In James 3:13-18 a distinction is made between earthly and heavenly wisdom: 13. Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. 15. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly,
36 Davids suggests that this pericope (Jas 1:22-25) envisages a future eschatological blessing.
Davids, The Epistle of James, 100.
unspiritual, devilish [ἀλλὰἐπίγειος, φυχικήδαιµονιώδης]. 16. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. 17. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy [πρῶτον µὲν ἁγνή ἐστιν, ἔπειτα εἰρηνιχή, ἐπιεικής, εὐπειθής, µεστὴἐλέουςκαὶκαρπῶνἀγαθῶν, ἀδιάκριτος, ἀνυπόκριτος].
In these six verses wisdom is described as coming from above (ἄνωθεν) and is
presented as ideal and superior to earthly wisdom.38Σοφία ἄνωθεν is described
in terms of being pure, gentle and without a trace of hypocrisy. Bauckham notes
that σοφία ἄνωθεν is described using seven attributes (i.e. πρῶτον µὲν ἁγνή
ἐστιν, ἔπειτα εἰρηνιχή, ἐπιεικής, εὐπειθής, µεστὴ ἐλέους καὶ καρπῶν ἀγαθῶν,
ἀδιάκριτος, ἀνυπόκριτος) is deliberate on the author’s part because seven “is the
number of perfection or completeness.”39 Dibelius was uncertain why purity was
listed first among the adjectives, commenting that it “does not fit with the train of
thought”,40 but Ropes’ argument that the other adjectives “stand over against
ἁγνή, the quality from which they all proceed”41 makes sense and is hence more
convincing. Σοφία ἄνωθεν is pure because it is free of this-worlldy
ccontamination (cf. §3.2.2.).
Kamell Kovalishyn notes that the description of heavenly wisdom in
James 3:17 almost echoes that of 1 Enoch 42:1-3:
Wisdom did not find a place where she might dwell, so her dwelling was in the heavens. Wisdom went forth to dwell among the sons of men, but she did not find a dwelling. Wisdom returned to her place, and sat down in the midst of the angels. Iniquity went forth from her chambers, those whom she did not seek she found, and she dwelt among them like rain in a desert and dew in a thirsty land.42
38 The description of heavenly wisdom in James 3:17 resembles the description of the twenty-one
qualities of wisdom in in Wis 7:22-23, although different adjectives are used.
39 Bauckham, James, 77. 40 Dibelius, James, 152.
41 Ropes, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle of St. James,259.
42 Translation from Nickelsburg and VanderKam, 1 Enoch. Cf. Kamell Kovalishyn, “James and
At this point it needs to be noted that I am not suggesting that James is condemning proverbial wisdom. On the contrary, it is adherence to such proverbial wisdom that indicates that one is to be included among the righteous community. However, in James, there appears to be a special emphasis on this wisdom’s otherworldly origins. Inclusion amongst the people of God involves revelation and this is followed by right action. Right action is informed by ethical exhortations about this-worldly matters (e.g. controlling one’s speech 3:5 or having no regard for wealth 5:1-2), and this is facilitated by the revelatory
wisdom of 1:5. However, the emphasis James places on σοφία ἄνωθεν and its
implied superiority requires futher comment. This superiority of σοφίαἄνωθεν is
affirmed, Kamell Kovalishyn suggests; “illustrated in the brilliant way the author never once names the anti-wisdom of James 3:14-15. He fails to provide a noun,
forcing the reader to fill in the gap.”43
James 1:13-15 refers to the wars that are raging internally among James’ audience, and the insufficency of the human condition in general is evoked (cf. Jas 4:1). In this present context, the reference to lacking in wisdom in 1:5 warrants a brief comment. The idea of lacking wisdom may be understood in relation to James’ negative anthropology; that is to say, James considers human nature to be inherently flawed or lacking. Revelation helps humanity, which is weak, to live rightly in a world full of internal and external evils (e.g.. 1:14.
4:7).44 All of this highlights the need for an otherworldly force to help humanity,
a force that cannot be tarnished. For James, the manifestation of this force is the revelation of 1:5. James 1:13 makes clear that such internal struggles are not the result of God because “God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no
one.”45 This defense of God is significant as it is God who reveals wisdom in 1:5,
the heavenly (i.e. otherworldly) origins of this revelation are established in 1:17, and the superiority of this heavenly wisdom is affirmed in 3:17. James’ portrayal of humanity infers that humanity is led astray by internal desires. These internal desires seemingly have both internal and external consequences (Jas 4:1-2), and may be understood as obstacles along the path of living a wise life.
43 Kamell Kovalishyn, “James and Apocalyptic Wisdom,” 297.
44 The topic of internal and external evils in the Letter of James will be returned to in greater
detail in Chapter Six, esp. §6.4. – 6.5.
Revelation hence provides the perfect antidote to this, and it enables one to perform wisdom faithfully and to live in accordance with God’s cosmos. In this way, the revelation of James may be viewed in terms of being internalized; the receipt of this revelation has an internal dimension that helps annul such internal struggles (cf. 1:14). As revelation is an otherworldly force, it cannot be corrupted (cf. 1:17) and it empowers one to be become “whole” (cf. 1:4). As a
result, living life in accordance with σοφία ἄνωθεν can potentially do away with
these aforementioned internal and external struggles, or at least the receipt of this revelation makes one more equipped to deal with them. However, human responsibility is not annulled. A person must ask for this revelation and in turn it is their responsibility to act upon it.46 This demonstrates that the acquisition of otherworldly wisdom comes with responsibilities; in James, this responsibility entails firstly asking for this wisdom, and then acting rightly and living wisely.
As §4.2. will now demonstrate, the acquisition of wisdom in 4QInstruction also
comes with responsibilities.