Ἰάκωβος, of the same import as Jacob. James, surnamed the greater
or, the elder, to distinguish him from James the younger, was brother to
John the evangelist, and son to Zebedee and Salome, Matt. iv, 21. He was
of Bethsaida, in Galilee, and left all to follow Christ. Salome
requested our Saviour, that her two sons, James and John, might sit at
his right hand, when he should be in possession of his kingdom. Our
Saviour answered, that it belonged to his heavenly Father alone to
dispose of these places of honour, Matt. xx, 21. Before their vocation,
James and John followed the trade of fishermen with their father
Zebedee; and they did not quit their profession till our Saviour called
them, Mark i, 18, 19. They were witnesses of our Lord’s transfiguration,
Matt. xvii, 2. When certain Samaritans refused to admit Jesus Christ,
James and John wished for fire from heaven to consume them, Luke ix, 54;
and for this reason, it is thought, the name of Boanerges, or sons of
thunder, was given them. Some days after the resurrection of our
Saviour, James and John went to fish in the sea of Tiberias, where they
saw Jesus. They were present at the ascension of our Lord. St. James is
said to have preached to all the dispersed tribes of Israel; but for
this there is only report. His martyrdom is related, Acts xii, 1, 2,
about A. D. 42, or 44, for the date is not well ascertained. Herod
Agrippa, king of the Jews, and grandson of Herod the Great, caused him
to be seized and executed at Jerusalem. Clemens Alexandrinus informs us,
that he who brought St. James before the judges was so much affected
with his constancy in confessing Jesus Christ, that he also declared
himself a Christian, and was condemned, as well as the Apostle, to be
beheaded.
or, the elder, to distinguish him from James the younger, was brother to
John the evangelist, and son to Zebedee and Salome, Matt. iv, 21. He was
of Bethsaida, in Galilee, and left all to follow Christ. Salome
requested our Saviour, that her two sons, James and John, might sit at
his right hand, when he should be in possession of his kingdom. Our
Saviour answered, that it belonged to his heavenly Father alone to
dispose of these places of honour, Matt. xx, 21. Before their vocation,
James and John followed the trade of fishermen with their father
Zebedee; and they did not quit their profession till our Saviour called
them, Mark i, 18, 19. They were witnesses of our Lord’s transfiguration,
Matt. xvii, 2. When certain Samaritans refused to admit Jesus Christ,
James and John wished for fire from heaven to consume them, Luke ix, 54;
and for this reason, it is thought, the name of Boanerges, or sons of
thunder, was given them. Some days after the resurrection of our
Saviour, James and John went to fish in the sea of Tiberias, where they
saw Jesus. They were present at the ascension of our Lord. St. James is
said to have preached to all the dispersed tribes of Israel; but for
this there is only report. His martyrdom is related, Acts xii, 1, 2,
about A. D. 42, or 44, for the date is not well ascertained. Herod
Agrippa, king of the Jews, and grandson of Herod the Great, caused him
to be seized and executed at Jerusalem. Clemens Alexandrinus informs us,
that he who brought St. James before the judges was so much affected
with his constancy in confessing Jesus Christ, that he also declared
himself a Christian, and was condemned, as well as the Apostle, to be
beheaded.