DAVID THE PROPHET KING; HOLY APOSTLE JAMES

On Saturday, December 23, the Armenian Church commemorates David the Prophet King and the Holy Apostle James the Brother of the Lord.   

David was the youngest of eight brothers and was brought up to be a shepherd where he learned courage, tenderness, and caring. David became the second King of Israel. In the Bible, the name David belongs solely to him, which indicates the unique place he had as an ancestor and forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the New Testament there are more than 50 references to David, including the title given to Jesus—Son of David. David was a poet and is regarded as the author of the Book of Psalms.   

James the Apostle is called “Brother of the Lord.” Probably because of his close relationship with Jesus, he was granted a special appearance of the Lord after the Resurrection. He is believed to have been a first cousin of the Lord, or as some biblical scholars have suggested, a son of Joseph. After the Resurrection and the Ascension, while the other apostles scattered all over the world, James remained in Jerusalem where he served as the Bishop and became a leading spokesman of the early church. 

James, the brother of the Lord (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Galatians 1:19), was not one of the twelve apostles, the first bishop of Jerusalem.