The Apostolic Age · AD 4–70

James, son of Alphaeus

d. 1st c. (trad. c. 62) · Apostle of the Twelve · Galilee

The Apostolic Age

Who James, son of Alphaeus was

Ninth in the synoptic lists of the Twelve, distinguished from the son of Zebedee by his father’s name. The New Testament records of him nothing further; the identifications that once multiplied around him — with “James the less” son of Mary and Clopas, or with James the Just — are ancient but insecure, and the eastern and western traditions of his later mission (Egypt; or Ostrakine in Sinai, crucified) are late. He stands for the greater part of the Twelve: attested, sent, and otherwise unrecorded.

Common questions

When did James, son die?

James, son of Alphaeus is dated d. 1st c. (trad. c. 62) in the archive, which places James, son in the Apostolic Age (AD 4–70). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.

Which early sources mention James, son?

James, son of Alphaeus is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Matthew the Evangelist and Mark. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Where was James, son from?

The archive associates James, son of Alphaeus with Galilee.

Who were James, son’s contemporaries?

The archive links James, son of Alphaeus to 3 other figures, including Matthew the Apostle, Judas son of James (Thaddaeus) and Simon the Zealot. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.

Scripture record

Primary-source mentions (2)

Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Matthew 10:3

c. AD 50
James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus.
Matthew the Evangelist · read ↗

Mark 3:18

c. AD 70
…and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite…
Mark · read ↗

Connected in the archive

People

Events in this lifetime

Place

Places served

The 10 places the sources put James, son, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route. Every stop here is marked with the company: the source places this figure’s company there rather than naming the figure at it.

  1. 1GalileeWith him through the towns of Galileewith the companyMark 1:39; Matthew 4:23
  2. 2NazarethCame into his own country, and his disciples followed himwith the companyMark 6:1
  3. 3CapernaumThe house at Capernaum, where he taught the Twelvewith the companyMark 9:33
  4. 4BethsaidaWithdrew there with the Twelve; the five thousand fedwith the companyLuke 9:10
  5. 5TyreWithdrew into its borders; the disciples came to himwith the companyMark 7:24; Matthew 15:23
  6. 6SidonReturned by Sidon to the sea of Galileewith the companyMark 7:31
  7. 7Caesarea PhilippiOn the road he asked the disciples who men said he waswith the companyMark 8:27
  8. 8JerichoWent out of Jericho with his discipleswith the companyMark 10:46
  9. 9BethanyLodged there with the Twelve through Passion weekwith the companyMark 11:11–12
  10. 10JerusalemEntered the temple with the Twelve; the upper roomwith the companyMark 11:11; 14:17

See these places on the atlas →