After a day in which two ascetics battled it out in the wilderness, John Chrysostom emerged victorious over Margaret of Cortona 53% to 47% -- despite a late push by Margaret -- to advance to the Saintly Sixteen. He'll face the winner of Mellitus vs. Ephrem of Nisibis.
Today we return to the Biblical quadrant of the bracket as James the Greater faces Nicodemus. For those who followed the Supreme Executive Committee's shenanigans at last summer's Lent Madness Day at General Convention in Austin, Texas, you'll recall this included a play-in match between James the Great and James the Less. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Greater lived up to his name, leaving the Lesser to wallow in saintly ignominy.
Finally, in case you missed yesterday's edition of Monday Madness, for which you should do some serious penance, you can still catch it here.
James the Greater
James the Greater is the portrait of an imperfect saint. He is often known as “the Greater” to distinguish him from the other Jameses in the Bible. The moniker denotes his prominence in the early tradition, not his superiority over other like-named disciples and saints Jameses.
James is the older brother of John. They are fishermen with their father Zebedee until Jesus calls them to follow him. James is given a special place in the gospels as an early follower of Jesus and as one who is given special access. He, along with Peter and John, is one of the few witnesses to the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:35-43), the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-9), and Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42).
In spite of this privileged place, James often exhibits weakness and lack of insight. His all-too-human responses give us hope. He and his brother are called “Sons of Thunder,” presumably because of their impetuousness. (Later hagiographers, that is, those who write about the lives of the saints, say the brothers were given the name for their thunderous—and effective—preaching.) In the Gospel of Luke, when a Samaritan village does not welcome Jesus, James and John ask if they should call fire from heaven to consume the village (Luke 9:51-56). James, with Peter and John, doesn’t understand the Transfiguration. He falls asleep while Jesus agonizes in the Garden. When Jesus tells his followers he must be rejected, condemned to death, mocked, and crucified, James and John reply by asking if they can be seated at his right and left hand in power (see Mark 10:32-40). According to Mark, James flees the crucifixion scene.
In the gospel tradition, James’s name always precedes John’s. Curiously, once Luke begins to tell his tale in Acts, James disappears while Peter and John act as the most prominent leaders of the nascent movement. This is perhaps because James, as one of the first martyrs for the Jesus movement, was killed by Herod in the early 40s (see Acts 12:2). In a story recounted by Clement of Alexandria, James’s defense before Herod was so effective that the guard who was charged with watching him was converted and the two were killed together.
Collect for James the Greater
O Gracious God, we remember before you today your servant and apostle James, first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the Name of Jesus Christ; and we pray that you will pour out upon the leaders of your Church that spirit of self-denying service by which alone they may have true authority among your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Nicodemus
Canonical material from which to pull a full biography of Nicodemus is limited. Nicodemus only appears in the Gospel of John and even then, only three times. The first time ol’ Nick appears in the gospel is when he comes to Jesus to ask him about his teachings. John describes Nicodemus as “a Pharisee…a leader of the Jews.” Nicodemus seems stumped by Jesus’ idea that one must be “born again” in order to inherit the kingdom of God. Through this exchange, which lasts for twenty-one verses, Jesus and Nicodemus exchange maxims, teachings, and the occasional sass before Jesus offers a more fulsome exploration of his work in the world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” We aren’t told whether or not Nicodemus is persuaded.
Nicodemus appears again several chapters later when the Sanhedrin discuss how to arrest Jesus for blasphemy and disturbing the peace. Nicodemus chimes in, advocating that Jewish law does not permit judgment before one is given a trial. His defense of Jesus prompts some on the council to suggest that Nicodemus might be one of Jesus’ followers. Again, Nicodemus’ response is not recorded.
The final time Nicodemus appears in John is during our Lord’s crucifixion. After Jesus has died, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus come to remove the body of Jesus, prepare it for burial, and place it in Joseph’s tomb. Nicodemus brings “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds” and with Joseph, wraps the body of Jesus “with the spices in linen cloths” (John 19:39-40). Again, Nicodemus never makes a verbal confession of belief but what can be deduced from his actions, particularly his care and attention to the body of Jesus, is that Nicodemus was convinced of and converted by the message of Jesus. He uses his incredible wealth to bury Jesus in royal fashion. Although Nicodemus follows Jesus as a clandestine disciple, his life is changed by a chance encounter.
