James 1:1 – Who is “James”?

There were two people of this name James—the son of Zebedee, and the son of Alphaeus (James the Less); the latter is the author of this letter.

Was there a thirteenth apostle names Chobliham or Oblias?

Many of the ancients thought that there was a third person called James— James the brother of the Lord, also called Chobliham, or Oblias, or James the Just, who they thought was not an apostle but Bishop of Jerusalem. Jerome calls him the thirteenth apostle.

James, an apostle, pillar, and brother of the Lord

But there were only two Jameses, this latter James being the same as the son of Alphaeus; for plainly the brother of the Lord is reckoned among the apostles in Galatians 1:19 and is called a pillar in Galatians 2:9; and he is called the brother of the Lord because he was in the family of which Christ was a member.

“But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.”

(Galatians 1:19, ESV)

“and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”

(Galatians 2:9, ESV)

Well, then, there being two, to which of these is the letter to be ascribed?

James the son of Zebedee couldn’t be the author

The whole stream of antiquity carries it for the brother of the Lord, who, as I said, is the same as James the son of Alphaeus; and with good reason, the son of Zebedee being beheaded long before by Herod, from the very beginning of the preaching of the Gospel (Acts 12:2).

“He killed James the brother of John with the sword,”

(Acts 12:2, ESV)

But this letter must be of a later date, as it alludes to some passages already written and notes the degeneration of the church, which was not the condition of the church at the beginning.

James the Less is the person whom we have found to be the instrument whom the Spirit of God made use of to convey this treasure to the church.

James’ offices

He was by his private calling a husbandman, by public office in the church an apostle, and was especially called to visit the church in and around Jerusalem, either because of his eminency and being a close relation of Christ, or for the great esteem he had gained among the Jews.

James’ location

And therefore, when the other apostles were going to and fro disseminating the Word of life, James was often found at Jerusalem. (See Galatians 1:18-19; Acts 1:14, 21; 15; etc.)

“Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.”

(Galatians 1:18–19, ESV)

“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”

(Acts 1:14, ESV)

“So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,”

(Acts 1:21, ESV)

“In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,”

(Acts 1:15, ESV)

James’ personal holiness

By disposition he was very strict and exceedingly just, and so was called James the Just. He drank neither wine nor strong drink and ate no meat.

His knees were like a camel’s hoof through frequent prayer.

He died a martyr.

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Why is James called “the Lord’s brother”?

He was Christ’s close relative and, therefore, in a Hebraism, is called “the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19)— not properly and strictly, as Joseph’s son (though some of the ancients thought he was, by a former marriage), but his cousin.

“But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother.”

(Galatians 1:19, ESV)

– An Exposition of the Epistle of James by Thomas Manton