How many James are there in the NT?

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onlinebuddy

Senior Member
Sep 1, 2012
1,115
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#1
===========================
Let's call them James 1, 2 & 3

James 1:
James the son of Zebedee-Salome
brother of the Apostle John

James 2:
James the son of Alphaeus(Clopas)-Mary
brother of Joseph

James 3: James the son of Joseph-Mary(mother of Jesus)
brother of Jesus, Joseph, Simon, Jude (Mt 13:55)

For clarity, if you may, let's call:
Mary, the wife of Alphaeus- "the Other Mary"
and
Mary, the mother of Jesus- "Mother Mary" (I know it sounds Catholic):)
===========================

Q1: How many James were there in the NT?
Q2: Which James was the elder at Jerusalem?
Q3: Which James wrote the Book of James?
Q4: Which James was the brother of Jude (Jude 1:1)
Q5: Who among them was James the Greater or Great?
Q6: Who among them was James the Lesser or Less?
Q8: Who among them was James the Just?
Q9: How was "Mother Mary" (the mother of Jesus) related to Salome and "the Other Mary"(w/o Alphaeus)?
Q10: Who is the James specifically named in 1 Cor 15:7 ?
Q11: Who was woman mentioned as "his mother's sister" Jn 19:25?

Kindly answer with Bible verse references only.
You may answer either one, or all of the a/m questions.
I will try put the pieces together.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,097
6,480
113
#2
Hey, HEY, you COULD ALSO ask about how many people were named Jesus at that time too! Don't know if folks could come up with Scripture to support their answer........but, shoot.......I understand that is why John the Baptist told his disciples to see IF that was the real Jesus he sent them to see............Heard that through a Historical discussion on here many years ago.

Also.............just as a POINT of REFERENCE, could you provide us with your answers to the 11 questions? Then, we could review what you provide to determine if we agree with you............or not!

Yeah, that would be great........thanks!
 

memyselfi

Junior Member
Jan 12, 2017
503
260
63
#3
There are not any "James" in the NT, in "real life". They are Jacob.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,764
113
#4
How many James were there in the NT?
Strong's Concordance
Iakóbos: James, the name of several Israelites
Original Word: Ἰάκωβος, ου, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Iakóbos (Jacob)
Phonetic Spelling: (ee-ak'-o-bos)
Definition: James, the name of several Israelites
Usage: James, (a) the Small, son of Alphaeus, and one of the Twelve, (b) half-brother of Jesus, (c) father (?) of Jude, (d) son of Zebedee, and brother of John, one of the Twelve, killed A.D. 44.


Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2385: Ἰάκωβος
Ἰάκωβος, Ἰακώβου, ὁ (see the preceding word (and cf. Buttmann, 6, 18 (16))), James;

1. son of Zebedee, an apostle, and brother of the apostle John (commonly called James the greater or elder). He was slain with the sword by the command of king Herod Agrippa I. (circa A.D. 44): Matthew 4:21;Matthew 10:2 (); ; Mark 1:19, 29; Mark 3:17; Mark 5:37;Mark 9:2; Mark 10:35, 41; Mark 13:3; Mark 14:33; Luke 5:10; Luke 6:14; Luke 8:51; Luke 9:28, 54; Acts 1:13; Acts 12:2.

2. James (commonly called the less), an apostle, son of Alphaeus: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13; apparently identical with Ἰάκωβος ὁ μικρόςJames the little (A. V. the less), the son of Mary, Mark 15:40 (Matthew 27:56); , wife of Cleophas (i. e. Clopas, which see) or Alphaeus, John 19:25; see in Ἁλφαῖος, and in Μαρία, 3.

3. James, the brother of our Lord (see ἀδελφός, 1):Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19 (where εἰ μή is employed according to a usage illustrated under εἰ, III. 8 c. β'.); ; Acts 12:1?; ; 1 Corinthians 15:7 (?); James 1:1, the leader of the Jewish Christians, and by them surnamed ὁ δίκαιος the Just, the overseer (or bishop) of the church at Jerusalem down to the year 62 or 63 (or according to Hegesippus in Eusebius, h. e. 2, 23 (translated in B. D., p. 1206) down to 69, which is hardly probable (see Heinichen's note at the passage)), in which year he suffered martyrdom, Josephus, Antiquities 20, 9, 1. In opposition to the orthodox opinion (defended in B. D. under the word ), which identifies this James with James the son of Alphaeus, and understands ὁ ἀδελφός τοῦ κυρίου to mean his cousin, cf. especially Clemen in Winer's Zeitschr. f. wissensch. Theol. for 1829, p. 351ff; Blom, Diss. de τοῖςἀδελφοῖς ... τοῦ κυρίου. Lugd. 1839; Wilib. Grimm in Ersch u. Gruber's Encycl., Sect. 2, vol. 23, p. 80ff; Schaff, Das Verhältniss des Jacobus, Bruders des Herrn, zu Jacobus Alphäi. Beth 1842 (also his Church Hist. (1882) i., 272f); Hilgenfeld, Galaterbrief etc., p. 138ff; Hausrath in Sehenkel iii., p. 175ff; (Sieffert in Herzog edition 2, vi., 464ff; and references under the word ἀδελφός, 1 (especially Lightfoot)).

