Today is the day to remember the disciple James, sometimes known as the “Elder” to distinguish him from James the Less whom we remember on May 1 and James of Jerusalem whose day is October 23. It’s as confusing for me to keep the James boys straight as it is to keep track of the several women named Mary.
In Matthew chapter 4, Jesus is walking by the Sea of Galilee when he calls two brothers, Simon (Peter) and Andrew to “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.“ Jesus continued on down the shore and finds two more fishing brothers, Andrew and James. Jesus called them and “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” I know this is an example of the power and urgency of Christ’s call to discipleship and the need for our immediate response. However, Jesus call that day must have seriously affected the fishing industry along the Sea of Galilee.
James and his brother John were known as “sons of thunder.” On one occasion they asked Jesus for permission to call down lightning on a Samaritan village that had refused to welcome Jesus. Another time James and John requested that they be given the most important cabinet posts in Jesus administration when he finally got around to running the Romans out of the country.
James was the first of the disciples to be martyred. His is the only martyrdom of a disciple recorded in the New Testament. He is frequently pictured with a scallop shell. It recalls his life as a fisherman, his call to fish people, and the gift of our baptism into Christ.
In the hymn, “By All Your Saints in Warfare” we sing of James the Elder,
O Lord, for James we praise you,
Who fell to Herod’s sword;
He drank the cup of suff’ring
And thus fulfilled your word.
Lord, curb our vain impatience
For glory and for fame,
Equip us for such suff’rings
As glorify your name.
LSB 518, St. 20
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