2. Son of Zebedee; brother of John and one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. (Mt 10:2) His mother, it seems, was Salome, as may be noted by comparing two accounts of the same event. One mentions “the mother of the sons of Zebedee,” the other calls her “Salome.” (Mt 27:55, 56; Mr 15:40, 41; see SALOME No. 1.) A further comparison of John 19:25 perhaps points to Salome as the fleshly sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother. If so, James was a first cousin of Jesus.

3. Another apostle of Jesus Christ and son of Alphaeus. (Mt 10:2, 3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13) It is generally believed and quite probable that Alphaeus was the same person as Clopas, in which event James’ mother was Mary, the same Mary that was “the mother of James the Less and of Joses.” (Joh 19:25; Mr 15:40; Mt 27:56) He may have been called James the Less because of being either smaller in physical stature or younger in age than the other apostle James, the son of Zebedee.