James 3: 17 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to

yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."
<<Is first pure>>
James lists eight characteristics of divine viewpoint in verses 17 and 18. The first is "pure." It is
first logically. This is the starting point of this list because of its importance to the rest of the list. If
we do not have "pure" wisdom, we distort everything. Only the pure in heart can see God and
fellowship with Him.
The word "pure" carries the idea of immaculate, free from fault, free from defilement. "Pure" is
something not contaminated with something else and thus is free from blemish. This word does
not mean pure in the sense of morality but in the sense of a capacity to receive divine truth and
apply it to experience without mixing it with human viewpoint. This person can utilize a maximum
of God's grace in his soul. This is purity in the sense of maximum capacity to relate to the
principles of God's Word and apply them to experience.
The Bible calls God Himself "pure" so His wisdom is pure. It does not distort divine viewpoint.
Therefore, if we have God's wisdom, we have pure viewpoint.
1 John 3: 3 "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
When the Christian operates on God's wisdom or divine viewpoint, his heart is pure in his
judgments.
2 Co. 7: 11 "For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it
produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire,
what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter."
1 Tim. 5: 22 "Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself
pure."
The first characteristic of wisdom, leading the seven which follow, is "pure." It is "first" because
there are many fake kinds of peace, mercy, etc. Purity comes before peace because it guides all
successive virtues. It is first in time and rank.
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PRINCIPLE: There is no coexistence between divine viewpoint and human viewpoint because they
are mutually exclusive.
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APPLICATION: God's holiness and human sin cannot coexist. When we allow divine viewpoint to
take hold of our hearts, it cannot do anything but issue actions that please God. There is an
integral relationship between divine viewpoint and the action of a believer. That is why God
concerns Himself most with "pure" wisdom. The redeemed heart has the potential to be a wise
heart with a wise viewpoint on life.
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Verse 17. But the wisdom that is from above. See Barnes "1 Corinthians 2:6". The wisdom which
has a heavenly origin, or which is from God. The man who is characterized by that wisdom will be
pure, peaceable, etc. This does not refer to the doctrines of religion, but to its spirit.

Is first pure. That is, the first effect of it on the mind is to make it pure. The influence on the man
is to make him upright, sincere, candid, holy. The word here used (\~agnov\~) is that which would
be applied to one who is innocent, or free from crime or blame. Compare Philippians 4:8;; 1
Timothy 5:22;; 1 John 3:3, where the word is rendered, as here, pure; 2 Corinthians 7:11, where it
is rendered clear, [in this matter;] 2 Corinthians 11:2;; Titus 2:5;; 1 Peter 3:2, where it is rendered
chaste. The meaning here is, that the first and immediate effect of religion is not on the intellect,
to make it more enlightened; or on the imagination, to make it more discursive and brilliant; or on
the memory and judgment, to make them clearer and stronger; but it is to purify the heart, to
make the man upright, inoffensive, and good. This passage should not be applied, as it often is,
to the doctrines of religion, as if it were the first duty of a church to keep itself free from errors in
doctrine, and that this ought to be sought even in preference to the maintenance of peace--as if it
meant that in doctrine a church should be "first pure, then peaceable;" but it should be applied to
the individual consciences of men, as showing the effect of religion on the heart and life. The first
thing which it produces is to make the man himself pure and good; then follows the train of
blessings which the apostle enumerates as flowing from that. It is true that a church should be
pure in doctrinal belief, but that is not the truth taught here. It is not true that the Scripture
teaches, here or elsewhere, that purity of doctrine is to be preferred to a peaceful spirit; or that it
always leads to peaceful spirit; or that it is proper for professed Christians and Christian ministers
to sacrifice, as is often done, a peaceful spirit, in an attempt to preserve purity of doctrine. Most
of the persecutions in the church have grown out of this maxim. This led to the establishment of
the Inquisition; this kindled the fires of Smithfield; this inspirited Laud and his friends; this has
been the origin of no small part of the schisms in the church. A pure spirit is the best promoter of
peace, and will do more than anything else to secure the prevalence of truth.

