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In this post, I will show the teaching that Jesus's four brothers (Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3) were His half-siblings is false.
To preface, the Koine Greek word "ἀδελφός'' (sing. adelphos/brother;pl. ἀδελφοί/adelphoi/brothers) has the following definitions: "fellow-countryman," "disciple/follower," "one of the same faith," and "kinsman/kinswoman, or relative," e.g., sibling, cousin, nephew, niece, uncle, aunt, etc. In the plural, it regularly refers to men and women.
In Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3, Joseph, Simon, James, and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) are called Jesus's "ἀδελφοί' (adelphoi/brothers). The context shows that its applicable definition is "kinsman, or relative." In Gal. 1:19, Paul calls a man named "James" Jesus's "ἀδελφός" (adelphos/brother), and the context shows that its applicable definition is "kinsman, or relative" as well. Therefore, we can deduce that the James's in Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3 and Gal. 1:19 were the same person. In the same verse, Paul indicates that James is one of the Twelve, and only one of the two named "James" of the twelve apostles, and their known siblings, correspond with Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3 (see bold below):
Apostle James the Great and Apostle John of Zebedee
(Matt. 4:21, Mk. 1:19;3:17;10:35, Lk. 5:10, Ac. 12:1-2)
Apostle James, Apostle Judas (Jude/Thaddeus), and Joseph of Alphaeus
(Matt. 10:3, Mk. 3:18;15:40, Lk. 6:15-16, Ac. 1:13)
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The following scriptural verses and early Christian testimonies collectively prove
that the apostles James and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) of Alphaeus, and their siblings, were the brothers (kinsmen/relatives) of Jesus:
Two accounts of the same scene:
"Mary the mother of James" (Mk. 16:1)
"Mary the mother of James" (Lk. 24:10)
Three accounts of the same scene:
"Mary Magdalene, Mary (Mary of Clopas/Cleophas) the mother of James (the Less) and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee [Salome]" (Matt. 27:56)
"Mary Magdalene, Mary (Mary of Clopas/Cleophas) the mother of James the Less and Joseph, and Salome (the mother of the sons of Zebedee)" (Mk. 15:40)
"His Mother (Mary of Joseph), His Mother's sister Mary, the wife of Clopas/Cleophas (the mother of James the Less and Joseph), and Mary Magdalene" (Jn. 19:25)
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], Fragments of Papias, Frag. 10, see 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" (see 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, see 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, see 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, see 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)
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Summary
The scriptural verses and crossover agreement between all my sources collectively proves the following:
To preface, the Koine Greek word "ἀδελφός'' (sing. adelphos/brother;pl. ἀδελφοί/adelphoi/brothers) has the following definitions: "fellow-countryman," "disciple/follower," "one of the same faith," and "kinsman/kinswoman, or relative," e.g., sibling, cousin, nephew, niece, uncle, aunt, etc. In the plural, it regularly refers to men and women.
In Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3, Joseph, Simon, James, and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) are called Jesus's "ἀδελφοί' (adelphoi/brothers). The context shows that its applicable definition is "kinsman, or relative." In Gal. 1:19, Paul calls a man named "James" Jesus's "ἀδελφός" (adelphos/brother), and the context shows that its applicable definition is "kinsman, or relative" as well. Therefore, we can deduce that the James's in Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3 and Gal. 1:19 were the same person. In the same verse, Paul indicates that James is one of the Twelve, and only one of the two named "James" of the twelve apostles, and their known siblings, correspond with Matt. 13:55/Mk. 6:3 (see bold below):
Apostle James the Great and Apostle John of Zebedee
(Matt. 4:21, Mk. 1:19;3:17;10:35, Lk. 5:10, Ac. 12:1-2)
Apostle James, Apostle Judas (Jude/Thaddeus), and Joseph of Alphaeus
(Matt. 10:3, Mk. 3:18;15:40, Lk. 6:15-16, Ac. 1:13)
__________________________________________
The following scriptural verses and early Christian testimonies collectively prove
that the apostles James and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) of Alphaeus, and their siblings, were the brothers (kinsmen/relatives) of Jesus:
Two accounts of the same scene:
"Mary the mother of James" (Mk. 16:1)
"Mary the mother of James" (Lk. 24:10)
Three accounts of the same scene:
"Mary Magdalene, Mary (Mary of Clopas/Cleophas) the mother of James (the Less) and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee [Salome]" (Matt. 27:56)
"Mary Magdalene, Mary (Mary of Clopas/Cleophas) the mother of James the Less and Joseph, and Salome (the mother of the sons of Zebedee)" (Mk. 15:40)
"His Mother (Mary of Joseph), His Mother's sister Mary, the wife of Clopas/Cleophas (the mother of James the Less and Joseph), and Mary Magdalene" (Jn. 19:25)
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], Fragments of Papias, Frag. 10, see 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" (see 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, see 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, see 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, see 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)
__________________________________________
Summary
The scriptural verses and crossover agreement between all my sources collectively proves the following:
- Joseph, Simon, James, and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) in Matt. 13:55/Mk.6:3 were the sons of Jesus's uncle, Alphaeus (Clopas/Cleophas), and his wife Mary of Clopas (Cleophas/Alphaeus), the sister in-law of Mary of Joseph, and thus His kinsmen/relatives, specifically cousins
- James and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) (Matt. 13:55/Mk.6:3) were the apostles James and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) of Alphaeus (Clopas/Cleophas) of the Twelve
- James (Matt. 13:55/Mk.6:3) was also "James the Less" (Mk. 15:40), "James the brother of the Lord" (Gal. 1:19), "James the Just," "James the bishop of Jerusalem" (Ac. 15:13-21), and "James the author of the Epistle of James" (Jas. 1:1)
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