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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - James 3:4 - 3:4
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The ships also (kai ta ploia). Old word from pleō, to sail (Mat 4:21). Another metaphor like “horses” (hippoi). “There is more imagery drawn from mere natural phenomena in the one short Epistle of James than in all St. Paul’s epistles put together” (Howson).
Though they are so great (tēlikauta onta). Concessive participle of eimi. The quantitative pronoun tēlikoutos occurs in the N.T. only here, 2Co 1:10; Heb 2:3; Rev 16:18. If James had only seen the modern mammoth ships. But the ship on which Paul went to Malta carried 276 persons (Act 27:37).
And are driven (kai elaunomena). Present passive participle of elaunō, old verb, in this sense (2Pe 2:17) for rowing (Mar 6:48; Joh 6:19).
Rough (sklēron). Old adjective (from skellō, to dry up), harsh, stiff, hard (Mat 25:24).
Are yet turned (metagetai). Present passive indicative of the same verb, metagō, in Jam 3:3. James is fond of repeating words (Jam 1:13.; Jam 2:14, Jam 2:16; Jam 2:21, Jam 2:25).
By a very small rudder (hupo elachistou pēdaliou). For the use of hupo (under) with things see Luk 8:14; 2Pe 2:7. There is possibly personification in the use of hupo for agency in Jam 1:14; Jam 2:9; Col 2:18. Pēdaliou (from pēdon, the blade of an oar) is an old word, in N.T. only here and Act 27:40. Elachistou is the elative superlative as in 1Co 4:3 (from the Epic elachus for mikros).
The impulse (hē hormē). Old word for rapid, violent motion, here of the hand that worked the rudder, in N.T. only here and Act 14:5 (rush or onset of the people).
Of the steersman (tou euthunontos). Present active genitive articular participle of euthunō, old verb, to make straight (from euthus, straight, level, Mar 1:3), in N.T. only here and Joh 1:23. Used also of the shepherd, the charioteer, and today it would apply to the chauffeur. “The twin figure of the control of horse and of ship are frequently found together in later Greek writers” (Ropes). As in Plutarch and Philo.
Willeth (bouletai). Present middle indicative of boulomai, common verb to will. Here intention of the steersman lies back of the impact of the hand on the rudder.