James the Great

James the Great was one of Jesus’s twelve apostles, the son of Zebedee and brother of John. Christian tradition regards him as the first apostle to be martyred.

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John the Apostle: John was one of Jesus’s twelve apostles and the brother of James, both sons of Zebedee. James’s brother shared his family background and prominent place among the apostles.
Gospel of Mark: The Gospel of Mark is a first-century narrative of Jesus’s ministry, death, and resurrection. It names James among the first disciples called and records his place in Jesus’s inner circle.
Transfiguration of Jesus: The Transfiguration is a Gospel episode in which Jesus’s appearance changes before selected disciples on a mountain. James is named with Peter and John as a witness to the event.
Apostolic martyrdom: Apostolic martyrdom is the killing of an apostle because of Christian testimony or religious identity. James’s death is the earliest apostolic martyrdom explicitly reported in the New Testament.
Zebedee: Zebedee was a Galilean fisherman and the father of James and John, two of Jesus’s apostles. His sons’ identity as the sons of Zebedee distinguishes James in the Gospels.
Gospel of Matthew: The Gospel of Matthew is a narrative of Jesus’s life and teachings, drawing on Jewish scripture and tradition. It recounts the Zebedee brothers’ calling and their mother’s request for positions of honor.
Raising of Jairus’s Daughter: The raising of Jairus’s daughter is a Gospel account in which Jesus restores a girl to life. James belongs to the small group Jesus allows to witness the miracle.
Feast of Saint James: The Feast of Saint James is a Christian feast honoring the apostle James, observed on July 25 in the Western calendar. The feast commemorates the apostle whose cult centered on Santiago de Compostela.
Peter the Apostle: Peter was a Galilean fisherman and one of Jesus’s twelve apostles, prominent in the early church. Peter, James, and John form the inner group named together in key Gospel episodes.
Gospel of Luke: The Gospel of Luke is a narrative of Jesus’s life and ministry and the opening of the early church’s history. Its account of the apostles’ calling places James within the early movement.