W. Beyschlag: Der Jacobusbrief als urchristliches Geschichtsdenkmal. In the "Stud. u. Kritiken,"
1874, No. 1, pp. 105–166. See his Com.
Comp. also the expositions of the doctrinal type of James in Neander, Schmid, Schaff, Weiss (pp.
176–194, third ed.).
Historical and Critical.
Blom: Deτοῖς ἀδελθοῖςetταῖς ἀδελφαῖς Κυρίου. Leyden, 1839. (I have not seen this tract, which
advocates the brother-theory. Lightfoot says of it: "Blom gives the most satisfactory statement
of the patristic authorities, and Schaff discusses the scriptural arguments most carefully.")
Schaff: Jakobus Alphäi, und Jakobus der Bruder des Herrn. Berlin, 1842 (101 pages).
Mill: The Accounts of our Lord’s Brethren in the New Test. vindicated. Cambridge, 1843. (Advocates
the cousin-theory of the Latin church.)
Lightfoot: The Brethren of the Lord. Excursus in his Com. on Galatians. Lond. 2d ed. 1866, pp.
247–282. (The ablest defence of the step-brother-theory of the Greek Church.)
H. Holtzmann: Jakobus der Gerechte und seine Namensbrüder, in Hilgenfeld’s "Zeitschrift für
wissenschaftl. Theol." Leipz. 1880, No. 2.
Next to Peter, who was the oecumenical leader of Jewish Christianity, stands James, the brother,
of the Lord (also called by post-apostolic writers "James the Just," and "Bishop of Jerusalem"), as
the local head of the oldest church and the leader of the most conservative portion of Jewish
Christianity. He seems to have taken the place of James the son of Zebedee, after his martyrdom,
a.d. 44. He became, with Peter and John, one of the three "pillars" of the church of the circumcision.
And after the departure of Peter from Jerusalem James presided over the mother church of
Christendom until his death. Though not one of the Twelve, he enjoyed, owing to his relationship
to our Lord and his commanding piety, almost apostolic authority, especially in Judaea and among
the Jewish converts.^317 On one occasion even Peter yielded to his influence or that of his
representatives, and was misled into his uncharitable conduct towards the Gentile brethren.^318
James was not a believer before the resurrection of our Lord. He was the oldest of the four
"brethren" (James, Joseph, Judas, Simon), of whom John reports with touching sadness: "Even his
brethren did not believe in him."^319 It was one of the early and constant trials of our Lord in the
days of his nomination that he was without honor among his fellow-townsmen, yea, "among his
own kin, and in his own house."^320 James was no doubt imbued with the temporal and carnal
Messianic misconceptions of the Jews, and impatient at the delay and unworldliness of his divine
brother. Hence the taunting and almost disrespectful language: "Depart hence and go into Judaea
.... If thou doest these things, manifest thyself to the world." The crucifixion could only deepen his
doubt and sadness.
But a special personal appearance of the risen Lord brought about his conversion, as also
that of his brothers, who after the resurrection appear in the company of the apostles.^321 This
turning-point in his life is briefly but significantly alluded to by Paul, who himself was converted(^317) On his relation to the Twelve and to Jesus, see the first note at the end of this section.
(^318) Gal. 2:12.
(^319) Mark 6:3; Matt. 13:55; John 7:5.
(^320) Mark 6:4; Matt. 13:57; Luke 4:24; John 4:44.
(^321) Acts 1:13; comp. 1 Cor. 9:5.
A.D. 1-100.