The cross references, along with chapters and verse numbers were not a part of the original manuscripts of the Bible. Also, the Bible wasn’t originally written in English, nor was it written in 21st century language and meaning. The Bible itself is infallible, as the writers were under the inspiration and power of the Holy Spirit. The English interpretations of the Greek, Aramaic or Hebrew could be muddy or “off” when there are several meanings to a word. Also,the cross references could be fallible; they were added by people who were not necessarily inspired by the Holy Spirit. Thus, sometimes the cross references are truncated/incomplete, possibly even wrong and therefore not perfect. This doesn’t mean we should throw out our English-interpreted Bibles or ignore the cross referrences. This means, as always, we shouldn’t try to make the Bible say anything that it doesn’t say (such as Salome is actually James’s and John’s mother, and therefore the wife of Zebedee).
There were many people named “James” back in the days of Jesus. There were even lots of people named “Jesus”. The Greek word for Jesus is Iésous and Iésous is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yehoshua or Jehoshua. When Jehoshua is shortened, we get the name Joshua. Unless there is a specific identifier to the person the writers of the gospels and epistles are referring to, we cannot know for sure who is being referenced.
There is one other Jesus mentioned in the New Testament and that is in Colossians 4:11, but it is clarified in that verse that this is “Jesus, who is called Justus” and not Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.
A Multitude of Men Called “James”
James the Less
Mark 15:40 “There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome.”
Cross references for Mark 15:40
There is only a cross reference on “the Less”, not on “James”, and the reference is to Luke 19:3 which doesn’t mention any James at all, just Zaccheus and his”small” stature; therefore, the cross reference is for the word “small”. The Greek word for “small” in Luke 19:3 and Mark 15:40 is “mikros” and means “small, little, less, least”. According to Strong’s, this means small or little in size and this is it’s primary meaning. But it also could mean lesser in dignity, quantity, or number. However, we are given a little hint in the Bible verse, because James the Less is mentioned before his brother. This order-in-mention has a strong possiblitiy to mean James the Less is the older of the two brothers. With all of this information, I interpret”the Less” to mean that James is a little guy in size and not a younger brother.
Another James?
Mark 16:1 “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him.”
Cross references for Mark 16:1
There are no cross references pertaining to James in this verse. There is no attachment to Luke 24:10 nor to Mark 15:40. It is very possible that there were more than one “Mary, the mother of James” in the group of women (after all, almost every one is named “Mary” in that group and they could have easily all had sons named James). But Mark had just mentioned “James” and his mother and brother, Joses, in Mark 15:40. It is highly probable that Mark means the same Mary and son, James the Less from 15:40. We don’t know for sure.
And Another James?
Luke 24:10 “Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.”
Cross references for Luke 24:10
There are no cross references pertaining to James in this verse. It does not connect to Mark 15:40 or 16:1. It would be easy to link this verse to Mark 16:1 and subsequently Mark 15:40, making this James the Less, but we don’t know for sure.
James, the Half Brother of Jesus
Matthew 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
Cross References for Matthew 13:55
There are no cross references for the name James.
Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.”
Cross References for Mark 6:3
There are no cross references to James here. The only idea that I take away from here, is that Mark is the one who uses Mary, James and Joses in the same breath out of all of the gospel writers (Mark 15:40 and Mark 6:3) and Mark addresses James as “James the Less”.
Galatians 1:19 “But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother”
Cross References for Galatians 1:19
The cross references on James from Galatians 1:19 are Matthew 12:46 and Acts 12:17.
Just for reference, Matthew 12:46 says “While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.”
Acts 12:17 “But motioning them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place”. Just to be clear here, James, son of Zebedee, has already been murdered in Acts 12:2 – this isn’t him.
Cross References on Acts 12:17
The cross references for the word “James” here are Mark 6:3; Acts 15:13; 21:18; 1 Cor 15:7; Gal 1:19; 2:9, 12. These references are stating that the James in Acts 12:17 and all referenced verses, would be the James that is Jesus’s half-brother. I want to know why the James referenced Acts 12:17, 15:13; 21:18, Gal 2:9 and 12 and even James 1:1 isn’t James, one of the Twelve, the son of Alphaeus? It would make more sense to me if it were. Why couldn’t it be a mix of James, son of Alphaeus and James, the half-brother of Jesus? Could it be someone different from the two previously mentioned?
Acts 15:13 “After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me.”
Cross References for Acts 15:13
The reference for James is Acts 12:17.
