Along with Simon Peter, James and John were the Lord's most chosen disciples. Christ revealed His divine mysteries to them, above all the other apostles. Thus, when He wished to reveal the glory of His Divinity on Mount Tabor, He took with Him only Peter, James, and John ( Matt. 17:1–13 ; Luke 9:28–36 ; Mark 9:2–13 ). These three were also present in the Garden of Gethsemane when the Lord poured out His spiritual suffering in prayer to God the Father ( Mark 14:32–42 ; Matt. 26:36–46 ). This closeness of James and John to the Lord likely prompted them to turn to Him with the immodest request to sit at His right and left hands in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord explained to them the immodesty of their request and their unclear understanding of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but at the same time predicted to them that they would drink His cup, that is, they would endure calamities and suffering for His name ( Mark 10:35–55 ; Matthew 20:20–28 ). The Lord's predictions were then fulfilled with precision in both brothers.
After the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, St. James the Apostle preached the Gospel in various countries, including, according to some, Spain. When he later returned to Jerusalem, he was as terrifying as thunder to the unbelieving Jews. St. James's actions justified the title "son of thunder" bestowed upon him by the Lord upon his election as an apostle. Fearlessly, boldly, and openly, James preached that Christ was the true Messiah, the Savior of the world. He disarmed the Pharisees and scribes with Divine Scripture and sternly rebuked them for their unbelief and hardheartedness. Unable to counter the apostle's words themselves, they hired a philosopher and sorcerer named Hermogenes to debate James and confound him. Hermogenes was a very independent and arrogant man, and he boasted to the Jews that James would not be able to defeat him, nor even his disciple. Trusting in his own knowledge and strength, he indeed sent his disciple Philetus to Saint James.
Philetus entered into a debate with the apostle, but was unable to resist the wisdom of the Holy Spirit speaking through the apostle's lips. He became as if mute and said nothing in response to the apostle's words. In this state, listening to St. James, Philetus discerned the truth and was moved to compunction. Returning to his teacher, Philetus told him that James's teaching, convincing in itself, was confirmed by miracles and that there was no way to dispute it. Convinced of the truth of the holy apostle's teaching, Philetus advised his teacher to become James's disciple. But the proud Hermogenes continued to stagnate in his arrogance. Using sorcery, he summoned unclean spirits and commanded them to hold Philetus in one place, so that he could not move. "I will see if your James will somehow free you," he said to Philetus. Then Philetus secretly informed St. James of his situation. The holy apostle sent him a towel to take and recite the words of the psalm: "The Lord looseth the prisoners; the Lord raiseth up the bowed down" ( Psalm 146:7-8 ). Philetus did as the apostle commanded, and the unclean spirits immediately left their prisoner. Then Philetus mocked his proud teacher and went to St. James, where he soon received Holy Baptism from him.
Hermogenes could not bear such humiliation. Filled with anger, he commanded the evil spirits serving him to bring James and Philetus bound to him. But as soon as the evil spirits approached the house where James and Philetus were staying, an angel, by God's command, invisibly bound them and began to torment them. "Have mercy on us, Apostle James of Christ!" the evil spirits began to cry out loudly. "By order of Hermogenes, we came to bind you and Philetus, and behold, we ourselves are firmly bound and being tormented." "May the Angel of God who bound you free you," the holy apostle said. "And you bring Hermogenes here, but do him no harm." The unclean spirits, having received their freedom, immediately carried out the apostle's command. "Our Lord commanded that evil be repaid with good," the holy apostle addressed them. James said to Philetus, "So untie Hermogenes and free him from the unclean spirits." Then the apostle allowed Hermogenes to go wherever he wished. But Hermogenes replied, "As soon as I leave your house, the evil spirits will kill me: I know well their ferocity. I know that I cannot free myself from them without your help." The holy apostle gave Hermogenes his cane, which he always carried. With this cane, he walked, and the evil spirits did not dare touch him. Then Hermogenes recognized the power of Christ and saw the impotence of the evil spirits. He gathered his magic books and brought them to the apostle James. Falling at his feet, he cried out, "Servant of the True God, who saves human souls from destruction, have mercy on me! Accept me, your enemy, as your disciple." He burned his magic books and became James's disciple. Having been taught the faith of Christ, Hermogenes became a zealous servant of Christ and himself performed miracles in the name of Christ.
Seeing the power of the miracles and teachings of the holy Apostle James, unbelieving Jews were inflamed with terrible malice against Christians. They persuaded King Herod, who then ruled all of Judea, to persecute the Christian Church and kill Saint James. At their request and instigation, Herod began the persecution and ordered the Apostle James's head to be cut off ( Acts 12:1 ). When Saint James was condemned to death, one of Herod's slanderers, named Joses, seeing the courage and fearlessness of the holy apostle, understood his innocence, recognized the truth of the apostle's teaching, and believed in Christ. He fearlessly confessed himself a Christian, for which he was condemned to death along with James. Both were brought to the place of execution at the same time. Then Joses turned to Saint James, begging him to forgive him for the sin he had committed in ignorance. "Peace be with you," said the holy apostle to Joses, embracing and kissing him. After this, they both bowed their heads beneath the sword and died at the same time. This occurred in the year 43 AD, on April 30. The Lord called the holy apostle James, the first of the 12 apostles, from the earthly world to the heavenly. After the beheading of St. James, the disciples took his precious body and, by God's revelation, carried it to the city of San Jago in Spain, where miracles and healings from his relics continue to occur.
Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Istorija_Tserkvi/zhizn-i-trudy-apostolov/4