|
|
 |
Rembrandt's St. James
NEW ON DVD
Norma McCorvey, "Jane Roe" of Roe v. Wade, never could have imagined the outcome of her deception: 4,000 abortions a day since 1973. Joyce Zounis' choice of abortion, not once but seven times, nearly cost her life. I Was Wrong captures the changed hearts of two women restored by the redemptive forgiveness of Jesus Christ. [0707]
|
|
his apostle was surnamed the Great, to distinguish
him from that James (another of the apostles) who was bishop of Jerusalem.
After the ascension of the blessed Jesus he preached to the dispersed
Jews; that is, to those converts who were dispersed after the death of
Stephen. He first preached the gospel in several parts of Judea and Samaria,
after which he visited Spain, where he planted Christianity, and appointed
some select disciples to perfect what he had begun.
After this he returned to Judea, where he continued preaching in different
parts for some time, with great success; till at length Herod (who was
a bigot to the Jewish religion, and desirous of acquiring the favor of
the Jews) began a violent persecution against the Christians, and to such
a degree did his zeal animate him, that, after a short trial, he ordered
James to be put to death.
As he was led to the place of execution, the officer that guarded him
to the tribunal, or rather his accuser, having been converted by that
remarkable courage and constancy shown by the apostle at the time of his
trial, repented of what he had done, came and fell down at the apostle's
feet, and heartily begged pardon for what he had said against him. The
holy man after recovering from his surprise, tenderly embraced him. "Peace,"
said he, "my son, peace be to thee and the pardon of thy faults."
Upon which the officer publicly declared himself a Christian and both
were beheaded at the same time.
Thus fell the great apostle St. James, taking cheerfully that cup of
which he had long before told his Lord and Master he was both ready and
willing to drink.
Chronology given by Kitto:
In the spring or summer of the year 27, James was called to be a disciple
of Christ. In the spring of 28, he was appointed one of the Twelve Apostles,
and at that time probably received, with his brother [John the evangelist],
the title of Boanerges. In the autumn of the same year, he was admitted
to the miraculous raising of Jairus' daughter. In the spring of the year
29, he witnessed the transfiguration. Very early in the year of 30, he
urged his Lord to call down fire from heaven to consume the Samatian village.
About three months later in the same year, just before [Christ's] final
arrival in Jerusalem, he and his brother made their ambitious request
[to sit on Christ's right and left in his kingdom] through their mother
Salome. On the night before the crucifixion, he was present at the agony
[of Christ] in the garden [of Gethsemane]. On the day of the ascension,
he is mentioned as persevering with the rest of the apostles and disciples
in prayer. Shortly before the year 44, he was put to death.
*This historic sketch is derived, "with the exception
of a very few Scripture notices, from the early ecclesiastical writers,
as Nicephorus, Tertullian, Eusebius and others. Though the verity of some
of their statements lacks authentic confirmation, yet the current traditions,
generally received at that time, doubtless had a basis in historic facts,
and may be accepted in the main as credible." --John Kitto
Resources: copied from John Kitto's An Illustrated Guide to the Holy Bible.
|
|