4. An unknown James, father of the apostle Judas (or Jude): Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13, according to the opinion of those interpreters who think that not ἀδελφόν but υἱόνmust be supplied in the phrase Ιουδαν Ἰακώβου; seeἸούδας, 8.
 

onlinebuddy

Senior Member
Sep 1, 2012
1,115
24
38
#5
Strong's Concordance
Iakóbos: James, the name of several Israelites
Original Word: Ἰάκωβος, ου, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: Iakóbos (Jacob)
Phonetic Spelling: (ee-ak'-o-bos)
Definition: James, the name of several Israelites
Usage: James, (a) the Small, son of Alphaeus, and one of the Twelve, (b) half-brother of Jesus, (c) father (?) of Jude, (d) son of Zebedee, and brother of John, one of the Twelve, killed A.D. 44.



Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2385: Ἰάκωβος
Ἰάκωβος, Ἰακώβου, ὁ (see the preceding word (and cf. Buttmann, 6, 18 (16))), James;


1. son of Zebedee, an apostle, and brother of the apostle John (commonly called James the greater or elder). He was slain with the sword by the command of king Herod Agrippa I. (circa A.D. 44): Matthew 4:21;Matthew 10:2 (); ; Mark 1:19, 29; Mark 3:17; Mark 5:37;Mark 9:2; Mark 10:35, 41; Mark 13:3; Mark 14:33; Luke 5:10; Luke 6:14; Luke 8:51; Luke 9:28, 54; Acts 1:13; Acts 12:2.

2. James (commonly called the less), an apostle, son of Alphaeus: Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13; apparently identical with Ἰάκωβος ὁ μικρόςJames the little (A. V. the less), the son of Mary, Mark 15:40 (Matthew 27:56); , wife of Cleophas (i. e. Clopas, which see) or Alphaeus, John 19:25; see in Ἁλφαῖος, and in Μαρία, 3.

3. James, the brother of our Lord (see ἀδελφός, 1):Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Galatians 1:19 (where εἰ μή is employed according to a usage illustrated under εἰ, III. 8 c. β'.); ; Acts 12:1?; ; 1 Corinthians 15:7 (?); James 1:1, the leader of the Jewish Christians, and by them surnamed ὁ δίκαιος the Just, the overseer (or bishop) of the church at Jerusalem down to the year 62 or 63 (or according to Hegesippus in Eusebius, h. e. 2, 23 (translated in B. D., p. 1206) down to 69, which is hardly probable (see Heinichen's note at the passage)), in which year he suffered martyrdom, Josephus, Antiquities 20, 9, 1. In opposition to the orthodox opinion (defended in B. D. under the word ), which identifies this James with James the son of Alphaeus, and understands ὁ ἀδελφός τοῦ κυρίου to mean his cousin, cf. especially Clemen in Winer's Zeitschr. f. wissensch. Theol. for 1829, p. 351ff; Blom, Diss. de τοῖςἀδελφοῖς ... τοῦ κυρίου. Lugd. 1839; Wilib. Grimm in Ersch u. Gruber's Encycl., Sect. 2, vol. 23, p. 80ff; Schaff, Das Verhältniss des Jacobus, Bruders des Herrn, zu Jacobus Alphäi. Beth 1842 (also his Church Hist. (1882) i., 272f); Hilgenfeld, Galaterbrief etc., p. 138ff; Hausrath in Sehenkel iii., p. 175ff; (Sieffert in Herzog edition 2, vi., 464ff; and references under the word ἀδελφός, 1 (especially Lightfoot)).

4. An unknown James, father of the apostle Judas (or Jude): Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13, according to the opinion of those interpreters who think that not ἀδελφόν but υἱόνmust be supplied in the phrase Ιουδαν Ἰακώβου; seeἸούδας, 8.
Thank you for the info.
Based on the info, the answers to my questions are as follows:

Q1: How many James were there in the NT?
Ans: There were 4 james.
I have mentioned 3 James in my OP.
James 4 would be the father of the Apostle Judas.

