Ministry of Grace Church

Does a spring out of the same opening send forth fresh water and bitter?

Truth to Learn

Not only is it not right that the same mouth should be used for the noble act of praising and also the vile act of cursing, it is unnatural.

Behind the Words

James begins this verse with the interrogative particle mēti. Literally, this word means, “not anything,” though its appropriate translation into English depends on the context. And, not only does this word indicate a question, it also indicates that a negative answer is expected.

The word “spring” is translated from pēgē, which refers to a fountain or a well as a source of water, though not necessarily the original source of such water. Based on the following verb, however, we can conclude that this is a spring or fountain. The definite article (“the” in English) is present for this word in the Greek, indicating that James is not referring to a specific spring; rather he is offering a hypothetical situation.

“Send forth” is translated from the Greek verb bruō, meaning “to be so full as to be overflowing” or “to pour forth abundantly.” This verb indicates that it is a spring which is spewing forth water rather than a well which is holding it.

“Fresh” is translated from gluku, meaning “sweet.” And “bitter” is from the Greek word pikros, meaning “having a sharp, pungent, or bitter taste.” These are the two types of water that come forth from springs. Either a spring gives sweet water or it gives bitter water, but not both.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verses, James has written about the fact that from our mouths go forth both blessing and cursing. These things, he says, should definitely not be happening! Now, in his clear exemplary style, he offers us a picture by way of a question. The picture is one that would be very familiar to all his first century readers who usually got their water for drinking, irrigation, and cooking from a well or a spring. Occasionally, a spring would bring forth such bad water that it was actually poisonous and would not even produce crops. The prophet Elisha encountered one such well at Jericho:

Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren." And he said, "Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, "Thus says the LORD: 'I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.' " So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. (2 Kings 2:19-22)

The answer to James’ question would have been obvious to the first century reader, “Of course not. A spring is either a good spring yielding fresh water or it is a bad spring yielding bitter water. It can’t give both!”

Application

It is unnatural, even inconceivable, for a spring to send forth both sweet water and bitter water. How, then, can we allow both godly words of blessing and wicked words of cursing out of our mouths.