Have you ever felt like you were alone, even in a stadium of thousands. Did you ever go on vacation where you were surrounded by hundreds or thousands of people who had no idea who you were? I know I have. I’ve been in places where I knew the answers to questions, where I had been trained better than the presenter, where I had credentials that qualified me for a certain honor but someone else was receiving it instead. How must one feel in those situations?
I don’t know if that’s how these three men feel or not. We know them as James the Less, Simon the Zealot, and Judas (not Iscariot). How do you think they feel in Mark 10:35-41, for example? You’ll remember that section of Scripture as the time when two of Jesus’ apostles - John and the other James - approach Jesus to ask Him if they can sit next to Him in Heaven. Verse 38 has Jesus telling them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” The two believe they can handle those things, but Jesus then says (verse 39), “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on My right or on My left is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
Then listen to verse 41: “Hearing this, the other ten began to feel indignant with James and John.” Three of those 10 are the three apostles in this lesson. We wonder if these others believe they should sit to the right and left of Jesus in Heaven, but we may realize differently when we think a little more about them.
We’re taught to go for the gold, reach for the stars, be all you can be, look out for numero uno, etc. We’re taught that if you aren’t the lead dog the view never changes. But as hard as it might be to believe it, not everybody will get a trophy or get to celebrate his/her achievements. These three men seem to fit that bill. Metaphorically, they are always the bridesmaids and never the bride. We look at James, Simon, and Judas and we see three plain, ordinary guys - obscure apostles who don’t seem to amount to much - yet they remain important among the direct students of and missionaries for Jesus Christ.
And while they may seem silent and obscure to us because of the Bible’s silence about them, God knows who they are. They are there with the others, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned (as described by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-40).
James
There are, of course, two apostles named James. There is James the brother of John who is among the closest of Jesus’ students, but there is another known as James the Less. As we look for him in the Gospel accounts, we find only his name. He is James the Less or James the Younger. There he is in Mark 15:40: “Now there were also some women watching from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.” We know him from Matthew 10:3 as the son of Alphaeus.
Interestingly, Matthew is also referred to as the son of Alphaeus. Could they be brothers? There is really nothing to say that they are brothers. Peter and Andrew are brothers. John and the other James are brothers. But the Bible never says that Matthew and James the Less are brothers. It’s possible but unlikely. They don’t even show up in any of the lists together.
So we only know what we know - that he is James the Less. Less what? Less important than the other James? Was he smaller than the other James? By saying that he is “the less”, it’s possible that we mean that he is smaller or younger. Some believe
that this James was probably small in size, younger, and even quieter. Maybe that’s why he remains in the background.
The silence of Scripture means that we don’t have any record of him writing any books (unless he is that brother of Jesus). We don’t hear him asking Jesus any questions. We don’t see Jesus ever scolding him. But he is there, one of the 11 faithful apostles.
Simon
Simon is the same way. This isn’t Simon Peter, but a different Simon, and about the only thing we know about him is his name, along with the tag at the end of his name - Zealot. Now it could be that he is just really full of zeal - that he’s on fire for the mission at hand, but it seems there is more to the title.
Generally, we consider Simon to be a member of a notorious group of renegade vigilantes known as the Zealots. They are an extremist group that hates the Romans. They are dedicated to eradicating the occupying force, and they will do anything to achieve that goal. They have a propensity to be violent, always concealing knives under their clothing and always ready to act out in vengeance. They plot and scheme to assassinate Roman leaders and anybody else they consider to be an enemy of Israel.
How do you think that sits with Matthew? Matthew had previously sold out to the Romans, and even though he is Jewish, Matthew signed up to collect taxes for Rome, and perhaps he even profited by overcharging the Jews in the process. At one time, Simon might have happily murdered Matthew, and likewise, Matthew might have quickly reported Simon to the authorities. Yet, we see them in our mind’s eye as sitting at the same table, standing elbow-to-elbow with Jesus and the other apostles with a common message and a common mission. By their mutual association with the Christ, these two unlikely friends are uprooted from their pasts and united in brotherhood. That’s a mighty message of the transformative effect that Jesus has - and it’s one we must not miss in our relationships in the church today.
