Prominent Early Christian Testimonials w/ Scriptural References
I. "
Mary the
wife of Cleophas or Alphaeus (Clopas), who was the
mother of James the bishop and apostle, and of
Simon and
Thaddeus (Jude/Judas), and of one
Joseph." (Papias of Hierapolis [
c. 60–130 AD],
Fragment of Papias, Frag. 10,
cf. Jn. 19:25)
II. "...
James, who is called the
brother of the Lord ... as appears to me, the
son of Mary sister of the mother of our Lord ... after ordained by the apostles
bishop of Jerusalem,
wrote a single epistle, which is reckoned among the seven Catholic epistles" (
cf.Jud. 1:1) and "...
Mary who is described as the
mother of James the Less was the
wife of Alphaeus and sister of Mary the Lord's mother" (Jerome of Stridon [
c. 347–420 CE],
De Viris Illustribus,
De Perpetua Uirginitate Beatae Mariae,
cf. Jn. 19:25)
III. Eusebius of Caesarea [
c. 260–340 AD] relates the following in his
Historia Ecclesiastica:
James, the
brother of the Lord, was the "...
author of the first of the so-called catholic epistles" and that while it is disputed, "as is the case likewise with the epistle that bears the name of Jude, which is also one of the seven so-called catholic epistles," it is known they have been "...read publicly in very many churches." (Bk. I, ch. 23,
cf.Jud. 1:1)
"
James ...
surnamed the Just ...
bishop of the church of Jerusalem. This James was called the
brother of the Lord..." and "
Paul also
makes mention of the same James the Just, where he writes, 'Other of the apostles saw I none, save
James the Lord's brother.'" (Bk. II, ch. 1)
"...those of the apostles and disciples of the Lord ... with those that were related to the Lord according to the flesh ... pronounced
Symeon (Simon), the
son of Clopas ... to be worthy of the episcopal throne of that parish. He was a
cousin, as they say,
of the Saviour. For Hegesippus records that
Clopas was a
brother of Joseph." (Bk. III, ch. 11)
"Josephus, at least, has not hesitated to testify this in his writings, where he says, 'These things happened to the Jews to avenge James the Just, who was a brother of Jesus, that is called the Christ.'" (Bk. II, ch. 23)
"...the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James" (Flavius Josephus [
c. 37-100 CE],
Antiquitates Iudaicae, Bk. XX, ch. 9)
"...
James the Just bishop of Jerusalem" and "...but there were
two Jameses: one called
the Just... thrown from the pinnacle of the temple ... and beaten to death with a club by a fuller, and
another who was beheaded." (Bk. II, ch. 1) (Clement of Alexandria [
c. 150–215 AD],
Hypotyposes, Bk. VII,
cf. Ac. 12:1-2)
"...
James the brother of the Lord, succeeded to the government of the Church ...
called the Just..." (Bk. II, ch. 23) and "after James the Just had suffered martyrdom ...
Symeon (Simon), the
son of the Lord's uncle,
Clopas, was appointed the next bishop ... because he was a
cousin of the Lord." (Bk. III, ch. 22) (Hegesippus [
c. 110-180 AD],
Hypomnemata)
Additional Scriptural Support
The aforementioned teaching that the mother of James, Simon, Joseph, and Jude (Judas/Thaddeus) of
Alphaeus (Cleophas/Clopas)
was
Mary of Cleophas/Clopas (Alphaeus), Jesus's mother's sister (in-law), is supported by the following verses:
"his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas" (Jn. 19:25)
"Mary, mother of James" (Mk. 16:1)
"Mary of James" (Lk. 24:10)
"Mary, mother of James and Joseph" (Matt. 27:56)
"Mary, mother of James the Less and Joseph" (Mk. 15:40)
If at the
very least you agree "James" in Matt. 13:55/Mk. 63 and the apostle "James" in Gal. 1:19 were the same,
consider the two of the twelve apostles named "James:"
Apostle James,
son of Zebedee, whose brother [sibling] was Apostle
John, and their mother is only known to have been the mother of "the sons of Zebedee." Thus it is indisputable that of the two this James-apostle doesn't correlate with the "James" in Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3 and Gal. 1:19. (Matt. 4:21;20:20;27:56, Mk. 1:19;3:17;10:35, Lk. 5:10, Ac. 12:1-2)
Apostle James,
son of Alphaeus, whose brothers [siblings] were Apostle
Jude (Judas/Thaddeus) and
Joseph. Thus it is indisputable that of the two this James-apostle correlates more with "James" in Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3 and Gal. 1:19. (Matt. 10:3, Mk. 3:18, Lk. 6:15-16, Ac. 1:13)
Summary
The scriptural verses and testimonials of prominent early Christians above together illustrate "James" in Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3, "James the brother of the Lord," "Apostle James of Alphaeus," "James the Bishop of Jerusalem," "James the Less," "James the Just," and the author of the Epistle of James were the same, and that he, Simon, Joseph, and Jude (Judas/Thaddeus) were sons of Joseph's brother [sibling], Alphaeus (Cleophas/Clopas), and Mary of Joseph's sister-in-law, Mary of Cleophas/Clopas (Alphaeus), and thus Jesus's brothers, as in "kinsmen," specifically cousins