“Ships . . . Steered by a Very Small Rudder”

As shown in this relief from the first century C.E., a sailing vessel had at least one steering oar, or rudder, toward the stern of the ship. To turn the ship, a sailor usually pushed or pulled the tiller, a pole attached to the top of the rudder. Greek writer Aristotle, of the fourth century B.C.E., expressed wonder that one man could easily move a large ship by means of a tiny rudder that he could control with an even smaller tiller. When Bible writer James speaks about the powerful influence exerted by the tongue, he uses a word picture involving the relatively “small rudder” (“rudder-oar,” Kingdom Interlinear) of a large ship. Just as a sailor knows that a small rudder can direct a ship into both safe waters and dangerous waters, a Christian needs to recognize that his tongue, as small as it is, can do much good or can inflict serious harm.