Editing James the Less (section)

== Identification as James, the son of Alphaeus ==
[[File:Mafra29.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Statue of Saint James the Minor, Apostle, at the church of the [[Palace of Mafra]], Portugal]]

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" (although that designation does not appear in the New Testament). Some propose that Alphaeus was the same man as Cleophas or at least the husband of Mary Clopas.

In this regard, [[Jerome]] identified James the Less with James, son of Alpheus writing in his work called ''[[The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary]]'' the following:
{{quote |Do you intend the comparatively unknown James the Less, who is called in Scripture the son of Mary, not however of Mary the mother of our Lord, to be an apostle, or not?  If he is an apostle, he must be the son of Alphæus and a believer in Jesus, ‘For neither did his brethren believe in him.’

The only conclusion is that the Mary who is described as the mother of James the Less was the wife of Alphæus and sister of Mary the Lord's mother, the one who is called by [[John the Evangelist]] '[[Mary of Clopas]]'.<ref>{{cite book |last = Jerome|title= The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary | chapter = Fragment 15|publisher= New advent |url= http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3007.htm |access-date= 3 September 2015}}</ref>}}

[[Papias of Hierapolis]], who lived circa 70–163 AD, in the surviving fragments of his work ''Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord'' relates that Mary, wife of Alphaeus is mother of James the Less:

{{quote|Mary, mother of James the Less and Joseph, wife of Alphaeus was the sister of Mary the mother of the Lord, whom John names of Cleophas.<ref name=papias>{{cite book|author=Papias|author-link=Papias of Hierapolis|title=Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord. Fragment X|publisher=earlychristianwritings.com|url=http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/papias.html|access-date=10 September 2015}}</ref>}}

Therefore, James, son of Alphaeus would be the same as James the Less.

In Catholic tradition, James's mother is none other than Mary of Clopas who was among the women at the foot of the Cross of Jesus, weeping. For that reason, and given the fact that the Semitic word for brother is also used for other close relatives, James son of Alpheus is often held as a cousin to Jesus.  He is also thought by some to be the brother of [[Matthew the Apostle]], since the father of both was named Alphaeus (compare Mark 2:14 and 3:18).

Modern Biblical scholars are divided on whether this identification is correct. Catholic priest and biblical scholar [[John Paul Meier]] finds it unlikely.<ref>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."</ref> Amongst evangelicals, the ''New Bible Dictionary'' supports the traditional identification,<ref>New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Edition (IVP 1982), "James" entry (by P.H.Davids)</ref> while [[D. A. Carson|Don Carson]]<ref>"The Expositor's Bible Commentary CDROM, commentary on Matthew (by Don Carson), commentary on Matthew 10:2-4</ref> and [[Darrell L. Bock]]<ref>''Luke'', by Darrell Bock (Baker 1994), commentary on Luke 6:15</ref> both regard the identification as possible, but not certain.