surnamed the brother of our Lord, Gal. i, 19, was the
son of Cleophas, otherwise called Alpheus, and Mary, sister to the
blessed virgin; consequently, he was cousin-german to Jesus Christ. He
was surnamed the Just, on account of the admirable holiness and purity
of his life. He is said to have been a priest, and to have observed the
laws of the Nazarites from his birth. Our Saviour appeared to James the
less, eight days after his resurrection, 1 Cor. xv, 7. He was at
Jerusalem, and was considered as a pillar of the church, when St. Paul
first came thither after his conversion, Gal. i, 19, A. D. 37. In the
council of Jerusalem, held in the year 51, St. James gave his vote last;
and the result of the council was principally formed from what St. James
said, who, though he observed the ceremonies of the law, and was careful
that others should observe them, was of opinion, that such a yoke was
not to be imposed on the faithful converted from among the Heathens,
Acts xv, 13, &c.
James the less was a person of great prudence and discretion, and was
highly esteemed by the Apostles and other Christians. Such, indeed, was
his general reputation for piety and virtue, that, as we learn, from
Origen, Eusebius, and Jerom, Josephus thought, and declared it to be the
common opinion, that the sufferings of the Jews, and the destruction of
their city and temple, were owing to the anger of God, excited by the
murder of James. This must be considered as a strong and remarkable
testimony to the character of this Apostle, as it is given by a person
who did not believe that Jesus was the Christ. The passages of Josephus,
referred to by those fathers upon this subject, are not found in his
works now extant.
son of Cleophas, otherwise called Alpheus, and Mary, sister to the
blessed virgin; consequently, he was cousin-german to Jesus Christ. He
was surnamed the Just, on account of the admirable holiness and purity
of his life. He is said to have been a priest, and to have observed the
laws of the Nazarites from his birth. Our Saviour appeared to James the
less, eight days after his resurrection, 1 Cor. xv, 7. He was at
Jerusalem, and was considered as a pillar of the church, when St. Paul
first came thither after his conversion, Gal. i, 19, A. D. 37. In the
council of Jerusalem, held in the year 51, St. James gave his vote last;
and the result of the council was principally formed from what St. James
said, who, though he observed the ceremonies of the law, and was careful
that others should observe them, was of opinion, that such a yoke was
not to be imposed on the faithful converted from among the Heathens,
Acts xv, 13, &c.
James the less was a person of great prudence and discretion, and was
highly esteemed by the Apostles and other Christians. Such, indeed, was
his general reputation for piety and virtue, that, as we learn, from
Origen, Eusebius, and Jerom, Josephus thought, and declared it to be the
common opinion, that the sufferings of the Jews, and the destruction of
their city and temple, were owing to the anger of God, excited by the
murder of James. This must be considered as a strong and remarkable
testimony to the character of this Apostle, as it is given by a person
who did not believe that Jesus was the Christ. The passages of Josephus,
referred to by those fathers upon this subject, are not found in his
works now extant.