Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Be not many teachers (mh polloi didaskaloi ginesqe). Prohibition with mh and present middle imperative of ginomai. "Stop becoming many teachers" (so many of you). There is thus a clear complaint that too many of the Jewish Christians were attempting to teach what they did not clearly comprehend. There was a call for wise teachers (verses James 3:13 f.), not for foolish ones. This soon became an acute question, as one can see in I Cor. 12 to 14. They were not all teachers (1 Corinthians 12:28 f.; 1 Corinthians 14:26). The teacher is here treated as the wise man (James 3:13-18) as he ought to be. The rabbi was the teacher (Matthew 23:7 f.; John 1:38; John 3:10; John 20:16). Teachers occupied an honourable position among the Christians (Ephesians 4:11; Acts 13:1). James counts himself a teacher (we shall receive, James 3:1) and this discussion is linked on with James 1:19-27. Teachers are necessary, but incompetent and unworthy ones do much harm.
Heavier judgment (meizon krima). "Greater sentence." See Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47 for perrisoteron krima (the sentence from the judge, Romans 13:2). The reason is obvious. The pretence of knowledge adds to the teacher's responsibility and condemnation.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
James 1:19
James 2:1
James 3:1
James 3:13
James 4:11
James 5:12
1 Peter 3:10
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