ONE OF THE TWELVE

James son of Zebedee

“Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder”

Also called James the brother of John · Boanerges (with John)

VERSES THAT NAME HIM

RECORDS WITH JESUS

NAMED BESIDE HIM

SOURCES OUTSIDE SCRIPTURE on how it ends

HIS LIFE IN FOUR PARTS

How much does Scripture tell?

A fisherman’s son from Galilee; the one apostle Scripture says was put to death. Scripture gives no years for his life, so the ring is divided by how much is recorded: 13 records of what he did or what was said to him, one bead each. The last part is tradition and is drawn dashed. Choose a part to read it.

II · THE GOSPELS, IN THE HARMONY’S ORDER

With Jesus

Called from mending nets with his brother Matthew 4:21–22
At the house of Simon and Andrew Mark 1:29
Chosen as one of the Twelve and named Boanerges Mark 3:13–19
One of three allowed into Jairus’s house Mark 5:37
Sent out with the Twelve; third in Matthew’s list Matthew 10:1–5
On the mountain at the transfiguration Matthew 17:1–8
Asks to call down fire on a Samaritan village Luke 9:51–56
Asks with John for the seats at Jesus’ right and left Matthew 20:20–28
Asks on the Mount of Olives when the temple will fall Mark 13:3–4
Taken further into Gethsemane Matthew 26:37
“The sons of Zebedee” by the sea when the risen Jesus appears John 21:1–2

CHAPTER BY CHAPTER

Where is he named?

One square for each chapter of the books that name James: 19 verses in 16 chapters. The darker the square, the more verses in it name him. Choose a chapter to read what happens there.

THE GOSPELS AND ACTS

MARK 1

2 verses name him

And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

WHAT HAPPENS HERE

Fishing near Capernaum
In his father’s boat
Son of Zebedee
Called from mending nets with his brother
At the house of Simon and Andrew

No verse in John names him.

CHAPTER I · BEFORE THE CALL

Zebedee’s boat

Home, trade and family · 7 records

SCRIPTURE · MATTHEW 4:21

In his father’s boat

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

Fishermen in their father’s boat on the sea of Galilee (Matt 4:21; Mark 1:19–20), “partners with Simon” (Luke 5:10).

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter, John son of Zebedee, Zebedee

WHERE

Sea of Galilee

TOLD IN 3 BOOKS

Matthew 4:21·Mark 1:19–20·Luke 5:10

SCRIPTURE · MATTHEW 20:20–21

His mother’s request

¶ Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

Their mother is “the mother of Zebedee’s children”, who asked Jesus for the places at his right and left (Matt 20:20–21) and watched the crucifixion from afar (Matt 27:55–56).

NAMED WITH HIM

James son of Alphaeus, Zebedee, The mother of Zebedee’s children, Mary Magdalene

PASSAGE

Matthew 20:20–21·Matthew 27:55–56

CHAPTER II · WITH JESUS

One of the three

The Gospels, in the harmony’s order · 11 records

SCRIPTURE · MARK 3:13–19

Chosen as one of the Twelve and named Boanerges

And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter, Andrew, John son of Zebedee, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas and 7 more

IN THE HARMONY

§53 · After a night of prayer Jesus selects Twelve apostles

TOLD IN 2 BOOKS

Mark 3:13–19·Luke 6:12–16

SCRIPTURE · MATTHEW 17:1–8

On the mountain at the transfiguration

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter, John son of Zebedee

IN THE HARMONY

§85 · The Transfiguration of Jesus on a mountain (Probably hermon) near cæsarea Philippi

TOLD IN 3 BOOKS

Matthew 17:1–8·Mark 9:2–8·Luke 9:28–36

SCRIPTURE · MATTHEW 20:20–28

Asks with John for the seats at Jesus’ right and left

But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

NAMED WITH HIM

John son of Zebedee, Zebedee, The mother of Zebedee’s children

IN THE HARMONY

§125 · Jesus again foretells to the disciples his death and resurrection , and rebukes the selfish ambition of James and John

TOLD IN 2 BOOKS

Matthew 20:20–28·Mark 10:35–45

SCRIPTURE · MATTHEW 26:37

Taken further into Gethsemane

And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

NAMED WITH HIM

Peter, John son of Zebedee, Zebedee

IN THE HARMONY

§152 · Going forth to Gethsemane, Jesus suffers long in agony

TOLD IN 2 BOOKS

Matthew 26:37·Mark 14:33

CHAPTER III · THE CHURCH IN ACTS

The first of the Twelve to die

Acts and the letters · 2 records

SCRIPTURE · ACTS 12:1–2

Killed with the sword

And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

“Herod the king” kills “James the brother of John with the sword” (Acts 12:1–2).

