SONS of THUNDER

Jesus gave some of His disciples nicknames.  Simon was given the nickname "Peter."  And James and John were called the "Sons of Thunder."

"And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons.  And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom gave the name "Peter"), and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means,"Sons of Thunder");  

Mark 3:14-17 NASB

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus sent His disciples on ahead of Him to look for a place to eat and sleep.   They entered a Samaritan village.   

  
"When the days were approaching for His ascension, He was determined to go to Jerusalem; and He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him."  Luke 9:51-52 NASB

The Samaritan's refused to give accommodations, because the disciples told them they were on their way to Jerusalem.  James and John got angry.

"But they did not receive Him, because He was traveling toward Jerusalem.   When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"  Luke 9:53-54 NASB

"But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."  And they went on to another village."  Luke 9:55-56 NASB

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus and the disciples may have hiked the Jericho road.

"And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and ‘your neighbor as yourself.

 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  Luke 10:25-29 NKJV

Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

  

Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 

  

Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

   

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.  So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

  

On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’

   
So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10:30-37 NKJV

JESUS told the story of the Good Samaritan not only to the Lawyer; but to James and John the ''Sons of Thunder."

God doesn't want us to pray for lightning to zap people; but to have compassion and mercy.