Ministry of Grace Church

Look also at ships, being so large and being driven by hard winds, they are directed by a very small rudder wherever the helmsman determines.

Truth to Learn

Like the rudder of a ship, the tongue may be small but it can exert great influence, either good or bad.

Behind the Words

This verse begins in a manner very similar to the previous one: “Look also at ships …” which places “ships” in the emphatic position. James is now drawing attention to large ships which are also controlled by something small.

 “Driven” is translated from elaunō, meaning “to push” or “to drive.” It is the word used to describe the action of oars or the wind on the movement of a boat or ship.

“Hard” is from the Greek word sklēros, which literally refers to something that is dry and hard. In its normal usage, however, it refers to something that is hard or violent. Its usage here refers to the power and fierceness of the wind at sea.

The word translated “small” in this verse is, elachistos which is the superlative form of the Greek word for short or small. Hence, James is emphasizing the fact that this ship, which is large and is pushed about by fierce winds, is steered with the smallest of things.

The Greek word translated “rudder” is pēdalion, which is a derivative of pēdon, meaning the paddle of an oar. Small boats in those days were steered with an oar directed out of the back of the boat and moved one direction or the other. Larger ships were controlled with a “tiller” or “rudder” which was an adaptation of the simple steering oar.

Meaning Explained

James now provides us with a second example of small things which exert great control over much larger things. In this case he is pointing out that seagoing vessels which are driven by powerful winds are effectively steered by a little rudder.

Even today, large ocean going vessels are steered with a rudder which is only a tiny fraction of the size of the overall ship. For instance, the rudder of the cruise liner Queen Elizabeth is only about two one-thousandths the size of the entire ship. The ships which sailed the Mediterranean Sea in James’ day were much smaller, but they were wind powered and very difficult to control when the winds were not blowing from directly behind them.

It takes a skilled pilot to steer a ship that is powered by the wind. If he slips-up and allows the ship to be aimed the wrong direction it takes considerable time and great effort on the part of all the crew to get the ship aimed the proper direction again. So, even though the rudder is seemingly insignificant in terms of size, it is crucial that it be used properly if the ship is to be steered in the right direction.

James’ point is that our tongue is likewise a very small part of our body. And, a slip of the tongue can cause much pain and hardship for both the speaker and the hearer. In some cases, the damage done by an uncontrolled tongue can be irreparable.

Application

Do you have control of your tongue? Hopefully, the Apostle Paul was describing you when he said,“ Let your speech always be with grace, having been seasoned with salt …” (Colossians 4:6a) If not, then you need to work on controlling your tongue so that you faithfully represent your Lord and King in everything you say.