During a Bible discussion for seekers last week, one of them asked a question that led me to ponder this questions. As I understand it, the body of Moses (not Elijah since he never died) should still have been in the grave at the time of the Transfiguration of Jesus--and would be pretty decomposed at that point. However, his spirit (and probably souls) would have been in Paradise at that time--still separated from his body until the resurrection at the last day. > And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his > brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was > transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his > clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them > Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Matthew 17:1-3 ESV If that is true, then what exactly did Peter, James and John see on the Mount of Transfiguration? Did they see the spirit of Moses? Can our spirits be seen with physical eyes? Were the disciples perhaps allowed to see spiritual things as Elisha appears to have done in 2 Kings 6? > When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went > out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. > And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, > “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who > are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open > his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young > man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and > chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17 ESV As a side note, the rich man and Lazarus presumably "saw" each other as well. I'm looking for the Protestant understanding of this.

I've heard arguments by people like Richard Carrier that the author of the Epistle of James is *outside* the category of apostles, meaning that this James is *not* an apostle. And that the James in the Book of Acts and in the Epistle to the Galatians was not James the Just but James son of Zebedee. Can you respond to Richard Carrier's argument, which can be seen in [this video](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DodGgjkMsZw) ? The reason why I asked you this is because I'm a Christian struggling with my faith and I wanted to ask my brothers in Christ to help me.

In [Acts 1:12-26](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%201:12-26&version=NIVUK) we read the story of how Matthias was chosen to replace Judas. This kept the number of apostles at Twelve. Sometime later, James, the brother of John was murdered ([Acts 12:2](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2012:2&version=NIVUK)) . James was also one of the original twelve ([Matthew 4:21](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+4:21&version=NIVUK)) but unlike Judas, there is no record of him being replaced. Why was this? Did the policy change? Alternatively, if he *was* replaced but it was not recorded in the New Testament, when did the "Twelve Apostle" policy end?

I'm reading John Pollock's "The Apostle - A Life Of Paul" and, at page 85 of the 1969 print, he states that > James was a man of such devotion that long praying had made his knees as hard as camel's, tradition says [...] He doesn't apply a note index for that. Anyone knows any source of that tradition?

One note specifically is that some translations read that Judas (not Iscariot) was known as Judas **brother** of James, but most say Judas **Son** of James. Luke 6:16 **NIV** > Judas *son* of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Compare that to: Luke 6:16 **KJV** > And Judas the *brother* of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. So, who were the apostles named Judas and James son of Alphaeus, exactly? If these apostles were brothers, wouldn't they share the same father? James is known as James son of Alphaeus... Luke 6:15 NIV > Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the > Zealot, In Jude, the author also introduces himself as the brother of James Jude 1:1 **NIV** > Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, However, this can also be Judas the brother of Christ and James, also the brother of Christ, but not necessarily the original apostles named Judas and James. I ask because today at study, the individual giving the study was positing that Judas brother/son of James and James were both brothers of Christ, whereas I have it understood that none of Christ's brothers came to faith in him until the post-resurrection appearances. Any help is appreciated!

Tradition has it that the Blessed Virgin Mary, sometime before her bodily Assumption into heaven, appeared to the Apostle St. James the Elder while he was living and preaching in Spain. After Pentecost, the 12 Apostles dispersed to preach the Gospel all over the world. St. James the Greater, on one of his apostolic journeys, preached in the Iberian Peninsula in modern-day Spain. St. James was discouraged that the pagans of that land were not responding to the Gospel and converting to Christianity. He had only a handful of converts to show for his labors. In the face of what he thought was failure in his mission, he prayed with his disciples by the Ebro river in modern day Zaragoza. [The First Marian Apparition in Church History: Our Lady of the Pillar](https://www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/first-marian-apparition-our-lady-pillar/) ap·pa·ri·tion ˌapəˈriSH(ə)n/ noun noun: apparition; plural noun: apparitions a ghost or ghostlike image of a person. bi·lo·ca·tion ˌbīlōˈkāSHən/ noun noun: bilocation; noun: bi-location the supposed phenomenon of being in two places simultaneously. Understanding the meaning of an apparition, it implies that Mary appears like a"ghost or ghost like image of the person". The year was 40 AD, how can Mary appear like a ghost if she still alive? It would seem that a bilocation is the more acceptable word, like what happens to other well known saints like St.Padre Pio. My question is according to Catholicism, how can Mary appears in a ghostform or like a spiritual being when She is actually still very much alive. The story of the above article somehow implied Mary has a capability to travel in space not common to mortal bodies. I'm looking for Catholic perspective and early Church Father explanation on Mary's apparition gifts while still alive.

In Acts 15 Paul goes to the Jerusalem council and, although Peter speaks, James has the last word and announces his judgement: "Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God" - Acts 15:19 If Peter was leader of the early church, why did James take what appears to be the role of leader in speaking last and in elucidating his judgement?

The following verses refer to "James," and most commentators identify him as the same James who is referred to as the "brother" of Jesus (though the exact meaning of that word is unclear). How do we know that it refers to him, rather than the son of Zebedee or of Alphaeus , two of the Twelve Apostles? 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 >For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. >Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to **James**, then to all the apostles. >Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

It's clear that Peter, James and John witnessed more miracles that Jesus did than the other disciples. Why weren't the other disciples permitted to see the miracles that Jesus performed like Peter, James and John did?

There are some legends that say that the apostle James the Greater (brother of John) traveled to the actual territory of Spain where he spread the Word. Also there are some accounts that place his final days in Jerusalem where he was martyred. Is this legend true? Are there any historical accounts that support the legend? Are there any other theories about the later life of apostle James?