The Price of a Hot Temper
If there is anything that keeps a Christian from being fruitful, it is the beast called “a lack of self-control.” Quick temper and impatience have destroyed more relationships than any other sin. Perhaps that is exactly why in the Bible we meet so many warnings to bridle our anger, not to quarrel, not to fight, not to grumble against one another, and not to argue. In Galatians 5:15 the apostle Paul even tells us not to “bite” one another, or we will be destroyed.
15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. (Galatians 5:15)
Anger is a very evil thing, because when it expresses itself in an ungodly way it wounds not only the person on whom it is poured out, but also the one who unleashes it.
A man named Kiro had a problem with his temper — he was a hothead who would “go off at the slightest spark.” One morning around five o’clock he was woken by a tremendous racket that sounded like a burst of machine-gun fire coming from the roof of his house. The noise was so loud that Kiro could not fall back asleep. The longer he lay in bed waiting for the sound to fade or stop, the more his anger rose within him. Finally he got up and went outside to see what was making that strange noise on his own roof. He discovered that it was a woodpecker slamming its head with all its might against his satellite dish, pecking away, making futile attempts to bore a hole through the metal. Kiro grew so furious with the foolish bird that he grabbed a stone and hurled it at the woodpecker. The stone flew high but missed its mark. Instead, coming down on the other side of the house, it smashed straight into the windshield of his car and shattered it. Flaring up even more — because the woodpecker kept right on pecking his dish, and now the windshield of his car was broken too — he kicked, in his rage, a clod of earth lying nearby. Only too late did he remember that when he had rushed out of the house he had forgotten to put on his socks and shoes. The signals of sharp pain in his toes, together with the thought of how much a new windshield for his car would cost, reminded him of the high price of a hot temper.
James, the son of Zebedee, is the hothead of the apostolic band. He got angry very easily. Over time, however, his quick temper and his sense of superiority were softened by the Holy Spirit. When James learned to stay under the control of the Holy Spirit, instead of being driven by his own explosiveness, he became one of the greatest leaders of the early church. He is an encouragement to us, because on the one hand we see the weaknesses in his character, but also that his weakness was in fact his potential and his strength. For thunder is a good thing. Thunder is electricity; thunder is power. The question is whether that power is random and scattered, or whether it is placed under control. As long as James had not brought his character under control, he had problems. But at the same time Jesus Christ saw the potential that was in him. James became a leader of the Jerusalem church after Pentecost. Herod Agrippa recognized him as the most pivotal figure in the church of that day, and so he had James put to the sword. He became the first of the apostles to be martyred. So in the fire that James possessed there was enormous potential.
The Bible teaches us that God wants us to tame our tempers, to have self-restraint and self-control over our anger. If it is channeled, the fire of the thunder can be quite mighty and can serve many wonderful purposes; but if it strikes in every direction, it leaves behind nothing but huge scars and irreparable damage.
A Man of the “Grand Good Morning”
In the New Testament there is enough information for us to build a psychological portrait of James the Thunder. James was one of the Twelve. He was the son of Zebedee and the brother of John. He was also called “the Greater James” to distinguish him from James the son of Alphaeus, who was called “the Lesser James” (Mark 15:40). In Mark 3:13-19 we read how Jesus chose the twelve apostles.
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Mark 3:13-19)
James’ father was named Zebedee, and his mother was Salome. She was the sister of Jesus’ mother Mary — something that made Jesus and James and John first cousins. From John 19:25 we learn that the Virgin Mary had a sister.
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25)
When we compare this verse with Matthew 27:56, which describes the same scene, instead of “his mother’s sister” we find mentioned “the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”
55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. (Matthew 27:55-56)
The mother of Zebedee’s sons is the sister of Jesus’ mother. And from Mark 15:40, which describes the same scene, we understand that “the mother of Zebedee’s sons” can be none other than Salome.
40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. (Mark 15:40)
In the New Testament Jesus has quite a few relatives after the flesh. Besides his brothers, he had an aunt — Salome, whose children, James and John, were his cousins — and also a “relative” of his mother, Elizabeth, whose son, John the Baptist, was likewise his second or third cousin. In the New Testament there are three men named James. One is James the son of Zebedee, the Greater James, the brother of John who wrote the Gospel of John. Another is the Lesser James, or James the son of Alphaeus, who is also one of the apostles. The third James is a brother of Jesus after the flesh, who after the death of James the son of Zebedee became the pastor of the Jerusalem church and wrote the Epistle of James. Today we are speaking about the first of these three men named James — James the son of Zebedee.
