James returns to a thought first expressed in 1:5. Although James puts it in a very different way from Paul, what he says in this passage has a similar idea to what Paul says about the contrast between the Spirit- controlled life and the life which is controlled by the desires of sinful human nature (1 Corinthians 2:13-14 and Galatians 5:16-25). Behind the thought of James is the kind of teaching about true wisdom, the knowledge of God which is given by God, found in Proverbs 1:20-2:8 and Proverbs 8. 'It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding' (Proverbs 2:6). The person who is controlled by sinful impulses may appear clever but his cleverness will be unspiritual and demonic (3: 15). Another New Testament letter concerned with warnings against those who may succeed in deceiving others with unspiritual cleverness is the short letter of Jude. 'They boast about themselves and flatter others in order to get their own way' (Jude v.16).

From our own experience, we know that there are many in our society who displays cleverness which may be in opposition to true wisdom, the knowledge of the will of God for his people. True wisdom, the wisdom from above, is pure in intention, peaceful, gentle and friendly; 'it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy.' However clever a man may seem, if his cleverness leads him and others into jealousy, bitterness and selfishness, then he has not learnt what true wisdom is.

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