Goodwill Fellowship Bible Study Group “Apostle James, the Lesser.” Prepared and Presented by Rev. Alfred Thiagarajan Welcome

Fresco of Saint James the Less in the Orthodox Church of Vladimir, Russia. 12-th century.

Bio Data Full name:  James, the less Year of Birth:  1st century Place of birth: Unknown Native Place: Cleopas Father’s name: Alphaeus Mother’s name: Mary Brother: Mathew, the Levi (Disciple  Of Christ) Profession:  Levite Author: First Catholic Epistle Feast: 1 May (Anglican Communion), May 3 (Roman Catholic Church), 9 October (Eastern Orthodox Church) Year of Death:  Unknown May be 62 Place of Death: Egypt or Jerusalem

Statue of St James at the Church of the Mafra Palace, Portugal

The Name Yacab or Jacob or James In remembrance of Jacob Son of Isacc and Rebecca, several Jewish families in New Testament time named their children as Jacob/james. Josephs’  (Mary’s husband) Father : Mathew 1:16 (Genealogy) Jacob/james Son of Zebedee (One of the 12 diciples) Mark 1: 20 Jacob , son of Mary and brother of Jesus ( James the Just)who wrote the letter James in Bible . Apostle Juda’s Brother ,James (Luke 6:16)

Evidences in New Testament that he is son of Alphaeus Matthew 10:3 (NIV) : Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Mark 3:18 (NIV) : Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot Luke 6:15 (NIV) : Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Acts 1:13 (NIV) : When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

Evidences that James is brother of Matthew Matthew 9:9 (NIV): as Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Mark 2:14 (NIV):  As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

Patron Saint Saint James is the patron of Hat makers. (a patron is considered to be a defender of a specific group of people or of a nation. There is a patron for virtually every cause, profession or special interest. Prayers are considered more likely to be answered by asking a patron for intercession on their behalf.)

Christian Art In Christian art he is depicted holding a fuller's club because he was martyred when beaten to death with a fuller's club at Ostrakine in Lower Egypt, where he was preaching the Gospel.

Oral Tradition: According to tradition, he was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and was at the Council of Jerusalem about the year 50. The historians Eusebius and Hegesippus relayed that St. James was martyred for the Faith by the Jews in the Spring of the year 62.

A tradition holds that Saint James, though strongly clinging to Jewish law, was sentenced to death for having violated the Torah. He was arrested along with an unspecified number of Christians and was subsequently beheaded by Herod in persecution of the church.

God Bless you all.