James was a colorful character among the Twelve Disciples. He had a temperamental character and, at times, overreacted in ways that make the reader wonder why Jesus would call such a person to be his disciple. He was a lot like Peter in terms of impulsivity but had a much more fiery personality, exacerbated by his brother’s similar demeanor.
First Encounter and Calling as a Disciple
James, also known as James the Great(er), and his brother John were the sons of Zebedee. From the Biblical narrative, the reader can deduce that they were a wealthy family for several reasons. First, they were in a partnership with Peter and had at least two boats (Luke 5:1-11). The Luke account details how Peter called for another ship to come and assist them. The Mark and Matthew accounts also state that Jesus went from the place where he performed a miracle to meet James and John, who were mending nets. They were likely mending the damage to the nets from the catch recorded in Luke 5.
Mark 1:19-20 also mentions the “hired servants” the family employed. The fishing enterprise was more comprehensive than a family business engaged in subsistence fishing. It was large enough to contract men to assist with fishing activities, yet not so big that they did not have to engage in fishing and mending activities themselves.
James and John may have been the cousins of Jesus, although scholars have not established it beyond any doubt from the Biblical narrative. Matthew 27:55-56 mentions that “Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee” were in attendance when Jesus died. Mark 15:40-41, describing the same scene, refers to “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.” It follows that Salome was the mother of James and John.
John 19:25 adds a significant detail. It says: “Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” It seems reasonable to deduce that Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a sister named Salome, who was the mother of James and John. That would make the sons of Zebedee the cousins of Jesus, though the Bible never explicitly makes such a claim.
To distinguish between James, the son of Zebedee, James, son of Alphaeus, and James, the brother of Jesus, or James the Just, the former carries the name James the Great(er). This is likely because he played a significantly more important role in the gospels than James the Less. James the Just, the brother of Jesus, was the author of the Epistle of James.
Character and Personality
Jesus assigned James and John the nickname Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder.” The nickname suggests they had fiery temperaments and were prone to bold actions. They likely grew up in an environment where their privilege instilled a sense of entitlement. Their mother asked Jesus to state that her sons would be seated on either side of Jesus in his kingdom (Matthew 20:20). The account in Mark 10:35-37 does not mention their mother and claims James and John came to Jesus themselves.
Luke 9:51-56 recounts an instance where the misconception James and John had of the mission of Christ was on full display. A Samaritan village rejected Jesus by not allowing his disciples to prepare for his visit. James and John promptly asked Jesus whether they should destroy the town by having fire brought down on it. Jesus rebuked them for their suggestion which was fundamentally unlike the character of Christ.
Jesus asked James, John, and Peter to join him on several occasions where he would separate from the other disciples. There may have been more occasions, but the instances detailed in the gospels are the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37, Luke 8:51), the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-9, Luke 9:28-36), and the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42). Considering their personalities, these three disciples likely considered it a sign of their status or position among the Twelve Disciples, while it may well have been that Jesus knew these three needed more care and attention to attain the kind of character they would need to be apostles.
The gospels often mention James and John together, and they may have fed off each other to stir their spirits into reacting the way they did.
Significant Encounters
Luke 9:52-55
“And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them.”
The vengeful spirit revealed by the sons of Zebedee is likely the character trait that gained James and his brother the nickname “sons of thunder.” It indicated that the sons of Zebedee did not understand how patience, restraint, mercy, and love were essential to the ministry of Jesus. The appropriate response was to move on to the next town.
As would happen a couple of times during the ministry of Jesus, Christ called James, John, and Peter aside to join him in visiting the house of Jairus, whose daughter had passed away. Jesus revived the child and instructed that they feed her. Jesus instructed the witnesses to this miracle not to tell what they had experienced.
Luke 9:32
“Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.”
Matthew 17:9
“And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, ‘Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.’”
James also had the privilege of experiencing the transfiguration of Jesus when Moses and Elijah appeared on a mountain. It was one of the occasions where Jesus called the sons of Zebedee and Peter aside and left the other disciples behind. All three disciples fell asleep and woke to see Jesus transfigured before them (Luke 9:28-36). The details of what had occurred were not to be shared with the others at that time.
The two instructions not to tell others what had happened are mystifying. It may be that the three disciples that Jesus called aside needed these experiences to build their faith. The theory that Jesus called them aside because they were leaders among the disciples does not ring true when considering that he gagged them from sharing their experiences. What these three have in common is their problematic temperaments that would not serve them well in their later ministry.
Matthew 26:37
“And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.”
Matthew 26:43
“And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.”
James also separated from the other nine disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus called him, his brother, and Peter to move some distance with him and to watch with him in prayer. James, like the other two, fell asleep three times. It seems like neither James nor the other two understood the struggle Jesus was going through, nor the significance of what was about to occur.
Legacy and Tradition
According to legend, James later ministered extensively in Spain. The name Santiago, which features prominently in Spanish communities, is derived from the Latin Sancti and Iacobi, meaning Sanctuary of James. A later medieval legend has James appearing in battle for the Christian armies against the Moors. In the 12th century, the Order of Santiago was established in recognition of James “the Moor-slayer.” Today, James is the patron saint of Spain.
Death
James was the second of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus to die (the first was Judas Iscariot) and the first martyred apostle. The Bible records the death of James, stating that Herod the King ordered his execution (Acts 12:1-3). Herod Agrippa, who ruled from 41-44 CE, likely had James beheaded close to the end of his reign.
Tradition holds that believers transported the body of James to Galicia in Northwestern Spain, where they buried him. In the 9th century, a hermit named Pelayo claimed that he discovered the tomb of James. Later, builders constructed the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela on the site. It has become the third most important pilgrimage destination in Christianity after Jerusalem and Rome. The Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) is a renowned pilgrimage route that leads to the cathedral. However, there is no definitive archaeological evidence that supports this tradition.
