Expert: Marilyn - 6/16/2008

Question
who is mary, the sister of Jesus' mother?
is it her son james, the less, one of Jesus' 12 disciples?
who is james who Who wrote the book of james ?
which james is the leader of Jerusalem council?
Are James and john of Jesus' disciples related to Jesus?


Answer
Hello Chris John;

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is mentioned in Matthew 1:16-25; Luke 1:27-56; 2:1-40.  She was with Jesus at the temple, Luke 2:41-52, at the wedding in Cana, John 2:1-5.  She and His brothers questioned Jesus' sanity, Mark 3:21.  She was with Him at the cross, John 19:25-27.  And among the disciples after Jesus' ascension, Acts 1:14.  

Mary, Jesus' mother had other children after He was born.  In Matthew 13:53 Jesus goes home to Nazareth for a visit.  He preaches in the synagogue, amazing everyone. Matthew 13:55 & 56, (the towns people asked) "Isn't this the carpenter's son?  Isn't His mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?  Aren't all His sisters with us?"  They were offended because they didn't see Jesus as all that special, He was just an ordinary guy with brothers and sisters just like everyone else.

Four men are mentioned by name as "James:"  
1)  James, the son of Zebedee, an apostle, Matthew 10:2, and the brother of John, also an apostle, Matthew 4:21 & 22; 10:2; 17:1-13; Mark 5:37; 9:1-13; 14:33; Luke 9:28-36.  This James was martyred by Herod, Acts 12:2.
2)  James the son of Alphaeus, whose mother was also Mary, who was also one of the twelve apostles, Matthew 10:3. He is called "James the younger," Mark 3:18; 15:40; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13.  
3)  James, Jesus' brother, Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; Luke 24:10; Galatians 1:19.  He was also brother of a different Judas, Jude 1 (also the passage listed in the above paragraph).  Mary's younger kids didn't believe in Jesus until He was raised from the dead, Acts 1:14.  James, Jesus' half-brother, became the leader of the church in Jerusalem, Acts 12:17; 15; 21:18; Galatians 2:9-12, and wrote the Bible book of "James."  
4)  Finally, there was James, the father of the apostle Judas, Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13.

Mary, the mother of James the apostle, also called "the younger," Mark 15:40.  He is known in church tradition also as James the Less because James, the apostle John's brother, was more prominent and better known.  James the apostle is listed as the son of Alphaeus, but Mary, his mother, is called "the wife of Clopas" and is said to be Jesus' mother's sister, John 19:25.  Clopas may be like a nickname for Alphaeus, like Bill is a nickname for William.  Or it may be that Alphaeus died and Mary, his widow, remarried Clopas.  It is believed that rather than being a literal sister, she was Jesus' mother's cousin.  She visited Jesus' tomb, Mark 15:47; 16:1; Luke 24:10.  She is normally only mentioned in connection with her son.

Mary Magdalene, a woman of Magdala, is mentioned in Luke 8:2.  She gave financial support to Jesus' ministry, Luke 8:1-3.  She was at the cross, Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25, and attended His burial, Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47.  She's the one who saw the angel after Jesus' resurrection, Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-9; Luke 24:1-12, and she saw Jesus too, John 20:1-18.

Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, John 11.  She's the one who washed Jesus' feet, Luke 10:39, 42; John 11:1, 2, 19, 20, 28, 31, 32, 45; 12:1-8.  This Mary is not named, but is indicated in Matthew 26:7; Mark 14:3-9.

Mary, the mother of John Mark, and sister of Barnabas, Acts 12:12.

Mary, a Christian woman of Rome, to whom Paul sent salutations, Romans 16:6.

Apparently the names Mary, James and Judas were really popular back in that day.

Hope this answers your question.

Sincerely,

Marilyn