JAMES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

There is more than one James in the New Testament. Which one wrote the letter of James? James son of Zebedee was an apostle of Jesus. And there was another apostle James son of Alphaeus. This one is seen as a possible candidate for being the author.

James the brother of Jesus did not believe in Jesus until after Jesus rose as John 7:2-5 tells us. Good sources say he wrote the letter. He is often called James the Just.

Jerome should be dismissed for he said that James son of Alphaeus, James the brother of Jesus ie cousin literally speaking, and James the Just are the same person. He is writing too late to know.

The New Testament is simply saying that there was James of Zebedee, James of Alphaeus and James the brother of the Lord. We should not let ourselves be confused. It does not talk about James the Just or James the Lesser. Those were terms that later Christians came up with. Anything more than saying you have these three men is speculation.

In the letter, he merely writes to Jews and says he is a servant of God and of Jesus. He tells us nothing about himself.

Jude in his letter does not call himself brother of Jesus but brother of James.

It is possible that James was called brother of the Lord as in religious title.

It is possible that there is confusion about the Jameses and this man has Zebedee for his father or Alphaeus.

The letter certainly could pass for something Jesus might have written so let nobody tell you people were not able to make up the teachings and put them in Jesus' mouth in the style of the gospels.