“Who is wise and understanding among you?” The question does not mean
that nobody is wise and understanding, but it calls a halt on the rush
of volunteers who have apparently a superfluity of wisdom. An overplus
of conceit is intolerable for normal persons. Job (12:2) has our
sympathy when he retorts to his officious advisers: “No doubt but ye are
the people, and wisdom shall die with you.” Once more Job (28:12) asks:
“But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of
understanding?” Here, as very often in the Old Testament, we have wisdom
and understanding used together. God gave Solomon wisdom and
understanding (1 Kings 4:29). “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore
get wisdom; ... get understanding” (Prov. 4:7). In Psalm 107:43 we have
the question: “Who is wise?” James is thoroughly acquainted with the
wisdom literature of the Jews, both canonical and uncanonical, and is at
home in the handling of this theme. His words are not many, but they
carry much of depth and power.
Many of the professional wise men, then as now, were frauds who easily
duped the gullible populace. They were magicians like Simon Magus, who
gave it out that he was some great man, and the idle crowd took him at
his high estimate of himself (Acts 8:9 ff.). Note also the cases of
Bar-Jesus (Acts 13:6 ff.) and the Jewish exorcists (19:13 ff.). The
success of these men is one of the most humiliating contemplations about
our common humanity. Carlyle bluntly called most people fools. But there
were really wise men then also, like the Magi and others, who sought
light and truth. Oesterley thinks that James by this question appeals to
the self-respect of his hearers, who are tired of men with “the lust of
teaching and talking” (Plummer). James is still directing blows at sham
religion, and there is ample cause for such attacks in all the ages.
Hypocrisy flourishes in all ages and in all climes. This meanest of
parasites has a marvelous vitality.
The combination of “wise” and “understanding” is not without point (cf.
Deut. 4:6; Isa. 5:21). This is the only instance of the combination in
the New Testament. In classic Greek the second word was used of a
skilled or scientific person who had gained technical knowledge of a
subject. It implies personal acquaintance and experience, not mere
abstract knowledge or intellectual apprehension of the theory of a
thing. It is book learning plus practical application, as opposed to one
without this special training. Then the word for wise is given by
Clement of Alexandria (Strom. I. v.) to mean “the understanding of
things human and divine, and their causes.” It is the word found in the
term “philosophy” and implies thoughtfulness, penetration, grasp of the
relations of things, and the right use of one’s knowledge for the
highest ends. There are learned fools, men who have a lumber of learning
in their heads but in a disorderly jumble. In the use of James the only
really wise man is he who places God in the center of his life, who
serves Christ as Lord and Master, who keeps the intellect in subjection
to the will of God.
There are plenty of ignorant fools also, men who have neither
intellectual apprehension nor practical wisdom. It is hard to tell which
is the sadder spectacle, the learned fool or the ignorant fool. But,
certainly, a premium is not to be placed upon either class. Both classes
of fools are to be kept out of the ranks of teachers and preachers if it
can be done. Advice on all sorts of subjects is so plentiful that there
seems to be an abundance of easygoing wisdom. But the world is still
eager to listen to the true wise man if he can be found (cf. Van Dyke’s
_Other Wise Man_). But the very reputation for wisdom may lead to posing
as a wise man. James dares to challenge the candidates for teachers of
wisdom in the churches. Is it not possible that not enough care is taken
in the choice of teachers in the churches and the ordination of
preachers of the gospel?