James the Great

## James

* S2
* S1, EPS5-8
* S1, EPS1-4

*"It wasn't luck; He chose us."*
―James to John.[src]
**James**, nicknamed **The Great**, was a former fisherman in Capernaum and became one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.

## Biography

### Early Life

James son of Zebedee was born in Capernaum. He saw he father and wanted to be a fisherman just like him. When he was a little boy his younger brother, John, was born, and the boys became best friends. In Hebrew School, James loved studying Torah. He loved the histories and stories of his people, and he hoped he could be just like the heroes of those stories. James was captivated by the prophesized Messiah who would free the Jewish people from their oppressors. James dreamed of the Messiah slaying the Romans on his street, and he wanted to help Him do it. As a boy, trained everyday with a wooden sword and at one point he accidentally hit his brother with it.

### Fisherman

When he graduated, his father taught him to fish and he was respected as the first-born-son of Zebedee, one of the greatest fishermen in Capernaum. When James' younger brother finished Hebrew School, James taught him to fish and brought John with him everywhere. James took John with him to various taverns and dens and continued to live with his family as he became an adult. James was of the age where he was expected to find a wife, but he opted to focus on fishing, his family, and God.

### Fisher of Man

#### Catch of the Fish

One day, James' father was approached by a fisherman named Andrew. Andrew and his brother Simon were struggling with taxes and they needed Zebedee's help. Zebedee and his two sons helped Simon and Andrew fish for an entire night, but they could not catch any fish. When they finished that morning Andrew and Simon docked near a Preacher and the Preacher began talking to them. When the Preacher finished speaking He miraculously made many fish appear out of nowhere and James realized the Preacher was the Messiah. Afterwards, the Preacher called James, John, Simon, and Andrew to follow Him. With their father's permission, the sons followed Him. The Preacher was named Jesus of Nazareth.

#### Wedding at Cana

The next day, James (nicknamed now as Big James), John, Simon, and Andrew followed Jesus to Cana for a wedding, along with Jesus' other students Thaddeus, James the Less, and Mary. At the wedding, James met Jesus's mother, Mary. That night, the servants ran out of wine and Jesus miraculously turned water to wine.

#### At Zebedee's

After the wedding, the group travelled back to Capernaum, and on the way Jesus healed a leper. When they got to Capernaum, Jesus visited James' parents home and James's mother, Salome, told him and his brother to listen to Jesus. Jesus began to preach and James witnessed Jesus heal a paralytic. At the end of the sermon, a Pharisee named Shmuel called for Jesus' arrest, but the group was able to slip away.

#### A Pharisee and a Tax Collector

The day after the healing of the paralytic, Jesus spoke with a Pharisee named Nicodemus while James spoke with his parents. The next day, Jesus called Matthew, one of the tax collectors in Capernaum, to follow Him. James is upset and so is Simon; Jesus just tells Simon to get used to different.

#### In Sychar

The group left Capernaum and headed for Judea. Jesus decided they go through Samaria instead of traveling along the Jordan, and James and John protested. Knowing they do not like Samaritans, Jesus tells John and Big James to plow a field on the outskirts of the village they are stopping at, Sychar. James and John do as He instructs thinking the plants are for weary travelers. When they arrive back, they meet Thomas and Ramah, who Jesus had called earlier. The next day, Jesus has James and John instruct the others on what to buy for a dinner He is planning, and the two begin to get big-headed thinking Jesus wants them to lead the party. That night, they realize the field they plowed was for a Samaritan family and they become very upset.

The next day, Jesus revealed that He healed the father of the Samaritan family, Melech, and He tells them that one day, they will have the authority on earth that He does. The brothers have an argument with the rest of the group when they try to establish themselves as the leaders. When they loose the argument, John storms out to finds Jesus and James goes with him to make sure he does nothing foolish. Before he and John can talk to Jesus, some Samaritans spit and throw rocks at them and Jesus. The two brothers get extremely upset, demanding Jesus give them the authority He told him about earlier to incinerate the Samaritans with bolts of lighting and fire. Jesus rebukes their hatred and nicknames them the Sons of Thunder. Later that day, James is present while Jesus reads from the first scroll of Moses in the local synagogue.