Judas (not Iscariot)
There are two Jameses. There is another Simon. And the third apostle in this lesson shares that: there is another Judas in the group.
This Judas shares a name with the traitor in the group, and he is identified as Judas (not Iscariot). I wonder if he spends the rest of his life introducing himself that way: Hello. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Judas. No not that Judas. I am Judas (not Iscariot). It would be akin to somebody with the unfortunate name of Adolf or the surname of Hussein.
John 14:22 is where we see this: “Judas (not Iscariot) said to [Jesus], ‘Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?’” This is the only location outside of the lists of apostles that we read about him.
But you can look at the remarkable answer from Jesus. When Judas (not Iscariot) asks about Jesus revealing Himself to “us and not to the world”, Jesus gives a lengthy answer. Read John 14:22-31, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” Those are very important statements as to where our authority comes from.
Then, again because this Judas, or Thaddaeus as he appears in Matthew 10:3, asks the question about Jesus revealing Himself, Jesus continues to explain (verse 25): “These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.”
Verse 27: “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.”
Verse 28: “You [still responding to Judas] heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in regard to Me, but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let’s go from here.”
Conclusion
Being a servant of God is not about us. It’s about sharing Jesus with others through our lives. It is about being selfless and allowing God’s light to shine through us. It’s God’s light, not our own, that has the power to transform.
John 6:66 says that there are some who leave the Lord because His teachings may be difficult, but James, Simon, and Judas (or Thaddaeus) remain with him. They are counted among the other faithful apostles at Pentecost in Acts 2. James, Simon, and Judas don’t vie for the limelight. They don’t try to climb the ladder to a higher-paying position within the company. What we know about them is that they effectively ro about the business of fulfilling the great commission, bringing people to Jesus and baptizing them for the forgiveness of their sins.
Any or all of these three could be brothers of Jesus, born of Mary, but there is no way we could know for certain. Again, that’s why we can only speculate about how they die - and even then, we have to rely on traditions and legends. James the less could have shared the Gospel in Egypt. Simon the Zealot may have traveled to the British Isles after the fall of Jerusalem. Judas (not Iscariot) might have taken the teachings to Turkey. And because we don’t know if they are the same as others with their namesakes, we can only guess at their forms of death.
I don’t know if that’s how these three men feel or not. We know them as James the Less, Simon the Zealot, and Judas (not Iscariot). How do you think they feel in Mark 10:35-41, for example? You’ll remember that section of Scripture as the time when two of Jesus’ apostles - John and the other James - approach Jesus to ask Him if they can sit next to Him in Heaven. Verse 38 has Jesus telling them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” The two believe they can handle those things, but Jesus then says (verse 39), “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. But to sit on My right or on My left is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”
Then listen to verse 41: “Hearing this, the other ten began to feel indignant with James and John.” Three of those 10 are the three apostles in this lesson. We wonder if these others believe they should sit to the right and left of Jesus in Heaven, but we may realize differently when we think a little more about them.
We’re taught to go for the gold, reach for the stars, be all you can be, look out for numero uno, etc. We’re taught that if you aren’t the lead dog the view never changes. But as hard as it might be to believe it, not everybody will get a trophy or get to celebrate his/her achievements. These three men seem to fit that bill. Metaphorically, they are always the bridesmaids and never the bride. We look at James, Simon, and Judas and we see three plain, ordinary guys - obscure apostles who don’t seem to amount to much - yet they remain important among the direct students of and missionaries for Jesus Christ.
And while they may seem silent and obscure to us because of the Bible’s silence about them, God knows who they are. They are there with the others, feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned (as described by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-40).
James
There are, of course, two apostles named James. There is James the brother of John who is among the closest of Jesus’ students, but there is another known as James the Less. As we look for him in the Gospel accounts, we find only his name. He is James the Less or James the Younger. There he is in Mark 15:40: “Now there were also some women watching from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.” We know him from Matthew 10:3 as the son of Alphaeus.
Interestingly, Matthew is also referred to as the son of Alphaeus. Could they be brothers? There is really nothing to say that they are brothers. Peter and Andrew are brothers. John and the other James are brothers. But the Bible never says that Matthew and James the Less are brothers. It’s possible but unlikely. They don’t even show up in any of the lists together.