Collect for Nicodemus
Almighty God, you gave to your servant Nicodemus special gifts of grace to understand and teach the truth as it is in Christ Jesus: Grant that by this teaching we may know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-Marcus Halley
[poll id="243"]
191 comments on “James the Greater vs. Nicodemus”
I didn’t think either deserved a vote but Nick was was there at prime moments.
Neither? Why? I don’t understand.
Though I admire Nico for burying Jesus reverently, he didn't follow him, unlike James who did and died for his beliefs.
Even though we aren't told if Nicodemus converted, we do know that he sought and continued in conversation with Jesus, so it seems to me that he was a seeker. His placing himself in the company of Jesus and later, in his reverence and care in the burial of Jesus speaks to me of unspoken (maybe unrealized) belief that he was in the presence of the holy. So, Nicodemus gets my vote.
Gotta be James, because despite the facts of his rough edges, he showed up. Nicodemus, on the other hand, played on the edges and stayed on the edges. James edges this one out.
A good matchup for sure. I leaned toward and voted for J the G. He is better known, did not quietly work in the background, and lived and died in the faith. Tho I like Nic, and respect those who vote for him, I believe the match up goes to James.
Suppose Nicodemus had not come 'to Jesus by night'? We'd be missing all of that discourse, recorded because John thought it was important. And suppose he had not helped Joseph with the burial--what more gracious act, than to defile yourself for a man killed as a criminal, that Jesus's body might be treated with respect? And none of the other disciples jumped in? Though we do not hear of Nicodemus later, I suspect John knew him, and mentioned him by name because the Church knew him, later. Not to downplay James, but I do have to choose!
On balance, the gospels say that the women disciples were the ones who prepared Jesus’ body for burial. Nicodemus and Joseph may have paid for it, but my money is on it being the women who did the actual work.
Add my money to your bet, Susan - I am sure you are correct!
I agree Ruth - Nicodemus was there after Jesus died, when so many fled. I think that speaks of some commitment.
I voted for James, because he shows us that even well-meaning stumble bunnies can do remarkable things for God. However, I’ve always liked the accessibility of Nicodemus’s storyline.
James , everything about him speaks to my faith walk.
Have to go with James here, one of the Twelve and part of Jesus' inner circle, as well as an early martyr. But kudos to Celebrity Blogger Marcus Halley for his line about Jesus and Nicodemus exchanging "maxims, teachings, and the occasional sass". That made me smile.
I went with James too, Linda, even though I always find it hard to resist any of Marcus Halley's saints. He is my favorite blogger!!!
Amen! Great to see Marcus here again this year.
Check out his sermons:
https://anchor.fm/wordmadefresh/episodes/S2E20---Sermon-So-Much-More-than-a-Teacher-e3bum8
We voted for James, because of our James the organist extraordinaire. We can’t wait for the return of our church’s organ repair and expansion so that he can be a Son of Thunder and make beautiful music on the instrument!
And, SEC, can you do something so that the comments of the day run consecutively timewise, as they previously have? They jumped all over yesterday. Thanks!
I voted for James because of the Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago de Compostela), which was life-changing for me (and I can't wait to walk again) . . . Buen Camino!
I agree with Jenny (above): he is a model of disagreeing with someone and still recognizing their humanity and treating them with dignity and respect—a model from which we could all learn.
Nicodemus, that is!
And furthermore, why are only Christians good people and excellent role models and worthy of emulation?
Since I agree with John Shelby Spong that Nicodemus was probably a literary figure invented by the writer of the Gospel of John. Hence, I voted for James who was a real person.
Kudos to Nicodemus for picking up the tab for Jesus's funeral, but James's apostleship, however fallible, gets my vote. James earns brownie points for his association with the Camino, which path I hope someday to tread.
Having dozed off during church last Sunday due to the "leap forward" to daylight savings time, I must vote for snoozy James.