Q2: Which James was the elder at Jerusalem?
Ans: I'm presuming it was the Lord's brother (James 3)

Q3: Which James wrote the Book of James?
Ans: Again, Lord's brother (James 3)

Q4: Which James was the brother of Jude (Jude 1:1)
Ans: Again, Lord's brother (James 3)

Q5: Who among them was James the Greater or Great?
Ans: James, the son of Zebedee (James 1)

Q6: Who among them was James the Lesser or Less?
Ans: James, the son of Alphaeus (James 2)

Q8: Who among them was James the Just?
STILL NO ANSWER!!!

Q9: How was "Mother Mary" (the mother of Jesus) related to Salome and "the Other Mary"(w/o Alphaeus)?
STILL NO ANSWER!!!

Q10: Who is the James specifically named in 1 Cor 15:7 ?
Ans: The Lord's brother (James 3)

Q11: Who was woman mentioned as "his mother's sister" Jn 19:25?
STILL NO ANSWER!!!
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
24,167
12,764
113
#7
Q8: Who among them was James the Just?
The Lord's brother and leader of the church at Jerusalem.
Q9: How was "Mother Mary" (the mother of Jesus) related to Salome and "the Other Mary"(w/o Alphaeus)?
Salome (Mary Salome), wife of Zebedee, and mother of James and John (the sons of Zebedee) was the half-sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The other Mary, wife of Alphaeus (Cleophas) was the mother of another James (the apostle), sister to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This was "his mother's sister".
 

GraceAndTruth

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2015
2,031
637
113
#8
How many Goliaths are there in the Old Testament?
 

onlinebuddy

Senior Member
Sep 1, 2012
1,115
24
38
#9
The Lord's brother and leader of the church at Jerusalem.

Salome (Mary Salome), wife of Zebedee, and mother of James and John (the sons of Zebedee) was the half-sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The other Mary, wife of Alphaeus (Cleophas) was the mother of another James (the apostle), sister to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This was "his mother's sister".
OK. Thanks Nehemiah6!
Q8 IS ANSWERED!

Salome (Mary Salome), wife of Zebedee, and mother of James and John (the sons of Zebedee) was the half-sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Are you saying that the actual name of Salome was Mary Salome?? I thought her name was just Salome.
This means that there were at least 4 Mary's:
Mary 1: Mary Salome, wife of Zebedee, mother of James the greater(apostle) and John(apostle)
Mary 2: Wife of Alphaeus, mother of James(apostle) and Joseph
Mary 3: Mother of Jesus, James the Just, Joseph(Joses), Simon, Judas(Jude)...
Mary 4: Mary Magdalene
and off course Mary 5: The sister of Martha...etc

Now I have a problem!
Let me quote John 19:25: "Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene."
The above verse talks about 4 women near the cross:
1. The mother of Jesus
2. his mother's sister
3. Mary, the wife of Clopas
4. Mary Magdalene
There is a clear distinction between 2. "his mother's sister" and 3. "Mary the wife of Clopas."
But you are saying that both are the same(below)
The other Mary, wife of Alphaeus (Cleophas) was the mother of another James (the apostle), sister to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This was "his mother's sister
So, according to you, "his mother's sister" = "Mary the wife of Clopas"
I'm confused!

You also said that:
Salome (Mary Salome), wife of Zebedee, and mother of James and John (the sons of Zebedee) was the half-sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
By "half-sister" do you mean that they had only one parent in common?..as in half-blood sisters?
Also, was Mary, the wife of Alphaeus/Clopas the (full) blood sister of "Mother" Mary?
 

onlinebuddy

Senior Member
Sep 1, 2012
1,115
24
38
#11
Uhm, what does it matter how many James are in the Bible?
I guess, everyone who reads my Original Post will have the same question in mind.
It does matter to me, because some people I know are mistaking one James for the other. Hope you understand.

Please see the family tree chart below(It's a printscreen shot, so not very clear):
mary's sisters temp.jpg
Here are my observations from the above picture:-
Observation 1 (from the pic): In the above family tree, "Mother Mary" is shown as the blood-sister of the "Other Mary," wife of Clopas/ Alpheus. Is this true? If true, then how was Salome related to "Mother" Mary?