#### In Bashan and Syria

Heading to Syria through Bashan, the disciples meet a follower of John the Baptizer named Philip who wants to join Jesus and His ministry.

When they reach Syria, people are already lined up to be healed by Jesus and James is a little frustrated that they get no time to rest before having to help keep the crowd in order. The disciples take turns, helping and watching Jesus heal. While Jesus heals, James meets Nathanael, Jesus' newest disciple. He also tells the others about his concerns regarding Jesus not seemingly not preparing for a rebellion against Rome.

#### The Feast of Tabernacles

The group travels to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. James helps build the booth and Thomas and Nathanael tell him, John, Simon, and Andrew that Shmuel was preaching against Jesus in Jerusalem. Simon, John, and Matthew go with Jesus to the Pool of Bethesda, and James becomes a little jealous that Jesus brought the three of them with him and did not bring him also.

#### Simon the Zealot

A few days later, in the outskirts of Jericho, Jesus goes to meet with John the Baptizer while the James, John, Thaddeus, Little James, and Nathanael go to gather supplies for a new tent. When they return to camp, they find a demoniac terrorizing some of the others and a Zealot fighting the demoniac off. Jesus heals the man and calls Simon the Zealot (nicknamed as Zee), to follow Him. That night, James meets Zee. While Simon and Matthew, look for Mary, James tells John that while he tries to act like he knows what he is doing he really has no clue, only bits and pieces.

#### Shabbat Controversy

On Shabbat, Philip arrives back to camp and tells everyone that John the Baptizer was arrested and sentenced to life in prison. Jesus takes the group to a synagogue in Wadi Kelt, where Jesus heals a Elam, a man with a withered hand. Leaving the synagogue, Jesus permits his hungry party to pick grains, upsetting the Pharisees. Then Jesus claims to be the Son of Man and the Lord of the Sabbath.

#### "I'll Be Back"

Jesus tells the disciples of a Sermon He is planning that will define His ministry. While Jesus tells them about the Sermon, a squadron of Roman Soldier come to detain Jesus for questioning. James and John follow Jesus' instructions and surrender peacefully. Once the Romans leave with Jesus, the party discusses what to do next. Andrew's anxiousness rubs off on James and he argues that they might be able to use Zee's skills to break Jesus out; the idea is quickly tarnished by the others. They wait a full day for Jesus to return and when He comes back, they ask Him to teach them how to pray like Him. After another week of preparing, they distribute the invitations throughout Galilee, inviting people to Jesus' Sermon. Jesus takes Matthew away from the camp early every mourning to work on the Sermon, and James becomes jealous that Jesus keeps taking Matthew with him.

#### Sermon on the Mount

The group goes to a mountain, overlooking the Sea of Galilee, and James helps organize the crowd of nearly four thousand people. Before the Sermon starts, James' parents arrive and he gets to talk to them.

### Apostleship

James travels the known world teaching and testifying the life and message of Jesus. Fifteen years after Jesus' resurrection, James is brought forth before king Harod and executed, he is the first of the Twelve to be martyred.

## Appearances

* *Season One*
	+ *Shabbat*
	+ *The Rock On Which It Is Built*
	+ *The Wedding Gift*
	+ *Indescribable Compassion*
	+ *Invitations*
	+ *I Am He*
* *Season Two*
	+ *Thunder*
	+ *I Saw You*
	+ *Matthew 4:24*
	+ *The Perfect Opportunity*
	+ *Unlawful*
	+ *Reckoning*
	+ *Beyond Mountains*

## Trivia

* Big James being played by three separate actors has become something of a running gag in the *Chosen* fandom, joking when the next recast will happen.
	+ The reason for this is because the original actor, Shayan Sobhian, left the show to play Behrad Tarazi on DC's *Legends of Tomorrow*. Kian Kavousi was cast instead, but then had to leave because of a family emergency. Finally, Abe Bueno-Jallad was cast and he has played the role since.