Nicodemus is compelling: I can identify with his questioning (what a coup! To be able to ask the Man himself the meaning of life—!); he stepped way outside his comfort zone to learn more; he was extremely generous and compassionate; and (as discussed above) he looked a lot like Laurence Olivier.
And yet. James was one of Jesus’s closest friends. Time and again Jesus chose him to be with him at crucial moments in his ministry. Yes, he fell short. Yes, he was obtuse. But he was passionate and he was “all in” in ways that few were, and we owe much to him for his work in early days to keep the Faith going. James is my choice today.
Nicodemus may not have worn his faith on his sleeve. He didn't need to. As the Ash Wednesday reading from Matthew reminds us, "... your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
Not sure what happened,BUT, I didn't get to vote for James the Great, as the first to be marterd he gets my vote!
I feel very sympathetic toward both these figures. I voted for James, because he seems so human. What is more relatable than two brothers quarreling over who would get the bigger slice of cake? I read once that the "falling asleep" in the Garden of Gethsemane was not mere "fatigue" but mortal dread falling over the disciples. They became lethargic, catatonic with terror. I can relate to that. I too would probably run away. The spirit is willing but the flesh is so very weak. I voted for James though I doubt he will make it to the next round. He'd be OK with that; John won't be there either.
Having walked on the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) for two weeks last summer with my daughter, I have to vote for James. According to tradition, it was James's very human (sometimes frustrating, sometimes endearing) tendency to take everything Jesus said literally that led to him travelling to Finisterre, Spain, during the years he was absent from Acts. Before ascending to the Father, Jesus told his disciples to "preach the gospel to the ends of the earth." So, James went all the way to Finisterre--or, "The End of Earth." After his martyrdom in Jerusalem, it was believed that his bones were returned to Spain and interred in nearby Santiago de Compostela, the site of the present day Cathedral, and one of the three main pilgrimages in the Christian world, along with Rome and Jerusalem. Whether it's true or not, it sounds like something he would do.
Poor literal James. He should have stayed alive. There's a Land's End in Nova Scotia. He was a fisherman after all and would have fit right in.
Having hiked the Camino to Santiago two years ago, I have to vote for James, whose sobriquet “the greater” also refers to his height.
I’m one of thousands of pilgrims to the tomb of Santiago, our Jimmy, as a pilgrim friend calls him. What is historical and what is legend or folklore is. hard to determine, but walking with St. James Peregrino has changed my life and that of many others. He is usually depicted with scalllop shell and staff. St. Jimmy has my vote!
My vote goes to Nicodemus in this worthy two. I give thanks for all seeking answers to their questions, and all who come to faith in roundabout ways.
Though James' occasional impetuousness and cluelessness is a comfort to me personally, the stark poetry of the nighttime conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus is priceless; Nicodemus so earnest and seeking and plaintive. Convert or not, he proved to be a true mensch and good neighbor. And I'd much rather have him at our Pub Theology table than James!
Thought it would be Nicodemus (my spell check knew how to spell it!) but it was still neck in neck until the end of the comments. I went with James simply because my grandson is James and I can relate to the impetuous, self promoting son of thunder. Besides I am 0 for 4, why go with the flow, eh!
"They also serve whose brackets are broken." Milton
Nick for the win
I think Nicodemus may have been the first Episcopalian! While he doesn’t say much (at least it isn’t recorded, if he did), he just keeps on keeping on, displaying his faith in “outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace.”
Nicademus is sounding better and better.
LIKE!!!!
I would just encourage people to follow El Camino de Santiago and vote for St James the Greater.
Of course James was "imperfect" and "all too human"! All the saints were; it's part of being a saint! And all the disciples seem to get a bad rap for not understanding what was going on at the time. How on earth COULD anyone!?? I mean, they were fishermen, without the benefit of a course in N.T. theology and history.
He put his money where his mouth was not. Nicodemus
Oh, come along, folks! James is the clear winner here. Ol' Nic did some nice things, made some nice donations of gifts-in-kind and all that, but he fell far short of the marks required to make a grab for The Golden Halo.
He never even responded to his one on one with Jesus. C'mon! Give Jimmy his due!
I agree!