James, son of Alphaeus: Difference between revisions
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===Possible mistake by Mark=== |
===Possible mistake by Mark=== |
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In the [[Gospel of Mark]] at the beginning of [[Jesus]]' ministry |
In the [[Gospel of Mark]] at the beginning of [[Jesus]]' ministry [[Jesus]] first calls [[Peter]] and his brother [[Andrew]] and asks them to follow him {{Bibleref|Mark|1:16-17}}. In the next verses it tells the story of how [[James the Greater]] and his brother [[John the Apostle]] came to follow [[Jesus]] {{Bibleref|Mark|1:19-20}}. After some healing [[Jesus]] meets Levi son of [[Alphaeus]] who was a tax collector and he then asks Levi to follow him {{Bibleref|Mark|2:14}}. Given that [[Peter]], [[Andrew]], [[James the Greater]] and [[John the Apostle]] had previously followed [[Jesus]] and were then listed as [[Apostles]] {{Bibleref|Mark|3:18}} it is possible that the [[Mark the Evangelist]] intended to list Levi son of Alphaeus and not James son of Alphaeus as one of the [[12 Apostles]]. To complicate matters [[Mark the Evangelist]] refers to a third James who is listed as a brother of Jesus {{Bibleref|Mark|6:3}}. This James is distinguishable from James son of Alphaeus and [[James the Greater]] as [[Jesus]] rejects his family and therefore could not be one of the [[Apostles]]. Given that there were two [[Apostles]] called James it is there are three references to an ambigiuous Apostle called James in the Gospel of Mark. There is a James at the transfiguration {{Bibleref|Mark|9:2}}, at the [[Mount of Olives]] {{Bibleref|Mark|13:3}} and the [[Garden of Gethsemane]] {{Bibleref|Mark|14:33}}. Although this James is listed alongside [[John the Apostle]] the distinction isn't made that they are either the son's of Zebedee or brothers. This James is no longer ambiguous if [[Mark the Evangelist]] intended of writing Levi the son of Alphaeus as one of the Apostles. The idea that it was a mistake is further backed up by a reference to a Mary mother of James the Younger and Joseph {{Bibleref|Mark|15:40}}. It is clear that this is not [[James the Greater]]'s mother although it is possible that his mother was also called Mary. We are left with two possibilities either this is James the brother of Jesus' mother or James son of Alphaeus' mother. If this is James son of Alphaeus' mother then [[Jesus]] knew an Apostle with the name James and a brother called Joseph and a mother called Mary and [[Jesus]] also had a brother called James with a brother called Joseph and a mother called Mary. Even if they are common names then it is a big coincidence. If the intention was Levi son of Alphaeus to be an Apostle instead of James son of Alphaeus then it is no longer ambiguous who James the Younger is. It would mean that James the Younger is the Younger brother of [[Jesus]] who we already know has a brother called Joseph {{Bibleref|Mark|6:3}}. |
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What isn't clear is why a distinction wasn't drawn between James son of Alphaeus and [[James the Greater]] on these three occasions. If the interpretation is made that [[Mark the Evangelist]] intended to write Levi the Son of Alphaeus as one of the 12 Apostles then the remaining references to James throughout the Gospel are consistent. Even the reference to Mary mother of James the Younger and Joseph {{Bibleref|Mark|15:40}} makes more sense when looking at the Gospel of Mark in isolation. The identification of James the younger would refer to a James other than James the son of Zebedee or the brother of John as he is identified. It is likely that this is a reference to his brother James' mother Mary. It either refers to his younger brother James' mom with a brother called Joseph (we already know from Mark 6:3 that James has a brother called Joseph) or Jesus knows two James' who have a brother called Joseph and a mother called Mary. Internal evidence within the [[Gospel of Mark]] would suggest it was a mistake by [[Mark the Evangelist]] to like James son of Alphaeus as one of the 12 Apostles. |
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==Tradition== |
==Tradition== |
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Revision as of 21:03, 15 October 2011
Saint James, son of Alphaeus | |
|---|---|
 Statue of St James at the Church of the Mafra Palace, Portugal | |
| Apostle | |
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | Egypt or Jerusalem |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 1 May (Anglican Communion), May 3 (Roman Catholic Church), 9 October (Eastern Orthodox Church) |
| Attributes | carpenter's saw; fuller's club; book |
| Patronage | apothecaries; druggists; dying people; Frascati, Italy; fullers; milliners; Monterotondo, Italy; pharmacists; Uruguay[1] |
Saint James, son of Alphaeus (Ἰάκωβος, Iakōbos in Greek) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. He is often identified with James the Less and commonly known by that name in church tradition.[2]
James, the son of Alphaeus, is rarely mentioned in the New Testament, but he is sometimes identified with James the Just, an important leader in the New Testament church. He is clearly distinguished from James, son of Zebedee, another one of the Twelve Apostles.
