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But after Paul, in consequence of his appeal to C'sar, had been
sent to Rome by Festus, the Jews, being frustrated in their hope of
entrapping him by the snares which they had laid for him, turned
against James, the brother of the Lord, to whom the episcopal seat
at Jerusalem bad been entrusted by the apostles. The following daring
measures were undertaken by them against him. Leading him into their
midst they demanded of him that he should renounce faith in Christ in
the presence of all the people. But, contrary to the opinion of all,
with a clear voice, and with greater boldness than they had
anticipated, he spoke out before the whole multitude and confessed that
our Saviour and Lord Jesus is the Son of God. But they were
unable to bear longer the testimony of the man who, on account of the
excellence of ascetic virtue and of piety which he exhibited in his
life, was esteemed by all as the most just of men, and consequently
they slew him. Opportunity for this deed of violence was furnished by
the prevailing anarchy, which was caused by the fact that Festus had
died just at this time in Judea, and that the province was thus
without a governor and head. The manner of James' death has been
already indicated by the above-quoted words of Clement, who records
that he was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple, and was beaten to
death with a club. But Hegesippus, who lived immediately after the
apostles, gives the most accurate account in the fifth book of his
Memoirs. He writes as follows: "James, the brother of the Lord,
succeeded to the government of the Church in conjunction with the
apostles. He has been called the Just by all from the time of our
Saviour to the present day; for there were many that bore the name of
James. He was holy from his mother's womb; and he drank no wine nor
strong drink, nor did he eat flesh. No razor came upon his head; he
did not anoint himself with oil, and he did not use the bath. He
alone was permitted to enter into the holy place ; for he wore not
woolen but linen garments. And he was in the habit of entering alone
into the temple, and was frequently found upon his knees begging
forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of
a camel, in consequence of his constantly bending them in his worship
of God, and asking forgiveness for the people. Because of his
exceeding great justice he was called the Just, and Oblias, which
signifies in Greek, Bulwark of the people' and 'Justice,' in
accordance with what the prophets declare concerning him. Now some of
the seven sects, which existed among the people and which have been
mentioned by me in the Memoirs, asked him, 'What is the gate of
Jesus ? and he replied that he was the Saviour. On account of these
words some believed that Jesus is the Christ. But the sects
mentioned above did not believe either in a resurrection or in one's
coming to give to every man according to his works. But as many as
believed did so on account of James. Therefore when many even of the
rulers believed, there was a commotion among the Jews and Scribes and
Pharisees, who said that there was danger that the whole people would
be looking for Jesus as the Christ. Coming therefore in a body to
James they said, 'We entreat thee, restrain the people; for they
are gone astray in regard to Jesus, as if he were the Christy We
entreat thee to persuade all that have come to the feast of the
Passover concerning Jesus; for we all have confidence in thee. For
we bear thee witness, as do all the people, that thou art just, and
dost not respect per sons. Do thou therefore persuade the multitude
not to be led astray concerning Jesus. For the whole people, and all
of us also, have confidence in thee. Stand therefore upon the
pinnacle of the temple, that from that high position thou mayest be
clearly seen, and that thy words may be readily heard by all the
people. For all the tribes, with the Gentiles also, are come
together on account of the Passover.' The aforesaid Scribes and
Pharisees therefore placed James upon the pinnacle of the temple, and
cried out to him and said: Thou just one, in whom we ought all to
have: confidence, forasmuch as the people are led, astray after
Jesus, the crucified one, declare to us, what is the gate of
Jesus.' And he answered with a loud voice,' Why do ye ask me
concerning Jesus, the Son of Man ? He himself sitteth in heaven at
the right hand of the great Power, and is about to come upon the
clouds of heaven.' And when many were fully convinced and gloried in
the testimony of James, and said, 'Hosanna to the Son of
David,' these same Scribes and Pharisees said again to one
another,' We have done badly in supplying such testimony to Jesus.
But let us go up and throw him down, in order that they may be afraid
to believe him.' And they cried out, saying, 'Oh! oh! the just
man is also in error.' And they fulfilled the Scripture written in
Isaiah, ' Let us take away the just man, because he is troublesome
to us: therefore they shall eat the fruit of their doings.' So they
went up and threw down the just man, and said to each other, 'Let us
stone James the Just.' And they began to stone him, for he was not
killed by the fall; but he turned and knelt down and said, 'I
entreat thee, Lord God our Father, forgive them, for they know not
what they do.' And while they were thus stoning him one of the
priests of the sons of Rechab, the son of the Rechabites, who are
mentioned by Jeremiah the prophet, cried out, saying, 'Cease,
what do ye? The just one prayeth for you
And one of them, who was a fuller, took the club with which he beat
out clothes and struck the just man on the head. And thus he suffered
martyrdom. And they buried him on the spot, by the temple, and his
monument still remains by the temple. He became a true witness, both
to Jews and Greeks, that Jesus is the Christ. And immediately
Vespasian besieged them." These things are related at length by
Hegesippus, who is in agreement with Clement. James was so
admirable a man and so celebrated among all for his justice, that the
more sensible even of the Jews were of the opinion that this was the
cause of the siege of Jerusalem, which happened to them immediately
after his martyrdom for no other reason than their daring act against
him. Josephus, at least, has not hesitated to testify this in his
writings, where he says, "These things happened to the Jews to
avenge James the Just, who was a brother of Jesus, that is called
theChrist. For the Jews slew him, although he was a most just
man." And the same writer records his death also in the twentieth
book of his Antiquities in the following words: "But the emperor,
when he learned of the death of Festus, sent Albinus to be procurator
of Judea. But the younger Ananus, who, as we have already said,
had obtained the high priesthood, was of an exceedingly bold and
reckless disposition. He belonged, moreover, to the sect of the
Sadducees, who are the most cruel of all the Jews in the execution of
judgment, as we have already shown. Ananus, therefore, being of
this character, and supposing that he had a favorable opportunity on
account of the fact that Festus was dead, and Albinus was still on
the way, called together the Sanhedrim, and brought before them the
brother of Jesus, the so-called Christ, James by name, together
with some others, and accused them of violating the law, and condemned
them to be stoned. But those in the city who seemed most moderate and
skilled in the law were very angry at this, and sent secretly to the
king, requesting him to order Ananus to cease such proceedings. For
he had not done right even this first time. And certain of them also
went to meet Albinus, who was journeying from Alexandria, and
reminded him that it was not lawful for Ananus to summon the Sanhedrim
without his knowledge. And Albinus, being persuaded by their
representations, wrote in anger to Ananus, threatening him with
punishment. And the king, Agrippa, in consequence, deprived him,
of the high priesthood, which he had held threemonths, and appointed
Jesus, the son of Damnaeus." These things are recorded in regard
to James, who is said to be the author of the first of the so-called
catholic epistles. But it is to be observed that it is disputed; at
least, not many of the ancients have mentioned it, as is the case
likewise with the epistle that bears the name of Jude, which is also
one of the seven so-called catholic epistles. Nevertheless we know
that these also, with the rest, have been read publicly in very many
churches.
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