What can we learn from what the Bible says about James the apostle?

One of the twelve apostles, and brother of John the apostle. He was a fisherman, and was called to the apostleship while mending his nets. He at once forsook all and followed the Lord. Matt. 4:21; Matt. 10:2; Mark 1:19, 29; Luke 5:10; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13. James and his brother were named by the Lord BOANERGES, 'sons of thunder.' He with John asked if they should call down fire from heaven on the Samaritans. Luke 9:54.

Peter, James, and John were privileged by the Lord to attend Him on several occasions, as on the mount of transfiguration. Matt. 17:1; Mark 5:37; Mark 9:2; Mark 13:3; Mark 14:33; Luke 8:51; Luke 9:28. The mother of James and John requested that her two sons might sit, the one on the right hand and the other on the left of the Lord in His kingdom. This raised the indignation of the other disciples; but the Lord taught them all a lesson of humility: He Himself had come to minister and to give His life a ransom for many. Matt. 20:20. James was killed by Herod Agrippa I. about A.D. 43. Acts 12:2. The 'James' referred to in 1 Cor. 15:7 may be this apostle.

One of the twelve apostles. Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13. These are the only passages where with certainty this apostle is spoken of; but we find in the Acts of the Apostles a James at Jerusalem after the son of Zebedee had been killed, and holding a sort of first place there. He spoke with a measure of authority at the conference respecting the law not being enforced on the Gentiles, saying, 'My sentence is,' etc. This suggests that he was an apostle, and the son of Alphaeus. Acts 12:17; Acts 15:13; Acts 21:18; Gal. 2:9, 12. He was most probably the writer of the Epistle of James, and the brother of Jude, or Judas, who was also an apostle. Luke 6:16; James 1:1; Jude 1.

Though the word ἀδελφός is used in the LXX in a wider sense than 'brother,' it has been judged that its use in the N.T. is restricted to those born of the same mother; and therefore the Lord's brother could not have been the same person as the son of Alphaeus. Nor is it probable that he was one of the twelve apostles, for we read that "neither did his brethren believe in him." John 7:5. The first mention of the Lord's brethren being with the apostles is in Acts 1:14, and there they are referred to as distinct from them. James the Lord's brother was seen at Jerusalem by Paul. Gal. 1:19. The being thus designated distinguishes him from the apostle who is simply called James in Gal. 2:9, 12. Learned authorities state that in Gal. 1:19 the construction of the passage in the Greek does not necessarily imply that James the Lord's brother was an apostle. He is mentioned also in Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3

(2) James. This was one of the sons of Zebedee the fisherman, the New Testament form of Zabdi (Joshua 7:1, 17, 18; 1 Chr. 8:19). The word James is an English form of the Hebrew and Greek name Jacob. He is the only apostle whose death is mentioned in the New Testament, being executed in Jerusalem by Herod Agrippa I. (Acts 12:1-2).

James — the son of Alpheus. The identification of the Jameses, the Marys, and the Lord's brethren, has long been a difficult point with critics. This would not be the place even to refer to their theories and arguments. But after looking at different sides of the question, we still believe that our apostle is the James who was a principal man in the church at Jerusalem — who is the author of "The General Epistle of James" — who is also called the Lord's brother and surnamed "the just," and "the less," probably because he was low in stature. Identification of persons is extremely difficult in such histories, from the habit, so common among the Jews, of calling near relations, brothers and sisters, and from nearly all of them having two or more names.

In the four lists of the apostles James holds the same place. He heads the third class. They appear to be in fours. Peter heads the first, Philip the second, and James the third. Very little is known of James until after the resurrection. From what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:7, it is evident that the Lord, before His ascension, honoured James with a personal interview. This was before the day of Pentecost, and may have been for the special encouragement, guidance, and strengthening of the apostle. We will now notice the principal passages, from which we gain our knowledge of James.

