John Calvin Commentary James 3:17

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy." — James 3:17 (ASV)

But the wisdom which is from above. He now mentions the effects of celestial wisdom, which are entirely contrary to the former effects. First, he says that it is pure; by this term, he excludes hypocrisy and ambition. Second, he calls it peaceable, to suggest that it is not contentious. Third, he calls it kind or humane, so that we may know that it is far removed from that immoderate austerity which tolerates nothing in our brothers and sisters. He also calls it gentle or tractable, by which he means that it widely differs from pride and malignity. Last, he says that it is full of mercy, and so on, while hypocrisy is inhuman and inexorable.

By good fruits, he generally refers to all those duties which benevolent people perform towards their brothers and sisters, as though he had said it is full of benevolence. It therefore follows that those who glory in their cruel austerity are lying.

But though he had sufficiently condemned hypocrisy when he said that wisdom is pure or sincere, he makes it clearer by repeating the same thing at the end. We are therefore reminded that the only reason we are excessively morose or austere is that we are too lenient with ourselves and connive at our own vices.

But what he says, without discerning (sine dijudicatione), seems strange, for the Spirit of God does not take away the difference between good and evil, nor does he make us so senseless and devoid of judgment that we praise vice and regard it as virtue. To this I reply that James here, by discerning or distinguishing, refers to that overanxious and overscrupulous inquiry commonly carried on by hypocrites, who too minutely examine the sayings and doings of their brothers and sisters and put the worst interpretation on them.