"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" (v. 17a) This would better be translated, "Every generous giving and every perfect gift is from above." James' interest here is to show that God is good. Therefore, the gifts sent to us by God are good rather than evil. As noted above, he has already stated that God "tempts no one" (v. 13)."coming down from the Father of lights" (v. 17b). The phrase, "Father of lights," takes us back to the creation, where "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" ( Genesis 1:3) and God creating the great lights of the heavens ( Genesis 1:14-18).Light and darkness are used in both Old and New Testaments as metaphors for a series of opposites: good and evil, order and chaos, security and danger, joy and sorrow, truth and untruth, life and death, salvation and condemnation. ( Isaiah 5:20; John 3:19-21; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 4:17-18).In the conflict between light and darkness, light always wins. Darkness can never dispel light. Light always dispels darkness.
"with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow".
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" (v. 17a) This would better be translated, "Every generous giving and every perfect gift is from above." James' interest here is to show that God is good. Therefore, the gifts sent to us by God are good rather than evil. As noted above, he has already stated that God "tempts no one" (v. 13)."coming down from the Father of lights" (v. 17b). The phrase, "Father of lights," takes us back to the creation, where "God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" ( Genesis 1:3) and God creating the great lights of the heavens ( Genesis 1:14-18).Light and darkness are used in both Old and New Testaments as metaphors for a series of opposites: good and evil, order and chaos, security and danger, joy and sorrow, truth and untruth, life and death, salvation and condemnation. ( Isaiah 5:20; John 3:19-21; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 4:17-18).In the conflict between light and darkness, light always wins. Darkness can never dispel light. Light always dispels darkness.
"with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow".
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