Martyrdom of James

The Apostle James (The Greater) was the son of Zebedee [Mk 15:40, 16:1] and brother of the Apostle John. Not to be confused with the other Apostle James (the son of Alphaeus), the brother of the Apostle Matthew or James, the step-brother of the Lord.

This was also the James who witnessed the Lord’s glorious transfiguration on mount Tabor along with Peter and John, and who was also called by the Lord, together with John, a “son of thunder” for suggesting that they call down fire from heaven upon an unbelieving village of Samaritans.

Unlike the other Apostles, he had remained in Jerusalem after Pentecost, preaching, teaching, wonder working and, engaging in debates with the scribes and Pharisees – denouncing them for their hardheartedness and unbelief up until that time. He confounded them so profoundly that none were unable to withstand him.

King Herod was also in Jerusalem. This Herod was not Herod the Great, who slew the 14,000 innocent infants shortly after Christ’s birth. Nor was it his successor Herod Archelaus. Neither was it his successor Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist, but rather, the latter’s successor, a fourth Herod by the name of Herod Agrippa.

Herod, though originally of an Edomite family, seems to have been a proselyte to the Jewish religion; for Josephus says he was zealous for the Mosaic rites, a bigot for the ceremonies. He was not only (as Herod Antipas was) tetrarch of Galilee, but had also the government of Judea committed to him by Claudius the emperor, and resided mostly at Jerusalem, where he was at this time.

He was full of spite toward the new church, and, with regard to those he gave trouble to, it was not upon any other account, but because they belonged to the church, and so belonged to Christ. He began with vexing them only, or afflicting them, imprisoning them, fining them, spoiling their houses and goods, and other ways molesting them; but afterwards he proceeded to greater instances of cruelty.

In a fit of rage and in order to please the Jews, whom James had confounded with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and a multitude of miracles, he beheaded James with a sword. [Acts 12:2] While Stephen was the first Christian martyr, James became the first Apostle to be martyred, in 44 AD.