Observation 2 (from the pic): James the Just is shown to be the son of Mary of Clopas. :oops:
[I thought James the Just was the Lord's half-blood brother (or blood brother), and NOT one of the 12 apostles)
in the picture, James(the Just), Joses, Simon, Judas (Mt 13:56) are made to be the cousins of Jesus. (You know where this is leading...):rolleyes:

But the Bible, in Matthew 10:3, clearly says James the Less ( & not James the Just) is the son of Mary of Clopas/ Alphaeus. James the less was one of the 12 Apostles. So the above family tree must be incorrect!
There if further scriptural proof, in Mk 15:40, that "James the younger," another name for "James the Less" (& not James the Just) is the son of Mary of Clopas/Alphaeus and the brother of Joseph. So the above family tree must be incorrect!

Does anyone have a scripture reference that James the Just was the Lord's brother, (the one who led the Jerusalem council of Acts 15)?
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,196
6,509
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#12
In my studies it has come to demoonstrate that James is Jacob at times, such as the brother of Jesus As for the others.you tell me.
 

presidente

Senior Member
May 29, 2013
9,081
1,748
113
#13
There was also Jacob, also known as Israel.

For some reason, Jacob turns into James in English. In Greek, it's a Graecized version of Jacob.

It got turned into a weird name in Spanish, too, for some reason. His name--I mean like any of the saint James's names in the New Testament is Santiago. Why is it that the rest of the saints didn't end up with 'Saint' in the name? Iago comes from Yakov, which we say as Jacob, so it sort of makes sense. But why would this particular name kind of turn weird when it goes into foreign languages? In Spanish, St. James is the patron saint of Spain in Catholicism, so maybe that happened because they said St. James so much. In English, the Geneva Bible uses the word 'James' so the KJV did not introduce the word to name him for the king.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,196
6,509
113
#14
There was also Jacob, also known as Israel.

For some reason, Jacob turns into James in English. In Greek, it's a Graecized version of Jacob.

It got turned into a weird name in Spanish, too, for some reason. His name--I mean like any of the saint James's names in the New Testament is Santiago. Why is it that the rest of the saints didn't end up with 'Saint' in the name? Iago comes from Yakov, which we say as Jacob, so it sort of makes sense. But why would this particular name kind of turn weird when it goes into foreign languages? In Spanish, St. James is the patron saint of Spain in Catholicism, so maybe that happened because they said St. James so much. In English, the Geneva Bible uses the word 'James' so the KJV did not introduce the word to name him for the king.
For me, it boggles the mind that people are not aware of the origninal words in their original languages that make up what we call names today. If they were translated instad of though of as simply labels much prophecy is contained within.
 

onlinebuddy

Senior Member
Sep 1, 2012
1,115
24
38
#15
Some info I have gathered about James the Great, based on the above post by Nehemiah6:

Son of Salome and Zebedee.
Elder brother of John, the apostle.
James accompanied Jesus everywhere.
James, John and Peter formed the inseparable inner circle of Jesus.
Jesus took them everywhere.

Mt 4:21 Mk 1:19 Calling of James and John

Mk 1:29 James was present when Jesus healed Simon’s Mother in Law

Mk 3:17 Jesus names James the Great and John “Boanerges,” which means "sons of thunder"

Mk 5:37 Lk 8:51 James and John were there when Jesus healed Jairus’ daughter

Mk 9:2 Lk 9:28 James and John were there during the transfiguration, with Peter.

Mt 10:35 James and John foolishly ask Jesus to allot a place for them on his right and left

Mk 13:3 James and John along with Peter ask Jesus for the sign of the end of the age

Mk 14:33 James John and Peter were with Jesus in the garden of Gethsamane

Lk 5:10 James and John were there when Jesus called Simon. James and John are said to be the “partners” of Simon.

Lk 6:14 James and John were among the 12 apostles chosen by Jesus

Luke 9:54 James and John foolishly ask Jesus if they should call fire down from heaven to destroy the Samaritan village.

Acts 1:13 James and John were with the other apostles, waiting for the Holy Spirit

Acts 12:2 James was the first of the 12 Apostles to be martyred , in AD 44, by Herod Agrippa I

What an amazing journey!
 
L

LPT

Guest
#16
The Lord's brother and leader of the church at Jerusalem.

Salome (Mary Salome), wife of Zebedee, and mother of James and John (the sons of Zebedee) was the half-sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The other Mary, wife of Alphaeus (Cleophas) was the mother of another James (the apostle), sister to Mary, the mother of Jesus. This was "his mother's sister".
Salome one of Jesus sisters, the other Joanna.