James’ family must have been well-to-do, since it is mentioned that Zebedee had a fishing boat — a vessel — and hired servants aboard it (Mark 1:20). It is also possible that he owned not just one but several boats. Only a wealthy family could afford to have property and servants — and that is why we suppose that James came from a rich family. John 18:15-16 clearly indicates to us that John, the brother of James, was on good terms with the high priest Caiaphas. This gave him, unlike the other disciples, easy access to the high priest’s house. To understand these verses, we need to know that in his Gospel John presents himself as “another disciple.”
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in. (John 18:15-16)
From what has been said so far, we can conclude that James most likely came from a rich and influential family that had connections with the religious authorities. With servants in his home, James was surely used to a life of comfort; he was often waited on, and he was accustomed to getting his own way at any cost. We probably would not be wrong to say that he was even a little spoiled. On top of that, because of his father’s ties with the high priest, James knew what it was “to have special privileges.” This can somewhat explain the later incident in which Jesus was asked to grant him and his brother the right to sit at his left and his right when God’s kingdom was established. After all, James and John were already used to being, in a sense, “second only to the high priest,” and now they wanted to be second only to Jesus Christ.
If something did not go the way he wanted it, James most likely got angry. He was used to giving orders, and having his wishes go unfulfilled made him irritable. When things did not go his way, he most likely erupted. James knew what it meant to have a business — he was used to working hard, working diligently, seeing his work through to the end, whatever it cost him. So when others did not “go the extra mile” as much in their work, it irritated him no end, and perhaps he would explode and quarrel with them.
In other words, James was a difficult character. He was also a bit quarrelsome. It is interesting that when Jesus called James and John to be apostles, he named them “Boanerges” — something that means “sons of thunder.” The fact that Jesus gave them this name means that this was the most distinctive trait of their character up to that point. They already had a reputation as hot-tempered men, and so Jesus gave them this nickname — “the thunders,” “sons of thunder.”
We can only guess how their family took their decision to abandon their father’s business in order to follow Jesus. If we judge by their characters, this act of theirs surely led to the exchange of some “fiery” words between them and their parents. Perhaps their parents said: “What is going on now? You are running off after this rabbi. And here you have work, you have a business.” James and John, however, were firmly resolved to follow Jesus.
And later on — in the beginning it was surely hard for them to be followers of Jesus because of the upbringing they had had. Instead of being served, as they were used to, Jesus wanted them to serve others. Instead of being selfish, Jesus wanted them to be selfless. Instead of relying on connections and privileges, they were not to think of themselves as anything more than others. Instead of being proud, they were to be humble. This was surely hard for a pair of “sons of thunder.” Jesus would not have given them a nickname that did not match their character. Such people often miss the big and complete picture and begin to get angry not over important things, but over minor, secondary ones.
For James it must have been hard to be part of an organization that had almost no money or savings and had more expenses than income. Perhaps it was not particularly pleasant for him to watch how Jesus, instead of aiming for the respectable business class and the high life — the people who had power and influence — continually served the dregs of society: tax collectors, prostitutes, and revelers. Perhaps he was confused by the parables and by Jesus’ way of teaching.
Whatever We Ask
James’ confusion shows especially clearly in passages such as Mark 10:35-45 and Luke 9:51-56. In Mark 10:35-37 James and John ask Jesus for special privileges and places of honor in Christ’s government.
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (Mark 10:35-37)
In Matthew 20:21-22 the request of the two brothers is presented in the name of their mother Salome. This may hint to us where their extraordinary ambitions came from. Notice their request: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” That means without any limits. Do these words not sound like something spoken by two spoiled, rich young sons who are used to being waited on and to getting everything they want? This request of theirs reveals a great deal about the character of James and John. Even before they have voiced their request, they want to make sure it will be granted. They sense that what they are asking may not be entirely proper, but even so they want to have it. These are boys who are used to having their wishes granted on the spot, and if they do not get what they asked for, it is easy to guess what their reaction would be — anger, resentment, and discontent.
Not only were they insistent and brazen, but at this moment James and John were also quite arrogant. When Jesus explained to them the sacrifice and the pain that those who receive the privilege of sitting at his right and his left in his kingdom would go through, and asked whether they could drink Jesus’ cup and be baptized with his baptism, without a second thought they answered, “We can!” I am sure that at that moment James and John hardly realized what cup and what baptism were in question. But because they wanted something so badly, they said, “We can!” Jesus was speaking of persecution and a martyr’s death, while all that was going through their heads was only “privileges” and “power” — that is what they wanted.
