Apostle James, son of Zebedee (James the Greater)

Apostle James, son of Zebedee, Unknown Master, 1475

Saint James the Greater was one of the Twelve Apostles called by Jesus Christ to serve God. James was born in Palestine, and died a martyr’s death around 44AD in Jerusalem.

James, son of Zebedee, Byzantium, XIV century, Miniature from Yearly Liturgical Cycle Book, Mount Athos, Koutloumousiou Monastery

The biographical information about James, a son of Zebedee, presented in the Gospels and in the book of Acts, allows us to trace his life path only in a fragmented way. He was a son of a Galilee fisherman Zebedee, and brother of Apostle John, apparently, the elder brother, because the Evangelists as they speak of the sons of Zebedee, most often mention James first (Gospel of Matthew 4:21; Gospel of Mark 1:19-20). He was fishing together with his father and his brother. James was also a friend and companion of Simon (Apostle Peter, Gospel of Mark 1:29).

James, son of Zebedee, Zodiac sign – Lion (July), Farmer Cuts the Grass, Book Miniature from Psalter mit Totenoffizium, 1265, Germany

Peter, James, and John became witnesses of the resurrection of the daughter of the ruler of synagogue Jairus by Jesus Christ (Gospel of Mark 5:37; Gospel of Luke 9:51). It was before them that Jesus was transfigured on MountTabor, manifesting His glory (Gospel of Matthew 17:1; Gospel of Mark 9:2; Gospel of Luke 9:28). At last, Jesus Christ made them the only witnesses of His Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Gospel of Mark 14:33). When the synoptic evangelists list the Twelve Apostles, James and John are mentioned directly after Peter and his brother Andrew (Gospel of Matthew 10:2; Gospel of Luke 6:14), and evangelist Mark and the author of the Acts of the Apostles put them right after Peter (Gospel of Mark 3:13; Acts of the Apostles 1:13), which points to their especial intimacy with Jesus.

Mosaic image Coming down of the Holy Spirit. Apostle James, son of Zebedee, Venice, Saint Mark’s Cathedral

The name Boanerges that means “Sons of Thunder,” given to James and his brother by Jesus (Gospel of Mark 3:17), apparently, indicated their impulsive temperament, which manifested itself when they wanted to bring fire down from the heaven on earth upon a Samaritan village where their Teacher was rejected (Gospel of Luke 9:54). Perceiving Jesus Christ within the limits of their traditional Hebrew concepts, they used their proximity to the Teacher to ask Him to let them sit, the one on His right hand and the other on His left hand (Gospel of Mark 10:35-37), thinking that they could take high positions in His future Kingdom, which they imagined at that time as an earthly state, although established by God for ages. According to evangelist Matthew, their mother approached Jesus with this request (Gospel of Matthew 20:20-21), who was one of the women that followed Jesus (Gospel of Matthew 27:56), and who is traditionally identified as Salome (Gospel of Mark 15:40; 16:1).

Saint Apostle James the Greater, El Greco (1610-1614)

James was one of the Twelve Apostles who participated in the Lord’s Last Supper (Gospel of Matthew 26:20; Gospel of Mark 14:17; Gospel of Luke 22:14; Gospel of John 13:5), and then with Jesus he crossed over to the other side of the Kidron River, where the Mount of Olives was with the Garden of Gethsemane (Gospel of Matthew 26:30, 36; Gospel of Mark 14:26, 32; Gospel of Luke 22:39; Gospel of John 18:1). James was among those disciples of Jesus, to whom He appeared on the very first day after His resurrection (Gospel of Luke 24:33-36; Gospel of John 20:19). James also witnessed Apostle Thomas’s believing (Gospel of John 20:26) and Jesus’ appearing in Galilee, when He charged the Apostles to go and preach to the whole world (Gospel of Matthew 28:16-20). In the Gospel of John, sons of Zebedee are specifically mentioned among the seven disciples, to whom Jesus appeared at the Sea of Tiberias (21:1-14). Apparently, James had also witnessed other cases when resurrected Jesus appeared to His disciples (Acts 1:3). Together with the other Apostles he is mentioned among those present at the scene of Christ’s ascension (Gospel of Luke 24: 50-51; Acts of the Apostles 1:6-14). He participated in the selection by casting lots of Matthias who was added to the Twelve Apostles (Acts of the Apostles 1:15-26). James was in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples (Acts of the Apostles 2:1-4), whom Jesus promised to send from the Father to them (Gospel of Luke 34:49; Gospel of John 14:16-17; 15:26-27; Acts of the Apostles 1:8). Apostle James participated in preaching the resurrected Christ and in founding the church in Jerusalem and in other places (Acts of the Apostles 2:4, 14, 42-43; 4:32-35; 5:12, 17-42; 8:14-15; 11:1); he approved the beginning of the mission among the Gentiles (Acts of the Apostles 11:1-18). Obviously, James’ ministry was related to Jerusalem. There is a record of his martyrdom in the Acts of the Apostles, according to which Herod Agrippa I, who received Judea, Samaria, and Idumea under his rule in 41 AD, “arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.” While doing it, he “killed James the brother of John with the sword.” (Acts of the Apostles 12:1-2). It becomes clear from the following narration that it happened in 44 AD (Acts of the Apostles 12:19-23). The mentioning of the execution of Apostle James is the only record of the martyrdom of one of the Twelve Apostles. The church tradition views such a death of Apostle James as the fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s words about the sons of Zebedee that they would have to drink the cup which He drank, and be baptized with His baptism.

Material is taken from The Catholic Encyclopedia, Moscow, 2005, Franciscan publishing House, volume II, pages 6-9 (in the Russian language).