JAMES, THE SON OF ALPHAEUS

     In this point of our study regarding the twelve Apostles, we have to discuss two more on that list. It is hardly to know anything about these two men except their names are found in the lists of the twelve apostles. It’s God’s decision not to give us many details about these two men. All about we know about these two men is only by their names. Let us find out about these two little known disciples in the Bible.

I – IDENTIFICATIOIN OF JAMES, THE SON OF ALPHAEUS

     There are four lists recorded in the Bible and the name of James, the son of Alphaeus one of these two little known disciple can be found.  

     Matthew 10:2-4 "Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ⁴ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.”

Mark 3:16-19 “And Simon he surnamed Peter; ¹⁷ And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: ¹⁸ And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, ¹⁹ And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.”

Luke 6:13-16 “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; ¹⁴ Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, ¹⁶ And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.”

Acts 1:13 “And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.”

     Based on the given recorded lists, who was the father of this little-known apostle named James? _________________

What was the name of another apostle who had a father by this name Alphaeus? Mark 2:14) _______________________

Mark 2:14 “And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.”

What was the other name of Levi? __________________ (Matthew 10:3).

To know the answer, let us go back to Matthew 10:3 and the eight-disciple list for us name Matthew the publican, means a tax collector then in Mark 2:14 he was sitting at the receipt of custom, and his other name is Levi.

     Now, let us find out the father’s name of these two little known apostles. James had a father named Alphaeus (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), and Matthew the publican who had another name Levi had a father also named Alphaeus. James and Matthew both had a father named Alphaeus. Although it is possible that James and Matthew were brothers and had the same father, but it is also possible that there were two different men by the name of Alphaeus. Therefore, we must be careful not to conclude anything without the Bible telling us it was so.  

     In the recorded lists among the twelve apostles, we know that there were at least two sets of brothers: (Matthew 10:2)

1. “Simon, who is called Peter, and ___________ his brother”
2. “James the son of Zebedee, and ___________ his brother”

However, the Bible is silent and does not tell us that Matthew called Levi, the son of Alphaeus and James the son of Alphaeus were brothers.

     We need to be very extra careful not to make wrong identification or make confusion about this man name James, the son of Alphaeus with the other man who have the same name because during the New Testament times the name James was a very common name.

     Avoid confusion with men who had the name James:

1. James, the son of Alphaeus is different with James, the son of Zebedee, and the brother of John (Matthew 10:2)

These men had both with the same name and also were both disciples of Jesus but these two James were not the same person. This is true in your local church, or in your school class where you can find a lot of two or more people who both have the same name, but this should not ever get us confuse.

2. James, the son of Alphaeus is different with James, the brother of the Lord, and the author of the book of James (Galatians 1:19; Matthew 13:55).

Galatians 1:19 “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.”

Matthew 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?”

1. This James, the brother of the Lord is often mentioned in the New Testament.
2. Jesus made special appearance to this man James, the brother of the Lord (I Corinthians 15:7)

I Corinthians 15:7 “After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.”

3. This James, the brother of the Lord became the leader of the Church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13; Acts 12:17)

Acts 15:13 “And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:”

Acts 12:17 “But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed and went into another place.”

4. This James, the brother of the Lord was the human writer of the book of James (James 1:1)

James 1:1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”

     There was another man by the name of James, Read Mark 15:40 and Matthew 27:56, then identify the man by putting the missing word.

 Mark 15:40 “There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the __________ and of Joses, and Salome;”

Matthew 27:56 “Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.” 

     With all these verses, it is possible that James, the son of Alphaeus, and James the less were the same person.

Actually, the words “James the less” mean “James the little one.” Why? May be this title is purposely to distinguish James, the son of Alphaeus, from the James, the son of Zebedee.

     There are some possibilities to consider: first, James, the son of Alphaeus was called the less or the little James, perhaps he was younger than the James, the son of Zebedee; secondly, perhaps this James, son of Alphaeus was called the less because he was younger than the James, the son of Zebedee.

     We should always not to forget that all these things are just possibilities. We should not be dogmatic, because the Bible does not tell us for sure. The only reason we are sure of something when the Bible tells us about that something. And since the Bible does not tell us something that seems God is silent about it, therefore we need to be very cautious in making conclusion.

     Now, if we suppose that James the less is the same person as James, the son of Alphaeus, then the question who is the mother of James? ___________ (Mark 15:40)

Mark 15:40 “There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and ________the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;”

This is one thing we can be sure and that is the fact that the Bible tells us nothing more about James, the son of Alphaeus, it is hardly to say anything about this man. The Bible did not mention or had any records about what James, the son of Alphaeus did or had said. The only thing that is clear with us is that he was “one of the twelve” apostles.