The Jameses of the New Testament

The following are excerpts from Donald A. Hagner, “James (person) [Gk. Ἰάκωβος, Iakōbos],” in The Anchor Bible Dictionary.

James the Apostle, detail of the mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, 6th century

The name James appears 42 times in the New Testament (NT)—most frequently in the Synoptic Gospels (especially Mark), but never in the Gospel of John. It was evidently a very common name in the 1st century. At least three distinct individuals named James are clearly identifiable in the NT. Additional individuals bearing the same name may also be present, though with less certainty.

1. James, Son of Zebedee

Fully half of all NT references to "James" refer without doubt to James the son of Zebedee, one of the Twelve disciples chosen by Jesus. He is often mentioned alongside his younger brother John—together called “the sons of Zebedee” (e.g., Matt 20:20; 26:37; 27:56; John 21:2). According to Matt 27:56, their mother was one of the women watching Jesus' crucifixion; Mark 15:40 names this woman as Salome. If Matthew is identifying—not substituting—this woman, Salome would be the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John.

There has been some speculation that Salome was a sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus, based on John 19:25, and that James and John were thus Jesus’ cousins. However, this is a precarious assumption.

Zebedee employed hired servants (Mark 1:20), and Salome appears to have materially supported Jesus (Mark 15:40–41; Matt 27:55–56; cf. Luke 8:2–3), suggesting that their household was relatively prosperous. James and John were fishermen, likely based in Bethsaida, and were business partners with Simon Peter (Luke 5:10).

James is never mentioned in the NT without reference to John. He is generally named first (except in Luke 8:51; 9:28; Acts 1:13), and John is often described as "the brother of James." This implies that James was likely the older brother. He is sometimes called James the Greater to distinguish him from others with the same name.

In the lists of the Twelve, James is usually third (Matt 10:2; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13), except in Mark 3:17, where he is listed second—perhaps to emphasize the inner circle of Peter, James, and John. These three were uniquely privileged to witness key moments in Jesus’ ministry:

• The raising of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37)

• The Transfiguration (Mark 9:2; Matt 17:1; Luke 9:28)

• The agony in Gethsemane (Mark 14:33; Matt 26:37)

James and John responded immediately to Jesus' call, leaving their father and the servants in the boat (Mark 1:19–20; Matt 4:21–22). It is possible they had prior contact with Jesus, perhaps through John the Baptist (cf. John 1:35–42).

In Mark 3:17, Jesus gives them the nickname Boanerges, meaning “sons of thunder”—likely referring to their impulsive and fiery temperament. This is reflected in their desire to call down fire on a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54), and in their request for positions of glory in Jesus’ kingdom (Mark 10:35–37; Matt 20:20–21).

In response to this request, Jesus tells them they must be willing to “drink the cup” and undergo his “baptism”—i.e., suffering and death (Mark 10:38; Matt 20:22). Jesus’ prophecy is fulfilled in James' fate:He is the first of the Twelve to be martyred (Acts 12:1–2), likely around A.D. 44, under Herod Agrippa I—the only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the NT.

A later tradition preserved by Eusebius (from Clement of Alexandria) says that the accuser of James was so moved by his testimony that he converted on the spot and was beheaded alongside him (Hist. Eccl. 2.9.2–3).

Medieval legends claim that James preached the Gospel in Spain and that his body was miraculously transported by angels to Santiago de Compostela, the famous pilgrimage site.

2. James, Son of Alphaeus

Another of the Twelve, James the son of Alphaeus, is referred to only in the four lists of apostles (Matt 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). He consistently appears ninth and is distinguished by his father's name. Early Church tradition refers to him as James the Less, possibly based on Mark 15:40, where another James is called ho mikros (“the small” or “the younger”).

This James is sometimes identified with James the son of Mary (Mark 15:40; 16:1), but this identification is uncertain. The NT distinguishes him from James the brother of Jesus, and there's no strong evidence that he is the same person as the author of the Epistle of James.

Some speculate that Alphaeus and Clopas are the same person (based on similarity in Aramaic), making James a cousin of Jesus. This interpretation was favored by Jerome, who wanted to uphold the perpetual virginity of Mary by interpreting the “brothers of Jesus” as cousins. However, this is a weak argument.

According to later traditions, James the son of Alphaeus evangelized Egypt or Persia and died by crucifixion in Ostrakine in Lower Egypt (Nicephorus 2.40; Martyrologium Hieronymi).

3. James, Son of Mary

A third James is mentioned as the son of a certain Mary, present at the crucifixion (Mark 15:40; Matt 27:56) and resurrection (Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10). He is always named with his brother Joses (or Joseph). This James is also sometimes identified with the brother of Jesus, but this connection depends on speculative identifications of the different Marys in the Gospels.

If Mary, the mother of James and Joses, is the same as Mary the wife of Clopas (John 19:25), and Clopas is Alphaeus, then this James could be a cousin of Jesus. But such a chain of identifications is tenuous at best.

4. James, Father of Judas

This James is mentioned only in the Lukan lists of apostles (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13), as the father of Judas, who is otherwise unknown and not to be confused with Judas Iscariot. The genitive Iakōbou here likely means “son of James,” not “brother of James,” as clarified by comparison with Luke’s consistent use of adelphos ("brother") elsewhere.

There is no reason to identify this James with any other James in the NT.

5. Other Possible Jameses

Author of the Epistle of James (Jas 1:1): Likely refers to James the brother of Jesus, though some argue he could be James the son of Alphaeus, or a pseudonymous author using the name.

Brother of Jude (Jude 1): Again, this is usually understood as James the brother of Jesus.

If none of the identifications above overlap, there could be as many as seven different individuals named James in the NT. However, many of these are possibly the same person under different designations.

Select Bibliography:

Lightfoot, J. B. The Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. London, 1865.

Mayor, J. B. The Epistle of St. James. 3rd ed., London, 1913.

Sieffert, F. "James." In New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. 6, pp. 89–94. Ed. S. M. Jackson. New York, 1910.