Footnote 7: See also the Clementine literature which shows Peter as reporting to James concerning his activities (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8, Alexander edition) and Paul's criticism in Galatians 2:11-12.

Epiphanius is an important source of information about James. This is what he said as to why James became the first leader of Christianity:

Now at that time all Christians alike were called Nazoraens, although for a short time they were also called Jessaeans before the disciples began to be called Christians at Antioch. I think that they were called Jessaeans because of Jesse, since David was from Jesse, and from David through successive generations came Mary, the sacred scripture being fulfilled where in the Old Testament the Lord says to David, "The fruit of your loins I will set upon your throne."

But some may ask: Christ having been begotten from David's seed according to the flesh, that is from the holy Virgin Mary, for what reason does he not sit upon David's throne? . . . (For some people have thought that this has not been fulfilled.)

David's throne and royal seat is the priesthood in the holy church, which royal and high priestly dignity the Lord joined together into one and bestowed them upon his holy church, transferring to it David's throne, which will never disappear. For there David's throne continued to exist until Christ himself, the rulers from Judah not failing until he came "to whom belonged the things reserved, and he is the expectation of the nations", as it says.

For those who in succession from Judah were rulers ceased with the advent of Christ.

For once the two tribes, the royal and the priestly, meaning Judah and Aaron and the whole tribe of Levi, had been joined together, the kings were also made priests . . .

Now when the royal chair was changed, the royal dignity was in Christ transferred to the church from the house of Judah and Israel which is of the flesh, but the throne is established in God's holy church forever, the throne whose royal and high-priestly dignity rests on two bases - the royal dignity coming from Our Lord Jesus Christ in two ways, from the fact that he is of King David's seed according to the flesh and from the fact that he is, as is certainly true, a greater king from eternity in his divinity, and the priestly dignity coming from the fact that he is high priest and chief of high priests - James having been ordained at once the first bishop, he who is called the brother of the Lord and apostle . . . But we find as well that he is of David's stock through being Joseph's son and that he was a Nazarite (for he was Joseph's firstborn and consecrated), and we have found furthermore that he exercised the priesthood according to the priestly order of old. Thus it was permitted him once a year to enter the holy of holies, as the law ordered the high priests according to what is written. So say many of the historians before me of him, Eusebius, Clement, and others. He was also allowed to wear the plate on his head . . . There is much to say about this.

- the Penarion, 29 emphasis added

Here we find the criteria used by the elders of the new Israel in determining who occupied the bishop's chair: 1) was he a holy man? and 2) was he a man of the house of David?

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