In the first chapter of the Acts we find him, with the others, waiting for the promise of the Father, the gift of the Holy Ghost. After this we lose sight of him, until he is visited by Paul (Gal. 1:18-19), which would be about the year A.D. 39. Now we find him equal with Peter as an apostle. He was at this time the overseer of the church at Jerusalem, and on a level with the very chiefest apostles. The place he held in Peter's estimation appears from the fact, that when he was delivered from prison, he desires that information of his escape may be sent to "James, and to the brethren." (Acts 12:17)

The saints in Jerusalem were not left long in peace. Herod — type of the wilful king of the last days (Dan. 11:36) — "stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church" (Acts 12). His first victim was James, the brother of John. According to the Saviour's promise in Matt. 20:23, he thus drank of His cup, and was baptised with His baptism. So ended in blood, so far as earth was concerned, a companionship of many years' standing. Prior to their first meeting with Jesus, the two brothers had wrought with Simon Peter as fishermen. Called by sovereign grace, they had been co-workers in testimony for their Lord. The work of James was now finished. Herod, perceiving that it pleased the Jews, next laid hands upon Peter, intending to sacrifice him when the Passover festival was over. The Holy Spirit significantly remarks — "then were the days of unleavened bread." Leaven is everywhere in Scripture the emblem of corruption. During their religious festivals the Jewish people were responsible to purge it out of their houses. Yet, at such a season, when they were more than usually zealous in the matter of externals, they could delight in blood! In like manner, our Lord's accusers were scrupulous about crossing a Gentile threshold at Passover time; while altogether without conscience about the murder of an innocent Man! (John 18:28) Oh, religion, what bloody deeds and what consummate hypocrisy have been perpetrated in thy name!

While the Church is thus being enlarged, unhappy Israel becomes only more hostile to the followers of Him whom they have crucified, and a new king (Herod Agrippa I.) rises up to give their enmity effect. Though we may be little able to interpret the details, yet the circumstances undoubtedly suggest an anticipation of the last days, when the lawless king will exalt himself against God, assuming for himself divine honors. We have here, also, in effect, the slain and the spared remnant represented in the opposite lot of James and Peter: the one given up, as it might seem, so strangely, his service but begun, to a violent death, while for the other an angel must be sent from heaven, to rescue him in a wonderful manner "from all the expectation of the people of the Jews," about to glut their evil desire with the death of another apostle of Jesus. Yet James was one of the three specially in the Lord's confidence, along with John and Peter. His life is to us a blank, and his day went down at noon! How little can we see of the divine ways! and, if we judge a course merely by its results, how surely shall we misjudge! In the events to which we seem to be looking forward here, those that are martyred under the beast have their part in the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4-6); while the spared remnant has but its portion on earth: and thus will eternity reverse our present apprehension of how many things!

The first victim to his vanity which we read that he offered up was the apostle James. "And he killed James the brother of John with the sword" (Acts 12:2). This apostle. we have already observed, was one of the favoured three who were present when the Lord raised Jairus' daughter; when He was transfigured on the mount; and when He was praying in the garden. Equally with his brother John he was surnamed "Boanerges," i.e., "sons of thunder." From this one gathers that, although we have no record of his life in Scripture, he must in some way have been a prominent man among the saints at Jerusalem. Be this as it may, Herod put him to the sword.

You remember that this martyr's mother, Salome, had once prayed, "Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom." Turning to them, the Lord had replied, "Are ye able to drink of the cup which I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say to him, We are able" (Matt. 20:21-22). The moment had come here for one of the two brothers to drink of the cup — the other drank his many years later. Probably John was the latest of all the apostles to suffer martyrdom, but James was the first. His career was short, as the date of his death was only some twelve or thirteen years after his Master's crucifixion.

Nothing is told us of the manner of his soul in the hour of his going forth to be beheaded, but his mother's prayer, and his Lord's reply, we may be sure, would not then be unremembered, and the grace that sustained a Stephen would doubtless make a James more than conqueror, in view of that heavenly kingdom into which he was to pass, and rejoin his blessed Lord. Seeing that James' death pleased the Jews, Herod laid hands on Peter also, intending after Easter to lead him to the scaffold, and the care he took to make sure of his purpose was excessive. After Easter a grand public spectacle in connection with Peter's death was evidently designed, whereby the king would still further secure the adulation of the Jews.

