James (Brother of Jesus)

Who James (Brother of Jesus) is

Eleven verses are gathered under this name in the index. In his own country the people who hear Jesus teach try to place him by his family, and Matthew prints their question with a list of brethren: James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas. Mark gives the same scene with the list in a different order and calls Jesus the brother of James. James says nothing in either passage. The list of resurrection appearances in 1 Corinthians 15 includes one line, that he was seen of James, placed after five hundred brethren and before all the apostles. In Acts, Peter comes out of prison, tells the household what happened, and says to shew these things unto James and to the brethren before leaving. At the meeting in Acts 15, James speaks after the others have finished, refers to what Simeon declared, cites the words of the prophets, and gives his sentence that the Gentiles turning to God are not to be troubled but are to be written to about four things. In Acts 21 Paul goes in to James with all the elders present, reports what God has done among the Gentiles, and is told what people have been informed concerning him and given a plan involving four men under a vow. Paul writes that on a Jerusalem visit he saw no other apostle except James the Lord's brother, that James, Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars gave him the right hands of fellowship, and that certain men came from James, after which Peter withdrew from eating with the Gentiles. A letter opens from James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, and another from Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.

Cited passages: Matthew 13:55, Matthew 13:54, Mark 6:3, 1 Corinthians 15:7, 1 Corinthians 15:6, Acts 12:17, Acts 15:13, Acts 15:14, Acts 15:15, Acts 15:19, Acts 15:20, Acts 21:18, Acts 21:21, Acts 21:23, Galatians 1:19, Galatians 2:9, Galatians 2:12, James 1:1, Jude 1:1, Galatians 1:1

Historical setting

The name is common in these books, and the texts do not always say which James is meant. Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 put a James among the brethren of Jesus. Galatians 1:19 is the only verse here that calls a James "the Lord’s brother". Acts names two others: Acts 12:2 reports that Herod "killed James the brother of John with the sword", which happens before Peter's message at Acts 12:17, and Acts 1:13 lists both a James and "James the son of Alphaeus" in the upper room. So the James of Acts 12:17, 15:13 and 21:18 is not James the brother of John, but Acts never says which of the remaining men he is. The same gap runs through the letters. The writer of the letter of James identifies himself only as "a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ", not as the Lord’s brother and not as the James of Acts, and Jude 1:1 says "brother of James" without saying which James. 1 Corinthians 15:7 names James in a list of appearances and adds nothing else. Gathering all eleven verses under one person is the index's decision, not a statement any of these texts makes. Nothing here gives his age, occupation, death or any date. At Acts 15:16 his quotation of the prophets reads "After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down", where Amos 9:11 reads "In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen".

Cited passages: Matthew 13:55, Galatians 1:19, Acts 12:2, Acts 1:13, Matthew 10:3, James 1:1, Jude 1:1, 1 Corinthians 15:7, Acts 15:16, Amos 9:11, Galatians 1:18

How the story is told

Each book uses the name differently. In Matthew and Mark it belongs to a list that neighbours recite in order to cut a teacher back down to a known household, and the passage ends with their taking offence rather than with anything James does; he is named and silent. In 1 Corinthians the name is one line in a run of witnesses, its weight coming from the sequence rather than from any description. Acts gives the name growing consequence without ever introducing the man: first as someone who must be told, then as the voice that speaks last at the meeting and states a sentence, then as the person Paul reports to with all the elders present. In each Acts scene the words attributed to him are practical, about not troubling people, about what to write, and about four men and a vow. Galatians uses the name three ways in two chapters, as an apostle Paul saw, as one of three who "seemed to be pillars", and as the source men came from, where the text says only "certain came from James" and does not say what he sent them for. The two letters use the name as a signature and as a brother's name, with no description attached.

Cited passages: Matthew 13:57, Mark 6:3, 1 Corinthians 15:7, Acts 12:17, Acts 15:13, Acts 15:19, Acts 21:18, Acts 21:23, Galatians 2:9, Galatians 2:12, James 1:1

Story moments

1. Named by the neighbours (Matthew 13:55). The townspeople list James among the brethren while questioning Jesus.
2. Seen of James (1 Corinthians 15:7). A list of resurrection appearances includes one line about James.
3. Tell James (Acts 12:17). Peter, out of prison, asks that word be taken to James and the brethren.
4. My sentence is (Acts 15:19). James speaks last at the meeting and states what should be done.
5. Paul reports to James (Acts 21:18). Paul goes in to James with all the elders present.
6. The Lord's brother (Galatians 1:19). Paul names the only apostle besides Peter he saw on that visit.
7. Certain came from James (Galatians 2:12). Men arriving from James coincide with Peter withdrawing from Gentile tables.

Key passages

Matthew 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?

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.

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 he departed, and went into another place.

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.

1 Corinthians 15:7

After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

King James Version. 11 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

In the gospel scenes James is only a name his neighbours use to place someone else, and he says nothing at all. What changes about reading the later scenes when the earlier ones give him no words?

Books James (Brother of Jesus) appears in

• Matthew
• Mark
• Acts
• 1 Corinthians
• Galatians
• James
• Jude

Related people

• Jesus Christ
• Peter
• Paul
• Moses
• Judah
• Barnabas
• Jude
• Mary, Mother of Jesus