<p>3:1 <i>Be not many teachers. My brothers, realize that we teachers shall receive heavier judgment</i>- We will be condemned by the very presence of the excellence of the Lord's glory; but we will have judgment / condemnation with mercy (James 2:13); we will receive damnation, and yet be saved (James 3:1).</p><p>James continues to be increasingly specific as to how the word should act upon us to produce a spiritual character. The whole of Chapter 3 is devoted to showing how <i>our</i> words are the clearest indicator of how <i>the</i> word is affecting our heart, and the emphasis we should therefore give to the control of the tongue and the thoughts behind it. This being addressed to those leading the ecclesia further suggests that this letter was written primarily to the rich Jewish believers who were the Spirit gifted eldership in the mainly Jewish ecclesias of the first century. These two verses must have Mt. 23:8 in mind: &quot;Be not you called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brethren&quot;. Hence James addresses them as &quot;my brethren&quot;, gently reminding them that they were not masters but brethren. The context of Mt. 23 is denouncing the Pharisees for loving the prominent seats in synagogues and to be publicly recognized for their righteousness, which again indicates that these brethren were influenced by Judaistic attitudes. We have seen how in 2:2,3 they were placing great importance on having good seats in the synagogue/ecclesia. &quot;Masters&quot; means 'teachers'; and maybe this is echoing Paul's condemnation of the Jews in Rom. 2:17-24: &quot;You are called a Jew... and makes your boast (cp. James 4:16) of God... and are confident that you yourself are... an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes&quot;. There are several other links:</p><div align=center><table border=1 cellspacing=4 cellpadding=0 width=80%>    <tbody>        <tr>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>            Rom. 2:17-24</p>            </td>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>James</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;Makest   thy boast of God&quot;</p>            </td>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>The tongue   of the teachers in the ecclesia boasted (3:5; 4:16)</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;Knowest   His will&quot;- so they thought.</p>            </td>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>They   should have said &quot;If the Lord will&quot; (4:15)- implying they thought   they already knew God's will.</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;An   instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes&quot;</p>            </td>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;Many   masters&quot; (teachers); 3:1</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;Dost   thou commit adultery?&quot;</p>            </td>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;Ye   adulterers&quot; (4:4; 2:11)</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;Through   breaking the Law&quot;</p>            </td>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;Ye   commit sin, and are convinced of the Law as transgressors&quot; (2:9)</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;The   name of God is blasphemed among the which ye Gentiles because of you (Jews).</p>            </td>            <td width=50% valign=top>            <p>&quot;Rich   men&hellip; the judgement seats(Gentiles) ...blaspheme that worthy name by (Jewish   believers) are called&quot; (2:6,7)</p>            </td>        </tr>    </tbody></table></div>