James the Apostle. — To speak now of their sons. There were just two, as far as we know, the offspring of that marriage — James called the Great, and John the Evangelist. The former was probably the elder brother, and is generally mentioned first, though Luke at times (8:51, 9:28; Acts 1:13) reverses that order. Nothing is recorded of James in which John did not share, till we read of his martyrdom, killed by Herod Agrippa I., when he drank of the cup which the Lord had foretold (Mark 10:39), and became the first martyr of the Twelve. The Lord was crucified; Stephen was stoned; James was beheaded.

This is the call of James to the discipleship; about a year after this he is called to the apostleship with his eleven brethren. (Matt. 10, Mark 3; Luke 6; Acts 1)

Peter, James and John, and occasionally Andrew, were always and most intimate companions of the blessed Lord. The first three only were admitted to the raising of Jairus' daughter. (Mark 5; Luke 8) The same three apostles were alone permitted to be present at the transfiguration. (Matt. 17, Mark 9, Luke 9) It was the same three that witnessed His agony in Gethsemane. (Matt. 26; Mark 14; Luke 22) But the four, Peter, James, John and Andrew, are joined together when they ask the Lord privately about the destruction of the temple. (Mark 13)

Like the change in Peter's name, or the addition to it, the sons of Zebedee are surnamed Boanerges, or "the sons of thunder." Great boldness and faithfulness may have singled out James to Herod, as the first to be seized and silenced. It is not a little remarkable that "the son of thunder" and the "rock-man" are the first to be apprehended. But James has the honour to be the first of the apostles that received the crown of martyrdom, A.D. 44. Peter was rescued by a miracle.

A mother's jealousy and her sons' ambition lead Salome to ask for very distinguished places in the kingdom for her two sons. The Lord allowed the petition to pass with a very mild reproof, but told the brothers that they should drink of His cup, and be baptized with His baptism. James was early called upon to realise this prediction. After the ascension he is seen in company with the other apostles in Acts 1. Then he disappears from the sacred narrative until his apprehension and death in Acts 12. And there we are simply told, in the brief language of the inspired historian, that Herod the king killed James the brother of John with the sword

Clement of Alexandria relates a tradition concerning James's martyrdom, which is not an unlikely thing to have occurred. As he was led forth to the place of execution the soldier or officer that had guarded him to the tribunal, or rather his accuser, was so moved by the courage and bold confession of James at the time of his trial, that he repented of what he had done, and came and fell down at the apostle's feet, and begged forgiveness for what he had said against him. James, after a little surprise at the thing, raised him up embraced and kissed him; and said, "Peace, my son, peace be to thee, and the pardon of thy faults." Whereupon, before all, he publicly professed himself to be a Christian, and so both were beheaded at the same time. Thus fell James, the apostolic proto-martyr, cheerfully taking that cup which he had long since told his Lord that he was ready to drink of.*

Ten years afterwards, Herod the King took up the work so dear to the hearts of the Jewish priests and "slew James the brother of John with the sword; and, when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to take Peter also" (Acts 12:3). But Peter's work was not finished, and Herod's chains were but cobwebs when they resisted God's purposes.

It was about A.D. 44, that Herod sought to ingratiate himself with his Jewish subjects, by persecuting the unoffending Christians. Not that there was any love between Herod and the Jews, for they hated each other heartily; but here they united, as both hating the heavenly testimony. Herod killed James with the sword and cast Peter into prison. It was his wicked intention to keep him there till after the passover, and then, when a great many Jews from all parts would be in Jerusalem, to make a public spectacle of his execution. But God preserved and delivered His servant in answer to the prayers of the saints. They have weapons of warfare which the governments of this world know nothing of. God allowed James to seal his testimony with his blood; but Peter He preserved for further testimony on the earth. Thus our God rules over all. He is the Governor among the nations, whatever the pride and will of man may be. Power belongeth unto Him. Feeble indeed is the power of every enemy when He interferes. Herod, being baffled and confounded by the manifestations of a power which he could not understand, condemns the keepers of the prison to death, and leaves Jerusalem. But he little thought that his own death was to precede that of his prisoners.