James 1:17

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. GIFT ... GIFT, [ dosis (G1394) ... doorema (G1434), dosis (G1394): the act of giving; the gift in its initiatory stage; doorema (G1434) the thing given, the boon, when perfected]. As the "good gift" contrasts with "sin" in its initiatory stage (James 1:15), so the 'perfect boon' contrasts with "sin when it is finished," bringing forth death ...

This reasoning is far different from that of Plato, who maintained that no calamities are sent on men by God, because he is good; for though it is just that the crimes of men should be punished by God, yet it is not right, with regard to him, to regard among evils that punishment which he justly inflicts. Plato, indeed, was ignorant; but James, leaving to God his right and office of punishing, only removes blame from him. This passage teaches us, that we ought to be so affected by God’s innumerable blessings, which we daily receive from his hand, as to think of nothing but of his glory; and that we should abhor whatever comes to our mind, or is suggested by others, which is not compatible with his praise. God is called the _Father of lights_, as possessing all excellency and the highest dignity. And when he immediately adds, that there is in him _no shadow of turning_, he continues the m...

12-18 It is not every man who suffers, that is blessed; but he who with patience and constancy goes through all difficulties in the way of duty. Afflictions cannot make us miserable, if it be not our own fault. The tried Christian shall be a crowned one. The crown of life is promised to all who have the love of God reigning in their hearts. Every soul that truly loves God, shall have its trials in this world fully recompensed in that world above, where love is made perfect. The commands of God, and the dealings of his providence, try men's hearts, and show the dispositions which prevail in them. But nothing sinful in the heart or conduct can be ascribed to God. He is not the author of the dross, though his fiery trial exposes it. Those who lay the blame of sin, either upon their constitution, or upon their condition in the world, or pretend they cannot keep from sinning, wrong God as if...

Verse 17. _EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE_] Whatever is good is from God; whatever is evil is from man himself. As from the _sun_, which is the _father_ or fountain of _light_, all light comes; so from GOD, who is the infinite Fountain, Father, and _Source_ of _good_, all good comes. And whatever can be called _good_, or _pure_, or _light_, or _excellence_ of any kind, must necessarily spring from him, as he is the only source of all goodness and perfection. _WITH WHOM IS NO VARIABLENESS_] The _sun_, the fountain of light to the whole of our system, may be obscured by clouds; or the different bodies which revolve round him, and particularly the earth, may from time to time suffer a diminution of his light by the intervention of other bodies _eclipsing_ his splendour; and his apparent _tropical variation, shadow of turning_; when, for instance, in our winter

EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT - The difference between good and perfect here, it is not easy to mark accurately. It may be that the former means that which is benevolent in its character and tendency; the latter that which is entire, where there is nothing even apparently wanting to complete it; where it can be regarded as good as a whole and in all its parts. The general sense is, that God is the author of all good. Every thing that is good on the earth we are to trace to him; evil has another origin. Compare Matthew 13:28. IS FROM ABOVE - From God, who is often represented as dwelling above - in heaven. AND COMETH DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS - From God, the source and fountain of all light. Light, in the Scriptures, is the emblem ot knowledge, purity, happines

EXPOSITION JAMES 1:1 SALUTATION. JAMES, A SERVANT OF GOD AND OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. (On the person who thus describes himself, see the Introduction) It is noteworthy that he keeps entirely out of sight his natural relationship to our Lord, and styles himself simply "a bond-servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ." That, and that alone, gave him a right to speak and a claim to be heard. Δοῦλος is similarly used by St. Paul in Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1 by St. Peter in 2 Peter 1:1; and by

EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT,.... Whether of nature, providence, or grace, and especially the latter; spiritual gifts given along with Christ, or spiritual blessings in him; every such gift is; as the Vulgate Latin version reads, the "best" gift; better than those which only relate to the present life: and is "perfect" such as the gifts of righteousness, remission of sins, adoption, regeneration, and eternal life. The Jews say k, that the good things of this world are not truly good, in comparison of the good things of the world to come, and are not גמור טוב, "a perfect good." And every such an one is from above; is not from a man's self, from the creature, or from below, but from heaven, and from God who dwells there: AND COMETH DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS; or author of lights; of all corporeal light; as the sun, moon, and stars; of all natural, rational, and moral light,...

James 1:1. _James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting._ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was an apostle, and he was the Lord's brother, yet he mentions not these greater things, but he takes the lowly title, in which, no doubt, he felt the highest honour, and calls himself «a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.» Happy is that man who serves the Lord, whose whole life is not that of an independent master of himself, but of one who is fully submissive to the divine command. Where is the fiction of the ten lost tribes? He writes to the twelve tribes that were scattered abroad, and gives them greeting, so that this Epistle is first directed to the seed of Israel, and then, as in all things, to all the Church of God, seeing all the saints of God are the true seed of believing Abraham, the f...

GIFT Two words are used in the original for "gift": the first meaning the act of giving; the second meaning the thing given....

JAMES 1:17 parallagh. h' troph/j avposki,asma {B} The obscurity of the passage has led to the emergence of a variety of readings. The reading of a* B (parallagh. h troph/j avposkia,smatoj) makes sense only if h is read h` (“variation which is of [i.e. consists in, or belongs to] the turning of the shadow”) — although even so the expression is excessively turgid. Taking h as h; the other witnesses read either the genitive before and after h; (parallagh/j h' troph/j avposkia,smatoj î23_)_ or the nominative (in a variety of variant readings) before and after h;...