Yakov's Epistle

By David Block

The following is a fictitious letter sent by a fictional character named Yakov to the apostle Paul. Any relation to an actual letter or person of history is purely coincidental. Scripture references are included for reference sake, though they would be unknown to a person during this time period.

Yakov, a servant of Jesus Christ and Archippus our brother to Paul our fellow worker and beloved brother.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (see Philemon1:2).

I write to you with great joy and thankfulness to God as I continually see the fruit of your labor wherever I travel. Though it has been many years since we have seen each other last I know that you, as well as I, are a new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). I freely admit that I was one of the many that feared you when word of your conversion first reached my ears (Acts 9:26). But now I hear that you are a prisoner for our Lord (Philemon 1:1). I write to you this letter describing my own encounter with Christ so that you will not lose heart but finish this race well (Hebrews 12:1).

You know as well as I, how much the elders were praised for their diligence at maintaining the holiness of God. We spent our childhood memorizing and studying their work. The holiness of God was prized above all other doctrines. I understand their fear that our nation would once again fall to the pagan gods that had so plagued our forefathers. However, their emphasis on His holiness caused us to lose sight of the true reading of the Prophets. Our view of the Messiah was distorted by destroying the immense love that the Father has for his children. I do not despise my years under the elders training, but they left me ill prepared to meet the true Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ.

I first encountered Christ early on in his earthly ministry. I had begun to hear many stories of how a man named Jesus from Galilee had been traveling about teaching and healing people. Many of the elders were curious as to who this man was so I set out to find him. When I arrived in Galilee, I found that He had been visiting the synagogues preaching about the kingdom of God and healing people with every disease and affliction (Matthew 4:23). A crowd of people from Galilee, the Decapolis and even Jerusalem, Judea and beyond the Jordan were following him from place to place (Matthew 4:25). He proceeded up the mountain and began to talk to his followers (Matthew 5:1). I pushed my way through the crowd so that I might here what he was saying. I sat amazed as he expounded unlike I had ever heard or been taught. He taught by his own authority and not by that of the elders (Matthew 7:28-29). I knew that the teachers would not approve of what this man was saying, so I returned to Jerusalem and reported what I found. They were angered by the attention that Jesus was drawing to himself and ordered that I had nothing to do with him.

Time passed and the stories of Jesus continued to circulate throughout Jerusalem. I heard of how he had healed every plight known to man. He had cast out demons on numerous occasions (Matthew 9:32-34; Luke 8:26-39). He claimed to be fulfilling prophecy (Matthew 13:14-15). He raised people from the dead (Luke 7:11-17; 8:49-56). I overheard some of the elders speak of how he claimed to forgive peoples sins (Matthew 9:2). I started to wonder if God had finally sent us a prophet to speak to us after so many years of silence. I consulted the teachers about it but they met me with scorn and rebuked me for even entertaining the thought. The strength of their admonishment caused me to study the Scriptures more diligently than I had ever before. My curiosity had been peaked and I decided that I needed to know more about what the Prophets had said.

I studied the Scriptures day and night, but I knew that I had to see this man again. One day I set out and found him walking by the Sea of Galilee. Great crowds surrounded him and he healed all those that were brought before him. All the people began to glorify Jehovah for the works that Jesus was doing. It was an amazing sight! Could this man be possessed by a demon as the elders told me? He then proceeded to provide food for the four thousand people that were there. Each person had their fill and there were baskets left over. All of the food came from seven loaves and a few fish. Only a man of God could perform such deeds. But what did this all mean? I began to wonder why the elders questioned if he came from God? I had never seen a man oppressed by an evil spirit speak and act the way that he did. I returned home more confused than ever (Matthew 15:29-39).

The final time I saw Jesus was in Jerusalem. The city was in an uproar when he entered the city and proceeded to the temple (Matthew 21:1-11). There he confronted the money-changers by quoting the prophet Jeremiah (Matthew 21:13; Jeremiah 7:11). His lack of care for the superstitions of our people angered many, but I found myself drawn to his knowledge of Scripture and his claims of self-authority (Matthew 21:23-27). He continued to teach the people but then he directed his attention toward the elders and the rest of us. He pronounced judgment against us for being hypocrites and claimed that we were actually hindering people from finding God not leading them to him (Matthew 27). Many of the elders cursed him but my soul burned within me. I fled from Jerusalem and the temple, knowing that I could not stay and be apart of what the elders had been planning for a long time. They had for the past couple of years meant to kill him, but I knew that this last pronouncement would bring his death. I hid for many days just outside the city until the news of his death reached me.

