The following is an extract about James from the ancient Christian historian
Eusebius, who writes about James in the twenty-third chapter of the
second book of his Ecclesiastical History:
"But when Paul had appealed to Caesar, and Festus had sent him to
Rome, the Jews being disappointed in their design against him, turned
their rage against James, the Lord's brother, to whom the apostles had
consigned the episcopal chair of Jerusalem, and in this manner they
proceeded against him: having laid bold of him, they required him, in
the presence of all the people, to renounce his faith in Christ; but he,
with freedom and boldness beyond expectation, before all the multitude
declared our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to be the Son of God.
They, not enduring the testimony of a man who was in high esteem for his
piety, laid hold of the opportunity when the country was without a
governor to put him to death; for Festus having died about that time in
Judea, the province had in it no procurator. The manner of the death of
James was shown before in the words of Clement, who said that he was
thrown off the battlement of the temple, and then beat to death with a
club.
But no one has so accurately related this transaction as Hegesippus, a
man in the first succession of the apostles, in the fifth book of his
Commentaries, whose words are to this purpose:
James, the brother of our Lord,
undertook, together with the apostles, the government of the Church. He
has been called the Just by all, from the time of our Saviour to ours;
for many have been named James; but he was holy from his mother's womb.
He drank neither wine nor strong drink, nor did he eat any animal food;
there never came a razor upon his head; he neither anointed himself with
oil, nor did he use a bath. To him alone was it lawful to enter the
holy place. He wore no woolen, but only linen garments.
He entered into the temple alone, where he prayed upon his knees;
insomuch that his knees were become like the knees of a camel by means
of his being continually upon them, worshipping God, and praying for the
forgiveness of the people. Upon account of his virtue he was called
the just, and Oblias, that is, the defense of the people, and
righteousness.
Some, therefore, of the seven sects which were among the Jews, of whom I
spoke in the former part of these Commentaries, asked him, "Which is
the gate of Jesus?" or, "What is the gate of salvation?" and he said,
"Jesus is the Saviour, or the way of salvation." Some of them therefore
believed that Jesus is the Christ. And many of the chief men also
believing, there was a disturbance among the Jews and among the scribes
and Pharisees, who said there was danger lest all the people should
think Jesus to be the Christ.
Coming therefore to James they said, "We beseech thee to restrain the
error of this people; we entreat thee to persuade all who come hither at
the time of Passover to think rightly concerning Jesus, for all the
people and all of us put confidence in thee. Stand therefore on the
battlement of the temple, that being placed on high thou mayest be
conspicuous, and thy words may be easily heard by all the people; for
because of the Passover all the tribes are come hither, and many
Gentiles."
Therefore the scribes and Pharisees before named placed James upon the
battlement of the temple, and cried out to him, and said, "O Justus,
whom we ought all to believe, since the people are in an error,
following Jesus, who was crucified, tell us what is the gate of Jesus."
And he answered with a loud voice, "Why do you ask me concerning the
Son of man? He even sitteth in the heaven, at the right hand of the
great Power, and will come in the clouds of heaven."
And many were fully satisfied and well pleased with the testimony of James, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David!
But the same scribes and Pharisees said one to another, We have done
wrong in procuring such a testimony to Jesus. Let us go up and throw
him down, that the people may be terrified from giving credit to him.
And they went up presently, and cast him down, and said, Let us stone
James the just: and they began to stone him because he was not killed by
the fall.
But he turning himself, kneeled, saying, I entreat thee, O Lord God the
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. As they were
stoning him, one said, "Give over. What do ye? The just man prays for
you." And one of them, a fuller, took a pole, which was used to beat
clothes with, and struck him on the head. Thus, his martyrdom was
completed.
And they buried him in that place; and his monument still remains near
the temple. This James was a true witness, both to Jews and Gentiles,
that Jesus is the Christ. Soon after Judea was invaded by Vespasian,
and the people were carried captive.'
Now here Eusebius quotes another historian - Hegesippus - who also writes about James