Biblica
Jacob

Of the many NT Jacobs (often Anglicized as "James," but this is a grownup page), the one most discussed is Jacob, "the Lord's brother." There is no doubt that Jacob was the oldest of Jesus's brothers, and the one on whom leadership of the Jesus movement would naturally fall after the death of Jesus himself. Paul's Epistles show Jacob in such a position of authority in Jerusalem not long after Jesus's death. The problem is that (a) no NT tradition records the adherence of Jacob to Jesus's movement during Jesus's life, on the contrary, Mark records his and all the family's opposition; (b) no NT tradition records the later conversion of Jacob to that movement, and by contrast, (c) all NT traditions portray Peter as the chief member of the disciple circle, both during and immediately after the lifetime of Jesus. How and when did Jacob acquire the authority which Paul finds him exercising? And how far did that authority carry?

• The Rejection of Galilee
• The Theology of Jacob
• The Jacob Literature
• The Probable Jacob Scenario
• Conclusion

25 Sept 2005 / Contact The Project / Exit to Biblica Page