What Scripture says
Paul describes himself as a former persecutor of the church: “I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it” (Galatians 1:13, ESV). He approved of the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1) and was on his way to arrest Christians in Damascus when the risen Jesus appeared to him (Acts 9:1–9). He later wrote, “Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:8–9).
James, Jesus’ brother, didn’t believe in him during his ministry: “not even his brothers believed in him” (John 7:5). At one point his family thought Jesus was “out of his mind” (Mark 3:21). But after the resurrection, “he appeared to James” (1 Corinthians 15:7), and James became a leader of the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:13, Galatians 2:9).
What the evidence says
History
Paul
Paul’s conversion is one of the best-documented events in early Christianity:
- His own letters, which scholars accept as authentic (Galatians, 1 Corinthians, Philippians), describe his former life and his encounter with the risen Jesus (Galatians 1:13–16, 1 Corinthians 9:1, 15:8–9, Philippians 3:4–7).
- Acts describes it three times (Acts 9, 22, 26).
- The churches he persecuted heard that “he who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (Galatians 1:23).
What makes it remarkable:
- He was hostile. He wasn’t a grieving follower longing to see Jesus again; he was trying to destroy the movement.
- He was well educated in Jewish law, a Pharisee “as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (Philippians 3:5–6), who saw a crucified Messiah as cursed by God (Galatians 3:13, Deuteronomy 21:23).
- He gave up everything: status, security and safety. He was later beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked and, according to early tradition (1 Clement 5), executed in Rome.
James
- The Gospels report his unbelief (Mark 3:21, 31–35; John 7:5). It is unlikely early Christians would invent that the leader of the Jerusalem church had rejected Jesus, so historians generally accept it (the criterion of embarrassment).
- After the resurrection, he appears among the believers (Acts 1:14), and later leads the Jerusalem church. Paul calls him one of the “pillars” of the church (Galatians 2:9).
- The early creed lists an appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7; see 7.2).
- His death: Josephus records that in AD 62, the high priest Ananus had “James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ” stoned (Antiquities 20.200). James died for his faith in his brother as Messiah.
What would it take for someone to believe their own brother was the Lord and Messiah? Paul’s answer is that the risen Jesus appeared to him.
| Person | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Paul | Persecuted Christians | Leading missionary; executed in Rome |
| James | Thought Jesus was out of his mind | Leader of the Jerusalem church; stoned in AD 62 |
Comparison with other conversions
People convert to many religions. But converts usually accept the testimony of others. Paul and James claimed to have personally seen the risen Jesus. That is the claim that requires explanation.
Skeptics propose other explanations: Paul may have had a vision caused by guilt over persecuting Christians, or a psychological breakdown. But there is no evidence Paul felt guilt before his conversion; he describes himself as zealous and blameless (Philippians 3:6). And no comparable psychological explanation exists for James.
Where they meet
Paul, a persecutor, and James, a skeptical brother, both became leaders of the church and died for their faith after what they described as appearances of the risen Jesus. Their conversions are among the strongest evidence that something extraordinary happened.
What’s still open
What caused their experiences (see 7.6 and 7.9).
Bottom line
Yes. Paul (a persecutor) and James (Jesus’ doubting brother) both became leaders after claimed appearances. This is rated Settled.