38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” (Mark 10:38-40)
Jesus saw into the future and knew that James would die a martyr’s death, while John would be exiled to the island of Patmos for his faith. That is why he told them that they would drink of his cup and be baptized with his baptism, but at that moment they did not understand what it was about.
As you might expect, the arrogance of the sons of Zebedee turned the other ten apostles against them; they got their backs up, and a real fight broke out between them and the sons of Zebedee.
41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:41)
We can almost hear them arguing among themselves. “Look here, fellows, John and I are members of the inner apostolic circle. We are his confidants. He shares confidential things with us. Besides, we are also his cousins. Not to mention that we have the richest business experience of everyone here. He will surely find us useful in running the kingdom.” And the other ten reply: “Why should you deserve the places of honor? Were we not all called with the same calling? Are we not also apostles, just as you are? Do we not all do the apostolic work equally?” This is yet another quality of hotheads or quick-tempered people — the fact that they think of themselves as something more than others makes the people around them draw away and isolate themselves from them. The “sons of thunder” often show almost no tolerance toward those who do not display the same aggressiveness as their own. This disregard of theirs for others pushes people away even more and leaves them in isolation.
Jesus, however, quickly takes control of the situation and at once explains to the Twelve the change that accompanies the kingdom of God. The driving force in it, what it aims at, is not power and might but service and love.
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)
Jesus’ appeal for servanthood to the Twelve is based on his own example. Even he, the Son of Man, the King of heaven, did not come to be served but to serve and to sacrifice himself for others. This is precisely Christ’s answer to the arrogance and the sense of superiority of the sons of Zebedee. The true place of honor in the kingdom is not for people with connections who think themselves greater than others, but for those who deny themselves and think first of how to help others.
Fire from Heaven
Christ’s words must have been quite humbling for James and John. But even after years of learning under Jesus’ guidance, even toward the end of his earthly ministry, James and John at times were still governed by that trait in their character which had earned them the nickname “sons of thunder.” Jesus was hurrying to reach Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, and so they passed through Samaria — the land of the people who hated the Jews (Luke 9:51-56).
51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51-53)
The Samaritans took pleasure in refusing food and shelter to Jews traveling toward Jerusalem, since they believed that Mount Gerizim was the right place to worship God, not Jerusalem. Do you remember the Samaritan woman’s question to Jesus: “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem” (John 4:20)? This was in fact the dispute between the Jews and the Samaritans. The one side held that they must worship on Mount Gerizim, and the other — in Jerusalem. The hostility between them was fed by each side, which hated the other on racial grounds. Jesus sent “messengers” into a Samaritan village to make the necessary preparations for the evening. And of course they were turned away, and the Samaritans treated them badly, because Jesus’ face was “set” toward Jerusalem. They were annoyed by this. They asked Jesus’ messengers, “All right, we will take you in, but where are you headed?” They answered, “For Jerusalem.” “So then, you are not of the true, right faith; you do not worship on Mount Gerizim, but in Jerusalem. Then go and find yourselves a place to sleep. We are under no obligation to take you in.”
As you might expect, however, this was intolerable for hotheads like James and John. Their reaction was typical of people with the character of “sons of thunder.”
54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” (Luke 9:54)
James and John would not put up with being treated that way. “Do these foolish Samaritans not know who they are? Do they not know who their Teacher is?” They wrongly assumed that the Samaritans’ reaction would anger Jesus just as much as it angered them. Perhaps they thought, “Surely Jesus, too, would hardly allow himself to be treated like this.” Jesus’ answer, however, was quite different from their expectations. Instead of rebuking the inhospitable Samaritans, Jesus rebuked them.
55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village. (Luke 9:55-56)
Jesus ordered them to take another road, instead of standing up and fighting or commanding fire and brimstone to fall from heaven and destroy that village. Then perhaps they thought, “How could Jesus do such a thing — give way before the enemy?” But Jesus could see beyond the immediate anger. He knew that there was a far greater battle to be fought than the battle in that petty situation. Unlike their Teacher, however, James and John wanted to wipe the Samaritans off the face of the earth, to cover them with fire and brimstone because they had refused to receive them. This shows that the “sons of thunder,” the “hotheads of the apostolic band,” could not see beyond their immediate feelings and had no control over the expression of their anger.
