James

James, son of Zebedee and brother of John, was one of the Twelve Apostles and a member of Jesus' inner circle.

James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, was one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. He was a fisherman by trade and was called by Jesus, along with his brother, to follow Him (Mat 4:21; Mrk 1:19). James, John, and Peter formed Jesus' inner circle and were present at significant events such as the Transfiguration (Mat 17:1; Mrk 9:2; Luk 9:28) and Jesus' agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mrk 14:33). Jesus surnamed James and John "Boanerges," meaning "Sons of Thunder" (Mrk 3:17), possibly referring to their zealous and passionate nature. James and his brother also asked Jesus for positions of honor in His kingdom (Mrk 10:35-41). After Jesus' ascension, James continued to play a prominent role in the early church (Act 1:13). He was the first of the Twelve Apostles to be martyred, executed by Herod Agrippa I around 44 AD (Act 12:2).

The son of Zebedee and Salome; an elder brother of John the apostle. He was one of the twelve. He was by trade a fisherman, in partnership with Peter (Matt. 20:20; 27:56). With John and Peter he was present at the transfiguration (Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2), at the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37-43), and in the garden with our Lord (14:33). Because, probably, of their boldness and energy, he and John were called Boanerges, i.e., “sons of thunder.” He was the first martyr among the apostles, having been beheaded by King Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:1, 2), A.D. 44. (Comp. Matt. 4:21; 20:20-23).