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Biblical Person · New · Apostolic Age · 0100-01-01 – 0062-01-01

James

James

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James, known as the brother of Jesus and James the Just, was a leader in the early Church and is traditionally credited with the authorship of the Epistle of James.

AI-assisted summary — may contain inaccuracies.

From Wikidata

Biographical facts

Born
0100-01-01
Died
0062-01-01
More
Wikipedia →

Key events

  • The Council of Jerusalem c. AD 49 — Acts 15:6

Where James appears

30 verses across 7 books.

Mark13×Matt6×Acts5×Gal3×1Cor1×Jas1×Jude1×

Verses mentioning James

  • 1Cor 15:7 — After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
  • Acts 1:13 — And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon
  • Acts 12:2 — And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
  • Acts 12:17 — But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And
  • Acts 15:13 — And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
  • Acts 21:18 — And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
  • Gal 1:19 — But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
  • Gal 2:9 — And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen,
  • Gal 2:12 — For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
  • Jas 1:1 — James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
  • Jude 1:1 — Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
  • Mark 1:19 — And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
  • Mark 1:29 — And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
  • Mark 3:17 — And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
  • Mark 3:18 — And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
  • Mark 5:37 — And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
  • Mark 6:3 — Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
  • Mark 9:2 — And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
  • Mark 10:35 — And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
  • Mark 10:41 — And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.
  • Mark 13:3 — And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
  • Mark 14:33 — And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
  • Mark 15:40 — There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
  • Mark 16:1 — And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
  • Matt 4:21 — And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
  • Matt 10:2 — Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
  • Matt 10:3 — Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
  • Matt 13:55 — Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
  • Matt 17:1 — And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
  • Matt 27:56 — Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.
Voices from the tradition

The Church Fathers on James

Patristic commentary on the Scriptures that name James.

But the Lord, after he had given his grave clothes to the servant of the priest, appeared to James (for James had sworn that he would not eat bread from that hour in which he drank the cup of the Lord until he should see him rising again from among those that sleep)... 'Bring a table and bread,' said the Lord... He brought bread and…

— Gospel of the Hebrews (150) on Gal 1:19

James, the brother of the Lord, succeeded to the government of the Church in conjunction with the apostles. He has been called the Just by all from the time of our Saviour to the present day; for there were many that bore the name of James. He was holy from his mother's womb; and he drank no wine nor strong drink, nor did he eat…

But they themselves, while knowing the same God, continued in the ancient observances; so that even Peter, fearing also lest he might incur their reproof, although formerly eating with the Gentiles, because of the vision, and of the Spirit who had rested upon them, yet, when certain persons came from James, withdrew himself, and did…

Jude, who wrote the Catholic Epistle, the brother of the sons of Joseph, and very religious, while knowing the near relationship of the Lord, yet did not say that he himself was His brother. But what said he? "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ,"— of Him as Lord; but "the brother of James." [Jude 1] For this is true; he was His brother,…

— Clement of Alexandria (215) on Mark 6:3

For they say that Peter and James and John after the ascension of our Saviour, as if also preferred by our Lord, strove not after honor, but chose James the Just bishop of Jerusalem... The Lord after his resurrection imparted knowledge to James the Just and to John and Peter, and they imparted it to the rest of the apostles, and the…

— Clement of Alexandria (215) on Gal 1:19

Do you hesitate about arts, and trades, and about professions likewise, for the sake of children and parents? Even there was it demonstrated to us, that both "dear pledges," and handicrafts, and trades, are to be quite left behind for the Lord's sake; while James and John, called by the Lord, do leave quite behind both father and ship;…

Do you hesitate about arts, and trades, and about professions likewise, for the sake of children and parents? Even there was it demonstrated to us, that both "dear pledges," and handicrafts, and trades, are to be quite left behind for the Lord's sake; while James and John, called by the Lord, do leave quite behind both father and ship;…

(in Matt. Tract. 35) But it seems to me, that here three women are chiefly named, by Matthew and Mark. Two indeed are set down by each Evangelist, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James; the third is called by Matthew, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, but by Mark she is called Salome.

And depreciating the whole of what appeared to be His nearest kindred, they said, "Is not His mother called Mary? And His brethren, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us?" [Matthew 13:55-56] They thought, then, that He was the son of Joseph and Mary. But some say, basing it on a tradition in…

— Origen of Alexandria (253) on Jude 1:1

That is, those who supported the church were like pillars supporting roofs and other things. "These men, then," he says, "being of such quality and so great, gave me their right hands, that is, joined in friendship, peace and steadfastness and declared that they had only one gospel. In view of this accord, Galatians, you are sinning…

— Gaius Marius Victorinus (370) on Gal 2:9

But James the Lord's brother answered and said: "Men and brethren, hearken unto me; Simeon hath declared how God at first visited to take out a people from the Gentiles for His name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written: 'Afterwards I will return, and will raise again and rebuild the tabernacle of David, which…

How then, says Helvidius, do you make out that they were called the Lord's brethren who were not his brethren? I will show how that is. In Holy Scripture there are four kinds of brethren — by nature, race, kindred, love. Instances of brethren by nature are Esau and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, Andrew and Peter, James and John. As to…

Historic voices touch this life

93 passages from 12 historic works cite verses that mention James.