James 1:13 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Let no man say; neither with his mouth, nor so much as in his heart, blasphemously cast the blame of his sins upon God, to clear himself. When he is tempted; so stirred up to sin as to be drawn to it. I am tempted of God; either solicited by God to sin, or enforced to it. For God cannot be tempted with evil; cannot be drawn aside to any thing that is unrighteous, by any motion from within, or impression from without. Neither tempteth he any man; doth no way seduce or enforce to sin, so as to be justly chargeable as the author of it. Objection. God is said to be tempted, Exodus 17:2,7 Deu 6:16 Psalms 78:41; and to tempt, Genesis 22:1 Deuteronomy 8:2, Deuteronomy 13:3. Answer. Both are to be understood of temptations of exploration, or for the discovery of something that was before hidden. Men tempt God, that they may know what he will do; God tempts men, that they (not he, for he knows it already) may know what themselves will do, which then appears, when the temptation draws it out; but neither is to be understood of the temptation here spoken of, viz. of seduction, or drawing into sin. God tempts by giving hard commands, Genesis 22:1; by afflicting, as in Job's case; by letting loose Satan or other wicked instruments to tempt, 1 Kings 22:22; by withholding his grace and deserting men, 1 Samuel 28:15; by presenting occasions which corruption within improves unto sin, and by ordering and governing the evil wills of men, as that a thief should steal out of this flock rather than that, that Nebuchadnezzar should come against Jerusalem rather than Rabbah, Ezekiel 21:21,22. But God doth not tempt by commanding, suggesting, soliciting, or persuading to sin.