Question 145: What is known of the early life of the author of the Epistle of James?

Answer:

Nothing authoritative. He was probably brought up with Yeshua and the other children in the Nazareth home. It is believed that he did not become a follower of Moshiach until after the resurrection. Moshiach seems to have appeared especially to him and as Paul mentions the fact (1 Corinthians 15:7) we may presume it was generally known, though it is not related in any of the Gospels. James was a strict Jew before becoming a believer and was highly esteemed among the Jews for his piety. It looks as though he never quite shook off his Jewish ideas (Galatians 2:12) and his epistle shows that he could not cordially endorse Paul's way of stating the Gospel.