Mary wife of Clopas and sons

[Zach]

John 19:25

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Matthew 27:56

Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Mark 6:3

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon?

Is it established by scholars and others who think about these things that Mary the wife Clopas is Jesus’ Mother’s “sister” (making it 3 and not 4 women in the first quote above) and is the same person as the Mary the mother of James and Joseph mentioned in the second quote above? Ancient sources claim Clopas was Jesus’ father’s brother making the two marys sisters in law. And the James and Joseph in the second and third quotes above would be Jesus’ cousins. Whether Judas or Simon in the third quote are brothers of James and Joseph or whether they are related to Jesus in another way is not as clear.

Also is it established that the James mentioned In the second and third quote above is not either of the two Apostles named James but is a third James who converted after the resurrection and became a leader in the early Church?

 

[BartholomewB]

Also is it established that the James mentioned In the second and third quote above is not either of the two Apostles named James but is a third James who converted after the resurrection and became a leader in the early Church?

The Catholic Church teaches that the James who was the leader of the Christian community in Jerusalem, sometimes described as the first bishop of Jerusalem, was the apostle James the Less. Outside the Catholic Church, it is generally accepted that he was neither of the two apostles named James, but the James who is named several times in the NT as one of “the brethren of the Lord.”

Whether the “brethren” were Joseph’s sons by an earlier marriage or the sons of Mary and Clopas, is a separate question, of course. There have been many threads here discussing this question.

 

[Zach]

I asked about James because I read an article by a Catholic writer who claimed the “brother” James was the James, son of Alphaeus, Apostle. But this made no sense. For one reason because in John 7 it says Jesus’ “brothers” told him to leave Galilee and join his disciples and that his brothers didn’t believe in him. So if James is one of the brothers here he can’t be a disciple yet. It is not (as far as I know) until Acts 1 after the Resurrection that it states these brothers believed and were praying with the disciples.

 

[BartholomewB]

Exactly. James, the Lord"s “brother” (or cousin) saw the risen Jesus (1 Cor 15:7) and was converted. None of Jesus’ “brothers” or “sisters” believed in him prior to his death and resurrection.

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 15

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