James and John

15. September 2008 by Bernice Davis.

Hello: 

Welcome back from the weekend!!    How bout the “Family that Preys”  Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   So many emotions went through my mind as I was viewing that film and I will be returning to the theaters again, and again because there are still so many lines that I missed because of “audience interaction.”     You know how we can be.   I hope you saw all the levels of ministry that

Tyler was addressing.  How marvelous that he uses film for ministry.   IT WAS PHENOMENAL!!!!!!!!! 

We are still studying our disciples.  We have learned a little about Peter and Andrew, let’s continue our study today.  Remember, YOU WILL BE TESTED!!!!!!!  (lol)

Matthew 10:1 “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.”

The next disciples mentioned are James and John which were the sons of Zebedee.  They first appear in the text in Matthew also:   

Matthew 4:18 “As Jesus was walking beside the

Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 ”Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. “

We see in the story above that James and John were also fisherman and they probably also knew Peter and Andrew for they all joined Jesus at the same time;  Peter and Andrew first and then John and James.   We know that John and James were identified as being in the boat with their father whose name was Zebedee and they left the family business to join Jesus.

James, John and Peter are the only disciples that get to witness the transfiguration.  Below is the story of this miraculous event.

Matthew 17:1 “After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus”

James and John were given new names by Jesus.  They were called Boanerges, which means the “sons of thunder.” 

Mark 3:17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder);

Below is an insert from the story when Jesus raised up Jairus’s daughter from the dead.  Jesus dismisses everyone from the room except Peter, James, and John.  We see this happened above with the transfiguration.    So as you study you’ll see that among the twelve was an inner circle that consisted of Peter, James and John. 

Mark 5:37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James.

The following story shows the other ten disciples being angry James and John because they asked Jesus to be able to sit at his right hand in glory.  Let’s look at Jesus’s response to their request.

Mark 10: 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 ”What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 ”You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 ”We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.

Doing one of Jesus’ most difficult times, in the

garden of

Gethsemane, he takes the inner circle, Peter, James and John with him.  Let’s look at what he commands them to do.

Matthew 14: 32 “They went to a place called

Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 ”My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 

 

 

The text below identifies James and John as the fishing partners of Peter.

Luke 5:7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”

James and John were apart of the group waiting in the upper room on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 1:13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

The following text shows that James was killed in the persecution of the church under King Herod.

Acts 12:1 “It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.”

Okay, I know this is a lot.  Don’t forget to take your notes!!!

Stay encouraged!!!!!!!! 

If you didn’t get a chance yet, make sure you go see this week Tyler Perry’s The Family that Preys”

God Bless!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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