James the less

Of the twelve disciples, two are named James.

• Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. [Matthew 10:2-4]

James, the son of Zebedee was the first to be martyred and became a disciple before James the Son of Alphaeus.

• Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. [Acts 12:1-2]

James, the son of Alphaeus, for the reason that he became a disciple after the first James, was less prominent than the first James, was martyred later than the first James was labeled as "James the less"

• In the first disciples was presented a marked diversity... James the less and Jude, of less prominence among the brethren, but men of force, positive both in their faults and in their virtues; (RH, November 12, 1908)

Mary is the mother of James the less, and also sister to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Therefore, James the less is a cousin of Jesus. Both Alphaeus and Cleophas refers to the same person, the father of James the less and Jesus' uncle.

• 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; Mark 15:40

• Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas (margin: Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. [John 19:25]

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

James the less and his mother and his father witness the death of Jesus on the cross. His mother stood by Mary and was one of the women that prepared sweet spices to anoint Jesus. His father was the one that helped bury Jesus in the sepulcher and also one of the two disciples that Christ walked with to Emmaus.

• And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. [Mark 15:47]

• And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. [Mark 16:1]

• He enters the lowly home, and is seated before the humble board. While the meal is preparing, words that stir and warm the heart flow from his lips. He puts forth his hands to bless the bread. The eyes of the disciples are riveted on them. They see the print of the nails. They recognize his voice. The words, the tone, the manner, are all familiar. It is the Master himself. He whom they had placed in Joseph's new tomb lives before them. They had walked with their risen Saviour from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Oh! why had they not known him? Their unbelief had hidden Jesus from their view. They rise in great haste and fall at his feet to express their joy; but he is gone. [Signs of Times, January 20, 1888]

• And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? [Luke 24:18]