James The Son of Zebedee

So the Apostle of the Week for this Sunday is the Apostle James. He's often referred to as James, the son of Zebedee. John was his brother, and together, Jesus gave them the nickname, Sons of Thunder, which likely referred to their hot temper.

James is also called James the Greater, or as some people say, Big James, to distinguish him from the other Apostle named James, who people called James the Less. So two different Apostles named James, just like there's two different Apostles named Judas and two different Apostles named Simon.

But to prevent confusion, think of it this way. The Apostles, when referred to, are always mentioned in a certain order. There's like groupings of four. So the first four Apostles in any list are the four fishermen.

So Peter and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John. They were the most significant of the 12. And then it goes to the next group of four, which are Philip, Thomas, Matthew, and Nathanael, who Nathanael's also called Bartholomew.

And then the final group of four, arguably the least significant, or so it seems, would be James the Less, Simon the Zealot, Thaddeus, and then Judas Iscariot. Thaddeus was also named Judas, Judas not Iscariot.

I don't mean to confuse you with all the details, but that's just the way it is. So whether James is called James the Greater because he was older or taller or just more influential, we're not exactly sure.

James in Jesus’s Inner Circle and the Mount of Transfiguration

But we do know that he was part of Jesus's inner circle, right? Three Apostles always seem to be named together, Peter, James, and John. They got to see things and hear things that the other Apostles didn't.

For example, James was privileged to see the Lord transformed on the mountain, the Mount of Transfiguration. James is also described as one of the very first disciples to join Jesus. But another first that James is known for, he was the first Apostle to be martyred for the faith.

James’s Martyrdom in Acts 12

In fact, he is the only Apostle in Scripture where his death is recorded, with the exception of Judas, who may or may not count depending on your opinion. So Acts 12, verse two says that Herod the King killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.

And then it says, and because Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. But Peter, if you know the story, he was eventually delivered by an angel. So why the Lord allowed Peter to live and James to die, we do not know.

But here's what we do know. James was faithful unto death.