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Lesson #7 - The Apostle James (The Son Of Zebedee)
Series: The Fourteen ApostlesLESSON #7 – THE APOSTLE JAMES (THE SON OF ZEBEDEE)
The New Testament mentions several men named James.
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¡ James, the son of Zebedee, one of original Twelve Apostles (Mt.10:2; Mk.3:17; Lk.6:14 and Acts 1:13a).
¡ James, the son of Alphaeus, on of Twelve (Mt.10:3; Mk.3:18; Lk.6:15 and Acts 1:13b).
¡ James, the brother of Jesus (Mt.13:55; Mk.6:3 and Jn.7:5).
According to Mt.13:55 & Mk.6:3, Jesus had four brothers: James, Joseph, Simon & Judas.
Jn.7:5 notes, “not even His brothers were believing in Him.”
This James also authored the NT epistle bearing his name and called himself a servant of God and the Lord... (Js.1:1).
He also became an apostle, although not one of the Twelve (1Cor.15:7; Gal.1:19; 2:9 & 12 and Acts 12:17; 15:13 & 21:18).
¡ James, the father of Thaddeus/Judas (not Iscariot)- - one of the Twelve apostles (Lk.6:16).
¡ James, the brother of Jude (Jude 1:1).
This Jude, a.k.a., Judas, may have one of Jesus' brothers (Mt.13:55). If so, two of Jesus' brothers authored NT epistles.
¡ James “the Less” (Mk.15:40). Some argue that this James is one an the same as “the son of Alphaeus”.
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT JAMES, THE SON OF ZEBEDEE?
~ James was the son of Zebedee and Salome and a brother to the apostle John.
Salome appears to have been the sister to Jesus' mother (cf. Mt.27:56 and Jn.19:25), making James & John a cousin to Jesus.
~ The post-apostolic church came to refer to him as James “the great”.
This may indicate that James was John's older brother. He's always mentioned first (James & John) in the list of apostles.
~ Jesus nicknamed James & John boanerges, meaning “sons of thunder” (Mk.3:17).
As we mentioned in our sketch of John, this is most likely a commentary on their fiery disposition. cf. Lk.9:51f
FROM FISHERMAN TO FISHER OF MEN
~ Like John and Peter & Andrew, James was a fisherman, from Bethsaida, which literally means “house of fish”.
~ When Jesus called James, and these others to be apostles, He said to them,
Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men (Mt.4:19).
LITTLE WRITTEN, MUCH IMPLIED
~ Although the gospels mention James only sparingly, the few mentioned imply that he was a leader.
~ Peter, James and John are often alluded to as Jesus' “inner circle”.
cf. Mk.5:37-43; 9:2f; & 14:33-34; Mt.17:1 & 26:37 and Lk.9:28.
~ When the mother of James and John approached Jesus to request for her sons “chief seats” (Mt.20:20ff),
Jesus asked them, Are you able to drink 'the cup' that I am about to drink?
Indeed, James drank of that cup (of suffering), becoming the first of the apostles to be martyred for Christ's sake.
Herod Agrippa I had James beheaded in an apparent effort to intimidate the early Christians (Acts 12:1-2).
The fact that Herod chose to have James beheaded and Peter imprisoned likely reflects their leadership and influence.
AS TO ANCIENT TRADITIONS
Tradition tells us that when James' prosecutor heard and witnessed his defense on behalf of Christ,
that he, too, confessed Jesus to be Lord and was lead away to be executed.
Clement of Alexandria records, “On the way he (the prosecutor) asked James for forgiveness. And James looked
at him for a moment and said, 'Peace be to you' and kissed him. So both were beheaded at the same time.”
