James 1:17

“Every good gift and every perfect gift, etc.] 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 f10 , 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 bwj rwmg, “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…”

“gift . . . gift--not the same words in Greek: the first, the act of giving, or the gift in its initiatory stage; the second, the thing given, the boon, when perfected. As the "good gift" stands in contrast to "sin" in its initiatory stage (Jam 1:15), so the "perfect boon" is in contrast to "sin when it is finished," bringing forth death (Pe2 1:3). from above--(Compare Jam 3:15). Father of lights--Creator of the lights in heaven (compare Job 38:28 [ALFORD]; Gen 4:20-21; Heb 12:9). This accords with the reference to the changes in the light of the heavenly bodies alluded to in the end of the verse. Also, Father of the spiritual lights in the kingdom of grace and glory [BENGEL]. These were…”

“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…”

“No evil, but every good gift - Whatever tends to holiness. And every perfect gift - Whatever tends to glory. Descendeth from the Father of lights - The appellation of Father is here used with peculiar propriety. It follows, "he begat us." He is the Father of all light, material or spiritual, in the kingdom of grace and of glory. With whom is no variableness - No change in his understanding. Or shadow of turning - in his will. He infallibly discerns all good and evil; and invariably loves one, and hates the other. There is, in both the Greek words, a metaphor taken from the stars, particularly proper where the Father of lights is mentioned. Both are applicable to any celestial body, which has…”

“1:17 God is the Father of lights (see footnote) since he created everything in the heavens (Gen 1:3, 14-17). In contrast to the moving lights in the heavens, God never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

“good: Jam 1:5, Jam 3:15, Jam 3:17; Gen 41:16, Gen 41:38, Gen 41:39; Exo 4:11, Exo 4:12, Exo 31:3-6, Exo 36:1, Exo 36:2; Num 11:17, Num 11:25; Ch1 22:12, Ch1 29:19; Ch2 1:11, Ch2 1:12; Pro 2:6; Isa 28:26; Dan 2:21, Dan 2:22, Dan 2:27-30; Mat 7:11, Mat 11:25, Mat 11:26, Mat 13:11, Mat 13:12; Luk 11:13; Joh 3:27; Act 5:31, Act 11:18; Rom 6:23, Rom 11:30, Rom 12:6-8; Co1 4:7, Co1 12:4-12; Eph 2:3-5, Eph 2:8, Eph 4:8-11; Phi 1:29; Tit 3:3-5; Jo1 4:10, Jo1 5:11, Jo1 5:12 from the: Gen 1:2-5, Gen 1:14, Gen 1:15; Deu 4:19; Psa 19:1-8, Psa 84:11; Isa 45:7, Isa 60:19; Joh 1:9; Joh 8:12; Co2 4:6; Eph 1:18; Jo1 1:5; Rev 21:23, Rev 22:5 no variableness: Num 23:19; Sa1 15:29; Psa 122:6; Isa 46:10; Mal…”