Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:13 God tests his people (e.g., Abraham, Genesis 22; Israel, Ex. 16:4; Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32:31) so that their character is strengthened, but he never tempts (i.e., lures people into sin). Since God cannot be tempted with evil, and he is unreservedly good, he would never entice human beings to sin or seek to harm their faith. Tempted (Gk. peirazō) is the verb form of the noun translated "trial" (Gk. peirasmos) in James 1:12, but the context shows that different senses of the word are intended. God brings trials in order to strengthen the Christian's faith. He never tempts, however, because he never desires his people to sin. Christians should never blame God when they do wrong.

1:14 lured and enticed. A fishing metaphor for drawing prey away from shelter in order to trap them with a deadly hook. Here it is the person's evil desire that ensnares; in 1 Pet. 5:8-9 it is Satan who "seeks to devour." Sin is never God's fault.

1:15 The picture changes to a birth/rebirth metaphor, as full-grown desire bears its own child, sin, which itself grows into maturity and bears the grandchild, death. This dramatic depiction shows the terrible result when one gives in to temptation.

1:17 James moves from evil temptations (which God never gives) to the observation that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from God (cf. Matt. 7:11). As in James 1:5, James reminds the readers of God's goodness. In their trials, God is not tempting them to sin, but the difficulties in life are intended to strengthen and perfect them and make them more like God. God's intentions for them are always for good (cf. Rom. 8:28). There is nothing in this world that is truly good that has any other origin than from above, namely heaven, descending from the Father of lights, which refers to God as creator of the heavenly "lights" (Ps. 74:16; 136:7-9)--a prime example of his good gifts. God is unchanging in his character and therefore in his giving of good, unlike the variation of the night changing to day or the shifting shadow caused by the sun or moon.

1:18 Brought us forth by the word of truth speaks of spiritual salvation, with "us" meaning believers, the "word of truth" being the gospel, and "brought . . . forth" (that is, from the womb) being a metaphor for the new birth. The firstfruits of the harvest (cf. Ex. 23:16-19; Lev. 23:9-14) are pioneer believers, who are a prelude to further conversions yet to come (cf. Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:15).