James is listed as the oldest sibling, not named Jesus and he receieved the Title James the Just because he was a fervent follower of Mosaic Law. It is best to remember that he grew up with Jesus and when Jesus was annointed by the Holy Spirit, and stood up in the Nazareth Synagogue, proclaiming that the Lord has annointed me to heal the deaf and the blind, everyone there knew he was saying, I’m the Messiah, the promised one. As you can imagine this was met with extreme sceptisism, as Nazareth was a small Village with a sparse population and everyone knew Jesus as the son of the Craftsman Joseph, they considered it, sacrilege and tried to kill him. James was a real sceptic of Jesus claims, both he and his family, what changed James attitude toward hhis brother, Jesus, after the resurection, Jesus made an appearance to James, what was discussed, no body knows but there was true belief in Jesus after this visitation of Jesus, now after having grown up with Jesus, James the just also, probably recognised the sin free life that Jesus had lived and he became a devout desciple of his brother.
James was active in the Jerusalem Church and after Peter and Paul, had departed for their Missionary activities, James became the leader of the Church, he spent so much time in prayer that his knees became like a Camels Knees. Paul stated that James was one of the three people he considered as pillars in the early church, he was one of the first to declare that the Gentile Converts didn’t have to obey mny of the Mosiac Laws and by doing this, he separated the Gentiles from Jewish Nationalism and welcomed the Gentiles into the Kingdom. Now as always,when you begin to make an inroad and the Holy Spirit uses you to advance God’s Kingdom, the enemy will try to stop you. Enter Ananus-ben Ananus, he was the appointed (by the Romans) as High Priest, he took advantage of a new Romsn Ruler, that had not began his rule yet, and he covened the Sanhedrin, ( The Jewish council of Judge )accusing James and some othrs of breaking the law, the council ffound them guilty and James (according to Josephus was stoned to death).this unlawful act did not set well with the just people in Jerusalem and they ptotested to King Agrippa and the Roman Procrurator Albinus, as a result of their protest Ananus was removed from his duties as HighPreist after serving for only three months. There has been an ossuary with writing in Aramiac (that was the language most used in 1st Cenury Israel), the inscription reads James, son of Joseph and Brother of Jesus, this ossuary probably contains the remains of James as he awaits the coming ressurection. A great man of faith, that served the Lord until his end, and mor confirmation of the truth contsined in the Bible, it is a living History book of God’s dealing with his chosen people, the evidence is monstrous and since the past is all true, how can we not believe the prophesies to come, doing so will be at your own peril