Now this chapter tells of two things: the death of one of that pair of
friends; the miracle that was wrought for the deliverance of the other
from death. Why could not the parts have been exchanged, or why could
not the miraculous hand that was stretched out to save the one
fisherman of Bethsaida have been put forth to save the other? Why
should James be slain, and Peter miraculously delivered? A question
easily asked; a question not to be answered by us. We may say that the
one was more useful for the development of the Church than the other.
But we have all seen lives that, to our poor vision, seemed to be all
but indispensable, ruthlessly swept away, and lives that seemed to be,
and were, perfectly profitless, prolonged to extreme old age. We may
say that maturity of character, development of Christian graces, made
the man ready for glory. But we have all seen some struck down when
anything but ready; and others left for the blessing of mankind many,
many a day after they were far fitter for heaven than thousands that,
we hope, have gone there.
So all these little explanations do not go down to the bottom of the
matter, and we are obliged just to leave the whole question in the
loving Hands that hold the keys of life and death for us all. Only we
may be sure of this, that James was as dear to Christ as Peter was, and
that there was no greater love shown in sending the angel that
delivered the one out of the 'hand of Herod and from all the
expectation of the people of the Jews,' than was shown in sending the
angel that stood behind the headsman and directed the stroke of the
fatal sword on the neck of the other.
The one was as dear to the Christ as the other--ay, and the one was as
surely, and more blessedly, delivered 'from the mouth of the lion' as
the other was, though the one seemed to be dragged from his teeth, and
the other seemed to be crushed by his powerful jaws. James escaped from
Herod when Herod slew him but could not make him unfaithful to his
Master, and his deliverance was not less complete than the deliverance
of his friend.
But let us remember, also, that if thus, to two equally beloved, there
were dealt out these two different fates, it must be because that evil,
which, as I said, is not so great as it looks, is also not so bitter as
it tastes, and there is no real evil, for the loving heart, in the
stroke that breaks its bands and knits it to Jesus Christ. If we are
Christians, the deepest desire of our souls is fuller communion with
our Lord. We realise that, in some stunted and scanty measure, by life;
but oh! is it not strange that we should shrink from that change which
will enable us to realise it fully and eternally? The contrast of James
and Peter may teach us the equal love that presides over the life of
the living and the death of the dying.