Jesus' family members in history

[RightWing]

I am looking for links regarding writings or statements in Jewish history by Jesus' family members regarding their belief in Him as the Messiah. Does anyone know of any?

[inlovewiththe44]

Well, the only one I can tell you is James. Which is in the Bible haha.

[Icthus]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean, RightWing, but if you're asking if there are any records of Jesus' immediate family accepting his divinity, then I'm afraid you won't find much. Must the statements be from extra-biblical sources? As inlovewiththe44 said, James eventually became a leader in the Jerusalem Church (his execution is mentioned by Josephus, a Jewish Historian writing in the latter half of the first Century), but I don't think there is any extent record of any other family member definitely accepting him. This, naturally, doesn't mean that none of them did--we just don't have any record of it happening. Relatively few writings have survived from the 1st century, so it is possible that there were other converts in his family that we don't know about.

If it isn't a bother, I wonder why you ask. Is there some significance to the question?

[PaulSacramento]

I am looking for links regarding writings or statements in Jewish history by Jesus' family members regarding their belief in Him as the Messiah. Does anyone know of any?

Outisde of his mom, when he was alive, they did not openly view him as the messiah OR follow him.
His brother James became the leader in Jerusalem AFTER the resurrected Jesus came to him.
No mention of any other family members, though some say that Jude was also Jesus' brother.
Of course "brother" in the ancient Hebrew context can mean cousin or another family member besides a direct sibling.

[RightWing]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean, RightWing, but if you're asking if there are any records of Jesus' immediate family accepting his divinity, then I'm afraid you won't find much. Must the statements be from extra-biblical sources? As inlovewiththe44 said, James eventually became a leader in the Jerusalem Church (his execution is mentioned by Josephus, a Jewish Historian writing in the latter half of the first Century), but I don't think there is any extent record of any other family member definitely accepting him. This, naturally, doesn't mean that none of them did--we just don't have any record of it happening. Relatively few writings have survived from the 1st century, so it is possible that there were other converts in his family that we don't know about.

If it isn't a bother, I wonder why you ask. Is there some significance to the question?

Yes, absolutely and your answer is very helpful. James is the main one I was looking for. As far as I am concerned, the Bible is proof enough. I am a Christian, thus this is enough for me, but I am also interested in history relating to the Bible. The main reason why I asked, is I often debate a friend of mine who believes in the Niburu, planet X, and the Annunaki and believes this species created us. I showed him documentation of Jewish and Roman history regarding proof of Jesus' existence, crucifixion, and reports of the empty tomb. He concurred with some of it, acknowledge Jesus existed, but then stated Jesus' own family members did not believe He was holy, a deity, or the Messiah. He specifically referred to James not believing. He obviously is not the type I can say, "It's in the Bible," to, so I was looking for historical writings other than the Bible. Thanks again.

[Icthus]

I'm glad I could be of help. If James is topic of the discussion, then I think you have plenty to work with. Although your friend might not be willing to accept the Gospel's claim that James was a witness of the risen Jesus, he might have a better reaction to Paul (I assume that if he thinks James didn't believe, then he wouldn't believe the book bearing his name was written by him). Paul's letters (with some exceptions, of course) are generally accepted by scholars as authentic (especially the 'most important ones' like Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Galatians), and Paul quite clearly claims to have met with at least some of the leaders in the Jerusalem Church, of which James is one. Although these claims are technically in the Bible (and might not, therefore, appease someone who must have other sources), they're on solid historical ground and aren't controversial. As I mentioned earlier, Josephus, although his passage about James is quite brief, is also relatively uncontroversial (though he is a favorite among more radical skeptics as a target for attack, mostly because of the likely interpolation in the passage about Jesus). Sorry I don't have the exact passages at the moment, but from all this, it seems pretty clear that James not only believed, but became one of the pillars of the early Christian Church.

On a different note, I don't believe I've ever heard of "the Niburu, planet X, and the Annunaki."