The Death of James

Clement of Alexandria records that James was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple, and was beaten to death with a club.  Hegesippus, who lived immediately after the apostles, gives an account in the fifth book of his Memoirs which has been preserved in Esuebius' History 2.23.  He writes as follows:

James, the brother of the Lord, succeeded to the government of the church in conjunction with the apostles.  He has been called "the Just" by all from the time of our savior to the present day; for there were many that bore the name of James.  He was holy from his mother's womb; and he drank no wine nor strong drink, nor did he eat flesh.  No razor came upon his head; he did not anoint himself with oil, and he did not use the bath.  He alone was permitted into the holy place; for he wore not woolen but linen garments.  And he was in the habit of entering alone into the temple, and frequently found upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like those of a camel, in consequence of his constantly bending them in his worship  of God, and asking forgiveness for the people.  Because of his exceeding great justice he was called "the Just," and "Oblias," which signifies in Greek, "Bulwark of the People" and "Justice," in accordance with what the prophets declare concerning him.  Now some of the seven sects, which existed among the people and which have been mentioned by me in the Memoirs, asked him, "What is the gate of Jesus?" and he replied that he was the savior.  On account of these words some believed that Jesus is the Christ.  But the sects mentioned above did not believe either in a resurrection or in one's coming to give to every man according to his works.  But as many as believed did so on account of James.  Therefore when many even of the rulers believed, there was a commotion among the Jews and scribes and Pharisees, who said that there was danger that the whole people would be looking for Jesus as the Christ.  Coming therefore in a body to James they said, "We entreat you, restrain the people; for they are gone astray in regard to Jesus, as if he were the Christ.  We entreat you to persuade all that have come to the feast of the Passover concerning Jesus; for we all have confidence in you.  For we bear you witness, as do all the people, that you are just, and do not respect persons.  Do you therefore persuade the multitude not to be led astray concerning Jesus.  For the whole people, and all of us also, have confidence in you.  Stand therefore upon the pinnacle of the temple, that from that high position you may be clearly seen, and that your words may be readily heard by all the people.  For all the tribes, with the gentiles also, are come together on account of the Passover."  The aforesaid scribes and Pharisees therefore placed James upon the pinnacle of the temple, and cried out to him and said: "You just one, in whom we ought all to have confidence, for as much as the people are led astray after Jesus, the crucified one, declare to us, what is the gate of Jesus."  And he answered with a loud voice, "Why do you ask me concerning Jesus, the Son of man?  He himself sits in heaven at the right hand off the great Power, and is about to come upon the clouds of heaven."  And when many were fully convinced and gloried in the testimony of James, and said, "Hosanna to the Son of David," these same scribes and Pharisees said again to one another, "We have done badly in supplying such a testimony to Jesus.  But let us go up and throw him down, in order that they may be afraid to believe him."  And they cried out saying , "Oh! Oh! the just man is also in error."  And they fulfilled the scripture written in Isaiah, "Let us take away the just man, because he is troublesome to us; therefore they shall eat the fruit of their doings."  So they went up and threw down the just man, and said to each other, "Let us stone James the Just."  And they began to stone him, for he was not killed by the fall; but he turned and knelt down and said; "I entreat you, Lord God our Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."  And while they were thus stoning him one of the priests of the sons of Rechab, the son of Rechabites, who are mentioned by Jeremiah the prophet, cried out saying, "Cease, what you do? The just man prays for you."  And one of them took a club with which he beat out clothes and struck the just man on the head.  And thus he suffered martyrdom.  And they buried him on the spot, by the temple, and his monument still remains by the temple.  He became a true witness, both to Jews and Greeks, that Jesus is the Christ.