Who Was 'James the Just,' the Brother of Jesus?

Meet the Authentic Brother of Jesus Christ, Whose Real Name You May Have Never Heard

Many people know that Jesus had siblings. These were not full-blooded siblings but rather half-siblings who were the children of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her husband, Joseph.[1] Details are rather scant. His sisters are never named in Scripture, nor are we told how many there were. On the other hand, Jesus’ brothers were apparently numerous, but outside of their names, we know almost nothing about them.

That is, except for the brother named James.

The Gospel of Mark identifies four brothers: James, Joses, Judas,[2] and Simon. Joses' name is likely a derivative of the Hebrew name Yoseph, while Judas is the Hebrew name Judah. James is the first one mentioned in Mark’s account, and thus, he is believed by the majority of scholars to have been the oldest.

The man who came to be known in the early church as James the Just was likely born in Egypt or Galilee.[3] He, like his younger brothers, was likely raised in the same profession as his older brother and father. Joseph and his sons were skilled laborers, probably working with materials such as stone, wood, and cement.[4]

Based on what we know about Mary and Joseph, the family was extremely pious. The early Church historian Eusebius, writing years later, mentions the reputation that James had of being an exceptionally devout man from the time of his childhood.

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James’ reputation in the early church was that of a devout, prayerful man who lived a simple, sanctified life committed to prayer and intercession for others.

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“He was called ‘the Just’ by everyone from the Lord’s time to ours, since there were many James,’ but this one was consecrated from his mother’s womb. He drank no wine or liquor and ate no meat. No razor came near his head, and he did not anoint himself with oil, and took no baths. He used to enter the temple alone and was often found kneeling and imploring forgiveness for the people, so that his knee’s became like a camels’ from his continual kneeling in worship of God and in prayer for the people.”[5]

James’ reputation in the early church was that of a devout, prayerful man who lived a simple, sanctified life committed to prayer and intercession for others. While James likely didn’t believe or understand exactly who his brother was until after the resurrection (few did), it is clear that his relationship with Jesus was close, as he was one of only a few people Jesus appeared to personally after his resurrection.[6]

According to church fathers such as Clement and Hegesippus,[7] James was martyred for this faith. While the specifics are unclear, he is believed to have been accused of blasphemy by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem because of his allegiance to Christ. Both sourves record that he was first thrown off a high building of the temple and then stoned/clubbed to death when the fall didn’t kill him. He likely died in AD 62, which places him in his late fifties or early sixties at the time of his death.

Lastly, it is important to note that James’ name was not actually James. In the New Testament (written originally in Greek) his name is written as Iakobos, a transliteration of the Hebrew name Ia’akov (Jacob). Why is his name documented in English Bibles as “James” and not “Jacob?” The name swap likely took place during the time of the King James Bible translation, when zealous and enthusiastic translators decided to honor the man who was bankrolling the first major English Bible translation, King James. Since the time of the original King James Bible, the Greek name Iakobos has been translated into English as “James” instead of “Jacob” in almost every major English translation.[8]

Additional Resources:

The Fate of the Apostles, by Sean McDowell:  https://amzn.to/4fxAUTT  

Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History: https://amzn.to/4eBMITJ

[1] Although Joseph was referred to as the father by most who knew Jesus in childhood and adolescence, he was not the biological father. The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in the womb of Mary while she was yet a virgin. Matthew 1:18/Luke 1:31-35.

[2] This brother is known for having written the New Testament epistle that bears his name, The Book of Jude.

[3] As the likely oldest sibling of Jesus, he very well could have been born during the family’s 1-2 year exile in Egypt.

[4] The Greek word translated “carpenter” in the New Testament (tekton) is likely a reference to someone who worked with several different materials. It is most accurate to think of Jesus and his father/brothers as builders rather than strictly carpenters.

[5] Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, ed. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (New York: Christian Literature Co., 1890), 2.23.

[6] 1 Corinthians 15:7 “…He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”

[7] Sean McDowell, The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus (Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2015), 122-125.

[8] The same goes for Jesus’ two disciples named James, whose original names were Ia’akov (Jacob).

Who Was 'James the Just,' the Brother of Jesus?

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