Function Order: Si-Te-Fi-Ne

Big James becomes very frustrated whenever what Jesus tells them to do or preach “does not make sense.” When Jesus sends them out in twos to perform miracles and share parables, James admits when they are reunited that he didn’t like not knowing what was happening, or the meaning of what he was saying—because he needs it to be in some way grounded, and instead, Jesus was asking them to operate off of faith alone. This comes from James being extremely literal as an ISTJ – they want things to be rational, based in the present, and tangible, so he struggles to wrap his head around purely theoretical or spiritual matters. He knows what miracles look like, but not what all the parables mean, and often asks for an interpretation. John often gets frustrated with him, because James is focusing more on the present and his love of home than the big picture of them being in the midst of a great mission. James is also confused at first about Jesus’ intentions, because it doesn’t match up with what his theology and religious upbringing has taught him to expect (Jesus is healing people and forgiving their sins and welcoming Gentiles, rather than preparing an army for war!). Even though John gives him a hard time with things, James also knows and retains a great deal more about Torah than his brother. He accurately recalls verses and is attentive to their meaning. James is very literal, but also tends to internalize things and brood. He gets jealous about his brother becoming close to another disciple, but doesn’t want to talk about it, or admit to his feelings when the group gathers and asks for everyone to share what their missions were like.

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James wants a lot more comfort than his brother does, the embodiment of a 9 seeking “peace.” He doesn’t like it when the teachings cause disruptions or take them away from what is familiar. Several times, he remarks on not enjoying conflict and on wishing things could be less unsettled. More crowds, in his mind, means more conflict, more pressure, more people around him, all things that bother him. When thinking about going home for a while after their missions, James mentions that all he can think about – all he has thought about for weeks – is his mama’s cakes! Self-preservation 9s love comfort and have very simple needs, but he’s also annoyed that he must share his home and those cakes with other disciples (no one told him they were going to house anyone else!). James also earns his title of “the son of thunder” well – he tends to flare up, get involved in arguments, he wants to beat up people who insult Jesus at first, and is very good at “protecting” Jesus just by standing there, because he looks intimidating.

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