James Archives

April 1, 2026March 31, 2026

The Last Supper and What It Means to Us

Everyone is familiar with Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, The Last Supper. The painting shows the moment after Jesus revealed to His apostles that one of them would betray Him. We see each apostle’s reaction. Leonardo divided the twelve into four groups of three.

On the far right of Jesus, we see Bartholomew, James (the son of Alphaeus), and Andrew with surprised looks. Next is Peter, holding a knife that perhaps he would later use to cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. He leans over to John, the youngest apostle, who seems to have swooned, perhaps telling him to ask Jesus who the betrayer is. Judas, leaning forward between Peter and John, holds the money bag and reaches for the same loaf of bread Jesus is reaching for.

On Jesus’ left side, we see Thomas, James (the brother of Jesus), and Philip. Thomas looks to be questioning what Jesus just said about betrayal. James appears stunned, while Philip seeks clarification. On the far end of the table, we see Matthew, Jude (Thaddeus), and Simon the Zealot. Matthew and Thaddeus are looking at Simon. Did they suspect him?

Leonardo spent a lot of time walking around Milan looking for ordinary individuals to model the faces of the apostles. After all, the apostles were just ordinary people. Does the painting accurately show the real setting of the Last Supper? Probably not. The Bible says they gathered in a large above-ground room (Mark 14:18). It might have been the same place where Jesus appeared to them a week after His resurrection. The painting depicts a banquet hall with all the men seated on one side of a long table covered with a white cloth with blue stripes, and each man has a glass and a plate. In the first century, it was common to follow the Roman custom of reclining on a U-shaped arrangement of lounges called a triclinium around a small table.

Does the painting accurately show the apostles’ immediate reactions? We have no way of knowing, but it’s interesting to think about. If you were one of the apostles, how would you have reacted? Would you be shocked to learn your friend and teacher was about to be betrayed and killed? Would you want to know who the betrayer was? Could it be you?

Jesus told His apostles what was ahead to prepare them for the grief they would soon face. At the Last Supper, He also gave them the symbols of a loaf and a cup, to remind them whenever they gathered of His sacrifice — His body and blood. It also reminds us “until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26) that everything happened according to God’s plan to redeem all who accept His gift of grace through Jesus Christ.

Reference: Wikipedia.com

August 30, 2019August 28, 2019

Labor Day Weekend USA

Labor Day Weekend USA This weekend is Labor Day weekend in the United States because the first Monday in September is a federal holiday. Since it is the 125th anniversary of Labor Day, this tradition goes back a long way. Like most of our holidays, Labor Day has taken on all kinds of unrelated meanings. At one time it was the last day you could wear white or seersucker and be in style. Many consider Labor Day to be the unofficial end of summer. Workers often take their vacations to end on Labor Day.

Biblically there is a lot to support the emphasis on labor. The Old Testament is full of stories and characters who demonstrated an incredible willingness to work. Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:17 – 2:18 talked of his labors and what they taught him. Nehemiah (4:16-21) talked about how hard the Jews worked to rebuild the walls in the face of enormous opposition. Noah’s building of the ark and Moses’ long journey to the promised land are examples of hard work. Paul gave instructions in 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 for Christians to work with their own hands and be independent.

Beyond that, the Bible condemns laziness. Proverbs contains multiple charges for us to be active in labor (See Proverbs 6:9-11 and 26:16-17). In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Paul told Christians that if someone will not work, they should also not eat. God has told us that physical labor is the responsibility of all humans, but equally important is spiritual labor.

Romans 2:5-11 tells us that we must work for good no matter who we are because only doers of God’s instructions will be justified. And what are doers? Matthew 25:33-40 tells us that it is those who feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, take in the strangers, cloth the naked, visit the sick and visit those who are in prison. When we engage in such actions, we build and demonstrate our faith. James 2:14-20 points out that just having faith doesn’t meet needs and doesn’t provide salvation. James wrote that faith without works is dead.

God intended for us to be active and involved. Genesis 2:15 says, “God took the man and put him into the garden to dress it and keep it.” We are incomplete if we don’t work, be active, and complete what we were created to do both physically and spiritually. On Labor Day Weekend let’s celebrate the fact that we can work with our hands, be creative, worship God, and enjoy serving God and others in ways that bring glory to our Creator.
— John N. Clayton © 2019

March 31, 2019March 26, 2019

Dangerous Tongues

The mouth is one of the more dangerous parts of the human body regarding what comes out, what goes in, and what lives there. It is also the home of our dangerous tongues.

Fungi, micro-organisms, and viruses continuously come in with every bite of food and even just from breathing. In spite of that, the tongue rarely gets infected, and when it does, it usually heals quickly. One reason is that the tongue secretes an antibiotic called “lingual antimicrobial peptide” (LAP). The production of LAP increases when an infection inflames an area. LAP is also present in other parts of the digestive system, but the tongue is a first line of defense against microbes.

God designed our bodies to survive in a world that has all kinds of things that could harm us. The tongue is only one small, but very important example of how design provides protection. What goes into our mouths has the potential to harm or nourish us, and we need to be aware of that. But we also need to be mindful that what comes out of our mouths can encourage or harm others. God intends that we should use our dangerous tongues in the right way.

James 3:9-12 tells us:

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and bitter water flow from the same spring?”

James also said in 3:6 and 8:
“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and it is set on fire by hell…No man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

Our tongues are dangerous, not because God designed them that way. They are dangerous because of the way we use them. At a time when vile language and hatred comes out of the mouths of many people, we must control our dangerous tongues and use them for good.