Feast of St. James the Just, the Brother of our Lord - October 23

Today is the Feast for St. James the Just who according to the Scriptures is also referred to as the brother of the Lord (Gal 1:19; Acts 12:17). He served as bishop in the church of Jerusalem according to early sources. According to the Scriptures it seems that St. James was not a disciple of Jesus until after the resurrection. 

The Gospels record that he did not believe his brother, but St. Paul mentions him as one of the witnesses of the risen Christ. He also had an important delegating role according to Luke during the council of Jerusalem. Lastly, he is traditionally concerned the author of the disputed (antilegomena) writing the Epistle of James.

According to Protoevangelion of James, St. James was the son of Joseph, and not a blood-relative of Jesus. For the Jewish reader this would not be a very shocking revelation since they would use the word brother (adelphos) to refer to many different relations such as brother, step-brother, brother-in-law, cousin, etc.

Eusebius says the following concerning St. James:

Then James, whom the ancients surnamed the Just on account of the excellence of his virtue, is recorded to have been the first to be made bishop of the church of Jerusalem. This James was called the brother of the Lord because he was known as a son of Joseph, and Joseph was supposed to be the father of Christ, because the Virgin, being betrothed to him, was found with child by the Holy Ghost before they came together, as the account of the holy Gospels shows. But Clement in the sixth book of his Hypotyposes writes thus: For they say that Peter and James and John after the ascension of our Saviour, as if also preferred by our Lord, strove not after honor, but chose James the Just bishop of Jerusalem.

Eusebius, Church History, Chapter 1

The piety of St. James is apparent by the testimony of various fathers of the church. Such is the brother of the Lord to live a life of humility and pass into the next in the same manner. Eusebius also has the following to say concerning the death of St. James:

But after Paul, in consequence of his appeal to Cæsar, had been sent to Rome by Festus, the Jews, being frustrated in their hope of entrapping him by the snares which they had laid for him, turned against James, the brother of the Lord, to whom the episcopal seat at Jerusalem had been entrusted by the apostles. The following daring measures were undertaken by them against him. Leading him into their midst they demanded of him that he should renounce faith in Christ in the presence of all the people. But, contrary to the opinion of all, with a clear voice, and with greater boldness than they had anticipated, he spoke out before the whole multitude and confessed that our Saviour and Lord Jesus is the Son of God. But they were unable to bear longer the testimony of the man who, on account of the excellence of ascetic virtue and of piety which he exhibited in his life, was esteemed by all as the most just of men, and consequently they slew him. Opportunity for this deed of violence was furnished by the prevailing anarchy, which was caused by the fact that Festus had died just at this time in Judea, and that the province was thus without a governor and head.

Eusebius, Church History, Chapter 23

Thus we commemorate the brother of our Lord.

Let us pray,

Heavenly Father, Shepherd of Your people, You raised up James the Just, brother of our Lord, to lead and guide Your Church. Grant that we may follow his example of prayer and reconciliation and be strengthened by the witness of his death; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Collect, LSB)