John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. For every kind of beasts, and of birds , etc.] Or the nature of them, as it is in the Greek text; however fierce, as beasts of prey are, or shy, as the fowls of the air be: and of serpents and things in the sea ; the fishes there: is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind , or by human nature: by the wit and industry of man; by the various ways, means, and methods devised by man. So Pliny relates, that elephants lions and tigers among beasts, and the eagle among birds, and crocodiles, asps, and other serpents, and fishes of the sea, have been tamed: though some think this is only to be understood of their being mastered and subdued, by one means or another; or of their being despoiled of their power, or of their poison: and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions render it, subjected to human nature.
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
πασα 3956 A-NSF γαρ 1063 CONJ φυσις 5449 N-NSF θηριων 2342 N-GPN τε 5037 PRT και 2532 CONJ πετεινων 4071 N-GPN ερπετων 2062 N-GPN τε 5037 PRT και 2532 CONJ εναλιων 1724 A-GPN δαμαζεται 1150 5743 V-PPI-3S και 2532 CONJ δεδαμασται 1150 5769 V-RPI-3S τη 3588 T-DSF φυσει 5449 N-DSF τη 3588 T-DSF ανθρωπινη 442 A-DSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. Kind (fusiv). Wrong. Jas. is not speaking of the relation between individual men and individual beasts, but of the relation between the nature of man and that of beasts, which may be different in different beasts. Hence, as Rev., in margin, nature.Beasts (qhriwn). Quadrupeds. Not beasts generally, nor wild beasts only. In Acts xxviii. 4, 5, the word is used of the viper which fastened on Paul's hand. In Peter's vision (Acts x. 12; xi. 6) there is a different classification from the one here; quadrupeds being denoted by a specific term, tetrapoda, four-footed creatures. There qhria includes fishes, which in this passage are classed as ejnaliwn, things in the sea.
By mankind (th fusei th anqrwpinh). Rather, by the nature of man, fusiv, as before, denoting the generic character. Every nature of beasts is tamed by the nature of man. Compare the fine chorus in the "Antigone" of Sophocles, 343-352:
"The thoughtless tribe of birds, The beasts that roam the fields, The brood in sea-depths born, He takes them all in nets, Knotted in snaring mesh, Man, wonderful in skill. And by his subtle arts He holds in sway the beasts That roam the fields or tread the mountain's height; And brings the binding yoke Upon the neck of horse with shaggy mane, Or bull on mountain crest, Untamable in strength."