I resumed my duties in the temple after his death. I had hoped that he was the Messiah as many people had claimed but I had a hard time reconciling that with the man that had died. There were many reports of him coming back to life, which would definitely prove that he was the Messiah. However, I never saw him and the elders assured me that he was dead and his followers had stolen his body and were trying to deceive the people into thinking he was risen (Matthew 28:11-15).

When the day of Pentecost arrived, I was busy about my duties as a scribe. It was about the third hour, when I heard a great commotion in the street (Acts 2:6). A great number of people were beginning to gather, all moving in the same direction. I quickly left my work and ran to see what was taking place. I had not seen such a crowd since Jesus had been killed.

As the crowd pushed forward, I could hear a strange sound. It was the sound of men speaking in many different languages. As we neared them, I recognized some of them as Jesus' followers. The crowd look around at each other amazed at what they were witnessing. Before us were a group of Galileans all speaking different languages (Acts 2:6-7). As you know, the Galileans aren't known for there proficiency in multiple languages. People from all over the world were hearing the proclamation of the mighty works of God in their own tongue (Acts 2:9-10). I was amazed and perplexed and asked like many others, “What does this mean?” (Acts 2:12). Some men yelled over the crowd, “These men are filled with new wine,” (Acts 2:13). We all knew that was not the case. These men were fully aware of what they were doing. No, they were not drunk but the power of God was upon them. It was the only explanation for what was happening.

Then out of the twelve that were speaking, Peter came forth and spoke to us (Acts 2:14). He assured the mockers that they were not drunk but that as the prophet Joel had spoken, God had poured out his Spirit upon mankind. He applied the writings of David to Jesus. He claimed that Jesus did in fact die but he had risen from the dead. He claimed that Jesus was equal with God (Acts 2:32) and that because Jesus had risen he received the Holy Spirit whom he had poured out. The miraculous events that we were witnessing were the evidence of these events (Acts 2:33).

When I heard this I was cut to the heart (Acts 2:36). Many people from the crowd cried out “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Peter said to us, “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38). Peter continued exhorting the crowd to, “save yourselves from this crooked generation.” As I stood listening, I knew that God was calling me to himself (Acts 2:39). I realized that all those years I spent that I thought I was seeking Him, I really was running from Him. I had sought a God of my own creation. My heart weighed heavy under the conviction of my sin. I cried out to the LORD asking for his forgiveness, in the name of Christ. At that moment I received the Holy Spirit and along with thousands of others I was baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Acts 2:41, Matthew 28:19).

Following my conversion, I was no longer accepted as a scribe in the temple. In fact, I feared that if I told the elders my life would be forfeit. So I left behind all that I knew and all that I had to join the fellowship of Christ. I devoted myself to the teachings of my new elders, the apostles, to prayers and to the breaking of bread with my new family (Acts 2:42). The apostles continued to display their authority through many signs and wonders that God wrought through them. It was amazing to be a witness to the power of God (Acts 2:43). The love of the followers of Christ was unbelievable as everyone began to share their possessions with each other (Acts 2:44). Since I had left everything behind I was in great need, but every one of my needs were met through my fellow believers. We met day by day in peoples' homes to break the bread of fellowship. We also attended the temple, though I had to disguise myself to avoid the rebuke of the elders. Yet I would do it all again, if need be. Day after day God added to our numbers as he brought more and more of our kinsman to himself to the praise of his glorious grace. Amen. (Acts 2:47).

Brother, I know that you consider your trials all joy because you continually stand fast in the faith (James 1:2-3). My hope is that my letter, though of little consequence, will help to lift your spirit in the times of darkness. Never forget the mighty power of God that changed the likes of you and I, heartless, unrepentant sinners and haters of God, to new creatures capable of serving Him.

The Lord bless you and keep you: the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

All Scripture Quotes Taken From:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2001.