James - The Caliph of Christ
Introduction
James or Jacob was and is a very popular Jewish name. There are quite a
few significant people called James in the New Testament (NT). This article is
concerned with James the brother of Jesus, the leader of the first Christian
community of Jesus’ followers. James has been severely neglected by Biblical
scholars; however, the last couple of centuries have witnessed a surge of
interest in this fundamental figure of early Christianity. Many Biblical and NT
scholars have begun to realise that a thorough understanding of James and his
role in early Christianity sheds new light on the historical Jesus and presents
a powerful contrast to the Pauline Christianity so many Christians take for
granted.
Who was James?
Many Christians are
incredulous when they are informed that Jesus had brothers and sisters. The
highly acclaimed academic Butz informs us that “the subject of Jesus’ brothers
and sisters has largely been ignored both by biblical scholars and by the
Christian church. Yet the evidence of Jesus’ siblings is so widespread that
there can be no doubt of their existence.” 1 James
was considered particularly important by the first followers of Jesus. Soon
after Jesus’ ascension the disciples rallied around his younger brother James,
and he became the leader of the Jerusalem Church. James’ significance is
reflected in the many epithets by which he was known such as “the brother of
the Lord”, “the Just”, “the righteous” and “brother of Jesus”. One leading
scholar, Vermes, maintains that “it was because of his ‘outstanding virtue’
that Peter, James and John would choose James the Righteous, rather than one of
themselves, for the most honourable post of bishop of Jerusalem.”2 Significantly, James is the only New
Testament figure mentioned by Josephus3 in
his seminal work Jewish Antiquities after John The Baptist and Jesus himself.
Eusibus4 informs us that “he was holy from his birth;
he drank no wine or intoxicating liquor and ate no animal food; no razor came
near his head......and was often found on his knees beseeching forgiveness for
the people, so that his knees grew hard like a camel’s from his continual bending
them in worship of God.”5
Prof. Barrie Wilson maintains that James was a Nazarite in the mould of
another neglected NT figure John the Baptist. “James, in fact, was a Nazarite
or ‘super Jew’, like his cousin John the Baptist....... a Nazirite was a
Torah-observant Jew who had taken a
special vow of dedication to God. Their rabbi was Jesus, and it was his
interpretation of Torah that commanded their allegiance.”6
James’ exact relationship to Jesus is debated by Biblical scholars. The
three most popular views amongst are the following:
A literal brother: Jesus is referred to as the first born of Mary. So
many scholars maintain that James was a younger brother, keeping in line with
Mosaic Law to be fruitful and multiply. This seems the most rational and
historically accurate position but causes fundamental problems for a variety of
important doctrines such as the Catholic doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of
Mary.7
A step brother: Catholic scholars generally hold that James was not
related to Mary at all. They point out amongst other things that Jesus is
referred to as “the son of Mary” rather than “a son of Mary”.
A cousin: Some scholars hold that James was most likely a cousin of
Jesus. They maintain that there is no word for cousin in Hebrew or Aramaic and
thus any references to Jesus’ brothers or sisters is itself insufficient proof
of full-blood relationship.
James’ familial relationship to Jesus does not retract from the thesis
of this article, so there is no need to expound upon the above opinions here.
All NT scholars attest to the importance of James after Jesus’ ascension and
this is made clear in the NT itself8.
Scholars are virtually unanimous that James became “Bishop” of the Jerusalem
Church and he was selected due to three main qualities, his righteousness, zeal
for the ‘way’ of Jesus and Law of Moses, and his familial relationship to Jesus
(whatever form that took).
Scholars differ as to when James took full control of the Jerusalem
Church. The majority maintain that James succeeded Peter and only held the
reins after Peter’s escape from prison (41-44CE). However, this opinion is in
fact quite tentative. Acts doesn’t explicitly name any single leader of the
Jerusalem Church. Eusebius, who was writing in the 4th Century, informs us that James is “recorded
to have been the first to be made bishop of the church of Jerusalem”. 9He doesn’t see the need to justify this
statement so we can assume it was a widely held belief amongst the early
Christians. Butz maintains that the idea of Peter being the first Bishop was a
result of Catholic interpretive tradition which has become an unfounded
assumption that many scholars maintain without much historical evidence. In
contrary, F.F Bruce suggests that James may have been the head of one
house-church whist Peter led another. None the less once Peter turns full time
to travelling missionary work James is the highest authority in Jerusalem, if
he wasn’t already, and remains so until his martyrdom (62 CE).
James the
Martyr
James was a very significant figure in 1st Century
Jerusalem not only amongst his own community but also the “orthodox” Jews. He
was beloved by the people of city and had great admiration from the common
folk. However, as is often the case, this popular support threatened many of
the elites of society. Ananus the high-priest at the time brought James before
a Jewish court and accused him along with others of transgressing the Law and
had them stoned to death. The religiously observant Jews of Jerusalem were
outraged at what they saw as a clear injustice and invalid execution of one of
their most pious citizens. According to Josephus they petitioned King Agrippa
and had Ananus removed from his position as high-priest.
Ananus’ removal from office is highly significant for a number of
reasons. He had only been in the post for a few months and came from a highly
influential family that had dominated the priesthood for the last sixty years.
