Numbered With the Martyrs - The Fate of the Apostles (Part 2)

We now continue our look at the Apostles and the martydom thereof.

"James, took in hand to govern the Church with the apostles, being counted of all men, from the time of our Lord, to be a just and perfect man. He drank no wine nor any strong drink, neither did he eat any animal food; the razor never came upon his head. To him only was it lawful to enter into the holy place...; and he used to enter into the temple alone, and there, falling upon his knees, by oft kneeling (for worshipping God, and craving forgiveness for the people), lost the sense of feeling, being benumbed and hardened like the knees of a camel. He was, for the excellency of his just life, called 'the Just,' and, 'the safeguard for the people.'

When many therefore of their chief men did believe, there was a tumult made of the Jews, Scribes and Pharisees, saying; There is danger, lest all the people should look for this Jesus, as the Christ. Therefore they gathered themselves together, and said to James, 'We beseech thee restrain the people, for they believe in Jesus, as though He were Christ; we pray thee persuade all them which come unto the feast of passover to think rightly of Jesus; for we all give heed to thee, and all the people do testify of thee that thou art just, and that thou dost not accept the person of any man. Therefore persuade the people that they be not deceived about Jesus, for all the people and we ourselves are ready to obey thee. Therefore stand upon the pinnacle of the temple, that thou mayest be seen above, and that thy words might be heard of all the people; for all the tribes with many Gentiles are come together for the passover.'

And thus the forenamed Scribes and Pharisees did set James upon the battlements of the temple, and they cried unto him, and said, 'Thou just man, whom we all ought to obey, this people is going astray after Jesus which is crucified.'

And he answered with a loud voice, 'Why do you ask me of Jesus the Son of Man? He sitteth on the right hand of the Most High, and shall come in the clouds of heaven.'

Whereupon they were persuaded and glorified God, upon this witness of James, and said, 'Hosannah to the Son of David.'

Then the Scribes and Pharisees said among themselves, 'We have done evil, that we have caused such a testimony of Jesus; let us go up, and throw him down, that others, being moved with fear, may deny that faith.' And they cried out, saying, 'Oh, oh, this just man also is seduced.' Therefore they went up to throw down the just man. Yet he was not killed by the fall, but, turning, fell upon his knees, saying, 'O Lord God, Father, I beseech thee to forgive them, for they know not what they do.' And they said among themselves, 'Let us stone the just man, James;' and they took him to smite him with stones. But while they were smiting him with stones, a priest, said to them, 'Leave off, what do ye? The just man prayeth for you.' And one of those who were present, a fuller, took an instrument, wherewith they did use to beat and purge cloth, and smote the just man on his head; and so he finished his testimony. And they buried him in the same place. He was a true witness for Christ to the Jews and the Gentiles."

These men had imagined in their wicked hearts that they could separate this man from the love of Christ. They had imagnied that through the practice of false religion they had a special claim on heaven and God's favor and that through intimidation they would be able to stifle the pious uprising of belief that was infecting the elect. They were so arrogant and self-righteous that they took the most pious man avaliable and believed they had persuaded him to speak ill of Jesus Christ. What they found instead was a man of character, a man that would not be silenced or intimidated and would not flee from the truth, not even for the sake of his own life. He died a righteous death and is now resting in the warmth of God's eternal favor.

What prevents us from making the same stand? What prevents us from standing for truth in the face of adversity? Death as a punishment for Christian belief is no longer commonplace in most of the world. So that can't be it, though that would be no excuse even if that was the case. Have we become so beholden to others, are we such men-pleasers that the mere possibility of falling into disfavor will silence us and lead our hearts to practice apathetic dead religion? Has being an outcast become so meaningful to us that we are willing to sit idly by and watch the Church be assaulted both from within and from without? This righteous man saw no such conflict, he knew the prize he was after and to forsake his conscience was tantamount to forsaking the very soul he had committed to Christ. The plot of the Scribes and Pharisees was ludicrous, it was impossible for a heart so in love with the Lord to play the role of Judas; may we all be as committed and confident as our dear brother James.