Acts 21:18 “And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present.”
Cross References for Acts 21:18
Reference for James is Acts 12:17
1 Corinthians 15:7 “then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;”
Cross References for 1 Corinthians 15:7
Reference for James is Acts 12:17
side note the Greek word “apostle” is “apostolos”, and means “ messenger, one sent on a mission, an apostle”. This word is not “special” and can be applied to anyone, not just the Twelve chosen, inner-circle disciples. The word Greek word for “disciple” is “mathétés” and means “a learner, disciple or pupil” and also could be applied to anyone.
Galatians 2:9 “and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” This seems to me to be referencing Acts 15:2-35 and James son of Z is already murdered.
Cross References for Galatians 2:9
References for James is Acts 12:17 and Galatians 2:12.
Galatians 2:12 “For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.”
Cross References for Galatians 2:12
References for James is Acts 12:17 and Galatians 2:9.
James 1:1 “James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.” This James is possibly in Israel.
Cross References for James 1:1
The word “James” is cross referenced with Acts 12:17.
James the son of Alphaeus, which identifies him as one of the Twelve
Matthew 10:3 “Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;”
Cross References for Matthew 10:3
James is referenced back to John 15:40. This would make James, the son of Alphaeus, James the Less.
Mark 3:1 “and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot;”
Cross References for Mark 3:1
There is no reference for the word “James” in this verse.
Luke 6:15 “and Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot;”
Cross References for Luke 6:15
There is no reference for the word “James” in this verse.
Acts 1:13 “When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.”
Cross References for Acts 1:13
There is no reference for the word “James” in this verse.
James, the brother of Jude
Jude 1 “Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,”
Cross references for Jude 1
There is no cross reference for the word “James”. However, the other cross references for Jude 1 cites Matthew 13:55 ,Mark 6:3, (both of which mention Jude/Judas as Jesus’s half-brother) Luke 6:16 (which states that Judas/Jude is the son of James and doesn’t mention his brother), John 14:22, Acts 1:13 (which would make this Jude/Judas one of the Twelve). The cross references seem to be associating this Jude/Judas as the brother of Jesus. Therefore, the connecting verses are saying that Jude/Judas, the brother of James, is not only one of the Twelve, but also Jesus’s half-brother. Jude is the son of James, and Jesus’s half-brother, as well as one of the Twelve? It could be possible. After Joseph passed away (we can only assume he is dead), Mary could have remarried someone named James. However, we could say that Joseph is alive when Jesus is twelve (see Luke 2:41-52 for the story referenced), but Luke only states that Jesus’s “parents” and “father” are present (along with Mary) and never says “Joseph” explicitly. I do think that Luke does mean Joseph, however. For some reason, I just think if Mary had been remarried, she would have just asked Jesus why He worried her alone, and not mentioned a father. Another problem would be that if Mary is remarried to someone named “James” and Joseph is still alive when Jesus is twelve, even assuming that Joseph died the year Jesus was twelve, we should assume then that the oldest that Jude can be when Jesus begins His ministry is 17, giving a year for an immediate marriage and pregnancy, since Jesus is about 30 at the time of His ministry (Luke 3:23).
Greek word for parent is goneus and means “parent” “father” “begetter”.
Greek word for father is patér and means “father” “ancestor” “elder” “senior”
Jude 1, Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55, Galatians 1:19 all use the same word for “brother” which is “adelphos” and means “a brother” and can also mean a fellow Christian.
Therefore, we can only assume that Jude 1 means that Jude is James’s actual brother, and he is not calling him his brother “in Christ”.
The Greek word for Jude is Ioudas which means Judas, Jude, Judah.
The Greek word for James is Iakóbos and only means James. It does not mean “Jospeh”.
The Greek word for Joseph is Ióséph and only means Joseph.
The Greek word for Joses is Iósés and means Joses only. However, the transliteral Greek uses the word “Joseph” and not Joses, but corresponds to Iósés. Berean Greek New Testament 2016 does not use Joseph at all, but Iósés, in Greek: Ἰωσῆτος . It is possible that Joses is another person entirely, and therefore the Jospeh and Joses listed as Jesus’s half brothers are two different people. Perhaps they used Joses and Joseph to separate out 2 boys with the same name. Mary, Jesus’s mother had a sister named Mary, so it doesn’t seem uncommon (see Jn 19:25), especially if there are half-siblings involved. Perhaps not. We just don’t know.