Defileth (cmiAobca). Lit., defiling. Only here and Jude 23. See on 2 Pet. ii. 13.
Setteth on fire (proyifouca). Lit., setting on fire. Only in this verse in New Testament.
The course of nature (rpoydv ris yevéoews). A very ob- scure passage. T'poyds (only here in New Testament), from
Cu. IID] THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. 749
tpéxo, to run, applies generally to anything round or circular which runs or rolls, as a wheel or sphere. Hence, often a wheel. Used of the circuit of fortifications and of circles or zones of land or sea. From the radical sense, to run, comes the meaning course, as the course of the sun; and from this a place for running, a race-course. Tevécews, rendered nature, means origin, beginning, birth, manner of birth, production, and is used by Plato for the creation, or the sum of created things. It also means a race, and a generation or age. In the New Testament it occurs but twice outside of this epistle, viz., at Matt. i.1, “the book of the generation of Jesus Christ,” where the meaning is origin or birth ; the birth-book of Jesus Christ. The other passage is Matt. i. 18, according to the best texts, also meaning birth. In Jas. i. 23, as we have seen, Tpocwtrov THs yevéews is the face of his birth. We may then safely translate tpoyds by wheel; and as birth is the meaning of yéveous in every New-Testament passage where it occurs, we may give it the preference here and render the wheel of birth— i.e., the wheel which is set in motion at birth and runs on to the close of life. It is thus a figurative description of human life. So Anacreon:
‘¢The chariot-wheel, like life, runs rolling round.”
The Rev., which gives nature, puts birth in margin. This revolv- ing wheel is kindled by the tongue, and rolls on in destructive blaze. The image is justified by the fact. The tongue works the chief mischief, kindles the most baleful fires in the course of life.
7. Kind (dows). Wrong. James is not speaking of the rela- tion between individual men and individual beasts, but of the relation between the nature of man and that of beasts, which may be different in different beasts. Hence, as Rev., in margin, nature.
Beasts (Inpiwv). Quadrupeds. Not beasts generally, nor wild beasts only. In Acts xxviii. 4, 5, the word is used of the
750 WORD STUDIES iN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. IT.
viper which fastened on Paul’s hand. In Peter's vision (Acts x. 12; xi. 6) there is a different classification from the one here ; quadrupeds being denoted by a specific term, terpdzoda, four- footed creatures. There Inpla includes fishes, which in this passage are classed as évadiwv, things in the sea.
By mankind (77 dice TH avIpwrivy). Rather, dy the nat- ure of man, pvaws, as before, denoting the generic character. Every nature of beasts is tamed by the natwre of man. Com- pare the fine chorus in the “ Antigone” of Sophocles, 343-352 :
“« The thoughtless tribe of birds, The beasts that roam the fields, The brood in sea-depths born, He takes them all in nets, Knotted in snaring mesh, Man, wonderful in skill. And by his subtle arts He holds in sway the beasts That roam ihe fields or tread the mountain’s height ; And brings the binding yoke Upon the neck of horse with shaggy mane, Or bull on mountain crest, Untamable in strength.”
8. No man (oddels dvIpérwv). A strong expression. Lit. no one of men.
Unruly (dxardoyerov). Lit., not to be held back. The proper reading, however, is axkatdotartov, unsettled. See on Kadiotatat, hath its place, ver. 6. Rev., correctly, restless.
Deadly (Savatndopov). Lit., death-bearing, or -bringing. Only here in New Testament.
Poison (70d). Rendered rust at ch. v. 3 ; and found only in
a two passages and in Rom, iii. 18, in the citation of Ps. exl. 3.