Our Brother James

Who was James in relation to Jesus?

Who is James in relation to us?

There’s a lot of scholarly argument about who James is. Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox faiths claim James is not related to Jesus in any way, because their dogma tells them Mary never had sex and was a perpetual virgin. Many Protestants believe James was indeed the son of Joseph and Mary making him the younger half brother of Jesus. Other protestants use ancient traditions to make the case that after Jesus was born Joseph died young, and Mary married a man named Clopas who had children of his own – making James the older stepbrother of Jesus. And still more suggest James was actually a cousin because neither Hebrew nor Aramaic have a word for “cousin” and used the term “brother” interchangeably.

So: non-brother, younger half-brother, older step-brother or cousin – we don’t know. But what we do know is that he was Jesus’ spiritual brother – just as the Bible calls us all “joint heirs with Jesus” – we are all God’s children and related to Christ through that. And it’s that spiritual brother role that I find the book of James brings to me. James is our spiritual big brother.

Everyone needs an older sibling (even if they aren’t born with one). That role of someone who has a little more experience, a little more wisdom to give, and is someone that you can talk to about the really sticky things you might not otherwise bring up in conversations with your peers is a need we all have to fulfill. An older sibling who has been through what you have experienced or endured, and can support you through your joys and encourage you is a great gift of heaven. Throughout my life I have been blessed with mentors and “big sisters” who have taught, nurtured, laughed frequently and shared experiences with me. As I got a little older I have been blessed to be a “big sister” to some younger men and women who have allowed me that joy and help them by sharing my experiences, encouragements, thoughts and know-how. It’s the larger circle of life in God’s family on earth and we are always blessed when we get the rare chance to participate in it.

Spiritually, James is our big brother. His 5 chapter book deals with the real-life issues other writings skirt right by. His speech is plain. His message is unmistakable. While other biblical books challenge us with the truth of resurrection and the beauty of being saved by God’s grace – James comes along as says “Yes, grace is a gift of God, but don’t just sit on your can while receiving it. Do something! Don’t just take the gift – USE IT.” The book of James is a treatise on Christian maturity. It’s a book that says “it is time to grow up little sister/little brother – here’s how”. Let’s take a quick look at the 5 chapters of this amazing letter and see the message our bro has for us.

Chapter 1: Be Positive Under Pressure

Whether you are suffering from lack of wisdom and don’t know what to do (ask for it!), or are being tempted, James tell us in chapter 1 to persevere. The ability to see the hand of God in all things, and endure the whirlwind of life on earth is a great sign of spiritual maturity. How do we learn to be positive under the pressures of our jobs, ideas, expectations and regrets? By hearing and doing. Those are the bookends of the Christian faith. Hearing helps us understand God’s relationship with us and the world around us. Doing helps us live in and take it into our being. Christians don’t always have to be happy – but they should be hopeful (and reach out with hope to one another).

James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

Chapter 2: Be Merciful to Others

Maturity in Christianity means realizing there are more people in God’s world than you, and embracing them with equality and grace. Christianity is not selfish, or self-seeking. It does not seek to make someone think like you, act like you or be like you. It seeks to open a door to God for all people so that in relationship with their creator they can be who God made them, not who God made you. Playing favorites – rewarding the rich, desirable or similar, while punishing the poor, needy or different is not the act of a mature Christian, but of a slave to ego, our big brother reminds us.

Mercy, we are reminded, is not just in thinking – its found by doing. Faith without deeds is dead, James says. It isn’t saying we can “work our way to heaven” – but it is saying if we produce no fruit, we might be the prettiest most useless tree on the planet. Mercy isn’t a feeling, its an action.

James 2:12, 13 “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”

Chapter 3: Master Your Mouth!

A recurrent theme is this small book is to watch what you say. Its not just the fact that words can tear down or build up that has James concerned. It’s the idea that people speak without thinking, or let their emotions take over the communication center and do a lot of damage. Things like belittling people, gossip, name calling, or discouraging words don’t transmit the love of Christ or desire of God. They simply hurt. There are times that people have to be told “No” or instructed that they are doing something incorrectly or unwisely. However James reminds us with his talk about wisdom there is a big difference between “instruction” and “destruction” – Use the wisdom that comes from Heaven – it’s positive, controlled, God-centered. That way your words can create, and not destroy.

James 3:2 “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.”

Chapter 4: Be a Peacemaker, not a Troublemaker

Stop fighting. Stop fighting with each other over stuff like baptism, communion, and what hymnal to purchase. Stop fighting with other Christians over worship styles, who can serve God, and what prayer style is best. Stop fighting with people in the world about the things of the world. Stop suing each other at the drop of a hat, and stop blaming other people for your problems. It’s that clear. We are to show the power of Christ through our peacemaking, not how much controversy we can bring to the table. Like any good big brother, James says in a timely way “forget about your petty drama and get over it! Grow up and follow God.”

James 4:1 “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?”

Chapter 5: Be Patient not Panicked

Don’t run around grumbling, blaming and acting badly. Just as God is willing to wait an eternity for us to grow into the people God wants us to be, we should reflect that likeness in our patience. Remember when you endure a trial that God is a healer who gives good gifts. Sometimes those gifts require our work, our patience, our learning, our seeking, or our forgiveness. Sometimes we simply have to wait. Everyone goes through times at the top of the circle, and everybody goes through times at the bottom. Instead of deciding that God has withdrawn from you during those darker times or events, remember that God uses time, wisdom, prayer and faith as healing/helping/guiding elements. Don’t panic. Be patient. God is still God.

James 5:7 Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.

James didn’t help us with the other older sibling stuff – like how to tie our shoes, or what to say to our parents when we come home with a bad report card, but he does help us with the questions that plague us in our walk to maturity in Christ. The book of James gives us 5 lessons from our big brother as a blueprint about who we should be and how we should act. No matter who he was to Jesus, he has certainly been a godsend to us.