Tag: James in the Bible

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James, James and James

James, James and James: In the Gospels we are introduced to three men names James. Two are disciples of Christ and the other is His brother. The two James who were disciples were with the Lord during his earthly ministry.

While James, the brother of Jesus, was not a believer in Jesus as the Messiah when Jesus was on earth. His brother James, did not come to believe in Jesus until after the crucifixion and resurrection of Him.

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.

6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,

8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

(1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

James, son of Alphaeus

There is not a great amount known about the son of Alphaeus. He is referred to as “James the less,” or if you watch the television series “The Chosen,” he is “Little James.”

There are 10 references to him, but little else to go on. Some have said that this James was the brother of Christ, but that argument does not hold up, because James the brother of Jesus did not believe in His brother’s divinity while Jesus was alive.

The Apostle Paul had an encounter with this James, who wanted him to take a vow to continue his Jewish practices. James never left his Jewish practices and was known for his strictness to the law. Paul, ministering to gentiles, had no such dedication.

James, son of Zebedee

He is the brother of the Apostle John, and most likely the older brother. He worked as a fisherman, along with his father and brother. They also worked fishing with Simon (Peter).

He was an early follower of John the Baptist, but readily answered the call of the Lord to be disciples (Matthew 4:18-22). Jesus referred to James and John as the “Sons of Thunder,” because of their hot tempers.

James’ mother told the two brothers to ask Jesus if they could sit at His right and left side in the kingdom, a request that was met with a harsh rebuke. This James was a part of Jesus’ inner circle and was one of the disciples to go up on the Mount of Transfiguration to witness Jesus with Moses and Elijah.

James, brother of Jesus

It’s hard to be the younger brother of God. James was not a believer, and in fact, thought his brother’s earthly ministry was crazy. James was not buying it anything his half brother said. He was one of four brothers that followed after the birth of Jesus.

It was not until after the crucifixion that James became a believer. Jesus made a special visit to His brother and then the apostles. After this visit, James made an about face. After the death of James, son of Zebedee, an angel of the Lord released Peter from prison and gave instructions to go to James. James had established himself as a leader in the church.

The Book of James

The author does not identify himself, other than to say he is a “servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ.” So, which James wrote this book? Son of Zebedee? Son of Alphaeus? Son of Mary and Joseph and brother of Jesus? Maybe there is some other James’. After all, it was a common name.

We really don’t know, but the most prevalent belief is it was the brother of Jesus. The epistle of James is very Jewish in tone, which also points to Jesus’ brother. Through process of elimination it might become clearer.

The son of Alphaeus had very little written about him. The son of Zebedee was a part of the Lord’s inner circle, along with Peter and John.

Peter and John did write books of the Bible. However, this James was killed very early in the Christian movement and so, it may point to his not being the author.

We get a clue because he is writing to the “12 tribes scattered which are scattered abroad,” referencing those Jewish believers who went back to their homelands. The son of Zebedee who have died too early to know that.

Jesus’ brother James likely author

Many point to the brother of Jesus to be the author of the book. Perhaps his reluctance to embrace His brother’s true identity made his conversion all the much more dramatic. The Book of James is certainly written by someone who has a very bold story to tell. James went from doubting brother to ardent follower.

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James in the Bible

James in Bible

If you look for James in the Bible, you might get confused because there were three men names James in the New Testament. James was a common name in Biblical times, as it is today. .

The first two men named James we encounter in the Gospels are James, the son of Zebedee and the brother of John and James, the son of Alphaeus. Both were among the original 12 disciples.

The third James we meet is James, the younger brother of Jesus. Unlike the other two men, this James had his doubts about Jesus, and along with other family members, had concerns about his brother’s mental health.

Jesus meets Elijah and Moses

James, the son of Zebedee, was sentenced to death by King Herod (Acts 12:2). He was with Peter and John when Jesus led them up a high mountain.

Jesus was transfigured right before them and meet with Elijah and Moses. It was an amazing moment, as Jesus and the two prophets stood in a bright cloud, their faces and bodies shining like the sun. Peter got the idea that they should build shelters for the three of them. At that moment, a voice from the cloud said,

“This is my son whom I love, with him I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

The disciples were terrified and fell to the ground. Jesus quickly went to them and said not to be afraid. Jesus was back to normal and Elijah and Moses were gone. Jesus told Peter, James and John not to talk of what they witnessed. James was put to death by King Herod (Acts 12:2).

James, the son of Alphaeus, is only mentioned in passing, just three times, once each in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

James the brother of Jesus

Perhaps the most interesting ‘James’ is James the brother of Jesus. Unlike the disciples, the brother of Jesus was not a follower and certainly had serious doubts about his older brother.

We first see him mentioned when Jesus returns to Nazareth. The townspeople were not impressed, as they saw him only as the carpenter’s son, the older brother of James, Simon and Judas.

Jesus also has sisters who lived there. People wondered, “What makes him so special?” Even his own brothers mocked him, “For even his own brothers did not believe in him.”

James had seen his brother perform miracles, but still did not believe. In his defense, it is understandable that it would be difficult to believe that your older brother was the son of God.

James sees Jesus are the resurrection

However, James sees his brother after the resurrection. He sees his dead brother alive again. At that moment it all came together for James and he went to the Apostles to pray and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit,

When that day happened, James was filled with the Holy Spirit and was a powerful servant in the new church. This once doubting brother was the author of the Epistle of James.

