James was a son of Mary and Joseph and therefore a half-brother to Jesus and brother to Joseph, Simon, Judas, and their sisters (Matthew 13:55). In the Gospels, James is mentioned a couple of times, but at that time he misunderstood Jesus’ ministry and was not a believer (John 7:2-5). James becomes one of the earliest witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7). He then stays in Jerusalem and forms part of the group of believers who pray in the upper room (Acts 1:14). From that time forward, James’ status within the Jerusalem church begins to grow.
Tradition also holds that James was a Nazirite, which meant that he took a vow to live a life of asceticism, including abstaining from alcohol and cutting his hair. He was also reputed to be someone who prayed so often that his knees were calloused. Some sources suggest that James was martyred for his faith, although the exact circumstances of his death are not known.
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