Minimal Fact #4

Minimal Fact #4:*

James, the skeptic and brother of Jesus, converted to become a follower of Jesus.

Most scholars accept this fact because it is documented by several early sources. First, scholars agree that James was originally a skeptic. As the brother of Jesus (Mark 3:21,31;6:3-4; John 7:5), James did not origninally believe in his own brother as the Messiah. But something happened that changed him from skeptic to becoming not only a follower of Jesus, but a leader in the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:12-21; Gal 1:19). What would it take for you to believe that your very own brother was the long-awaited Messiah?

There are no sources that say exactly what it was that convinced James, but Paul records in 1 Corinthians 15:7 that Jesus appeared to James after being raised. Likely it was this post-resurrection appearance that would have contributed to James' conversion. Paul also mentions clearly in Galatians 1:19 that Paul met James in Jerusalem, and that James was both the Lord's brother and an apostle. Luke writes in Acts 15 that James played a leading role in the Jerusalem council that is mentioned there. This means that within just a couple of years after the resurrection, James went from being a skeptic to becoming a believer, an apostle and leader in the church.

Several ancient sources also record James' suffering and martyrdom. Scholars generally accept these sources, which include Josephus, Clement of Alexandria, and Hegesippus. What would it take for a confirmed skeptic like James to go from being an enemy of the church to becoming a leader in the church who was then killed for his convictions? Once again, people die all the time for mistaken beliefs. But nobody dies for what they know to be false. Nobody.

So we know at least that James believed that Jesus had risen from the dead. But he was there. James was Jesus' brother. That's powerful evidence.

Minimal Facts:
1) Jesus died by crucifixion.
2) Jesus' followers believed that Jesus rose from the dead.
3) The skeptic Paul converted to becoming an apostle.
4) James, the brother of Jesus, went from being a skeptic to being an apostle and leader of the church.

Next up: The fifth and final Minimal Fact.

*Adapted from The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, by Habermas & Licona.