This indicates that James was a very important and revered figure who must have
had powerful advocates. Some scholars, such as Crossan, have even postulated
that James could have been in Jerusalem even before Jesus’ ascension and may
have been a respected Pharisaic leader. The importance of the Pharisees and
Jesus respectful attitude towards them has been largely obscured by the Gospel
writers and many scholars have suggested that the NT has a bias against this
group due to their strict observance of the Law. None the less we find a
startling reference to this Jewish group in the Sermon on the Mount. According
to Matthew Jesus proclaimed:
1st
Century remnants of the steps to the
Jerusalem Temple 
For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the
Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom
of heaven. (Mt 5:20)
It seems that the Pharisees were considered a standard of sincerity and
righteousness which the followers of Jesus were expected to surpass by
following him, but certainly not by rejecting the fundamentals of the Mosaic
Law (as understood by Pauline Christians). As Matthew informs us in the
preceding verses:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I
have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. (Mt 5:17)
Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches
others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but
whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the
kingdom of heaven.(Mt 5:19)
James’ missionary work was very successful amongst the Jews of
Jerusalem. Many were accepting the ‘Good News’ of Jesus the Messiah and this
was causing a stir amongst the opponents of the early Jewish Christians. The NT
due to its Pauline slant doesn’t shine much light upon the efforts of the
Jerusalem Apostles in contrast to its focus upon the missionary efforts of Paul
and his companions. However, Acts clearly indicates the success and spread of
Jewish Christianity in Jerusalem:
The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the
elders were present. Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done
among the Gentiles through his ministry. When they heard this, they praised
God. Then they said to Paul: You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have
believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. (Acts 21:18-21)
The Early Church Father and historian Eusebius maintained the leaders
of a number of Jewish sects plotted the death of James. They demanded that he
deny and reject Jesus the Messiah in front of the people who were entering by
‘the gate of Jesus’10
in their droves. Jesus’ prophecy
of the imminent destruction of The Temple must have become well known amongst
the Temple elites and this coupled with the growth of Jewish Christianity was
too much for them to bear, so they murdered James unjustly.
“Representatives ......asked him what was meant by ‘the gate of Jesus’
and he replied that Jesus was the Saviour.......there was an uproar among the
Jews and scribes and Pharisees, who said there was a danger that the entire
people would expect Jesus as the Christ[Messiah].......So they went up and
threw down the Just one. Then they said to each other, ‘Let us stone James the
Just,’ and began to stone him.......” 11
James and the
First Jerusalem Conference
The following section will briefly discuss the First Jerusalem
Conference (or Apostolic Conference) due to its significance for understanding
early Christianity and James’ standing therein. The events of the Jerusalem
Conference highlight many of the fundamental differences between the Jerusalem
Church led by James and Paul. A thorough understanding of the conference
reveals why James became such a controversial figure for latter theologians and
why his voice has been so marginalized and remains so to this day. It should
become clear that both James and Paul cannot be right about Jesus, and the
proto-orthodox Church simply couldn’t find room to accommodate the both of
them.
Scholars rely mostly upon Acts (the fifth book of the NT) an account of
the early efforts of the Apostles, to recreate this important event. Despite,
Luke’s12 obvious Pauline influence Acts reveals a lot
about James and his differing approach to Paul and his companions. We are
informed in Acts that there was a meeting of all the key leaders of the early
church at Jerusalem.
“When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the
apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But
some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, ‘It
is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the Law of Moses.’
The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter.” (Acts 15:
4-6)
What was this urgent ‘matter’ that needed to be discussed? Paul’s
proclamation that faith in Christ alone was sufficient had caused turmoil and
was firmly rejected by the Jews. The Jews were accusing him of apostasy from
the Law. Acts informs us that Paul was even stoned during a visit to a gentile
church .
“But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds.
Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was
dead.” (Acts 14: 19)
The increasing number of converts to the ‘Way of Jesus’ posed some
theological concerns. What exactly was the status of these new followers of
Christ? These were not Jews but Gentiles; surely they had to accept the Mosaic
Law like all other Jews? This would include circumcision, abstaining from meat
slaughtered to idols, blood and fornication etc. It had reached the Apostles in
Jerusalem that Paul was giving these new converts false expectations and they
sent people to investigate. This matter simply had to be resolved. Thus Paul
and his companions travelled to Jerusalem to meet with James and the elders of
the Jerusalem Church to finally settle the matter. At this point we should bear
in mind Butz’s cautionary words that “Jesus and his earliest followers were
thoroughly Jewish in their beliefs and practices. The only thing that
distinguished the Nazarenes at all was their firm belief that Jesus was the
Messiah of Israel. Therefore, it was only natural for these first Jewish
believers to expect anyone wishing to follow Jesus to become a Jew.”13
We are informed in Acts that after testimony was heard from all sides
it was James that made the final verdict. This is a very important fact and
speaks volumes about James’ importance and leadership and that he wasn’t merely
an administrator but considered authoritative on early doctrinal issues.
According to Acts James made a short speech:
“After they finished speaking, James replied, ‘My brothers, listen to
me...... I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles
who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things
polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and
from blood.” (Acts 12:13-19)
The decision by James is termed the Apostolic Decree and is considered
one of the earliest and most important Church rulings. Paul, emboldened by
James decision, leaves Jerusalem and continues with his missionary work with
renewed vigour.
James
Versus Paul
Not long after the Jerusalem Conference rumours began to reach
Jerusalem that Paul was not abiding by the decision of James at the Jerusalem
Council and had begun to preach that even Jews who accepted Jesus Christ had no
need for the Mosaic Law. When Paul makes his final visit to Jerusalem seven
years later James confronts him directly.
“You teach all the Jews living among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, and
that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs.
