But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
All Commentaries on James 3:17 Go To James 3
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
But the true wisdom, which is from above, is chaste, and pure, peaceable, modest, free from such divisions, tractable, easy to be persuaded of the truths foretold in the Scriptures. Now the fruit and effect of such justice, piety, and sanctity, is sown in peace, with peaceable dispositions, in those who with sincerity seek true peace, and who hereby shall gain the reward of an eternal peace and happiness. (Witham)
St. Paul gives a similar character of charity. (1 Corinthians chap. xiii.) "Charity is patient, is kind, is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil.believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. "
Easy to be persuaded. A good lesson for those devotees, who are not few in number, who are so obstinate and so wedded to their own opinions and ways, as to be unwilling to be controlled, even by those whom God has placed over them, for the direction of their souls. (Haydock)
Without judging. That is, it does not condemn a neighbour upon light grounds, or think evil of him. It puts the best construction upon every thing he says or does, and never intrudes itself into the concerns of others. (Calmet)
"Judge not, and you shall not be judged "says the Saviour of our souls; "condemn not, and you shall not be condemned."( St. Luke, vi. 37.) "No" says the holy apostle, (1 Corinthians iv. 5.) "judge not before the time until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart. " Ver. 17. which may either signify easy to be persuaded or who can easily persuade.
