I. Name

James. 1.17 is the only biblical text where God is called the “Father of the Lights” (πατὴρ τῶν φώτων). Most scholars agree that the expression means “the creator of the celestial bodies”, i.e. of the heavenly beings. In early Judaism there was a widespread belief that stars were angels (Schrenk 1954:1015 n. 410; Dibelius-Greeven 1964:130–131). That God created the heavenly bodies is a commonly accepted belief in the OT and in ancient Judaism (e.g. Gen. 1.14–18; Ps. 136.7; Sir. 43.1–12; see τὰ φῶτα αὐτοῦ in LXX Jer. 4.23; Philo, De Abrah…