Sources
James, son of Alphaeus, only appears four times in the New Testament, each time in a list of the twelve apostles.[3]
Identity
Possible identity with James the Less
James, son of Alphaeus is often identified with James the Less, who is only mentioned three times in the Bible, each time in connection with his mother. Mark 15:40 refers to "Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses", while Mark 16:1 and Matthew 27:56 refer to "Mary the mother of James". James, son of Alphaeus may also be identified as James the Just.
Since there was already another James (James, son of Zebedee) among the twelve apostles, equating James son of Alphaeus with James the Less made sense. (James son of Zebedee was sometimes called "James the Greater").
Modern Biblical scholars are divided on whether this identification is correct. John Paul Meier finds it unlikely.[4] Amongst evangelicals, the New Bible Dictionary supports the traditional identification,[5] while Don Carson[6] and Darrell Bock[7] both regard the identification as possible, but not certain.
Possible identity with James, the brother of Jesus
James, son of Alphaeus, has also been identified with James the Just. This was supported by Jerome and therefore widely accepted in the Roman Catholic Church,[8] while Eastern Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and Protestants tend to distinguish between the two.
Possible brother of Matthew
Another Alphaeus is also the name of the father of the publican Levi mentioned in Mark 2:14. The publican appears as Matthew in Matthew 9:9, which has led some to conclude that James and Matthew might have been brothers. However, there is no Biblical account of the two being called brothers, even when they appear side by side in the synoptic list of the Twelve Apostles, next to the fraternal pairs of Peter and Andrew and the sons of Zebedee.
Possible mistake by Mark
In the Gospel of Mark at the beginning of Jesus' ministry Jesus first calls Peter and his brother Andrew and asks them to follow him Mark 1:16–17. In the next verses it tells the story of how James the Greater and his brother John the Apostle came to follow Jesus Mark 1:19–20. After some healing Jesus meets Levi son of Alphaeus who was a tax collector and he then asks Levi to follow him Mark 2:14. Given that Peter, Andrew, James the Greater and John the Apostle had previously followed Jesus and were then listed as Apostles Mark 3:18 it is possible that the Mark the Evangelist intended to list Levi son of Alphaeus and not James son of Alphaeus as one of the 12 Apostles. To complicate matters Mark the Evangelist refers to a third James who is listed as a brother of Jesus Mark 6:3. This James is distinguishable from James son of Alphaeus and James the Greater as Jesus rejects his family and therefore could not be one of the Apostles. Given that there were two Apostles called James it is there are three references to an ambigiuous Apostle called James in the Gospel of Mark. There is a James at the transfiguration Mark 9:2, at the Mount of Olives Mark 13:3 and the Garden of Gethsemane Mark 14:33. Although this James is listed alongside John the Apostle the distinction isn't made that they are either the son's of Zebedee or brothers. This James is no longer ambiguous if Mark the Evangelist intended of writing Levi the son of Alphaeus as one of the Apostles. The idea that it was a mistake is further backed up by a reference to a Mary mother of James the Younger and Joseph Mark 15:40. It is clear that this is not James the Greater's mother although it is possible that his mother was also called Mary. We are left with two possibilities either this is James the brother of Jesus' mother or James son of Alphaeus' mother. If this is James son of Alphaeus' mother then Jesus knew an Apostle with the name James and a brother called Joseph and a mother called Mary and Jesus also had a brother called James with a brother called Joseph and a mother called Mary. Even if they are common names then it is a big coincidence. If the intention was Levi son of Alphaeus to be an Apostle instead of James son of Alphaeus then it is no longer ambiguous who James the Younger is. It would mean that James the Younger is the Younger brother of Jesus who we already know has a brother called Joseph Mark 6:3.
Tradition
A tradition holds that Saint James, though strongly clinging to Jewish law, was sentenced to death for having violated the Torah.[citation needed] He was arrested along with an unspecified number of Christians and was subsequently beheaded by Herod in persecution of the church. Acts 12:1,2 In Christian art he is depicted holding a fuller's club because he was martyred when beaten to death with a fuller's club at Ostrakine in Lower Egypt, where he was preaching the Gospel[citation needed].
References
- ^ Catholic Forum Patron Saints Index: James the Lesser
- ^ He is also labelled "the minor", "the little", "the lesser", or "the younger", according to translation.
- ^ Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:12–16 and Acts 1:13.
- ^ John Paul Meier, A Marginal Jew volume 3, p. 201. "There are no grounds for identifying James of Alphaeus - as church tradition has done - with James the Less."
- ^ New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Edition (IVP 1982), "James" entry (by P.H.Davids)
- ^ "The Expositor's Bible Commentary CDROM, commentary on Matthew (by Don Carson), commentary on Matthew 10:2-4
- ^ Luke, by Darrell Bock (Baker 1994), commentary on Luke 6:15
- ^ Catholic Encyclopedia: Saint James the Less