The Fruit of Righteousness in James: A Study in Discourse Analysis 99 the next prohibitory present imperative coupled with the vocative and a warning about judgment (4,11). This second section of the letter is comprised of three paragraphs. The first paragraph (3,1-12) develops the imperative in 3,1 where James warns against becoming a teacher. James, having debunked the notion of a deedless faith in chapter 2, now argues that becoming a teacher is not the logical outworking of righteous deeds (3,1). Additionally, both sections are linked together lexically41, showing a progression of thought instead of the juxtapositioning of two isolated and disjointed units. Concerning the content of this paragraph, James offers further evidence of the audience’s failure — and his own failure — to bear the fruit of righteousness by saying, “We all stumble in many ways” (3,2) and “no one is able to tame the tongue” (3,8). Thus, none of them are τέλειος (3,2); each has areas that are lacking and needing wisdom (cp. 1,4; 3,17). Again, as in chapter 2, the audience is convicted of their need to repent. Although sins of the mouth are common to all, they are not to be casually dismissed. The gravity of the situation is detected in an amassing of the tongue’s negative qualities, which builds ever stronger and forms a climax at the most negative point of the list — hell is the source and origin of the tongue’s deadly fire42. The second paragraph of this section (3,13-18) describes specific actions that are to accompany righteousness: such righteousness comes as wisdom from above and produces a fruitful harvest. This paragraph begins in v. 13 and is concluded by the indicative in v. 18. The next paragraph will begin in 4,1 with a sudden change in tone and a fresh interrogative. James’ point in 3,13-18 is to show that wisdom is best demonstrated, not through being a teacher, but by living a good life (3,13, δειξάτω ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς). Two features confirm that this paragraph provides the Epistle’s macrostructure: (1) the language of 3,13-18 is connected with every other part of the letter43 and contributes 41 Note, for example, the repetition of the following lexemes: σῶμα (2,26; 3,2); πταίσῃ/ πταίομεν (2,10; 3,2); righteousness (2,21; 3,6.18); speech (2,3.14.16.18; 3,2); δαιμόνια (2,19) and ἐκβαλοῦσα (2,25) before a discussion of demonic wisdom (3,15). The lexemes κατακαυχᾶται ἔλεος κρίσεως (2,12-13) are echoed in ch. 3: αὐχεῖ (3,5), κρίμα (3,1), ἔλεος (3,17). The phrase δειξάτω … καλῆς … τὰ ἔργα (3,13) bears strong allusions to ch. 2 (e.g., 2,18.8.18). In light of such connections, many commentators argue for the relationship of the three sections of the body. Francis states that it should come as no surprise that 3,1 – 5,8 (the remaining of the letter body) is closely linked and related to the section in ch. 2, “as one would expect in a unified composition” (“Form and Function”, 119). 42 Watson, “The Rhetoric of James 3,1–12 and a Classical Pattern of Argumentation”, NovT 35 (1993) 59. 43 Baasland, “Literarische Form”, 3659.