Then peaceable. The effect of true religion --the wisdom which is from above--will be to dispose a
man to live in peace with all others. See Barnes " :".
Gentle. Mild, inoffensive, clement. The word here used (\~epieikhv\~) is rendered moderation in
Philippians 4:6; patient in 1 Timothy 3:3; and gentle in Titus 3:2;; James 3:17;; 1 Peter 2:18. It
does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. Every one has a clear idea of the virtue of
gentleness--gentleness of spirit, of deportment, and of manners; and every one can see that that
is the appropriate spirit of religion. See Barnes "2 Corinthians 10:1". It is from this word that we
have derived the word gentleman; and the effect of true religion is to make every one, in the
proper and best sense of the term, a gentleman. How can a man have evidence that he is a true
Christian, who is not such? The highest title which can be given to a man is that he is a Christian
gentleman.
And easy to be entreated. The word here used does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It
means easily persuaded, compliant. Of course, this refers only to cases where it is right and
proper to be easily persuaded and complying. It cannot refer to things which are in themselves
wrong. The sense is, that he who is under the influence of the wisdom which is from above, is not
a stiff, stern, obstinate, unyielding man. He does not take a position, and then hold it whether
right or wrong; he is not a man on whom no arguments or persuasions can have any influence.
He is not one who cannot be affected by any appeals which may be made to him on the grounds
of patriotism, justice, or benevolence; but is one who is ready to yield when truth requires him to
do it, and who is willing to sacrifice his own convenience for the good of others. See this
illustrated in the ease of the apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22. See Barnes "1 Corinthians
9:20-22".
Full of mercy. Merciful; disposed to show compassion to others. This is one of the results of the
wisdom that is from above, for it makes us like God, the "Father of mercies." See Barnes "Matthew
5:7".
And good fruits. The fruits of good living; just, benevolent, and kind actions. See Barnes
"Philippians 1:11"; See Barnes "2 Corinthians 9:10". Compare James 2:14-26.
Without partiality. Marg., "or wrangling." The word here used (\~adiakritov\~) occurs nowhere else
in the New Testament. It means, properly, not to be distinguished. Here it may mean either of the
following things:
(a) not open to distinction or doubt; that is, unambiguous, so that there shall be no doubt about
its origin or nature;
(b) making no distinction, that is, in the treatment of others, or impartial towards them; or
(c) without strife, from \~diakrinw\~, to contend. The second meaning here suggested seems best
to accord with the sense of the passage; and according to this the idea is, that the wisdom which
is from above, or true religion, makes us impartial in our treatment of others: that is, we are not
influenced by a regard to dress, rank, or station, but we are disposed to do equal justice to all,
according to their moral worth, and to show kindness to all, according to their wants. See James
2:1-4.
And without hypocrisy. What it professes to be; sincere. There is no disguise or mask assumed.
What the man pretends to be, he is. This is everywhere the nature of true religion. It has nothing
of its own of which to be ashamed, and which needs to be concealed; its office is not to hide or
conceal anything that is wrong. It neither is a mask, nor does it need a mask. If such is the nature
of the "wisdom which is from above," who is there that should be ashamed of it? Who is there that
should not desire that its blessed influence should spread around the world?
{a} "the wisdom that is from above" 1 Corinthians 2:6-7
{b} "pure" Philippians 4:8
{c} "peaceable" Hebrews 12:14
{d} "gentle" Galatians 5:22
{+} "partiality" or, "wrangling
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: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, etc., v. 17, 18. Observe here,
True wisdom is God's gift. It is not gained by conversing with men, nor by the knowledge of the
world (as some think and speak), but it comes from above. It consists of these several things:—1.
It is pure, without mixture of maxims or aims that would debase it: and it is free from iniquity and
defilements, not allowing of any known sin, but studious of holiness both in heart and life. 2. The
wisdom that is from above is peaceable. Peace follows purity, and depends upon it. Those who
are truly wise do what they can to preserve peace, that it may not be broken; and to make peace,
that where it is lost it may be restored. In kingdoms, in families, in churches, in all societies, and
in all interviews and transactions, heavenly wisdom makes men peaceable. 3. It is gentle, not
standing upon extreme right in matters of property; not saying nor doing any thing rigorous in
points of censure; not being furious about opinions, urging our own beyond their weight nor theirs
who oppose us beyond their intention; not being rude and overbearing in conversation, nor harsh
and cruel in temper. Gentleness may thus be opposed to all these. 4. Heavenly wisdom is easy to
be entreated, eupeithes; it is very persuadable, either to what is good or from what is evil. There
is an easiness that is weak and faulty; but it is not a blamable easiness to yield ourselves to the
persuasions of God's word, and to all just and reasonable counsels or requests of our fellow-
creatures; no, nor to give up a dispute, where there appears a good reason for it and where a
good end may be answered by it. 5. Heavenly wisdom is full of mercy and good fruits, inwardly
disposed to every thing that is kind and good, both to relieve those who want and to forgive those
who offend, and actually to do this whenever proper occasions offer. 6. Heavenly wisdom is
without partiality. The original word, adiakritos, signifies to be without suspicion, or free from
judging, making no undue surmises nor differences in our conduct towards one person more than
another. The margin reads it, without wrangling, not acting the part of sectaries, and disputing
merely for the sake of a party; nor censuring others purely on account of their differing from us.
The wisest men are least apt to be censurers. 7. That wisdom which is from above is without
hypocrisy. It has no disguises nor deceits. It cannot fall in with those managements which the
world counts wise, which are crafty and guileful; but it is sincere and open, steady and uniform,
and consistent with itself. O that you and I may always be guided by such wisdom as this! that
with Paul we may be able to say, Not with fleshly wisdom, but in simplicity and godly sincerity, by
the grace of God, we have our conversation. And then, lastly, true wisdom will go on to sow the
fruits of righteousness in peace, and thus, if it may be, to make peace in the world, v. 18. And that
which is sown in peace will produce a harvest of joys. Let others reap the fruits of contentions,
and all the advantages they can propose to themselves by them; but let us go on peaceably to
sow the seeds of righteousness, and we may depend upon it our labour will not be lost. For light
is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart; and the work of righteousness
shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.