James made the deciding speech at the Jerusalem Council (15:13–22), and Paul called James one of the pillars of the church (Galatians 2:9). Peter singled him out among the other Christians there following Peter’s miraculous release from prison (Acts 12:17).

After witnessing the Lord’s resurrected body, James became one of the leaders of the church at Jerusalem. James was not a follower of Jesus during the Savior’s time on earth (Mark 3:21–35 John 7:5) but eventually became an apostle in the vein of Paul, as one who had seen and believed the Lord post-resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7 Galatians 1:19).

While James did not specifically identify himself as to which “James” he was (James 1:1), the author is widely thought to be James the half-brother of Jesus.