Metanoia.
Have you ever had to live up to someone else’s reputation? A big brother or older sister? If you haven’t, maybe you have seen how this can irk a person who is the little sister or little brother. We all want to be unique and special - not identified as someone else’s lackey or inferior. We want to find our special niche and be recognized for who we are. I imagine this was also a challenge for James, the brother of Jesus.
Let’s dive into this just a little by trying to put skin and bones on this topic; let’s look at what it would be like to be Jesus’ little brother. I can already hear phrases like this coming from James’ teachers, relatives and community leaders:
Why aren’t you more like your [perfect] brother Jesus?
Jesus can do miracles; what about you?
Why aren’t you as wise as Jesus?
If you could only be like Jesus (delivered with a longing sigh).
How destructive such phrases can be if you are the one to live under them. James had a big shadow hanging over him as he grew up under the prototype of the god-man Jesus. That’s pressure. That’s disheartening. That’s depressive.
James is one of at least six siblings of Jesus. James is always named first, meaning that he is the oldest after Jesus. He is one of the brothers who challenge Jesus in John 7:1-5:
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. 2 Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. 3 So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him. (John 7:1-5 ESV )
Notice that last verse; “not even his brothers believed in him.” This occurs after Jesus had exhibited his divine power in numerous miracles including feeding 5000 (John 6:5-14) and walking on water (John 6:16-21). What would it take for James to believe that his older brother was really the Messiah who was promised by Hebrew Scriptures as far back as Genesis 3:15? It must have been extremely difficult for James to believe that his older brother was really the Son of God.
This is why we are zeroing in on 1 Corinthians 15:7 and Galatians 1:19.
But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. (Galatians 1:19 ESV)
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. (1 Corinthians 15:7 ESV)
Jesus appeared to his brother James so that James would have a severe change of direction AND a necessary impact on the direction and flow of the early Christian church. When he experienced his dead brother walking and talking, James believed that Jesus was the promised one from God. He was one of the 120 Holy Spirit filled believers who gathered with Peter at Pentecost. This personal viewing of his risen brother transformed James’ belief in Jesus from “lunatic” to Lord and Savior. From that moment on he is whole-heartedly devoted to serving Jesus and blessing Jesus’ Church.
At this point it is worth asking, “how has Jesus impacted you?” Some of you have met the risen Savior as you sat with another Christian and examined their passion for those in need. Others have dug into Scriptures with other Jesus followers and flashed on those “aha moments” where you just know Jesus is bigger than you ever before envisioned. Or maybe there was that favorite prayer that became torn and worn from years of soliciting God; then one day, it was as if the light burst through your grey floundering hopes to reveal a personal God with impeccable timing. Your prayer was answered in brilliant fashion. What is your experience with the Risen Jesus? What I love about Jesus is his personal attention to what it was that James needed, and, in turn, what you and I need. He knew that James needed to see his brother alive - as a monumental, universal conductor of the salvation symphony.
James met big brother and found himself on his knees in daily attendance to humbly following the one he thought was off his rocker. May we all have such a metanoia (Greek term for “change of mind” or “repentance”)!
Blessings come to us as we pursue a deeper and deeper understanding of Jesus, the big brother and Savior of James.
As a resource, I’m passing on this article about James found in Biblestudytools.com: Who Was James, Jesus' Brother? What the Bible Tells Us About Him. Notice his intent and his focus on unifying the Church despite multi-ethnical backgrounds. James wants us all to look at why God has made us each to be exactly who we are so that Jesus can get the glory he deserves as Head of the Body, His Church. We have been bought by the Head, Jesus. Jesus made a special purchase so that we would find our rightful place in his Body, in His Church, and adjust accordingly to the purpose he has for us in His Church. James found his niche; he became a fundamental leader of the Jerusalem branch of Jesus followers. What a powerful witness.
May you be blessed as you admire how Jesus met his brother James and changed his trajectory in life and in the Church.