So we only know what we know - that he is James the Less. Less what? Less important than the other James? Was he smaller than the other James? By saying that he is “the less”, it’s possible that we mean that he is smaller or younger. Some believe
that this James was probably small in size, younger, and even quieter. Maybe that’s why he remains in the background.
The silence of Scripture means that we don’t have any record of him writing any books (unless he is that brother of Jesus). We don’t hear him asking Jesus any questions. We don’t see Jesus ever scolding him. But he is there, one of the 11 faithful apostles.
Simon
Simon is the same way. This isn’t Simon Peter, but a different Simon, and about the only thing we know about him is his name, along with the tag at the end of his name - Zealot. Now it could be that he is just really full of zeal - that he’s on fire for the mission at hand, but it seems there is more to the title.
Generally, we consider Simon to be a member of a notorious group of renegade vigilantes known as the Zealots. They are an extremist group that hates the Romans. They are dedicated to eradicating the occupying force, and they will do anything to achieve that goal. They have a propensity to be violent, always concealing knives under their clothing and always ready to act out in vengeance. They plot and scheme to assassinate Roman leaders and anybody else they consider to be an enemy of Israel.
How do you think that sits with Matthew? Matthew had previously sold out to the Romans, and even though he is Jewish, Matthew signed up to collect taxes for Rome, and perhaps he even profited by overcharging the Jews in the process. At one time, Simon might have happily murdered Matthew, and likewise, Matthew might have quickly reported Simon to the authorities. Yet, we see them in our mind’s eye as sitting at the same table, standing elbow-to-elbow with Jesus and the other apostles with a common message and a common mission. By their mutual association with the Christ, these two unlikely friends are uprooted from their pasts and united in brotherhood. That’s a mighty message of the transformative effect that Jesus has - and it’s one we must not miss in our relationships in the church today.
Judas (not Iscariot)
There are two Jameses. There is another Simon. And the third apostle in this lesson shares that: there is another Judas in the group.
This Judas shares a name with the traitor in the group, and he is identified as Judas (not Iscariot). I wonder if he spends the rest of his life introducing himself that way: Hello. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Judas. No not that Judas. I am Judas (not Iscariot). It would be akin to somebody with the unfortunate name of Adolf or the surname of Hussein.
John 14:22 is where we see this: “Judas (not Iscariot) said to [Jesus], ‘Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?’” This is the only location outside of the lists of apostles that we read about him.
But you can look at the remarkable answer from Jesus. When Judas (not Iscariot) asks about Jesus revealing Himself to “us and not to the world”, Jesus gives a lengthy answer. Read John 14:22-31, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” Those are very important statements as to where our authority comes from.
Then, again because this Judas, or Thaddaeus as he appears in Matthew 10:3, asks the question about Jesus revealing Himself, Jesus continues to explain (verse 25): “These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.”
Verse 27: “Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.”
Verse 28: “You [still responding to Judas] heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in regard to Me, but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let’s go from here.”
Conclusion
Being a servant of God is not about us. It’s about sharing Jesus with others through our lives. It is about being selfless and allowing God’s light to shine through us. It’s God’s light, not our own, that has the power to transform.
John 6:66 says that there are some who leave the Lord because His teachings may be difficult, but James, Simon, and Judas (or Thaddaeus) remain with him. They are counted among the other faithful apostles at Pentecost in Acts 2. James, Simon, and Judas don’t vie for the limelight. They don’t try to climb the ladder to a higher-paying position within the company. What we know about them is that they effectively ro about the business of fulfilling the great commission, bringing people to Jesus and baptizing them for the forgiveness of their sins.
Any or all of these three could be brothers of Jesus, born of Mary, but there is no way we could know for certain. Again, that’s why we can only speculate about how they die - and even then, we have to rely on traditions and legends. James the less could have shared the Gospel in Egypt. Simon the Zealot may have traveled to the British Isles after the fall of Jerusalem. Judas (not Iscariot) might have taken the teachings to Turkey. And because we don’t know if they are the same as others with their namesakes, we can only guess at their forms of death.
