In His Shadow

About the Book

Jesus’ next youngest brother, James, admires but is jealous of his brother’s excellent character. At ten years of age, James decides to become a life-long Nazirite, over Joseph’s objections. James devotes himself to the study of the Law, becoming so proficient at expounding and applying it, that he is called “James the Just” in spite of his strong objections.

Jesus begins his own ministry, leaving the spiritual life of the family in James’ care. James follows Jesus in order to see his miracles and hear his teachings.

The family sired by Joseph is composed of four brothers and twin sisters. Each in turn marries and starts his or her own family. As James follows Jesus, he does not believe in his claim to Messiahship, and rationalizes Jesus’ words and works.

When Jesus is crucified, James vows not to eat or drink until he knows whether Jesus is alive. In a vision, Jesus appears to him and says, “Break your fast, because I am alive from the dead.”

James joins the apostles in their hiding place, and learns much of what Jesus has said and done. The rest of the family, which has believed, rejoices in James’ conversion. At Jesus’ ascension, James wishes to join the Twelve in their missionary effort, but is not called to do so. At the urging of Peter, John, and (the apostle) James, he accepts the responsibility for the Jerusalem church. But in his zeal to evangelize, he writes his “Letter of James,” and reproduces large quantities of it and the Gospel of Matthew, to be carried to the churches of the expatriated believers.

Accompanied by a group of couriers, James visits Damascus planning to evangelize the unbelieving Jews, but is dissuaded by the Damascan believers. Zadok and Barzillai, enemies of Jesus and the Church, force their way into the meeting place, and attack and severely injure James. Zadok and Barzillai are arrested by a Roman garrison, and imprisoned. James is taken to Jerusalem by Damascan believers, while the couriers carry the two Scripture documents to the churches in Arabia.

In AD 66, during religious festivities, James is attacked by Zadok and Barzaillai and forced to the roof of the Temple. From there he is thrown to the pavement below, where he is thought to be dead. But he rises up and prays for God’s judgement on his killers. One of his enemies then beats out his brains. James is buried on the spot, and Nicodemus orders a stone marker to be placed at the site.

Soon the Romans come, and in AD 70 burn the Temple. The believers escape to Petra. Saul of Tarsus (the Apostle Paul) takes the gospel to the Gentile world.

About the Author

Thomas E. Fountain was born in Henderson, North Carolina in 1915, and grew up in Moorestown, New Jersey. He attended Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina, and earned a master’s degree in literacy journalism from Syracuse University in 1965. He was married for 57 years to Iona Fraser until her death in 1993. They had six children, and served in Mexico City and Honduras as Christian missionaries and publishers of reading material for unskilled readers. He has written an 18-booklet series on outstanding biblical persons, two theological works, and two historical novels, of which In His Shadow is the second. He lives with his wife Ruth in Vidalia, Georgia, and continues to write and develop his computer skills.