What then is to be done?” (Acts 21:21)
Paul had fundamentally differing theological views to the Apostles. He
envisaged a Christianity that was absent of Mosaic Law. This was a complete
contrast to the position held by James and the Jerusalem Church. Paul was not
only encouraging Gentiles but also Jews to forsake the Law. This is clearly
evidenced in a number of NT passages, for example:
“Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be
circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you...... For in Christ Jesus
neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing
that counts is faith working through love.” (Gal 5:2-6)
“For no human being will be justified in his sight by deeds prescribed
by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin...... For there is
no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they
are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood,
effective through faith....... For we hold that a person is justified by faith
apart from works prescribed by the law.” (Rm 3:20-28)
One of the ramifications of Paul’s new vision was that many of the new
converts to the ‘way of Jesus’ were previously pagans and took his words a
little too literally. It began to reach James and the Apostles at Jerusalem
that Paul’s new converts were falling into decadence and debauchery. Some of
the Christians in Corinth understood that all things were permissible. They
publicly used prostitutes and even became involved in idolatry! Thus Paul
warned them:
“The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord......Do you not
know that whoever is united to a prostitute becomes one body with
her?......Shun fornication!” (1 Cor 6:13-18)
They had misunderstood Paul’s preaching as a complete moral free for
all. Paul himself was shocked by this turn of events. In another of Pauls’
letters he gave a stern warning.
“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use
your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence...... Now the works of the
flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery,
enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy,
drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned
you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal
5:13-21)
The rift between Paul and James continued to grow until things came to
a head at the infamous Incident at Antioch; where Peter and Paul had
significant fallout over a directive from James.
Butz puts it in perspective, “The Incident at Antioch starkly shows
that the apostolic period was not a time of sweetness and light with the
earliest followers of Jesus all living as one big happy family, as assumed by
most Christians today; on the contrary, it was a time of bitter rivalries as
various parties and factions began to vie for supremacy.”14
Paul was beginning to see himself as an independent authority who was
equal if not superior to James and the Apostles. Paul’s perspective is made
clear in his own words in his letter Galatians.
“And from those who were supposed to be acknowledged leaders (what they
actually were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those leaders
contributed nothing to me......But when Cephas [Peter] came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face,
because he stood self-condemned; for until certain people came from James, he
used to eat with the Gentiles. But after they came, he drew back and kept
himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction. And the other Jews
joined him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their
hypocrisy.” (Gal 2:6-14)
Paul’s arrogance is astounding. He speaks about James and the Apostles
in a very condescending tone and considers them to have done nothing for him!
They are hypocrites in his eyes, Peter and Barnabus too. In Corinthians when
warning some new converts to only follow the Gospel as understood by him, he
proclaims “I think that I am not in the least inferior to these
super-apostles.” (2 Cor 11:5)
Contrary to popular Christian understanding, Paul was clearly defeated
at Antioch. Once the messengers from James arrived Peter and even more
significantly Barnabus, Pauls close missionary companion, towed the line and
sided with James. Once again we have clear evidence of James authority on
matters of doctrine. Paul has now severed his last links with Jesus’ closest
allies and disciples and proceeds with his own missionary efforts. Revd. Dr.
Wenham, a leading British theologian, points out that “today we may think of
Paul as an important and influential figure. But all the evidence is that he
was initially regarded by many other Christians with suspicion. He spent very
little time in Jerusalem, and he had no part in the leadership of the church in
the earliest days.”15
Galatians in P46,
200CE 
Paul makes one more journey to Jerusalem and there is literally rioting
in the streets upon his arrival. He had become infamous amongst the ‘orthodox’
Jews as an apostate from the Mosaic Law. He would surely have been stoned if it
weren’t for the Romans who took him into custody. As a Roman citizen Paul
managed to have his case heard in the highest courts. Yet Luke is silent of any
support for Paul from the Jewish Christians who seem to have finally washed
their hands of him.
Here is Luke’s account in Acts: “the Jews from Asia, who had seen him
in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd. They seized him, shouting,
‘Fellow-Israelites, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere
against our people, our law, and this place......Then all the city was aroused,
and the people rushed together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the
temple, and immediately the doors were shut. While they were trying to kill
him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in an
uproar. Immediately he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. When
they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the
tribune came, arrested him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; he
inquired who he was and what he had done.......the violence of the mob was so
great that he had to be carried by the soldiers. The crowd that followed kept
shouting, ‘Away with him!’” (Acts 21:27-36)
The Forgotten
Brother
“After years of research, I have come to the conclusion that the role
of James in the early church has been marginalized over the centuries-both
consciously and unconsciously-and continues the role of James in the early
church.”16 These words are the powerful verdict of Butz
one of the foremost experts on James the Just. When one reflects on the
significance of James it seems unjust that such a significant historical figure
has been reduced for so long to a mere footnote in Christianity. However, the
last half-century has seen resurgence in the quest for the historical Jesus
often dubbed ‘The Third Quest’. One of the aspects about the scholarly approach
taken by theologians and historians today is a more honest regard for Jesus as
a person independent of years of doctrine, dogma and tradition which so blinded
the previous searches into the historical Jesus.
Why would James’ role be suppressed? There are quite a few reasons why
the historical James has been such an inconvenience for so long. Below is
summary of the most significant:
James and the early Jewish Christians held views about Jesus that are
simply too radically different to what the emerging Church would later claim as
orthodoxy.
James along with Jesus’ other brothers and sisters were an inconvenience
to the early proponents of the concept of The Perpetual Virginity of Mary the
mother of Jesus. Rather than deal with exactly who they were it was much easier
to ignore and sideline them all together.
Pauline Christianity is the basis for all of the mainstream Christian
sects that survive today to a greater or lesser extent. The historical fact
that Paul’s greatest opponent was James, the leader of the first Jerusalem
Church has always been a great embarrassment to mainstream Christianity. It is
painfully clear both men couldn’t be right about Jesus. Could Paul be the one
who got it all so wrong?
