I. JAMES, the son of Zebedee elcitcwpos roi; Zei3eSaiou), and brother of the evangelist John. Their occupation was that of fishermen, probably at Betlisaida, in partnership with Simon Peter (Luke v. to). On comparing the account given in Matt. iV. 21, Mark i. 19, with that in John i., it would appear that James and John had been ac. quainted with our Lord, and had received him as the Messiah, some time before he called them to attend upon him statedly—a call with which they immediately complied. Their mother's name was Salome. We find James, John, and Peter associ ated on several interesting occasions in the Saviour's life. They alone were present at the Transfigura tion (Matt. xvii. ; Mark ix. 2 ; Luke ix. 23); at the restoration to life of Jairus' daughter (Mark v. 42 ; Luke viii. 5t); and in the garden of Geth semane during the agony (Mark xiv. 33 ; Matt. xxvi. 37 ; Luke xxi. 37). With Andrew they listened in private to our Lord's discourse on the fall of Jerusalem (Mark xiii. 3). James and his brother appear to have indulged in false notions of the kingdom of the Messiah, and were led by am bitious views to join in the request made to Jesus by their mother (Matt. xx. 2o-23 ; Mark x. 35).
From Luke ix. 52, we may infer that their tem perament was warm and impetuous. On account, probably, of their boldness and energy in dis charging their apostleship, they received from their Lord the appellation of Boanerges, or Sons of Thunder. (For the various explanations of this title given by the fathels, see Suiceri Thes. Eccles. s. v. Bpoprii, and Liicke's Comm altar, Bonn. 184o ; Einteitung, c. i. sec. 2, p. 17.) James was the first martyr among the apostles. Clement of Alex andria, in a fragment preserved by Eusebius (Hist. Eccles. i. 9), reports that the officer who conducted James to the tribunal was so influenced by the bold declaration of his faith as to embrace the Gospel and avow himself also a Christian ; in consequence of which he was beheaded at the same time.