Speaking Against and Judging the Law (James 4:11)

Introduction: Slander as Judgment of the Law

James issues a stark ethical and theological warning against slander among believers:

Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί…
“Do not speak against one another, brothers…”

He then explains that slandering a brother is functionally equivalent to judging the law itself, a bold theological statement that reverses the moral posture of the speaker: from obedient doer to presumptuous judge.

Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί, ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ καὶ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου, ἀλλὰ κριτής.

Morphological Breakdown

1. Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε {mē katalaleíte} –
   Form: present active imperative, 2nd person plural;
   Verb: καταλαλέω = “to speak against, slander”;
   Usage: prohibitive imperative with μή: “Stop slandering one another”
2. ὁ καταλαλῶν… καὶ κρίνων {ho katalalṓn… kai krínōn} –
   Form: nominative masculine singular present active participles;
   Translation: “the one who speaks against… and judges…”
   Function: subject of the main verbs that follow
   Notes: Both participles describe a single person engaging in both actions: verbal harm and moral judgment.
3. τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ {ton adelphón autoû} –
   Form: accusative singular;
   Meaning: “his brother”;
   Object of: both participles.
4. καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον –
   Form: present active indicative, 3rd person singular;
   Meaning: “speaks against the law and judges the law”
   Notes: The logic: slandering your brother is equivalent to slandering the law (because the law commands love of neighbor).
5. εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις {ei dè nómon kríneis} –
   Form: conditional clause with εἰ (“if”);
   Meaning: “but if you judge the law…”
   Function: sets up the ethical conclusion.
6. οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου, ἀλλὰ κριτής {ouk eî poiētḗs nómou, allà kritḗs} –
   Form: present active indicative of εἰμί;
   Meaning: “you are not a doer of the law, but a judge”
   Contrast: Two identities: one humble (doer), the other presumptuous (judge)

Syntactical and Logical Structure

The logic of the verse unfolds like this:

– Premise: Do not slander one another.
– Explanation: He who slanders and judges his brother is actually speaking against and judging the law.
– Implication: If you set yourself above the law by judging it, you are no longer obedient to it, but evaluating it—a reversal of roles.
– Conclusion: You are not a ποιητὴς νόμου (“doer of the law”) but a κριτής (“judge”).

Theological Implications

– The Law (νόμος) here most likely refers to the royal law of love (cf. James 2:8–12).
– To judge your brother is to say, by implication, that God’s law is insufficient, thus placing oneself above it.
– The true posture of a believer is not to critique the law, but to obey it—that is, to love one another.

Literary and Ethical Force

This construction is rhetorically potent:
– Parallel participles: καταλαλῶν… κρίνων
– Parallel consequences: καταλαλεῖ νόμου… κρίνει νόμον
– Sharp contrast: οὐκ εἶ ποιητής… ἀλλὰ κριτής

James calls the reader to self-awareness:
> If you’re tearing down your brother,
> you’re tearing down the law that commands love.

Not a Doer, But a Judge

This sentence is a mirror:

– Are you a doer—humble, obedient, quiet?
– Or a judge—critical, elevated, self-appointed?

James says:
> The one who slanders a brother
> puts himself above the law.
> But love doesn’t climb above—
> it stoops to serve.