The Sons of Thunder

James and John were in the inner circle of Jesus Christ (along with Peter). What a wonderful feeling that must have been to be in that small privileged group.

Jesus gave James and John the nickname “Sons of Thunder” No explanation is given but later in the Gospels the brothers Thunder thought the Samaritans had slighted Jesus and wanted to call down fire from Heaven to consume those Samaritans. A fitting action for “Sons of Thunder”

James and John’s mother realized their prominence and asked Jesus if they could be seated on either side of him in his new Kingdom. The momma was looking out for her boyz. She had a little bit of thunder in her too.

Jesus validates their value to him when he invites them along with Peter to witness his transfiguration. They were also invited into the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and got to see Jesus in his agony prior to being crucified.

Even Peter understood John’s beloved friendship with the Savior when at the Lord’s Supper Peter asked John to find out who the great villain was who would betray Jesus. Kind of like when our son would get his sister to ask us if they could have cookies.

It’s a grand day at Pentecost. All the characters were there… the Apostles, the disciples even Jesus mother and brother. The Holy Spirit is poured out to the world. Then Peter preached and 3,000 were baptized. Things are going like a giant spiritual Tsunami.

And then things begin to go south. Steven is martyred and then the first of the inner circle dies. James (John’s brother) is beheaded and killed. A “Son of Thunder” ended by great violence.

James was the first (but not the last) Apostle to be killed. John (his brother) was the last Apostle to die and he and his brother James served as book-ends for the story of the Apostles.

James got to see Jesus in his kingdom first and John got to see him last (among the Apostles). Not really how we might have predicted the story would go.

When James died there was only one “Son of Thunder” left… his brother John. But over the course of John’s life the “Son of Thunder” became the “Apostle of Love” (as his writings attest to) and the “Apostle of Love” led a long life and according to the church fathers did not die a violent death. What a great transformation and amazing and surprising ending for the “Sons of Thunder”.