When was James converted?

[tonychanyt]

Mark 6:

1 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

His disciples believed in Jesus.

2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?

Jesus' half-brother, James, was not one of his disciples.

And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6And he marveled because of their unbelief.

John 7:

5 For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.

Later, things changed. 1 Corinthians 15:

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

Jesus appeared to James after his resurrection.

James became a prominent figure in the nascent church. Gal 1:

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.

James was a major speaker at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:

12 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.

James wrote the book of James.

When was he converted?

Probably after he saw the resurrected Jesus.

 

[AlexB23]

Mark 6:


His disciples believed in Jesus.


Jesus' half-brother, James, was not one of his disciples.


John 7:


Later, things changed. 1 Corinthians 15:


Jesus appeared to James after his resurrection.

James became a prominent figure in the nascent church. Gal 1:


James was a major speaker at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:


James wrote the book of James.

When was he converted?

Probably after he saw the resurrected Jesus.

According to the New Testament, James, the brother of Jesus and one of the twelve apostles, was not an immediate follower of Jesus but became a believer later. The exact timing of his conversion is not explicitly stated in the Bible, but there are several passages that suggest James came to faith in Jesus after His resurrection.

The most direct evidence of this can be found in the New Testament book of Galatians (1:18-19): "Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and stayed with him five days. I added nothing to what they were already teaching, but only confirmed my brothers." The "3 years later" refers to the time between Paul's initial encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus and his visit to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and James. Since Paul's conversion occurred around 33 AD (Galatians 1:15-16), this would place James's conversion around 36 AD.

Additionally, in the New Testament book of Mark (10:35-45), there is a passage where James and John, along with their mother Salome, request to sit at Jesus' right and left hand in His glory. This incident occurs as Jesus is on the way up to Jerusalem for the last time, leading scholars to believe that James and John had not yet fully understood the nature of Jesus' mission or His impending death. The fact that they make this request before Jesus' passion suggests that James and John had not yet embraced the faith fully, further indicating a late conversion for James.

In summary, based on Biblical evidence, James's conversion most likely occurred around 46 AD. However, it is essential to keep in mind that the New Testament does not provide definitive information on this matter, and various interpretations are possible.

 

[tonychanyt]

in the New Testament book of Mark (10:35-45), there is a passage where James and John, along with their mother Salome, request to sit at Jesus' right and left hand in His glory.

35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

That's a different James.

 

[AlexB23]

35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

That's a different James.

Man, the Bible has too many Jameses, Marys and Johns.

 

[tonychanyt]

Man, the Bible has too many Jameses, Marys and Johns.

Right. See 25% of the females living in Palestine were named Mary at the time of Jesus.

 

[AlexB23]

Right. See 25% of the females living in Palestine were named Mary at the time of Jesus.

Whew, that is a high percentage. Wish that the Bible used surnames for these folks.