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The Three James'
By: Pastor David F. Reagan
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James is the given name for three
prominent men in the New Testament. They include two of the twelve
apostles and one of the brothers of Jesus. This has caused much
confusion as to the identity of the Book of James. We will look
at the three men named James and then consider the author of the
book.
JAMES
THE SON OF ZEBEDEE
The greatest number
of Bible references (at least 21) refers to James the
son of Zebedee and the brother of the Apostle John
(Matthew 10:2). He is almost certainly the older brother
of John since he is mentioned first in 17 of the 18
verses where the two of them are listed together (the
exception is in Luke 9:28). James worked with his brother
John, with his father Zebedee (Matthew 4:21), and with
Simon Peter (Luke 5:10), in the fishing business in
the Sea of Galilee (Mark 1:16). He had certainly been
a follower of John the Baptist as were all the early
disciples (Acts 1:21-22). He immediately answered the
call to follow Christ when he received it (Matthew
4:18-22).
When Jesus
prayed all night and chose twelve of His disciples
to be apostles the next morning (Luke 15:12-16),
James is the third man mentioned (after Peter
and his brother Andrew and immediately before
John). Jesus called James and his brother John Boanerges,
which means the sons of thunder (Mark 3:17).
Both brothers evidently had fiery tempers.
They proved this when they sought permission
to call fire down on a village of Samaritans
who did not receive Jesus (Luke 9:51-56). They
also had the audacity to approach Christ (with
their mother – Matthew 20:20) and ask Him that
they might sit on His right hand and left hand
in His kingdom (Matthew 20:20-28; Mark 10:35-44).
Yet,
this aggressive tendency did not keep
Christ from drawing James into His
inner circle. The inner circle of disciples
included Peter, James, and John. Only
those three went up with Christ on
the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew
17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28). The same
three were taken in to see the raising
of the daughter of Jairus from the
dead (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51). In the
Garden of Gethsemane, these three were
taken further than the other disciples
to pray with the Saviour (Mark 14:33).
On a couple of occasions (Mark 1:29;
13:3), Andrew was included in a slightly
larger inner circle.
But
though he knew the intimacy
of the Saviour, James was not
destined to the visible recognition
given to Peter and John. His
life for His Lord was to be
a short one. In Acts 12:1-2,
probably about a dozen years
after the death of Christ on
the cross, James suffered as
the first of the apostles to
die of martyrdom. Herod had
James executed with the sword.
As such, he entered into the
presence of God sooner than
all the rest.
JAMES
THE SON OF ALPHAEUS
Though
mentioned ten
times in the
New Testament,
we know very
little about
this James.
His father
was Alphaeus
(Matthew 10:3)
and his mother
was evidently
Mary (Mark
16:1). He is
called
“James the
less” (Mark
15:40). This
could mean
that he was
either younger
or shorter
than the other
apostle by
that name.
James
the
son
of
Alphaeus
is
one
of
the
unknown
apostles.
We
know
nothing
of
his
particular
character
and
none
of
his
individual
actions
are
recorded
in
scripture.
He
is
mentioned
as
being
in
the
upper
room
as
the
disciples
pray
for
the
promise
of
the
Father
(Acts
1:12-13).
Then,
he
disappears
from
the
divine
record.
Some
have
tried
to
identify
him
as
the
same
James
who
is
the
brother
of
Jesus.
But,
since
the
brethren
of
Christ
did
not
believe
in
Him
during
His
lifetime
(John
7:5),
this
is
impossible.
Yet,
his
disappearance
from
scripture
does
not
mean
that
he
accomplished
nothing
further
for
God.
Several
of
the
apostles
are
not
mentioned
by
name
after
Acts
1:13.
JAMES
THE BROTHER OF OUR LORD
This
James was not one
of the twelve, but
was a brother of
Jesus in the flesh
(being born of Mary
and Joseph). He is
one of four brothers
of Jesus mentioned
by the Jews in Nazareth
(Matthew 13:54-55;
Mark 6:3). These
later sons of Mary
explain why Jesus
was called her “firstborn
son”
(Matthew
1:25; Luke 2:7).
The attempts by some
to make these cousins
and not brothers
of Jesus are ill-advised
attempts to deny
scripture.
James
would be
included
in the brethren
of Christ
who did not
believe in
Him during
His earthly
ministry
(John 7:5).
However,
something
happened
around the
time of the
Christ’s
crucifixion
and resurrection.
