James the Martyr

The Martyrdom of James, the Lord’s Brother

From “An Ecclesiastical History” by Eusebius (325 AD)

When Paul appealed to Caesar and was sent to Rome by Festus to face charges, the Jews were disappointed of the hope in which they had devised their plot against him and they now turned their attention to James, the Lord’s brother, who had been elected by the apostles to head the church in Jerusalem. This is the crime they committed against him. 

They brought him into their midst and in the presence of the whole populace demanded a denial of his belief in Christ. But when, contrary to all expectation, he spoke as he liked and showed undrempt of fearlessness in the face of the enormous throng, declaring that our savior and Lord, Jesus, was the Son of God.

They could not endure his testimony any longer, since he was universally regarded as the most righteous of men because of the heights of philosophy and religion which he scaled in his life. So they killed him, seizing the opportunity of getting their own way provided by the absence of government, for at that time Festus had died in Judea, leaving the province without a governor.

James died after they threw him down from the parapet of the temple, fell upon him with clubs in a savage beating, and then drug him outside of the Temple and stoned him to death.

He had been known to the Christians as James the Righteous. He drank no wine nor intoxicating liquor and ate no animal food. No razor ever found his head and his hair was never cut. He did not smear himself with any fragrant oils nor did he bathe. He alone was allowed to sit in the holy place in the church and his garments were of linen, not wool. He was often found on his knees beseeching God for the needs of the people. He prayed so often and for such hours that his knees were said to be as the knees of a camel, with flesh hardened as stone as he sought forgiveness for others and himself.

Because of his efforts for all believers in Jerusalem he was also known as the “Bulwark of the People In Righteousness” and was loved by all Christians.