It is astonishing what petty little things we sometimes quarrel over, and how often, because of our anger, we cannot see the big picture and the things that are truly worth fighting for. Hotheads often get lost in their immediate angry feelings and simply react without thinking of the consequences or of the more objective and more important things.
A boy once asked his father, “Dad, how do wars start?” His father answered, “Well, son, take the Second World War, for example. It began when Germany invaded Belgium.” At that moment, however, the boy’s mother stepped into the conversation and said, “Husband, tell him the truth. A war does not start because one country attacks another, but because someone has been killed — it is bound up with death, with bloodshed.” The father got angry and snapped at his wife: “And who is answering the child’s question now — you or I? After all, he asked me, not you, didn’t he?” Hearing this cutting remark, the boy’s mother spun around, offended, and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her with all her might. When the cups and plates in the cupboard stopped rattling from the slam, a heavy silence settled over the room. At last it was broken by the boy, who said to his father, “Dad, you don’t need to explain to me anymore how wars start. I understand now…”
We must be careful, we must guard ourselves against anger, against a hot temper. We must be careful not to flare up easily. For the consequences of uncontrolled anger can be truly severe.
Thunder under the Control of the Holy Spirit
And yet, clearly, James was especially valuable as an apostle and a leader. There is something valuable in fire. It can be terribly destructive, but at the same time it can also be constructive. It can be used both for destruction and for welding, for building structures, for heating, for lighting, and for who knows what else. To be useful, however, fire must be placed under control. So the secret is “control” — to place the anger within you under control. Once brought under the control of the Spirit, after Pentecost James and John became some of the most renowned leaders of the church. Once the thunder was directed by the power of the Holy Spirit to work for God, it began to produce blessings for the church.
Glory to God that Jesus looks beyond what is seen at first glance. For if we had looked at James in a human way, perhaps we would have said, “This one? This one is no good for an apostle. He flares up far too easily! He won’t do! He is not suitable!” But Jesus saw in him his enormous potential and how, from a clap of thunder, he could be turned into a power plant for the Lord — a power plant that would radiate the light of the gospel and the kingdom of God under the control of the Holy Spirit. So what the “sons of thunder” need to do is to see where their anger is aimed and to make a change — to place it under the control of the Holy Spirit.
History shows us how successful such people can be when they are changed by God. For these saints, James and John, were among the first apostles, even though they were “sons of thunder,” even though they were hotheads, even though they wanted the Samaritan village to be burned and wiped off the face of the earth, even though they wanted to be first after Jesus Christ and to enjoy special privileges, even though they did not understand many things at the start. But afterward they changed. And after that change their zeal for the Lord, their perseverance, and their devotion were enviable.
In Acts 12:1-2 we read that when Herod Agrippa wanted to scatter the church, he arrested James and killed him with the sword, hoping that his death would frighten the rest of the believers. After that he seized Peter, but God miraculously brought him out of prison in answer to the prayers of the Jerusalem church. So if James’ death was shortly before that of Herod Agrippa, who died in AD 44, then we can say that James served God on this earth for about seventeen years. And he was the second martyr of the church, demonstrating that even at the cost of his own life he would not give up his faith and his witness. James was the second martyr — after the deacon Stephen — but he was the first of the apostles to give his life for the Lord, and so he fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy that he would indeed drink of his cup and be baptized with his baptism. So James was a great man, and he is a great man, because even now he goes on living in the presence of his Lord. His leadership of the early church was very good. He was an example; he was first — first in faith and zeal for Christ. And that is exactly why Herod Agrippa chose to have him killed, because he saw him as a leader of the church. Herod thought that “if he struck the shepherd, the flock would scatter,” but sadly he was mistaken and on the wrong track. James died as an example — of leadership, of self-control, of strength — one of the best of the saints, one of the best leaders in the church.
So being a “son of thunder” does not necessarily mean the end of everything. On the contrary, it simply means that you need control — the control of the Holy Spirit. God needs “sons of thunder” to kindle the church into flame. But it is best when this fire that we have within us is under his control. May God help us! And if this evening there is anyone among us who is like this — a hothead, or one who flares up easily, or a son of wrath — let us ask ourselves whether our anger is under the control of the Holy Spirit. May God help us to place our perfectionism under control. For only in this way will we be able to be successful, to work for the growth of God’s kingdom, and to bring glory to his Name.