The New Testament itself is a product of Pauline Christianity, with
over half of the NT written by Paul or his companions. The earliest books of
the NT are all attributed to Paul and all of the Gospel writers were most
likely living and writing in Pauline communities. Luke the author of Acts and
Mark the Gospel writer were both most likely companions of Paul. The promotion
of James entails the demotion of Paul and thus a subtle rejection of the
Christian Canon itself and all that entails.
The above list could be expanded quite significantly; however, it
should be sufficient to show why James’ role has been so marginalized and who
benefits from such suppression. The renowned scholar Bauckham, previously
Professor of NT studies at St. Andrews University, explains that “Paul had an
unusual sense of his own apostolic independence from Jerusalem, and since many
of the New Testament writings date from after 70 CE, when the Jerusalem church
inevitably lost its role in the Christian movement outside Palestine, the
impression the New Testament gives most reader does not do justice to the
importance either of the Jerusalem church or of James himself in the period
before 70.”17
Who Do People
Say That I am?
‘Who do people say that I am?’ And they answered him, ‘John the
Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.’ He asked
them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the
Messiah.’ (Mk 8:27-29)
According to Mark, Jesus himself posed the question which has plagued
the minds of so many for so long. Who was Jesus? Peter knew the answer, he was
the Messiah. What would James have answered? Well as it happens, James was
indeed asked this question many times and answered it univocally. Yet his
answer remains unknown to most and it’s not the answer they would expect.
Butz warns that “as Jesus’ eldest brother, he [James] knew the ‘mind of
the master’ better than anyone. And if he did, Christians today are going to
have to re-evaluate some of their most deeply held assumptions and beliefs
about Jesus and his teaching” He continues, “one of the firm conclusions modern
research into James has revealed is that neither Jesus’ family, nor the
apostles, nor his Jewish disciples, believed that Jesus was literally God. They
believed that Jesus was the Davidic Messiah, ‘adopted’ by God as his ‘son’ at
his baptism by John, but still a human being.”18
What else would James tell us
about his brother Jesus the Messiah?
Jesus was a Prophet from God.
Entering through the ‘gate of Jesus’ meant obeying him and following
his example.
The true uncorrupted Torah should be respected and followed.
Precedence, honour and respect should be given to those who actually
knew Jesus, followed him and learnt from him.
Jesus will return in glory and honour.
Jesus’ ‘way’ was centred on Mosaic Law, prayer and charity
Jesus as the Messiah was the fulfilment of the Torah.
Faith in Christ alone is insufficient for salvation. Faith must be
coupled with sincere works.
It is important to understand what James ‘knew’ about Jesus not just
what others ‘thought’ and ‘felt’, sincerely or otherwise. The closer we get to
James the closer we get to Jesus. We will not find the Jesus of Christian faith
and admiration, but certainly the Jesus of history, the person, the Prophet and
Messiah. Prof. Barrie Wilson, a leading expert on 1st Century Christianity
informs us “As James, so Jesus. The best indicator of what Jesus of the 20s
actually taught is likely to be James, his brother. James knew the man and what
he stood for. He knew Jesus taught and practiced Torah, as they did.......the
example of James is the best clue we have today concerning the beliefs and
practices of the Jesus of history.”19
The Letter of
James
One of the most important sources for understanding James the Just is
the Letter (Epistle) of James. It is one of the few Jewish Christian texts of
the NT and in a number of places clearly contradicts Paul’s doctrine of
justification by faith; as a result, it was one of the most controversial texts
to be canonized. Many scholars have noted that The Letter of James’ position
tucked away at the back of the Bible encourages Bible readers to see The Letter
of James as little more than an appendix to the Pauline works that dominate the
first half of the New Testament. Eusebius considered it “among the disputed
writings, which are nevertheless recognized by many.”20 Martin Luther21,
the father of the Protestant movement strongly disliked the Letter of James and
famously attacked its contradiction of justification by faith. He proclaimed,
“I will not have him in my Bible to be numbered among the true chief books.”
Although most Lutheran theologians did not take such a harsh line, Luther none
the less established an important tradition whose influence is still felt
today. Bauckham informs us that “Luther’s principle of a canon within the
canon, determined by discrimination among the New Testament books as to which
of them clearly convey the Gospel of Christ, remained extremely influential
.......in much of modern New Testament scholarship which is heavily indebted to
the work of German Lutheran scholars.” 22 However,
it is important to note that our oldest listing of the NT Canon (one of the
letter of Athanasius in 367CE) actually places James after Acts with the
Pauline letters at the end just before Revelation. This order is still used in
the Eastern Churches to this day. Although academics attempt to approach the NT
holistically, the vast majority of lay-people read the Bible as they would any
other book, from beginning to end. The letter of James being a mere addition to
what they have already learnt from Paul. Many leading scholars, such as
Tischendorf, restored the ancient order in their critical editions of the NT
but they are still a rarity.
