?s For A Dead Author: James

If you could interview any dead author, who would you pick?

Having written one of the most hotly contested books of the New Testament, James is also considered one of the primary leaders of the early church in addition to authoring the Book of James.

TCGW is pleased to welcome the brother of Jesus into the studio!

TCGW: So, James, welcome to the studio! I’m such a huge fan of your work. Your book is really one of my favorites in the entire Bible; I call it “Following Jesus For Dummies.”

James (laughing): Well, thank you, Church Girl. It’s my joy to be here! That book was really inspired by my older half-brother. Jesus didn’t just talk about faith; he really lived it.
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TCGW: That doesn’t surprise me! Jesus is that kinda Savior.
You know, a lot of us feel like we grew up in the shadow of older siblings, like they were the FAVORITE, and the one that Mom thought was SO perfect all the time.
But, James, you really DID grow up with the perfect Son of God. What was that like for you and your brothers and sisters?
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James: When I was younger, it was pretty cool. Whenever we got hurt, he healed us.
He always won every game, though, bc he knew what we were thinking. That wasn’t as fun. When we were being rebellious teenagers, he was always home on time, always obedient. Mom never corrected him, but he never needed it.
Honestly, we got frustrated with all the talk of him being the Messiah. At a certain point after he started his public ministry, people kept asking us questions. Then there was that day in the synagogue in Nazareth when he read that Isaiah passage and was almost thrown off the cliff for blasphemy! We had to weather that storm and bear the brunt of our neighbors hurling insults after that. We even went to try to see him once to bring him home but he wouldn’t come out. Our hearts were so hard back then; we didn’t know any better. Hindsight is 20/20; I don’t blame him at all for that now.

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TCGW: Wow. I can’t imagine. I guess that would be tough without understanding and the Holy Spirit.
So, what happened to change things for you personally, James?
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James (downcast, bowing his head): It was after his trial and crucifixion. I’m not sure how Immah made it through such a horrific experience and the drama; she followed him and would not leave, even as they tortured and crucified. She said my brother was barely recognizable as human; they had completely disfigured him. She couldn’t have identified his body unless she was there through it all and never took her eyes off of him.
She said he was dead and that trying to take his body off the cross and get it into Joseph’s tomb before sundown was a living nightmare, so surreal. But it was nothing compared to three days later when she went to the tomb and the body wasn’t there!
Honestly, I didn’t believe it; I didn’t know what to think… until he visited me. Then it all became clear.
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TCGW: What happened after that?
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James: Well, it changed my entire life! I led the early Christians, all while keeping the tenets of Mosaic Law, too. Every day I went to the Temple and prayed on my knees, not just to YHWH, but to my Savior, the hope of Israel and all the world! I followed Jesus and became a pillar of the early church. You know, Church Girl, it’s lasted for a few thousand years.
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TCGW: Wow, what a legacy! No matter how the world tries to keep Jesus out, he endures, and his truth lives on, huh?
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James (smiling): To the end of times, Church Girl. ‘Til the end of time.