7 We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creatures—wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish..
8 But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison.
V. 7-8 - “We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creatures—wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish. But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison. ” -
Look at the inconsistencies in these verses - we can train animals, but fail to control ourselves.
“tame the tongue” - Only God can. God used the tongue (speech, languages) to demonstrate His power (See: Acts 2:1-11). This is a miracle - it demonstrated that something completely unusual and probably impossible happened. Men were speaking; others heard and understood - especially since the spoken language was different and supposedly unintelligible to the hearers. They knew the men speaking were Jewish speaking in Hebrew, yet they heard and understood in their own native language. Note the spread of nationalities listening to the Jewish fishermen - none of them spoke the Hebrew language.
God used speech to show a miracle, His Holy Spirit!
This is not the only place that God used speech to show a miracle. See Gen 1:1-31, the creation. God spoke to Abraham and Sarah, promising them a child. God spoke to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. The books Exodus through Deuteronomy is the history of God speaking to the Israelites.
“It is evil and uncontrollable” - Some versions translate this as “restless evil” - It seems that evil never sleeps, never misses a chance to infect our lives. Not we ourselves, but those around us also. (See - “Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men who devise evil things in their hearts; They continually stir up wars. They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; Poison of a viper is under their lips.” (Ps 140:1-3)
Don’t think that I am being negative about speaking and the tongue. There are many instances where ‘speaking’ is good, or very good. God used speech to bring the universe into existence. See Gen 1:1-31. God spoke to Abraham and Sarah, promising them a child. God spoke to Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. The books Exodus through Deuteronomy is the history of God speaking to the Israelites. God commanded Moses to speak to the Egyptians. Moses spoke to a rock to bring forth water. The prophets spoke warnings to the people of Israel so they might confess their sin, repent of their sin and be saved. John the Baptist testified to Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus spoke and several people were healed or raised to life. We are commanded to speak the words of life, that is: “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved “ (Acts 16:31). Paul tells us in Rom 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved.” Tell me that isn’t good - you can’t! We are told throughout the New Testament, where we are to speak the truth of the gospel so others might be saved. (Acts 4:31; Rom 15:18; 1 Cor 2:6, 7, 13, 13:1; 2 Cor 4:13; Eph 4:25; Phi 1:14; Col 4:3; Titus 2:1, 15, 3:8)
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