There is much academic discussion over who was the actual author of The
Letter of James. However, it is quite clear who the writer claimed to be, James
the leader of the Jerusalem Church. The letter opens with “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus
Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.”(James 1:1) James
(Jacob) was a very popular name amongst Jews and Christians and there is only
one James that was prominent enough to be referred to simply as ‘James’ without
further clarification normally by reference to his father. It is not possible
here to enter into a prolonged discussion detailing the different arguments for
whether James the brother of Jesus is the true author or not. Bauckham came to
the conclusion that “the letter can be read as what it purports to be: an
encyclical from James of Jerusalem to the Diaspora.” 23 Wilson takes a similar stance, “It is
unclear, however, if this document was written by James himself prior to his
death in 62 or by a devoted follower..... Whatever its authorship, it reflects
the views of the Jesus Movement......”24
The most relevant part of The Letter of James for our purposes is where
he explicitly rejects Paulinism and argues strongly that true faith is
evidenced by righteous actions which entails following the Law. Here is the
relevant section in full:
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith
but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and
lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and
eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the
good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will
say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from
your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is
one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder. Do you want to be
shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not our
ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to
completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says,
"Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,"
and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by
works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:14-24)
It is quite clear that the Letter of James has a very different
understanding of faith to Paul. Many scholars have tried desperately to
reconcile James and Paul and deny the obvious contrast between their views on
faith and Law. Others have realised the futility and difficulty and simply
ignore James and his letter as much as possible. Yet there has always been a
love-hate relationship with the Letter of James. There is an inherent danger in
the doctrine of justification that it may be misunderstood and lead to a
disregard for morality in general. Paul himself had to deal with such
occurrences during his own life time and Christian communities have always
struggled with trying to enforce and encourage morality whilst also preaching
the superiority of ‘love’ and ‘faith’ over good works. Thus James’ Letter has
held an important and essential complimentary role as a check and balance
against extreme Paulinism.
The Torch
Still Burns
Many of the NT scholars that have been bold enough to approach James
afresh have come to the disturbing conclusion that the beliefs, even the
religion of James and the Jerusalem Church are not at all similar to normative
Christianity. “Everything points to the conclusion that the leaders of the
so-called ‘Jerusalem Church’ were not Christians in any sense that would be
intelligible to Christians of a later date.”25 The
well known academic and researcher Akers came to a similar conclusion as a
result of his extensive studies into the first Jewish-Christian communities.
“The books seeking to understand the Jewishness of Jesus are now legion. Yet
almost no one wants to confront the problem of Jewish Christianity. The reason
for this reluctance is not hard to find; the views of Jewish Christianity are
not those of most Christians. The theology is of course unacceptable, being in
essence a form of Jewish monotheism.”26 Wilson
believes that the fact that Christians don’t follow the religion of Jesus is
one the greatest cover-ups of history. He contends that “the original message
of Jesus and the Jesus movement, Jesus’ earliest followers in Jerusalem became
switched for a different religion. This other religion......was the Christ
movement developed by Paul in the Diaspora......the religion of Paul became
grafted onto the original religion led by James.”27
The brave scholars that have taken on centuries of academic tradition
trying to bring forward the importance of James and what he tells us about
Christ have often come to an even more startling revelation. There is in fact a
community who have maintained the correct beliefs about Jesus and continued the
efforts of James. Two leading world-renowned scholars who have been brazen
enough to bring this to the public’s attention are Butz and Tabor. Who realized
that unbeknown to most Christians “it is more than intriguing that the Muslim
understanding of Jesus is very much in conformity with the first Christian
orthodoxy-the original Jewish Christian understanding of Jesus.”28
Isa bin Maryam
The following is a very brief overview of how Jesus(or Isa) is viewed
in Islam. By bringing to light relevant verses of The Quran along with
authentic narrations of the Prophet Muhammad it is clear that the orthodox
Islamic view is intriguingly similar to that held by Jesus’ closest companions.
The Islamic Jesus, like all the prophets and messengers, focused
primarily on the unique oneness of Allah (God). Allah informs us in the Noble
Quran, “They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allah is the Messiah, the
son of Mary" while the Messiah has said, "O Children of Israel,
worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord." (Quran 5:72). This verse of the
Quran is very similar to Jesus’ statement in the Gospel of Mark, “Hear,
Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.” (Mk 12.29)29
Jesus’ closest disciples didn’t worship Jesus at all, and certainly
didn’t believe he shared any of God’s divine attributes in the slightest. The
Quran whilst mentioning many of the miracles that Jesus performed by the
permission of Allah makes clear that such feats do not in any way suggest Jesus
was divine. For example, “Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary,
remember My favour upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the
Pure Spirit and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and
[remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel;
and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My
permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission;
and you healed the blind and the leper with My permission; and when you brought
forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel
from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs......” (Quran 5:110)
Jesus, along with all of the creation, is far removed from Allah who no one
or anything resembles in the least. Allah says, Indeed, the example of Jesus
to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him,
"Be," and he was.(Quran 3:59).
The earliest Jewish-Christians who actually knew Jesus personally and centered
their theology around what he taught, did not have any Trinitarian notions of
God. Rather James and the other disciples rejected Paul’s increasingly fanciful
philosophical theories and believed in sticking closely to ‘the way’ of Jesus.
Christianity today has strayed far from the original teachings of the Messiah.
Prof. Ziffer informs us “Christianity today, with its many denominational
expressions, its various faith affirmations and rituals, is far removed from
the religion of Jesus of Nazareth, the first century Galilean Jewish teacher.”30 Likewise the Quran reminds the Jews and
Christians that they should fear Allah and speak truthfully concerning matters
of religion. Jesus did not preach anything remotely similar to the doctrine of
the Trinity and it is a great slander against him to suggest otherwise. Rather,
The Quran says “O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your
religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of
Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a
soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers.
