Mark tells us that Jesus “ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.” (Mark 3:14) These men, ordinary as they might have appeared to some, became known as “the apostles” of our Lord Jesus Christ. He prayed with them and for them, and when He called them to follow Him, they forsook all and followed.
One of the 12 was James, brother of John. In the minds of most, John would come across as the more prominent of the two fishermen-brothers. He was always closest to Jesus—as in the Upper Room at the last supper. Five books of the New Testament bear John’s name; none the name of James. One observer noted that James “passes by in silhouette rather than in photograph; his portrait is recognizable with scant details.”
In this brief bio of the apostle whose brother was the “one Jesus loved,” note with me his life, his leadership, his legacy and his lessons.
- His life. Sons of Zebedee, James and John were, with their father, partners in the fishing business with Peter and Andrew. The business was probably large and lucrative. Their mother, Salome, was a devout follower of Jesus of Nazareth. James and John were renamed by Jesus the “Sons of Thunder,” possibly for their thundering out against the evils of their day; maybe for the lack of restraint of their volatile tempers; or maybe because of their boisterous, often noisy and impulsive personalities.
These brothers were called by Jesus first to be disciples, then apostles. (Luke 6:13) Upon that divine summons, they “forsook all and followed Him.” (Luke 5:10)
We could probably say the following without being too imaginative about James: “He was young, successful, intelligent, serious-minded, a picture of success and self-confidence; with his brother, John, never one to back away from a challenge, conflict, or confrontation.”
- His leadership. James was a trusted member of Jesus’ inner circle of three. With Peter and John, James saw Jesus raise Jairus’ daughter from her death bed; with the same two apostles, he was with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1) when Jesus unveiled some of His glory to these three followers. Again, he was part of the trusted triad who accompanied Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane—and not just into the garden, but to a place of seclusion where Jesus invited them to “watch” with Him in prayer. (Matt. 26:37,38)
James, brother of John, not to be confused with the James who wrote the Epistle of James, who was a half-brother of Jesus, never wrote a book that bore his name; he never spoke any memorable words that have been recorded, nor is he known for any heroic deeds. John, to the contrary, was never far from the middle of the mix. Although he wrote five of the 27 New Testament books, in none of them—not even in the Gospel of John—did he mention the name of his brother, James.
James, though, was zealous for his Lord. He cast out devils (Luke 9:40); and he was ready, with his brother, to call fire down from Heaven to destroy the Samaritan city that refused to receive Jesus and His twelve into their city. (Luke 9:51-56)
He was also a man of prayer (Acts 4:23ff.) and, without question, an ambitious follower of His Lord. (Matt.20:17-28)
- His legacy. James was faithful unto death. Herod the Great tried to kill Jesus, and his evil edict—that all the children two years old and younger in Jerusalem and in all the coasts thereof be killed—was another failed attempt to kill the Messiah; Herod the Great’s son killed John the Baptist, and Herod the Great’s grandson killed James, the apostle. This first apostolic martyr became—with Stephen, the deacon who preceded him—the first of millions of Christians, yes, multiplied millions to follow in martyrdom. Their blood became “the seed of the Church.”
- His lessons. (1) God chooses all kinds of people to do His work and execute His will—from respected fishermen, to despised tax collectors, to doubting Thomases, to impetuous Peter; (2) He is the One who does the making of His disciples: “I will make you….” (3) Following Him will transform your life: “A noisy zealot who had thundered out against the evils of his day and denounced hypocrisy in high places, James became a man of peace and quiet; a man in command of his temper, with a bridle on his tongue and a calm in his heart.” (copied) (4) Growth in Christ is not instant, but gradual. God is patient in perfecting us and dealing with us as individuals, not as with a group.
“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.” (Acts 12:1,2)
YOU and GOD 