James

The New Testament records at least three men named James. One is the son of Zebedee, fisherman of Galilee and a member of Jesus' innermost circle, who is paired with his brother John throughout the Gospels. A second is named in the apostolic lists as the son of Alphaeus, distinct from the Zebedaean. A third is one of the brothers of the Lord, an unbeliever during Jesus' ministry who later receives a resurrection appearance, is reckoned a pillar of the Jerusalem church, and stands behind the epistle that bears his name. Because the book of Acts is outside UPDV's current scope, the bulk of the third James's career — his speech at the Jerusalem gathering, his role in the council's letter, his reception of Paul's collection — is not visible here. What remains is enough to fix the three figures and to trace what each does inside the Gospels and the letters.

The Two Sons of Zebedee

James and his brother John are mending nets in their father's boat when Jesus passes by. "And going on a little further, he saw James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat preparing the nets. And immediately he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers, and went after him" (Mark 1:19-20). Luke fills out the family business: the brothers are partners with Simon at the great catch, "and so were also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon" (Luke 5:10).

When Jesus appoints the Twelve, the Zebedaeans appear near the head of every list and receive a nickname. "and James the [son] of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he gave them the name Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17). Luke's roster places them after Andrew: "Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew" (Luke 6:14).

The Inner Three

James of Zebedee belongs with Peter and John to the small circle Jesus repeatedly takes apart from the rest. They alone enter Jairus' house at the raising of his daughter — "And he allowed no man to follow with him, except Peter, and James, and John the brother of James" (Mark 5:37); "And when he came to the house, he didn't allow any man to enter in with him, except Peter, and John, and James, and the girl's father and her mother" (Luke 8:51). They alone climb the mountain of transfiguration: "And after six days Jesus takes with him Peter, and James, and John, and brings them up into a high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them" (Mark 9:2). They are pulled aside in Gethsemane to keep watch as Jesus' agony begins — "And he takes with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly amazed, and very troubled" (Mark 14:33). And on the Mount of Olives the same three, with Andrew, are the audience for the Olivet discourse: "And as he sat on the mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately" (Mark 13:3).

Sons of Thunder

The Boanerges nickname has narrative legs. When a Samaritan village refuses Jesus passage, the brothers respond in keeping with the name: "And when the disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, do you want us to bid fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?" (Luke 9:54). They also make the boldest of the disciples' personal requests of Jesus, asking for the chief seats in his glory. "And there come near to him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying to him, Teacher, we want that you should do for us whatever we will ask of you" (Mark 10:35). Their petition is for thrones at his right and left, "Grant to us that we may sit, one on your right hand, and one on [your] left hand, in your glory" (Mark 10:37). Jesus answers with a question about the cup he is about to drink and the baptism he is about to be baptized with, and pledges that they will share both, while the seats themselves are not his to grant (Mark 10:38-40). The other ten apostles are not pleased — "And when the ten heard it, they began to be moved with indignation concerning James and John" (Mark 10:41).

James the Son of Alphaeus

Alongside the Zebedaean stands a second apostle of the same name, identified in the Twelve by his father. Mark places him near the close of the list: "and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the [son] of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean" (Mark 3:18). Luke gives the same name in nearly the same slot: "and Matthew and Thomas, and James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot" (Luke 6:15). The next name in Luke is "Judas [the son] of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor" (Luke 6:16) — a Judas distinguished by his connection to a James who is most naturally read as this second one. Beyond the lists the New Testament tells us nothing of his words or works.

The Brothers of the Lord

A third James is named among Jesus' brothers when the Nazareth crowd turns hostile in the synagogue: "Isn't this the son of the carpenter and Mary, and the brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him" (Mark 6:3). During Jesus' public ministry, this household has not believed on him. The brothers urge him to leave Galilee for Judea so his disciples may see his works and he may "manifest [him]self to the world" (John 7:3-4), and the narrator's verdict on the urging is blunt: "For even his brothers did not believe on him" (John 7:5).

Resurrection Appearance and Jerusalem Pillar

After the resurrection the picture changes. Paul's catalogue of appearances names this James by himself: "then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles" (1 Corinthians 15:7). When Paul travels to Jerusalem three years after his own call, only one apostle besides Cephas is on the visit list: "But I saw none of the other apostles, except James the Lord's brother" (Galatians 1:19). On a later visit James stands in the church's first rank with Peter and John: "and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision" (Galatians 2:9). His authority radiates outside Jerusalem — Paul reports of Peter at Antioch, "For before some came from James, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision" (Galatians 2:12). The arrival of "some from James" is enough to alter Cephas' table fellowship, even if their later use of his name is something James has not authorized.

The Epistle of James

The epistle that opens the Catholic Letters identifies its author with the same self-designation Jude will use for his brother: "James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion: Greetings" (James 1:1). The link with the brothers of the Lord runs through Jude's address: "Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to the called, who have been loved in God the Father and have been kept in Jesus Christ" (Jude 1:1). The two brothers thus stand at the head of two letters — neither claiming apostolic title, both grounding their authority in service to Christ.