And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah
is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in
the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer
of affairs.” (Quran 4:171) Muslims believe all of the Prophets and
Messengers were special and honorable, but they heed the command of their
Prophet Muhammad who warned, "Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians
praised the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave. So, call me the Slave of Allah
and His Apostle." (Bk 4:55:654)
Both the Quran and the NT reference Jesus’ special conception. All
Muslims, like the vast majority of Christians, believe in the virgin-birth of Jesus
the Messiah, however; they place its significance elsewhere. Jesus was born of
a virgin and the Quran is explicit in this regard, “She [Mary] said,
"How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been
unchaste?" (Quran 19:20) Jesus’ miraculous birth causes the believers
to increase in faith and devotion to Allah the exalted, rather than toward his
creation. Muslims like Jesus’ closest disciples do not consider the
virgin-birth an aspect of divinity. In fact, for Christians to do so is an
inconsistent point of view. For Jesus was not the first Prophet or Messenger to
be born in a remarkable way. For example, Isaac (Ishaq) ,John (Yahya), Benjamin
(Binyameen),Samuel (Samu’eel ), Samson (Shamshoun) and Mary (Maryam) all had
miraculous conceptions or births, and Eve (Hawa) was created miraculously from
her husband Adam. Adam, who was created without a mother or father, has more
right to be worshipped on that basis than Jesus. Rather, the Muslims believe as
Allah says “It is easy for Me, for I created you before, while you were
nothing.”(Quran 19:9)
Intriguingly the Noble Quran even makes subtle reference to the history
of early Christianity. In the chapter titled Maryam we are informed, “[Jesus
said], "And indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That
is a straight path." Then the factions differed [concerning Jesus] from
among them, so woe to those who disbelieved - from the scene of a tremendous
Day.” (Quran 19:36-38) The Quran is clear that Jesus’ mission and purpose
was simply and eloquently conveyed to the Jewish people yet shortly after his
ascension they differed amongst themselves concerning him and his call. In the
second chapter of the Quran Allah informs mankind, “And We [Allah] gave
Jesus, the Son of Mary, clear proofs, and We supported him with the Pure
Spirit. If Allah had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have
fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed,
and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allah had
willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends.”
(Quran 2:253) Although the above verses may seem rather obvious to the
modern reader who has at his disposal the hindsight of the last two centuries
of modern research into early Christianity. The view we find in the Quran
pre-dates the quest for the historical Jesus by some 1,200 years! For over a
millennia the status quo amongst western scholarship was that the early
followers of Jesus galvanized almost immediately after Jesus’ ascension, and
they were a unified community. For many Christians there is an assumption that
what we consider to be ‘orthodox’ today has always been the case. The famous
scholar Ehrman explains that “the victors in the struggles to establish
Christian orthodoxy not only won their theological battles, they also rewrote
the history of the conflict; later readers, then, naturally assumed that the
victorious views had been embraced by the vast majority of Christians from the
very beginning all the way back to Jesus and his closest followers, the
apostles.”31 The fundamental differences between the
Pauline Churches and the Jerusalem community headed by James were seen as
separate strands of one body. The idea that there were different groups with
major theological differences so soon after Jesus is now a solid but relatively
recent scholarly consensus. Butz informs us that “Today, however, many scholars
are taking a rather more startling position on the question of Christianity’s
origins by pushing it forward several decades after Jesus, arguing that the
Christian Church was not actually started by Jesus at all, but by
Paul.......And there are a number of scholars who take the even more radical
position that Christianity as we know it today really began centuries later, in
the year 325, when the Council of Nicaea officially declared what was orthodox
Christian doctrine and what wasn’t.......”32
The fact that people who claimed to be followers of Jesus differed
about him and took varying stances towards him was the normal pattern of
behaviour after each and every Prophet of God. Rather, it would have been
stranger if it were not the case. In an authentic narration “The Messenger of
Allah [Muhammad] observed: Never a Prophet had been sent before me by Allah
towards his nation who had not among his people (his) disciples and companions who
followed his ways and obeyed his command. Then there came after them their
successors who said whatever they did not practice, and practiced whatever they
were not commanded to do. He who strove against them with his hand was a
believer: he who strove against them with his tongue was a believer, and he who
strove against them with his heart was a believer and beyond that there is no
faith even to the extent of a mustard seed...... “(MS 1:81)
The important question is not whether people differed about Jesus, but
how we ascertain who held the correct views about him. What is a sound and
consistent methodology for deciding whether a stance is legitimate or not?
The Islamic answer to this important question applies equally to all
the messengers and prophets of God. In matters of religion the correct
understanding is that which is accordance with Allah and his messengers. Allah
says in the Quran, “Say, "We have believed in Allah and in what was revealed
to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the
Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from
their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims
[submitting] to Him." (Quran 3:84) It is not allowed for a person to
speculate about Allah mixing truth with fiction, philosophy with facts. It is
Allah who informs mankind about Himself as befits his Majesty. In the Quran we
are warned “O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion
or say about Allah except the truth.” (Quran 4:171) Those people who were
not honoured with accompanying the Prophets and Messengers should not be
arrogant but submit themselves to those who were. By what logic or intellect
could a person claim to have more knowledge about Abraham than his sons Ishmael
and Isaac? Who could claim to understand Moses more than his brother and fellow
Prophet Aaron? Similarly, who would be audacious enough to precede the
disciples of Jesus amongst whom was his noble mother Mary in claiming knowledge
about him? However, the exception to this rule is when a Prophet speaks about
another Prophet who he never met. He does this on the authority of revelation.
