sins
in your life will lead to something much more destructive.
The list continues: To avoid illicit sex (ie
fornication) you will learn to curb Lust. To avoid adultery, you will train
your eyes not to wonder. To avoid idolatry, you will need to be willing to stay
away from omens, witchcraft, and astrology. To avoid becoming a thief, you will
learn to not be a liar, no seek glory or riches. The list continues. The
authors are trying to tell us what to train ourselves against in order to avoid
sure destruction. The chapter then takes a quick and opposite turn. Do good.
“On the contrary,” to inherit the earth, be gentile;
these words seem to come straight from Matthew’s sermon on Mt. Olivet. It is
also interesting to note that the exhortation to “treasure the words you have
received,” mirror that spoken by St. Paul in his letters to Timothy and the Thessalonians,
where he tells them to keep fast to the teachings they received from him, by
both letter and oral word (2 Thessalonians 2:15). The chapters ends with a reference to James.
James commands his readers to “count it all joy when going through trials and
tribulations…” This is added at the end of the chapter to give hope to those
fighting the spiritual battles against those things in the beginning of the
chapter: anger, lust, greed, etc. fighting against and training one self to
resist these sins often cause trials and tribulations. We are exhorted to
accept whatever happens as a result of this battle as a blessing from God, and
accordingly, be joyous; not an easy task, but such is the path of a Christian.
Are you
fighting the fight against your flesh? Are you counting it as a blessing and a
joy?
Blessings,
Devin (Athanasios) Green