For one thing,
Jesus made
a special
appearance
to James
after His
resurrection
(1Corinthians
15:7). Then,
we see that
Mary, the
mother of
Jesus, and “his
brethren” prayed
in the upper
room before
the day of
Pentecost
(Acts 1:14).
James is
now a believer
and a disciple.
We
do
not
read
about
James
again
until
after
the
death
of
James
the
son
of
Zebedee
in
Acts,
chapter
twelve.
When
the
angel
of
the
Lord
released
Peter
from
prison,
he
interrupted
the
prayer
meeting
being
held
for
him
and
told
them, “Go
shew
these
things
unto
James,
and
to
the
brethren” (Acts
12:17).
By
this
time,
James
had
a
prominent
place
in
the
church
at
Jerusalem.
Paul
confirms
that
this
same
James
was
the
brother
of
Jesus.
After
his
salvation,
he
went
up
to
Jerusalem
to
see
Peter,
and
while
there,
saw
also “James
the
Lord’s
brother” (Galatians
1:18-19).
In
this
same
passage,
James
is
now
considered
one
of
the
apostles.
In
the
council
of
Jerusalem
in
Acts
15,
James
gave
the
conclusion
of
the
conference
(Acts
15:13-21).
We
see
his
authority
in
the
statement, “Wherefore
my
sentence
is”
(Acts
15:19).
James,
so
to
speak,
cast
the
deciding
vote.
James
continued
to
be
a
force
in
the
church
at
Jerusalem
and
by
all
accounts
would
be
considered
its
senior
pastor.
Paul
recognized
James,
along
with
Cephas
(Peter)
and
John,
to
be “pillars” in
the
church
(Galatians
2:9).
He
also
speaks
of
receiving
certain
men
who “came
from
James” (Galatians
2:12).
The
last
personal
reference
to
James
comes
late
in
the
book
of
Acts
when
Paul
came
to
Jerusalem.
Paul
was
received
of
James
who
encouraged
him
to
take
a
vow
with
the
Jews
to
demonstrate
his
continuation
in
Jewish
practices
(Acts
21:18-26).
This
ended
in
disaster
for
Paul,
but
is
shows
the
character
of
the
Christianity
of
James.
James
never
left
his
Jewish
practices.
Traditionally,
he
is
known
for
his
extreme
strictness
to
the
law
and
is
called
James
the
Just.
God
truly
used
him
in
the
church
at
Jerusalem.
THE
AUTHOR
OF
THE
BOOK
OF
JAMES
The
question
arises:
who
is
the
author
of
the
book
of
James?
It
begins
simply, “James,
a
servant
of
God
and
of
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ,
to
the
twelve
tribes
which
are
scattered
abroad,
greeting.” A “servant
of
God” could
be
any
of
the
men
known
as
James.
Here
are
several
possible
solutions
that
have
been
given”
-
James,
the
son
of
Zebedee
-
James, the son of Alphaeus
-
James,
the
brother
of
Jesus
(the
most
popular
choice)
-
Both
James
the
son
of
Alphaeus
and
the
brother
of
Jesus
(by
those
who
think
they
are
the
same)
-
An
unknown
James
-
Someone
who
wanted
us
to
think
it
was
written
by
James
(by
those
who
deny
scriptural
authority)
How
are
we
to
make
our
way
through
so
many
choices?
In
truth,
an
absolute
answer
is
impossible
to
determine.
Most
lean
toward
James
the
brother
of
Jesus.
He
is
prominent
in
the
early
church.
He
is
very
Jewish
in
his
Christianity
and
James
is
the
most
Jewish
of
all
the
epistles.
All
of
this
points
to
James
the
Lord’s
brother.
But
what
about
the
others?
James,
the
son
of
Alphaeus,
has
nothing
else
written
about
him.
It
is
just
difficult
to
believe
that
he
would
be
the
author
of
the
book
of
James.
Yet,
the
book
of
Jude
is
written
by “the
brother
of
James”
(Jude
1:1).
Jude
is
another
form
of
Judas.
And,
not
only
does
James
the
brother
of
Jesus
have
a
brother
named
Judas
(Matthew
13:55),
so
does
James
the
son
of
Alphaeus
(Luke
6:16).
James,
the
son
of
Zebedee,
is
an
interesting
possibility.
He
was
in
the
inner
circle.
The
others
in
the
inner
circle,
Peter
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