NAMED WITH HIM

John son of Zebedee, Herod (Agrippa I)

WHERE

Jerusalem

PASSAGE

Acts 12:1–2

CHAPTER IV · AFTER SCRIPTURE

After Scripture

Tradition, by who said it and when · 3 sources

SCRIPTURE FIRST

What Scripture says of his end

When James and John asked for the places of honour, Jesus told them, “Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of” (Mark 10:39).

Scripture Mark 10:35–39

“Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword” (Acts 12:1–2). Of the Twelve, he is the only one Scripture says was put to death.

Scripture Acts 12:1–2

Acts tells his death just before Peter’s arrest, which it sets in “the days of unleavened bread”, and before Herod’s own death at Caesarea (Acts 12:3–4, 19–23).

From the text Acts 12:3–4·Acts 12:19–23

Camerlynck (1910) dates the death to the Passover of AD 44, the year in which Herod Agrippa I died.

Scholars Acts 12:1–23 Achille Camerlynck, 1910

THEN TRADITION · 3 SOURCES, EARLIEST FIRST

c. 200 Clement of Alexandria, Hypotyposes book 7, quoted by Eusebius (2.9.2–3) Early church
392 Jerome, Lives of Illustrious Men 9 Early church
9th c. Spanish tradition, as assessed by A. Camerlynck Later tradition

Each is labelled with who said it and when; none is blended into Scripture.

THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM

Who was with him?

Every record of James in Scripture, in story order (the Gospels in the order of Robertson's harmony, then Acts and the letters). A person counts as "with him" only where a verse of that record names them both. 17 people in all.

named in the passage from first to last mention Point at a column to see what happens; click it to keep it (click again to let go); choose a name to follow that person.

I · BEFORE THE CALL

In his father’s boat

And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

NAMED WITH HIM HERE

Peter Luke 5:10
John son of Zebedee Matthew 4:21
Zebedee Matthew 4:21

SIDE BY SIDE

One moment, several accounts

4 moments of his story told by more than one book, each in its own words in the King James Version. His names are marked; switch on "only here" to underline the words that just one account has.

IN THE BOAT WITH ZEBEDEE

Matthew

Matthew 4:21–22

4:21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

4:22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

LEAVING THE HIRED SERVANTS

Mark

Mark 1:19–20

1:19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

1:20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

SIMON’S PARTNERS

Luke

Luke 5:10–11

5:10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

NEAR AND FAR

Where was he?

4 places named in his story, with what happened there and how far each lies from Jerusalem. Tradition's places are dashed, with who placed him there and when. Choose a card or a pin.

Scroll to zoom · drag to move · the map stays on his places Land outline: the Atlas (Natural Earth)

OPEN QUESTIONS

What readers still ask

5 questions the reviewed sources leave open for James, with the answers given and who gives them, and 3 things Scripture does not say, in italic. Choose one.

VIEWS, WITH WHO HOLDS THEM · THIS PAGE

Did James preach in Spain before he died?

Yes, the Spanish tradition

Writers from the 9th century on (Notker, Walafrid Strabo); defended by the Bollandists

Camerlynck reports the tradition and that the Bollandists defended it in the Acta Sanctorum.

Later tradition Achille Camerlynck, 1910

Doubtful

The objections as summarised by A. Camerlynck (1910), who says “numerous scholars reject it”

James died in AD 44 in Jerusalem (Acts 12:2), and early writers say the apostles had not yet left Jerusalem. Paul, planning to visit Spain, says he would not “build upon another man’s foundation” (Rom 15:20, 24). No early writer or council mentions it.

Scholars Acts 12:2·Romans 15:20·Romans 15:24 Achille Camerlynck, 1910

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