This Apostle, Some Times Referred Too As "James The Less" Series

#5~THE APOSTLE JAMES, THE SON OF ALPHAEUS, who is also CLEOPHAS~ 1-4-14

~ This apostle, some times referred too as "James the less" -- He was probably called this either because he was short in stature, or perhaps because he was younger, also to distinguish him from the other apostle James, the brother of the apostle John.

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"JAMES" was a common name in the time of Jesus, there are 4 men named "JAMES" in the N.T.

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1~ James, the son of Zebedee brother of John, both were apostles.

2 ~ James, a son of Mary, half brother of Jesus, was not a member of the apostolic band, and not a believer in Jesus until after His resurrection.

>John 7: 5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

~This James, the half brother of Jesus was not an apostle, but later he considered it his calling to oversee the church in Jerusalem.

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

~ James, the half brother of Jesus became a believer after His resurrection; he is the writer of the epistle of JAMES.

~ Judas, the half brother of Jesus became a believer after His resurrection; he is the writer of the epistle of JUDE.

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>James 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

>Jude --verse 1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,

~ I want to point out that neither James nor Jude mentions that Jesus is their brother, they were not interested in bringing attention to themselves, they both simple called them selves SERVANTS of the Lord Jesus.

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3rd. ~ James, the father of "Judas an apostle" not Judas Iscariot, and not the half brother of Jesus also named Judas. -- Remember, the half brothers of Jesus did not believe on Him until after His resurrection.

~Lets be aware, that Jesus chose His 12 apostles close to the beginning of His 3½ year ministry, Jesus half brothers did not believe on Him at that time, so this rules out James the half brother of Jesus as one of His apostles.

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* LISTEN - the names of the 12 apostles sometimes vary because Bartholomew and Nathaniel are the same person,-- Matthew is also named Levi, and Lebbaeus was sometimes called Judas (not Iscariot) and also referred too as Thaddaeus.

* So the apostle JUDAS, LEBBAEUS, and THADDAEUS, are the same person, depending on which of the gospels your reading. -- John's Gospel does not contain a listing of the 12 apostles as the others.

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~ LISTEN to Luke's account of the apostles, here we find two apostles named JUDAS.

>Luke 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

14Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

15Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, 16And Judas the brother of James, [LEBBAEUS, - THADDAEUS] and Judas Iscariot,

~ So we find two apostles named JUDAS.

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4th. ~ James, the son of [Alphaeus or son of Cleopas], he is the James we're talking about today.

~Tradition has it that he had been a tax-gatherer, that he possible was a brother of Matthew, also a tax collector; Matthew is also described as a son of Alphaeus.

>Mark 2:14 And as HE passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus --

* Levi and Matthew are one and the same.

~ It's possible that there were two men named "Alphaeus"

~ But if James and Matthew were brothers, then this family was highly honored in having two sons who became apostles. -- The brothers "James and John" sons of Zebudee also were apostles. -- Also Peter and Andrew were brothers.

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~ There is nothing at all in the N.T. about the apostle "James the less" -- neither his life nor his ministry. -- We know his name; we know his father name was

"Alphaeus", who is also called "Cleophas".

~ Listen, we also know "James the less" mothers name was MARY.--how do we know that?

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

~~Listen, SALOME was Mary the mother of Jesus sister, SALOME was Zebudees wife, and they were the parents of James and John, the apostles.

>John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, [MARY] and his mother's sister, [Salome] -- Mary the wife of Cleophas, [Alphaeus-father of James the less, & his brother Joses- Mk.15:40] and Mary Magdalene.