# James, The Son Of Zebedee, Put To Death With The Sword, By Herod Agrippa, In Jerusalem, A. D. 45.

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BEHEADING OF JAMES, THE SON OF ZEBEDEE.

James, surnamed the Greater, was the son of
Zebedee and Salome, and a fisherman by occupation;
but, Christ having called him to be his disciple,
he abandoned fishing, and followed Christ.
Matt. 4:21; Mark 1:19.

He was instructed for a considerable time together
with the other disciples in the duties of the apostleship,
until he was properly sent out in that capacity.
Matt. 10:2; Mark 6:17; Luke 6:13.

He was endowed with the gift of working signs
and miracles, and on account of this special gift he
was one of the three surnamed Boanerges, that is,
sons of thunder. He was with Jesus on every remarkable
occasion; so much so, that he was chosen
by the Lord to behold his glory upon the holy
mount; and, afterwards, to witness his sufferings in
the garden of Gethsemane. Mark 3:17,18; Matt.
17:1; 26:36.

Of him Christ had predicted, that he should drink
of the same cup, of which he (Christ) would drink,
and that he should be baptized with the same baptism,
with which he was baptized; that is, that he
should be subject to his (Christ’s) suffering and
death. Matt. 20:22,23.

After the death of Christ he joined the other apostles,
to be a witness with them, of his suffering,
death, and resurrection, and to be instructed concerning
his kingdom during the forty days after his
resurrection.

After Christ’s ascension he also remained at Jerusalem;
and when he, together with the other
apostles, had there received the Holy Ghost, he
preached the Gospel in Judea and Samaria. Acts
1:13,14.

From there, as some relate, he went to Spain;
but, meeting with little success, he returned to Judea,
where, it is said, he was opposed by Hermogenes,
a sorcerer. But as Abdias, bishop of Babylon,
and others, relate many things of him, which
seem to be altogether fictitious, we shall not mention
them. Petr. de nat. lib. 6. cap. 133. Abdias
Babyl. van den Strijd der Apostelen.

71

This apostle lived only until the fourth year of
the Emperor Claudius, at which time, Agabus had
predicted, there should be a dearth throughout all
the world. Oros. lib. 7. cap. 6.

At that time Claudius charged Herod Agrippa to
suppress the church of Christ. Then Herod laid
his bloody hands on this apostle and, on the feast
of the passover, put him in prison. Shortly afterwards
he was sentenced to death, and executed with
the sword, in Jerusalem. This occurred in the
year forty-five after the birth of Christ. Acts 12:2.

Clemens relates that the executioner, seeing his
innocence, was converted to the Christian faith, and
died with him. According to the annotation of
Eusebius Pamphilius, from Clemens Alexandrinus,
the executioner was so moved on account of the
death of James, that he professed himself to be a
Christian; and so, as he states, both were led forth
together to death. As they were led out, the executioner
asked James to forgive him. James, after
a little deliberation, said, “Peace be with thee,”
and kissed him. And thus both were beheaded.
Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 9. ex Clem. Alexand. Also
W. Baudart. Apophthegmat. lib. 1. page 4. from
Joach. Camer. in vita Christi, page 42. Niceph.
lib. 2. cap. 3. Strac. in Festo Jacobi, page 209. Cle.
Circa, cap. 45. Annum. James was the first martyr
of the apostles. This history shows the alacrity
of the ancient believers.

![Illustration from Martyrs’ Mirror](/sources/martyrs-mirror/images/i0137.jpg)

## Original source

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