Chapter 11: The Evidence of the Prisoner's Brother Summary and Analysis

Josephus a writer who was against the Christian movement wrote of James the Just who was Jesus' brother. Josephus wrote of his stoning in AD 62. James, who was initially against Jesus' ministry, became a martyr because of his adherence to the cause. In AD 57, Paul was returning to Jerusalem for perhaps the last time. Luke tells the story in Acts which indicated that at that time James was the leader of the movement and Paul was probably reporting to him on his mission. Going back a few more years to AD 50, James attended the Council of Jerusalem which was held to discuss policy as it related to the conversion of Gentiles. A stumbling block was the rite of circumcision imposed by Mosaic Law. James was recorded as giving the...