The Less

[CyrilSebastian]

St. James the Less is the son of Alphaeus of Cleophas. How did he get the title of “the Less”?

 

[Peggy_in_Burien]

It is thought that he was younger than St. James the son of Zebedee.

 

[Mintaka]

Yup, it’s just like if you have two kids on the same street with the same name. We had “Big Matt” and “Little Matt;” and the apostles had “Big Jim” and “Little Jim.”

 

[George_Stegmeir]

In old fashioned English, which is used in most English translations of the Bible, The term less or lesser when referring to people means young or younger.

 

[JamesTheJust]

He probably was either younger or smaller in stature.

 

[CyrilSebastian]

St. James, to distinguish him from the other apostle James, was called the Less.
The appellation may have taken its rise from his having been called later to the apostleship than the brothers James and John.