James the Less

James the Less is a figure of early Christianity. He is also called "the minor", "the little", "the lesser", or "the younger", according to translation. He is often confused with James the Great and may or may not be James the Just.

Statue of James, identified with the Apostle James, at the church of the Mafra Palace, Portugal

Sources

In the New Testament, the name "James the Less" appears only in connection with his mother "Mary" in Mark 15:40, who is also the mother of Joses. "Mary the mother of James" is referred to in two other places, but he is not called "James the Less" there. This "Mary" may have been Mary of Clopas, mentioned only in 19:25 John 19:25. It is unlikely to be Mary the mother of Jesus since she is only called the mother of James the Less and Joses.

Identification as James, the son of Alphaeus

The title, "the Less", is used to differentiate James from other people named James. Since it means that he is either the younger or shorter of two, he seems to be compared to one other James. In the lists of the twelve apostles in the synoptic Gospels, there are two apostles called James, who are differentiated there by their fathers: James, son of Zebedee, and James, son of Alphaeus. Long-standing tradition identifies James, the son of Alphaeus, as James the Less. James, son of Zebedee, is then called "James the Great", which is not a name found anywhere in the New Testament.

If James the Less is neither James, the son of Alphaeus, whom some propose was the same man as Cleophas or at least the husband of Mary Clopas, nor James the Just, then the only fact known about him is that his mother is named Mary.

Identification as James the Just

James the Less could also be identified as being the brother (or cousin) of Jesus, James the Just.

See also

• James the Just
• James the Great

References

• James the Less: The Latter Rain Page
• Eusebius, Historia Ecclesia
• Who's Who in The New Testament, Ronals Brownrigg, Oxford University Press, 1993
• The 12, The Story of Christ's Apostles, Edgar J. Goodspeed, Holt, Rinehart and Winston
• The Search for the Twelve Apostles, William Steuart McBirnie, Ph. D. Tyndale Pp183–194.

External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia: Saint James the Less, identifying the Apostle James with James, brother of Jesus