James, also known as James the Greater, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of John the Apostle. The name James is derived from the Hebrew name Ya’aqov, which means “supplanter” or “one who follows.” James was a fisherman by trade and was born around the beginning of the 1st century AD in the Galilean region.
Early Life of James
James and his brother John were fishermen along with their father Zebedee. They were partners with Simon Peter and Andrew, who also became Jesus’ disciples. Jesus called James and John to follow Him while they were mending their fishing nets with their father by the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:21-22; Mark 1:19-20; Luke 5:10).
Biblical Timeline
The Calling of James
The calling of James took place when Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee and saw James and his brother John with their father Zebedee, mending their fishing nets. Jesus called them to leave their work and follow Him to become fishers of men (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11).
In the Gospel of Matthew, the account says that Jesus was walking by the sea when He saw James and John, who were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them to follow Him, and they immediately left their boat and their father to become His disciples (Matthew 4:21-22).
In the Gospel of Mark, the story is similar to the one in Matthew, with Jesus walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where He saw James and John in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them to follow Him, and they left their father in the boat with the hired servants and followed Jesus (Mark 1:19-20).
In the Gospel of Luke, the account gives more detail. Jesus was teaching a crowd by the shore of the Sea of Galilee when He saw two boats nearby. He got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon Peter, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. After teaching the crowd from the boat, Jesus told Peter to let down the nets for a catch. Peter and his partners, James and John, were astonished by the miraculous catch of fish they hauled in. They brought their boats to land, left everything, and followed Jesus (Luke 5:1-11).
Raising of Jairus’ Daughter
James, along with Peter and John, was one of the three disciples chosen by Jesus to witness the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Mark 5:37-43; Luke 8:51-56).
The Transfiguration
James, along with Peter and John, were the only disciples who witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus. They saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah and heard the voice of God acknowledging Jesus as His Son (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36).
James and the Request for Seats of Honor
In Matthew 20:20-28 and Mark 10:35-45, James and his brother John, through their mother Salome, asked Jesus if they could sit at His right and left hand in His kingdom. Jesus replied that these positions were not for Him to grant, and that they would need to be prepared to drink the cup He would drink and be baptized with the baptism He would undergo. This incident revealed the ambition of the two brothers and prompted Jesus to teach about true greatness being found in humble service.
James at The Garden of Gethsemane
James, along with Peter and John, accompanied Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest. Jesus asked them to stay awake and pray with Him, as He faced immense sorrow (Matthew 26:36-37; Mark 14:32-33). However, they struggled to stay awake, falling asleep each time Jesus went to pray (Matthew 26:40-41; Mark 14:37-38). Their inability to support Jesus during this difficult time highlights human weakness.
The Appointment of the Twelve Apostles
Jesus appointed James as one of the Twelve Apostles. In the lists of apostles found in the Gospels and the book of Acts, James is always mentioned, usually alongside his brother John (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16; Acts 1:13).
Death of James
James was the first of the Twelve Apostles to be martyred. He was executed by King Herod Agrippa I around 44 AD in Jerusalem. The king ordered James’ beheading to please the Jewish leaders (Acts 12:1-2).
Additional Notes
James’ Zealous Nature
James and his brother John were known for their zealous nature, which earned them the nickname “Boanerges,” meaning “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). This characteristic was displayed in Luke 9:51-56, when they wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village that had refused to welcome Jesus. Jesus rebuked them for their attitude, teaching that His mission was to save lives, not destroy them.
Extrabiblical References to James
Eusebius of Caesarea, a historian from the early 4th century, wrote about James’ martyrdom in his work, “Ecclesiastical History.” Josephus, a Jewish historian from the 1st century AD, also mentioned James and his brother John in his work “Antiquities of the Jews.”