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===Possible brother of Matthew=== |
===Possible brother of Matthew=== |
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Another [[Alphaeus]] is also the name of the father of the publican Levi mentioned in {{Bibleref|Mark|2:14}}. The publican appears as [[Matthew the Evangelist|Matthew]] in {{Bibleref|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. |
Another [[Alphaeus]] is also the name of the father of the publican Levi mentioned in {{Bibleref|Mark|2:14}}. The publican appears as [[Matthew the Evangelist|Matthew]] in {{Bibleref|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. |
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==Gospel of Mark== |
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[[Mark the Evangelist]] is the earliest known writer in the bible to mention [[James, son of Alphaeus]] as one of the twelve [[Apostles]] if the [[two-source hypothesis]] is true. [[Mark the Evangelist]] only mentions a [[James, son of Alphaeus]] only once and this is in his list of the [[12 Apostles]]{{Bibleref|Mark|3:16-19}}. At the beginning of [[Jesus]]' ministry he 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 by [[Jesus]] he meets Levi son of [[Alphaeus]] who was a tax collector and he then asks Levi to follow him {{Bibleref|Mark|2:14}}. [[Peter]], [[Andrew]], [[James the Greater]] and [[John the Apostle]] are listed as Apostles {{Bibleref|Mark|3:16-19}}. Levi, son of Alphaeus is not listed as an Apostle but James son of Alphaeus is {{Bibleref|Mark|3:16-19}}. Overall [[Mark the Evangelist]] lists three different James’. [[James, son of Alphaeus]], [[James the Greater]] and James the brother of Jesus {{Bibleref|Mark|6:3}}. On three separate occasions he writes about a James without clarifying which James he is referring too. 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]] a clear distinction isn't made about which [[Apostle]] James is being referred to, even when both Apostles are meant to be in the similar location. All twelve Apostles attend the Last Supper {{Bibleref|Mark|14:33}} which immediately precedes [[Garden of Gethsemane]]. There is a reference to Mary mother of James the Younger and Joseph {{Bibleref|Mark|15:40}}, however, [[Mark the Evangelist]] has already told us that James the brother of [[Jesus]] has a brother called Joseph {{Bibleref|Mark|6:3}}. |
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==Tradition== |
==Tradition== |
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Revision as of 06:27, 17 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.
Gospel of Mark
Mark the Evangelist is the earliest known writer in the bible to mention James, son of Alphaeus as one of the twelve Apostles if the two-source hypothesis is true. Mark the Evangelist only mentions a James, son of Alphaeus only once and this is in his list of the 12 ApostlesMark 3:16–19. At the beginning of Jesus' ministry he 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 by Jesus he meets Levi son of Alphaeus who was a tax collector and he then asks Levi to follow him Mark 2:14. Peter, Andrew, James the Greater and John the Apostle are listed as Apostles Mark 3:16–19. Levi, son of Alphaeus is not listed as an Apostle but James son of Alphaeus is Mark 3:16–19. Overall Mark the Evangelist lists three different James’. James, son of Alphaeus, James the Greater and James the brother of Jesus Mark 6:3. On three separate occasions he writes about a James without clarifying which James he is referring too. 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 a clear distinction isn't made about which Apostle James is being referred to, even when both Apostles are meant to be in the similar location. All twelve Apostles attend the Last Supper Mark 14:33 which immediately precedes Garden of Gethsemane. There is a reference to Mary mother of James the Younger and Joseph Mark 15:40, however, Mark the Evangelist has already told us that James the brother of Jesus 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