Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary James 3:12

"Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a vine figs? Neither [can] salt water yield sweet." — James 3:12 (ASV)

James concludes his discussion of the tongue by going behind the physical organ to the real source of speech. He asks, “Can a fig tree bear olives?” A plant produces according to its nature, whether figs, grapes, or any other fruit. So with “a salt spring.” It cannot “produce fresh water” because it is not a fresh water spring. Therefore, out of the mouth of a good person come good words, and out of the mouth of a sinful person come sinful words.