Commentary on James

Andreas of Caesarea

When our Lord and God taught his disciples that they must pray to be delivered from temptation, he meant the kind of temptation which we readily and willingly fall into and which does not contain any kind of trial. But James is talking about the kind of trials which are unwanted and teaches that those who struggle for the truth should not be discouraged by them.

Why do trials produce patience? It is because patience brings those who experience it to perfection.

Any testing which comes from God is for good, not for evil.… It is quite otherwise with the devil. He tempts in order to kill those whom he has tempted. Furthermore, the devil does not know what is inside us, but God knows and has given everyone his task to accomplish, according to his sovereign will.

"Do not be deceived" into thinking that temptations come from God.

The lights are either the rational powers or else those who have been enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

See also

• More works by Andreas of Caesarea

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