With great zeal and passion often come ambition and overconfidence in equal measure. This was also true for James. He was no different.
Matthew 20:20-24 records the story of James and John bringing their mother (Salome) to Jesus to ask that He would give them first place in His Kingdom. I'm surprised He didn't just laugh at them. He replied that they didn't know what they were getting themselves into and asked if they could do what He was going to do (He used the phrase 'drink the cup') Bursting with confidence, they of course said that they could. Jesus agreed with them that they would.
Their ambition was such that they wanted first place in the kingdom. Peter could have it while down here on earth, but they wanted it in the kingdom.
They wanted glory but did not know that in the kingdom of God, suffering precedes glory. THey thought they could do anything that Jesus could do!!!
Notice in vs 24 that they other disciples grumbled about this. That's because they had not thought of it first!!!
James wanted a crown of glory but Jesus gave him a cup of suffering.
James wanted power, but Jesus gave him servanthood
James wanted prominence and Jesus made him the first of the Apostles to be martyred.
James wanted to rule but Jesus gave him a sword for his own execution.
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I thought you might be interested in this. It is taken from www.oca.org.
Commemorated on April 30
The Holy Apostle James, the son of Zebedee, was the brother of St John the Theologian, and one of the Twelve Apostles. He and his brother, St John, were called to be Apostles by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who called them the "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17). It was this James, with John and Peter, who witnessed the Raising of the Daughter of Jairus, the Lord's Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, and His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
St James, after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, preached in Spain and in other lands, and then he returned to Jerusalem. He openly and boldly preached Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, and he denounced the Pharisees and the Scribes with the words of Holy Scripture, reproaching them for their malice of heart and unbelief.
The Jews could not prevail against St James, and so they hired the sorcerer Hermogenes to dispute with the apostle and refute his arguments that Christ was the promised Messiah Who had come into the world. The sorcerer sent to the apostle his pupil Philip, who was converted to belief in ChriSt Then Germogenes himself became persuaded of the power of God, he burned his books of magic, accepted holy Baptism and became a true follower of Christ.
The Jews persuaded Herod Agrippa (40-44) to arrest the Apostle James and sentence him to death (Acts 12:1-2). Eusebius provides some of the details of the saint's execution (CHURCH HISTORY II, 9). St James calmly heard the death sentence and continued to bear witness to Christ. One of the false witnesses, whose name was Josiah, was struck by the courage of St James. He came to believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. When they led the apostle forth to execution, Josiah fell at his feet, repenting of his sin and asking forgiveness. The apostle embraced him, gave him a kiss and said, "Peace and forgiveness to you." Then Josiah confessed his faith in Christ before everyone, and he was beheaded with St James in the year 44 at Jerusalem.
St James was the first of the Apostles to die as a martyr.
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