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JAMES the BROTHER of JESUS Jas JAMES THE BROTHER OF JESUS Jas. 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ The Bible is a Book that contains information about individual people and their dealings and relationship with God. They are real people, in every sense of the word. The more I read the Bible and study these characters the more I can understand the reality of the power of God in the human life. We began this morning our study into the Epistle of James. There is controversy and uncertainty as to which James this might possibly be ... and it is worthwhile studying this aspect. There are three James in the New Testament. 1. James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John (Matt. 4:21; 10:2; Mark 1:19; 3:17; Luke 5:10). As one of the twelve disciples (Acts 1:13), he, with Peter and John, formed Jesus’ innermost circle of associates. These three were present when Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51), witnessed the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28), and were summoned by Christ for support during His agony in Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36-37; Mark 14:32-34). James had a fiery fanaticism, as when he and his brother requested Jesus to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritan village for refusing to accept the (“Boanerges” or “sons of thunder”). 2. James, the son of Alphaeus, one of the twelve disciples (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). Other than being mentioned among the disciples we don’t have any particular record of his exploits. 3. James, the brother of Jesus. Some commentators would argue over whether “brother” means brother … For example, the Roman Catholic theology holds that Mary remained a virgin after she gave birth to Christ and that “brother” actually means cousin … but it doesn’t … “brother” means … “brother”. (There is a separate word for “cousin”). Some would also argue that it means “stepbrother” … but that would mean something completely different. Some argue too that James was a son to Joseph in a previous marriage, - pure and unfounded speculation. Among evangelical commentators, it is almost universally held that James and Jesus came from the same mother and were brothers in the truest and strictest earthly sense. Let’s probe and explore further why the author of this epistle was indeed the brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 THE BROTHER OF JESUS ∗ James was brought up in the countryside of Galilee, in the town of Nazareth … Mt. 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? ∗ James had brothers and sisters, - his brothers’ names were Joses (Joseph), Judah and Simon, - all good Biblical names … and, of course, Jesus. ∗ There is absolutely no doubt that each Sabbath the father and mother would have children through the streets of Nazareth to the synagogue. (Joseph, Mary, Jesus, James, Joses, Simon, Judah and all their sisters). ∗ Sometime within the first twenty-eight years of Jesus’ life it seems that their father died. (There is no other explanation for why Joseph is not mentioned). ∗ This would have meant that, - as eldest son, - Jesus would have had the main responsibility of meeting the needs of the family; He therefore would have been more involved in the job that his father would have taught Him … carpentry. ∗ Now, when Jesus announced that He was going to begin His itinerant ministry the lot would have fallen to James to take responsibility for the home and for the family. ∗ I’m just thinking aloud … but eldest sons often have a special place in the heart of the mother … and there could have been no more special Son than Jesus! ∗ James would have been brought up with a perfect brother! His Brother never disobeyed His parents or spoke back to them. ∗ He never heard foul language coming from the lips of Jesus, nor dirty jokes. He never heard his Brother say anything sinful or immoral. ∗ He never saw his Brother being cheeky or nasty to anyone, or doing or saying anything that was contrary to how His parents brought Him up or to what He would have been taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath. ∗ For twenty-four hours in the day, seven days a week … he lived with, he shared company with, he sat at the family table with our Saviour, - his earthly brother, - the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 AN UNBELIEVER ∗ Jesus had no training to do what He started to do. Jesus wasn’t a rabbi or a theologian from the University of Jerusalem. ∗ Jesus hadn’t studied divinity or sat under the teachings of any great Pharisee. … Jesus was the Son of a carpenter in the northern district of Galilee. ∗ … But then … one day He stood up in the local synagogue and He started to preach. Lk. 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. ∗ His family would have been there … Yes, they would have recognised there was something special about Jesus, - He was always different … but for Jesus stand up in a synagogue and assign the words of an ancient prophet to Himself!? … unbelievable! ∗ The Gospel writer says that they were all offended at Him (Mt. 13:57; Mk. 6:3) ∗ And indeed, it was incredible … even for one young man in the pews of the synagogue. (“That’s my brother standing up there saying all those things about Himself … what does He think He’s doing? What is He saying all that for?! God could judge him and strike him down dead!”) ∗ James and the other brothers of Jesus tried to get encourage Him to move away, and they told Him, Jn. 7:3 Depart hence, and go into Judaea … and v.5 tells us, For neither did his brethren believe in him. ∗ James, the brother of Jesus, was an unbeliever … just like all the other people in His hometown in Galilee. ∗ Jesus had the same work to do in James’ heart as He had to do in the heart of everyone else. ∗ James was an unbeliever … even though for all those years He witnessed and experienced the life of the Lord Jesus Christ … as his brother. … He was an unbeliever. 4 A BELIEVER ∗ Now, James had a great respect for his mother and his family; they accompanied her when they went to find Jesus, ∗ Mt. 12:46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. (also Mk. 3:31 and Lk. 8:19) ∗ Somewhere ‘along the line’ James became a believer, - we are not told when. Since Mary was at the cross of Jesus I wonder if the next eldest son was somewhere near the cross too … close to his mother? ∗ Yes, I know the Lord Jesus asked John the disciple to care for her … but that is not too surprising that He would ask her since James himself would have been distraught at his brother being executed in such a fashion and also the state of his mother. ∗ Surely James would have been somewhere near the cross? ∗ Then, as Paul was writing his first epistle to the church at Corinth he told them, I Cor. 15: 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. ∗ After the Saviour rose from the dead He was seen of Peter and the twelve disciples; then He was seen by five hundred followers … and the Bible makes the point that He was also seen by one James, the brother of Jesus. ∗ Indeed, in the Upper Room, James was also there, Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. ∗ What a joy for the Saviour to see His earthly brother changed! ∗ When Paul was seeking out Peter in Jerusalem, he reported that other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother (Gal.
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