It is Allah who informs him concerning these matters. “We relate to you, [O
Muhammad], the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Qur'an
although you were, before it, among the unaware.” (Quran 12:3) Jesus and
Mohammed both spoke about the previous Prophets and nations upon the authority
of revelation. According to Matthew “the crowds were astounded at his [Jesus’]
teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their
scribes.” (Mt 7:28-29)Allah
informs that he would have dealt a severe punishment to Muhammad if he had made
false speech concerning religion, “[That] indeed, the Qur'an is the word of
a noble Messenger. And it is not the word of a poet; little do you believe. Nor
the word of a soothsayer; little do you remember. [It is] a revelation from the
Lord of the worlds. And if Muhammad had made up about Us some [false] sayings,
We would have seized him by the right hand; Then We would have cut from him the
aorta. And there is no one of you who could prevent [Us] from him.” (Quran
69:40-47)
After we reflect upon the above principle and apply it to the debate
between James and Paul as discussed previously it becomes apparent who has the
authority to speak concerning such matters and who doesn’t. Paul, although he
never met or walked with Jesus, took a very different stance on important
theological issues in contrast to the Jerusalem church that was recognised by
Jesus’ disciples and headed by James the Just. Although Paul’s letters in the
NT make for interesting reading they are at the end of the day speculation and
theory. He simply didn’t know Jesus and didn’t have much regard for the
historical facts of his mission. Wenham whilst discussing whether Paul was
interested in the real Jesus maintains that “His [Paul’s] failure to quote
Jesus and to retell the stories of Jesus is one of the main arguments for the
view that Paul was a religious innovator with his own ideas, rather than a
faithful follower of Jesus......in none of his letters does Paul show any
obvious knowledge of, or apparent interest in, those stories......Instead he
gives his own idea and opinions.”33
One of the most important similarities between James and Islam is the
understanding of the purpose of the Prophets and Messengers and Allah’s Wisdom
and Mercy in sending them to humanity. For James and the earliest disciples the
significance of Jesus was not in the mystery of his birth or ascension. These
miracles were confirmation of the prophet hood not the sole purpose of it. His
raison d’être was what he said and did, his example. He was sent but to convey
and be obeyed concerning all matters of religion. According to John, “Jesus
said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes
to the Father except through me.....” (Jn 14:6) The Quran corroborates the
above verse. It is clear that Jesus offered salvation to the Jewish people.
Following Jesus is the manifestation of loving God and a rejection of him is a
hatred of God. The disciples of Jesus were honoured with accepting this
invitation and salvation. “O you who have believed, be supporters of Allah,
as when Jesus, the son of Mary, said to the disciples, "Who are my
supporters for Allah?" The disciples said, "We are supporters of
Allah." And a faction of the Children of Israel believed and a faction
disbelieved.” (Quran 61:14)
As the famous saying goes, “imitation is the most sincere form of
flattery”, the early Christians understood that the true love of Christ is the
following of his commandments. Thus we find “If you love me, you will keep my
commandments.” (Jn 14:15) This is in stark contrast to Pauline Christianity and
its focus on justification by faith. James rejected Paul’s rhetoric due to his
proximity to and intimate knowledge of the real Jesus and his close association
with Jesus’ other disciples. The early Jewish-Christians heeded Jesus’ powerful
warning “Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many
will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out
demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” Then I will
declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” (Mt
7:21-23) The schism that began between James and Paul escalated amongst their
respective followers. Such was the enmity between the early Jewish-Christians
and followers of Paul that they considered Paul an apostate and false-prophet.
Many Christians try to show that Paul had a legitimate historical basis to his
gospel and that he must have met early followers of Jesus and learnt from them.
However this argument is contrary to Paul’s own claims. Paul is absolutely
adamant that he received a revelation of his own and that his theories are not
dependent on any of Jesus’ companions. He begins his letter Galatians “Paul an
apostle-sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities......For I
want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel that was proclaimed by
me is not of human origin; for I did not receive it from a human source, nor
was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ”.
(Gal1:1-12) They rejected Paul’s
gospel for the true Gospel of Christ and rejected his call to abandon the Law
of Moses because it was burdensome and believed strongly that true faith is
evidence in good deeds. They heeded the powerful advice of Jesus in the famous
parables of the narrow gate, and the tree and its fruits, “Enter through the
narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to
destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the
road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of false
prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs
from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad
tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree
bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.” (Mt 7:13-20)
Renowned academic and NT scholar Levine maintains that “the idea that Jesus
voided the Sabbath, declared all foods clean, and otherwise dismissed the Torah
is an invention that met the needs of the growing gentile church.”34 Muslims agree with the early
Jewish-Christians that Jesus did not abandon the Torah. In fact, he came to
confirm it and reminded the Jews of its correct interpretation and rulings. In
addition to the Torah he was sent with a new message, the Gospel (Al-Injeel)
which was a compliment to rather than a complete replacement of the Mosaic
scripture. Allah says, “And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus,
the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We
gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which
preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous.” (Quran
5:46)
In summary, the Prophet said, "If anyone testifies that None has
the right to be worshipped but Allah Alone Who has no partners, and that
Muhammad is His Slave and His Apostle, and that Jesus is Allah's Slave and His
Apostle and His Word which He bestowed on Mary and a Spirit created by Him, and
that Paradise is true, and Hell is true, Allah will admit him into Paradise
with the deeds which he had done even if those deeds were few." (BK
4:55:644)
Conclusion
Who was James? James the Just was a righteous follower of Jesus and
faithfully maintained ‘the way’ of Christ such that he was stoned to death for
his convictions. He organized and led the early disciples after Jesus’
ascension and combated all those who tried to pervert the true Gospel, Paul of
Tarsus chief amongst them. James was considered authoritative in matters of
doctrine by the first community of Jesus’ followers which was comprised of
Jesus’ most loyal and knowledgeable companions. We would do well to remember
Wilson’s principle “As James, so Jesus......the example of James is the best
clue we have today concerning the beliefs and practices of the Jesus of
history.” 35 One of the best sources for understanding
James and what he believed is the Letter attributed to him in the NT. In it we
are struck by his compassion, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God,
the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to
keep oneself unstained by the world.” His humility, “For all of us make many
mistakes.” His strength of faith, “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face
trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing
of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so
that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” His abstinence, “Do
you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore
whoever wishes to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” His
patience, “The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient
with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be
patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” His
modesty, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for
you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” His awe of
God, “Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such
a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money." Yet you
do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a
mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to
say, "If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that."
