John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths , etc.] By this, and the following simile, the apostle not only expresses the smallness of that member of the body, which is like the bit in the horse's mouth, and the helm of a ship, but the good use of it, and the great influence it has over the whole body. Horses are without understanding, and need direction in what path to go, and are strong, and would be truly and ungovernable unless bits and bridles were put into their mouths: that they may obey us ; and go in the way we would have them: and we turn about the whole body of the horse, this way, and that way, as is thought best, by the help of the bit and bridle; and of such use is the tongue to the natural body, that being bridled itself, bridles, directs, and governs the whole body; and its influence on bodies, and societies of men, and Christians, is like that of the bit in the horse's mouth; who, like horses, would be unruly and ungovernable, were it not for the force of language, the power of words, and strength of argument.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-12 - We are taught to dread an unruly tongue, as one of the greatest evils The affairs of mankind are thrown into confusion by the tongues of men Every age of the world, and every condition of life, private or public affords examples of this. Hell has more to do in promoting the fire of the tongue than men generally think; and whenever men's tongues ar employed in sinful ways, they are set on fire of hell. No man can tam the tongue without Divine grace and assistance. The apostle does no represent it as impossible, but as extremely difficult. Other sin decay with age, this many times gets worse; we grow more froward an fretful, as natural strength decays, and the days come on in which we have no pleasure. When other sins are tamed and subdued by the infirmities of age, the spirit often grows more tart, nature being drawn down to the dregs, and the words used become more passionate That man's tongue confutes itself, which at one time pretends to ador the perfections of God, and to refer all things to him; and at anothe time condemns even good men, if they do not use the same words an expressions. True religion will not admit of contradictions: how man sins would be prevented, if men would always be consistent! Pious an edifying language is the genuine produce of a sanctified heart; an none who understand Christianity, expect to hear curses, lies boastings, and revilings from a true believer's mouth, any more tha they look for the fruit of one tree from another. But facts prove tha more professors succeed in bridling their senses and appetites, than i duly restraining their tongues. Then, depending on Divine grace, let u take heed to bless and curse not; and let us aim to be consistent in our words and actions.
Greek Textus Receptus
ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S των 3588 T-GPM ιππων 2462 N-GPM τους 3588 T-APM χαλινους 5469 N-APM εις 1519 PREP τα 3588 T-APN στοματα 4750 N-APN βαλλομεν 906 5719 V-PAI-1P προς 4314 PREP το 3588 T-ASN πειθεσθαι 3982 5745 V-PPN αυτους 846 P-APM ημιν 2254 P-1DP και 2532 CONJ ολον 3650 A-ASN το 3588 T-ASN σωμα 4983 N-ASN αυτων 846 P-GPM μεταγομεν 3329 5719 V-PAI-1P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Behold. Following the old reading, ide. All the best texts read eij de, now if. So Rev.Bits (calinouv). Only here and Apoc. xiv. 20. It may be rendered either bit, as A.V., or bridle, as Rev., but bridle is preferable because it corresponds with the verb to bridle (ver. 2) which is compounded with this noun.
Horses. The position in the sentence is emphatic.
We turn about (metagomen). Used by James only.
