A Brother Born for Adversity: A Novel

By Craig A. Comstock

JAMES, THE YOUNGER BROTHER OF JESUS, HAS BEEN CALLED TO BE THE UNDERSHEPHERD OF THE FLEDGING CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN JERUSALEM. COULD HE OR THE CHURCH RIDDLED WITH CONFLICT AND DISUNITY WITHIN SURVIVE YET ANOTHER PERSECUTION FROM WITHOUT?

Festus was dead, and Albinue, the new Roman procurator, was yet to arrive in Jerusalem. The Zealot leader,

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Aug 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887389233

Craig A. Comstock

Craig has been a deacon at Covenant Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Barre, Vermont, for over thirty years. Craig has a degree in psychology from Castleton University. He worked for the Department for Children and Families for more than forty years, retiring recently as regional manager. Craig and his wife of forty-seven years, Michelle, have lived in the beautiful mountains of the Green Mountain State all their lives. They are blessed with three grown children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The morning was still dark, and the air was cool as the sun had not yet risen over the grey eastern sky of Jerusalem. The birds outside his small room were raucously seeking out their morning breakfast. Hearing their chirping made the old man smile, musing over his brother’s reassuring words about sparrows. As was his custom, James rose before the sun each morning to engage in fervent prayer for his growing and beleaguered congregation and his beloved nation, Israel. In these dreary days of relentless turmoil, prayer seemed to be all that was holding back the violence and bloodshed that had so gripped the holy city these past few months. It had not yet been confirmed by James, but it was rumored that last night Ananus, the high priest, had several prominent brothers of the Way arrested and thrown into jail. In his pastor’s heart, James feared that this was inevitable. However, being the eternal optimist, he prayed earnestly that the Lord would return before something like this occurred. After all, he was the one who told his congregation that the prayer of a righteous person was powerful and effective. At this very moment, James felt anything but powerful and effective and far from righteous.

He rose slowly from the edge of his bed as he finished imploring heaven for his flock and the eternal city that he wept over. If truth be known, James had hardly left Jerusalem since that fateful day when his half-brother Jesus had been crucified. It seemed that each morning, it became increasingly difficult for James to rise after prayer as his knees throbbed in pain. Even though no one said anything to James’ face, it was not a well-kept secret that behind his back, many referred to James as old camel knees as he spent large portions of each day in the temple on them. The thought of this made James smile to himself as he arose from morning prayers.

The smile quickly ran away from his face as James recalled what Parmenas had told him late last evening. With the death of Porcius Festus, tensions had increased dramatically in Judea. The Zealots, after several successful attacks upon the Roman occupiers, were emboldened. Their attacks became more frequent and bloodier. With each assault, the Roman retaliation became increasingly swift and severe. There was little concern on the part of the Romans to distinguish between the guilty and the innocent. To add to the instability of Judea, it would be several weeks or months before his successor, Clodius Albinue, would arrive in Jerusalem from Alexandria to become the Roman Procurator of Judea.

Festus had inherited the problem of many of his predecessors regarding the practice of civic privileges for the Jews. Whoever would pay the highest bribe to the Romans would be appointed high priest, and all the opulence associated with this powerful and prestigious position. Festus was no sympathizer to the Way but was a fair-minded man and did provide an amount of protection for the followers of Jesus from overt persecution from the Jewish religious leaders. With his passing and Ananus ben Ananus as high priest, James greatly feared that until Clodius Albinue arrived in Jerusalem, Ananus’ contempt for the Way would be unrestrained. On a few occasions, James had met with the high priest, and each time it became more and more unpleasant. With greater numbers of Jews placing their faith in Jesus as the Messiah, the temple treasury was being impacted, and Ananas’ authority eroded. The very thought of worshiping a Messiah who said that whoever wanted to be the greatest must be the servant of all was anathema to the high priest and the other religious leaders in Jerusalem. As a Sadducee, Ananus cared little for the Jewish religion, but anything that interfered with the lifestyle of the luxury-loving priesthood was to be rooted out and destroyed. He paid dearly for his position, and he was not going to let these apostates disrupt it without extracting a high price.

James set about preparing his meager breakfast, as he knew that this day was bound to be filled with many unknowns. James was singing Psalms as he went about his morning tasks. This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made, we will rejoice, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Each day is a rich and precious gift from God, with new grace and new opportunities, James often reminded his congregation. He was determined not to let his fears overshadow his faith. The singing quickly ended with a knock on his door. Not expecting any visitors this morning, James looked down at the ground and tried to think clearly as he contemplated who it was that could be calling at such an early hour.

So, the Lord God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush you head, and you will strike His heel."

