"The Comforter has Come"
James Tabor
posts on James the Just again. This time, in addition to stating that James the Just is none other than the disciple whom Jesus loved in the Gospel of John (
see also here &
here), but James is also the
paraclete:
I have wondered whether the original idea now embedded in latter part of the gospel of John, about the “Comforter” coming, was originally referring to be James. The Greek word is Paraklete and refers to one who represents or advocates. Later Christians personified this one as the “Holy Spirit” but in the various passages found in the Gospel of John “he” is spoken of in a very personal way, in the masculine gender, very much as one would speak of a person. Jesus says of this one that he will be “sent in my name,” and that he will be a Teacher who will remind the community of all that Jesus has taught them. The Ebionites had this idea of the “Christ Spirit” that “hastened through the ages” and rested upon various ones in a successive way. In other words, the spirit of Truth, that was passed on from John to Jesus, was now being passed on from Jesus to James. Jesus tells them that this one “abides with” them and will be “among” them. This one will “not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
I appreciate Tabor's desire to highlight James the Just as a major player in nascent Christianity, but this seems like a stretch. Then again, he does preface his remarks saying, "I have wondered..." and labels his post "Late Night Speculations..."
Labels: controversy
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