“Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword … he proceeded further to take Peter also. Then were the days of unleavened bread” (Acts 12:1-3).

Herod (Agrippa I, grandson of the Herod who sought the life of the baby Jesus) had espoused the religion prevalent in his kingdom, and was seeking favor with the Jews by his zeal for Judaism – which meant his zeal and energy against Christianity. The Jews had begun persecutions against the church, but were hindered by their troubles with Caligula Caesar; but the latter was now dead, and the persecuting tendencies of misconducted fervor could proceed.

The Apostle James, whose death is here recorded, was one of the most noble and notable of the apostles. He was one of the three who accompanied our Lord in the most confidential capacity, with his brother John, and Peter. It was he and his brother whom our Lord surnamed Boanerges, “sons of thunder,” probably because of their eloquence and forcefulness of speech.

They were both faithful, James being amongst the earliest of the martyrs for the cause, and John living to a life of old age. The record of James’ ministry is brief in the extreme but it contains nothing that gives the slightest suggestion of anything except zeal and faithfulness to the Lord and to his cause.

Probably James’ death was accomplished suddenly, while Peter was held over in bonds. This gave the church time to consider how much she had already lost, and how much she might lose further were not the Lord to interpose for her protection. They had already sustained a great loss, and no doubt Peter’s life and his service seemed much more precious to them since the loss of James.

It is comparatively easy to see the Lord’s peculiar assistance with Peter, who was delivered. But the Lord’s providential care was none the less in the case of James. So far as James was concerned, it could matter little to him which way the Lord directed, if, in the Lord’s wisdom, he had finished his course, perfected his character and stood the test.

Our trials and difficulties are not to be esteemed as the results of divine carelessness in respect to our interests, but as the outworkings of divine providence for our good.

– Adapted from R3002-3004

Download PDF