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NASB | James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | James 3:1 Not many [of you] should become teachers [serving in an official teaching capacity], my brothers and sisters, for you know that we [who are teachers] will be judged by a higher standard [because we have assumed greater accountability and more condemnation if we teach incorrectly]. |
Bible Question: Why will teachers receive the greater or stricter judgment? |
Bible Answer: Greetings again, "The Bible is Right!" (I like your Username!) Here is a bit of explanation for James 3:1... "..Because a teacher has great influence, he will be held more accountable (see Luke 20:47; cf. Matt. 23:1-33)." (1) "3:1 teachers. Since teachers use their tongues (to instruct others) more, they will be judged more strictly." (2) "3:1-18: True wisdom. Two besetting sins of the teacher are rebuked: intemperate speech (vv. 1-12) and arrogance (vv. 13-18)." (3) "..stricter judgment. The word translated "judgment" usually expresses a negative verdict in the NT, and here refers to a future judgment: 1) for the unbelieving false teacher, at the second coming (Jude 14,15); and 2) for the believer, when he is rewarded before Christ (1 Cor. 4:3-5). This is not meant to discourage true teachers, but to warn the prospective teacher of the role's seriousness (cf. Ezekiel 3:17,18; 33:7-9; Acts 20:26,27; Heb. 13:17)." (4) Basically, teachers are under a stricter judgment because of the greater influence that they have. The passages cited from Ezekiel are pretty vivid here. Blessings to you, Makarios (1) Zondervan NASB Study Bible, 1999, Zondervan Corporation, Kenneth Barker, General Editor (2) Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, 1995, The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Th.D., Ph.D. (3) The Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha, RSV, 1965, Oxford University Press, Edited by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger (4) MacArthur Study Bible, 1997, Word Publishing, John MacArthur, Author and General Editor |