And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
All Commentaries on Mark 3:17 Go To Mark 3
John Chrysostom
AD 407
James and John his brother he called “sons of thunder.” Why? To show that he was the same One who, in giving the old covenant, altered names, who called Abram “Abraham,” and Sarai “Sarah” and Jacob “Israel.” … It was also a custom of the patriarchs to give descriptive names to persons, as Leah did. This is not mere arbitrariness, but in order that they may have a hallmark to remind them of the goodness of God. By this means, a perpetual memory of the prophecy conveyed by the name sounds forth in the ears of those who receive it. Homilies on St. John, Homily