“And We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth,
confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it.
So judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their
inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We
prescribed a law and a method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one
nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given
you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allah is your return all together, and
He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.”
(Quran 5:48)
1
J.Butz, The Brother of Jesus and The Lost Teachings of Christianity, Pg.8,
Inner Traditions 2005
2 G.Vermes,
Who’s Who in the Age of Jesus, Pg. 128, Penguin 2005
3 Titus
Flavius Josephus was a 1st Century
Jewish-Roman historian who provides some rare independent non-Christian
accounts of early Christianity.
4 Eusebius
of Caesarea was an early 4th Century
Roman historian and influential Christian scholar.
5
Eusebius, History of The Church (Bk2,Ch23,5-6)
6 B
Wilson, How Jesus Became Christian, Pg. 97, Phoenix 2009
7 Catholic
doctrine maintains that Mary was ever-virgin for her entire life, Jesus being
her only child. The doctrine had wide support by as early as the 4th Century. Although most Protestant
churches teach the virgin birth, they do not have a problem with Mary having
other children after Jesus.
8
See Gal 1:18-19, 1 Cor 15:7 and Acts 12:17
9
Eusebius, History of The Church (Bk1,Ch1,2)
10 ‘The Gate of Jesus’ or ‘Way of Jesus’ are a couple of the
earliest labels attributed to the followers of Jesus the Messiah. The popular
term ‘Christian’ actually began in the Pauline Church of Antioch (Acts 11:26).
In fact the early followers of Jesus were known as Nazarenes, which is used
fourteen times in the NT in contrast to the three usages of Christian.
11
Eusebius, History of The Church (Bk2,Ch23,8-16)
12 Luke the Physician is traditionally considered the author of The
Gospel of Luke and Acts and was a companion and disciple of Paul. He was most
likely a Gentile and native of Antioch. Eusebius informs us that Luke also
translated some of Paul’s letters from the Hebrew into Greek. Some scholars
doubt whether Luke the companion of Paul and the author of Acts could also be
the Gospel writer due to inconsistencies and contradictions between the two
texts.
St. Peter’s Church in Antioch. One of
Christianities oldest churches. 
13 J
Butz, The Secret Legacy of Jesus, Pg 92 , Inner Traditions 2010
14 J
Butz, The Secret Legacy of Jesus, Pg 99 , Inner Traditions 2010
15 D
Wenham, Did St Paul Get Jesus Right?, Chap 3, Par. 29, Lion Books 2011 (Kindle
Edition)
16 J
Butz, The Brother of Jesus and The Lost Teachings of Christianity, Pg xi, Inner
Traditions 2005
17
R. Bauckham, James, Pg 17, Routledge 1999
18 J
Butz, The Brother of Jesus and The Lost Teachings of Christianity, Pg 186,
Inner Traditions 2005
19 B
Wilson, How Jesus Became Christian, Pg. 98, Phoenix 2009
20
Eusebius, History of The Church (Bk3,Ch25,3)
21 Luther (1483-1546) was a leading figure of the Protestant movement
against the Catholic Church. Luther believed that salvation is not earned by
works but only as a gift of God’s grace. Luther challenged Rome on a number of
doctrinal issues and was eventually pronounced a heretic, and the Emperor
permitted anyone to kill him on sight. Luther came to the conclusion that
justification was the key to all of Christianity and even considered good works
done to achieve redemption as sinful. Luther relied mostly upon the Pauline
letters to justify his stance and naturally saw the Letter of James’
understanding of good works and the Law as a contradiction of his beliefs.
22
R. Bauckham, James, Pg.117, Routledge 1999
23
R. Bauckham, James Pg.25, Routledge 1999
24 B
Wilson, How Jesus Became Christian, Pg. 152, Phoenix 2009
25 J
Butz, The Brother of Jesus and The Lost Teachings of Christianity, Pg. 151,
Inner Traditions 2005
26 K
Akers, The Lost Religion of Jesus: Simple Living and Nonviolence in Early
Christianity, Pg.226, Lantern Books 2000 (Kindle Edition)
27 B
Wilson, How Jesus Became Christian Pg. 2, Phoenix 2009
28 J
Butz, The Brother of Jesus and The Lost Teachings of Christianity, Pg. 186,
Inner Traditions 2005
29
This statement is known in Judaism as the Shema. It is the fundamental
testimony of faith for the Jewish people. It serves a similar function to the
Shahada in Islam. It is an obligation in both religions to recite at various
times, places and during certain rituals. Like the Shahada for Muslims, Jews hope their last words are the Shema.
The Christians have mostly abandoned the Shema taught to them by Jesus as
attested in both the Quran and Bible in favour of Paul’s innovated version (1
Cor 8:6) which adds the idolatrous concept of creation through Christ.
30 W
Ziffer, The Birth of Christianity from the Matrix of Judaism, Pg. 60,
AuthorHouse 2006
31 B
Ehrman, Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make it into the New Testament,
Pg.2, Oxford 2005
32 J
Butz, The Secret Legacy of Jesus, Pg 50 , Inner Traditions 2010
33 D
Wenham, Did St Paul Get Jesus Right?, Chap. 4, Par. 2, Lion Books 2011 (Kindle
Edition)
34 A
Levine, The Misunderstood Jew, Pg. 172, HarperCollins 2006
35 B
Wilson, How Jesus Became Christian, Pg.98, Phoenix 2009
Courtesy : Talib Morrison
pathoftheprophets@gmail.com
www.pathoftheprophets.net
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