James was an influential church leader

James became an influential leader in the church. For example, there was a dispute those followers who believed that in order to be Christian, men first had to be circumcised and follow all of the Jewish laws.

Peter and Paul disagreed and insisted that Gentiles can be followers of Jesus without following the Jewish tradition. It was a rather contentious argument, with both sides arguing with passion and conviction.

James listened to the debate, but said nothing. Only after listening to both sides, did he render an opinion (Acts 15:13-21). He points out that God has redeemed both Jews and Gentiles. He quotes the prophet Amos, who wrote,

“After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ things known from long ago.”

James shows discernment and wisdom in quoting the Scriptures. Later the Apostle Paul would write that there is no Jew and no Gentile, just believers and nonbelievers. James’ authority and wisdom end the debate.

James became an important leader in the church. His passion was to care for the poor

James agreed with Paul

When recounting the story of the Jerusalem Council in Galatians 2:1-10, Paul describes James as a pillar of the church, a man of high reputation. He also records that when James and the other elders approved his ministry to the Gentiles, the one thing they asked was that he remember the poor.

The Epistle of James is an admonishment for the wealthy.

“Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.

“You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you.

“The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” (James 5:1-5).

The death of James

James, the once doubting brother of Christ, was taken by the Jews and thrown from the pinnacle of the temple. The fall did not kill him. He was beaten to death with clubs.

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In the beginning was the Word…

The Bible

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The Most Important Book

The Bible is an amazing book. It’s the most important book in human history. It defines existence. It is our story, regardless of race, gender or national origin. It’s God’s revelation of Himself to His creation.

No other book in human history has had the kind of scrutiny, has been debated more, or has been the cause of as much social upheaval.

The Bible represents ABSOLUTE TRUTH about how we were created, why we exist and how we should live. Although parts of it were written more than 3400 years ago, it is completely relevant for today.

The Bible represents COMPLETE LOVE, because God is willing to communicate to us through His word. He shows us how to live through His Law, and because of His mercy, He sends His only Son to us so that we can live forever with Him.

The Bible represents UNAVOIDABLE JUSTICE for all. He rights the wrongs that have been committed by the world, delivering the perfect penalty to those who deserve it.

The Bible represents an INFINITE RESOURCE that we can study our entire lives and still find new and exciting revelations in, every day.

Bible Verse

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1

Description

The Bible is the manual for human life. It gives insight and clarity into human behavior by examining man’s psychological makeup, and like no other book ever written, explains why we are the way we are. It is the story of how we came into being, but more importantly, WHY we came into being.

The Bible is not a history book, yet its history is accurate and at times strikingly detailed. It is not a science book, yet its scientific information is solid. It is the story of the relationship between God and man, written over a 1400 year period by over 40 different authors.

“The Good Book“

By some, the Bible is considered “the good book,” while others consider it to be the inspired word of God. Some consider every word to be the literal truth, while others view it as truths contained in stories of people. Its wisdom is undeniable, and its commandments are the basis of all Western Law.

For some, the Bible may seem too difficult to understand and therefore not useful for practical, every day matters. Still others consider it vital to those mundane aspects of human life and rely on its guidance and directives to avoid calamity.

For some it’s all about religion, rules and regulations, and how to act. Some others view it as the gentle teachings of a loving parent. It was written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, but translated into nearly every written language on the globe.

To set one important fact in place before you go any further, we not trying to prove the existence of God. For the followers of the Bible, namely Jews and Christians, it is a matter of faith more than fact, despite the overwhelming evidence it presents.

The Bible Chronicles Israel and the Life of Christ

The Hebrew texts of the Old Testament chronicle the amazing development of Israel, and the land that God promised to His people. For Christians, the story in the New Testament continues with the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, written about by the Prophets.

The books of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, are one continuous story. Old Testament writings are considered by many Christians to be the very foundation of Christianity, essential to the faith and of equal importance to the New Testament writings. More specifically, Christians see the entire Bible as being the story of Jesus and God’s plan for mankind. It is God’s unfolding plan that can be seen beginning in the opening chapters of Genesis. As the history unfolds, so does insight into the nature and character of God, as he uses human events to shape the future of the world.

God Does Not Change

Human nature never changes. Science and technology certainly do, as does culture, but human nature is the constant. This is important to know because what was true of men and women 6000 years ago, is true today. The emotions are the same, the aspirations the same and the motivations are the same. It’s like the old saying, “the more things change the more they stay the same.”

The accounts of the Israelites in the desert can be easily applied to the motivations of people today, no matter what country they live in. That’s what makes the Bible amazing. It’s amazing because God was the inspiration and God does not change. He is the same—yesterday, today and tomorrow. The people he created are likewise the same and will be tomorrow.

We will try to give you reliable information and at times direct you to authoritative places to gain more knowledge and insight. We do not claim to be apologists (defenders of the faith), nor do we want you to consider our point of view as non-negotiable.

Read The Bible

We invite you to read the Bible for yourself and make up your own mind about what it means. God gave us free will and invited us to use reason to understand the relevance of His word. We just want to meet you where you are at and help your along your spiritual journey.

This site is a brief summary of an enormous topic, and will give you an introduction into the Bible. It is very likely to become the most important and enduring book of your life.

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