Genesis

Chapter 2

Ananus ben Ananus, too, was up early this day; sleep was elusive and unnecessary to the high priest. Now that Porcius Festus was dead, and the new Procurator of Judea was yet to arrive in Jerusalem from Alexandria, he knew the window of opportunity to dispose of the blasphemous Christians would soon be closed. Clodius Albinue, like the Procurators before him, would, in all likelihood, appoint a new high priest. Who knows if Clodius would be sympathetic to the despised Nazarene sect or not? To Ananus’ dismay, James the Just, as he was called by the ignorant rabble that followed him, and the rest of the Jerusalem Christians had somehow been able to gain the favor and sympathies of most all of the Jewish religious sects. The only exception being the Sadducees and the strictest sect of the Pharisees. All too often, members of this faction clung to their own laws and traditions rather than God’s. It has even been reported that some of the younger priests and the less pious Pharisees had gone over to the profane Nazarene.

Saying a brief and rote prayer before departing his room, Ananus headed for the room of Manaen, his personal attendant and scribe. His voice was sharp and gruff as he entered Manaen’s room.

Get up; I need to see Tertullus immediately, he looked harshly into the face of Manaen as he spoke to emphasize his point.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Manaen merely nodded that he understood what Ananus had just ordered him to do. With this, Ananus departed the room as quickly as he arrived. Manaen rose summarily, knowing that any delay in obeying the high priest would be met with severe consequences.

Manaen had served in the temple for many years. Over that time, he had witnessed many things that troubled and confused him. Ananus is the first high priest that he served as a personal attendant and scribe. Manaen was unsure why Ananus had chosen him for this prestigious position, but having a servant’s heart, he gladly accepted his new role. He was determined to honor his God in performing it, in spite of the multitude of differences that he and the high priest had.

Even though Manaen knew delay could result in the ire of the high priest, he knelt beside the window in his room, as he did every morning, and prayed to the Almighty to guide his tongue and actions this day. He prayed that the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart would be honoring to the Lord Almighty.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the eastern mountains turning the sky a brilliant orange, as Manaen walked briskly through the mostly deserted streets of Jerusalem. There were only a few shopkeepers here and there opening up for the day. It was but a short time, and he was standing outside the house of the prominent lawyer Tertullus, the personal confidant of the high priest. A servant met Manaen at the door. After looking Manaen over suspiciously, he had him wait there as he went to get Tertullus. Manaen had never been inside the lawyer’s home before and was astonished at its lavishness. The walls were all carved wood, cedars from Lebanon, he reasoned, and very high. Even though it was now light outside, the room was exceedingly dark. The only windows in the hall were small and set in the upper sections of the walls. Intricate tapestries hung from the two outside walls, and a large gold-rimmed portrait of Tertullus himself hung from the interior wall. Manaen, who had seen Tertullus many times in the temple, figured that the picture must be a very old one, as the man in the picture looked much younger and more vigorous than the man he saw at the temple.

Manaen was getting worried as he had been waiting some time for the arrival of the lawyer. He knew that Ananus was most anxious to see Tertullus, and he would be held responsible for any delay. He was relieved when he heard footsteps coming from the hallway. However, his reprieve was short-lived as who came into the hall was not Tertullus but the servant who had met him earlier.

Tertullus knows that High Priest Ananus requests his presence immediately, the servant spoke curtly to Manaen. Tell the high priest that he will be at the temple shortly. With these brief words and not waiting for any reply from Manaen, he opened the great door and ushered him from the house.

When I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, the land I promised on oath to their ancestors, and when they eat their fill and thrive, they will turn to other gods and worship them, rejecting Me and breaking My covenant.

Deuteronomy

Chapter 3

James was stunned into silence as to his wonder awaiting on his doorsteps to see him were his brothers Jude, Joseph, and Simon.

May we come in, brother? Jude was the first to speak.

Yes, yes, of course, my brothers. What a wonderful surprise to see you. James’ eyes went easily from face to face as he spoke, still in disbelief over the sight of his brothers at his door. It had been many months since they had been in Jerusalem.

We arrived in Bethany late last evening; we stayed with Martha. We left our sisters with her and thought it best to wait until the morning to come. Simon looked solemnly into the eyes of his older brother.

Regaining his composure, James led his brothers over to a table where they could sit and visit.

Please sit. Is there anything that I can get for you?

No, there is little time to waste. Joseph’s voice was stern as he spoke to his elder brother.

My brother, we have it on reliable authority that now that Festus is dead and Judea is without a Procurator, High Priest Ananus is going to begin persecuting those of us of the Way. You must leave Jerusalem immediately. Jude’s face grew somber as he spoke to his brother.

Yes, I know that the high priest has wanted for some time to rid the holy city of the followers of our Savior. However, even though Festus is dead, there is still King Agrippa II, who has authority over the high priest and the Sanhedrin. I do not think that Ananus would act rashly without the king’s approval. James looked carefully into the faces of his brothers.

"My brother, you know nothing