Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
If we put (ei ballomen). Condition of the first class assumed as true.
The horses' bridles (twn ippwn touv xalinouv). ippwn (genitive plural of ippov, horse, old word, in N.T. only here except in the Apocalypse), put first because the first of the several illustrations of the power and the peril of the tongue. This is the only N.T. example of xalinov, old word for bridle (from xalaw to slacken, let down), except Revelation 14:20.
That they may obey us (eiv to peiqesqai autouv hmin). Present middle infinitive of peiqw with eiv to as a purpose clause with the dative hmin after peiqesqai and autouv the accusative of general reference.
We turn about (metagomen). Present active indicative of metagw, late compound to change the direction (meta, agw), to guide, in N.T. only here and verse James 3:4. The body of the horse follows his mouth, guided by the bridle.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing James 3:3:
James 1:19
James 3:4
James 4:11
1 Peter 3:10
Revelation 14:20
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