SAINT JAMES OF JERUSALEM, BROTHER OF THE LORD
23 October 2013
Readings:
Key Verses (using the World English Bible):
Acts 15:19: James said, “My judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God…”
Matt. 13:57: Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.”
Reflection
Anyone who’s read the New Testament knows that the person we call “Saint James of Jerusalem, the Just, the brother of the Lord” is but one James among several, including one who wrote one of the epistles. Add to this the fact that, through a complicated process of linguistic evolution, “James” is actually “Jacob” in the original biblical languages—and I’m sure many men bore the name of this very important figure of Israel’s history. The tradition that Jesus' mother Mary remained a virgin all her life also adds a layer of difficulty. How, then, can James be Jesus’ “brother”? Furthermore, some scholars have concluded from this interpretive mess that “brother of the Lord” may actually be an epithet, used by the early church to describe an important leader (similar to the Pope’s title as “Vicar of Christ”).
At this point, I believe we must do what faith requires us to do, and for me, it’s to not let the details of the Gospel obscure the core of its message. We must interpret what we have as best we can, acknowledging that the result will not be perfect, but trusting that, in the spirit of faith, God still has something to teach us through the endeavor. So I ask you to indulge me today in this exercise, as I seek to uncover what God, through St. James, is trying to teach us.
From the descriptions of Jesus’ two disciples named James, it doesn’t seem that the brother of the Lord was among the Twelve. In fact, I see him as among Jesus’ family—biological brother, half-brother, step-brother, cousin, it doesn’t matter—who “went out to seize him: for they said, ‘He is insane’” (Mark 3:21, 31-35). John’s Gospel, despite being the last to be written, may nonetheless preserve James’ final falling out with Jesus during Sukkot (John 7:3-5), a falling out which, sadly, may have ended too late when Jesus died, and his mother, known for bringing strangers to her Son (John 2:5), finally did the same for his brother.
But the story doesn’t end there. Writing decades later, Paul includes James near the end of his famous list of people who saw Jesus after his resurrection (1 Cor. 15:3-8). The fact that this James is, again, far removed from “Peter… and the Twelve” suggests that we’re still talking about the same man. In another letter, Paul formally refers to James as “the Lord’s brother” (Gal. 1:19), and proceeds to recount how some of James’ “people” influenced Peter to refuse to eat with Gentile Christians, possibly to adhere to kosher laws. This angered Paul intensely, and he “resisted [Peter] to his face” (Gal. 2:11-16). I believe Paul’s argument got back to James and convinced him, for the next time we see James is in today’s reading from Acts, where he very humbly says, “My judgment is that we don’t trouble those from among the Gentiles who turn to God.”
So what does this interpretation teach us? I, for one, learn that, while we can lose faith in our brother Jesus, he will not lose faith in us. It will never be too late, and when the time is right, he will bring us back to him, not by force, but by a love that, on earth, only a mother can know. I learn that even saints can get angry with one another; they can argue, stop getting along with each other, and even be smug about it—at least for a while. But God uses even discord, contention, and even pride to teach us cooperation, reconciliation, and the humility of trust. And even they will learn not to get in the way of someone’s individual relationship to God.
May we, too, therefore follow the example of St. James, and never trouble anyone who turns to God.
Prayer of the Day
Grant, O God,
that following the example of your servant
James the Just, brother of our Lord,
your Church may give itself continually to prayer
and to the reconciliation of all who are at variance and enmity;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
—from the Book of Common Prayer, pp. 245
Hymn: “By all your saints still striving”
(Words: Horatio Bolton Nelson, 1823-1913; adapted by Joseph A. Soltero, 2013
Tune: ‘Nyland’, Finnish folk melody, adapted by David Evans, 1874-1948)
By all your saints still striving,
For all your saints at rest,
Your holy Name, O Jesus,
For evermore be blest.
You rose, our King victorious,
That they might wear the crown,
And ever shine in splendor
Reflected from your throne.
Praise for the Lord’s own brother,
James of Jerusalem.
He saw the risen Savior
And placed his faith in him.
Presiding at the council
That set the Gentiles free,
He welcomed them as kindred
On equal terms to be.
Then let us praise the Father
And worship God the Son,
And sing to God the Spirit,
Eternal Three in One,
Till all the ransomed number
Who stand before the throne
Ascribe all power and glory
And praise to God alone.
Amen.
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