Relationship To Jesus
Jesus' brothers — James as well as Jude, Simon and Joses — are named in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 and mentioned elsewhere. James's name always appears first in lists, which suggests he was the eldest among them. In the passage in Josephus's Jewish Antiquities (20.9.1), the Jewish historian describes James as "the brother of Jesus who is called Christ", although it is not known whether this is original or added by later Christian editors/copyists. Paul, recounting his conversion, recalls, "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother."
Interpretation of the phrase "brother of the Lord" and similar phrases is divided between those who interpret the phrase literally and those (Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and some Protestants) who presuppose the perpetual virginity of Mary and therefore do not also accept an absolutely literal interpretation.
Read more about this topic: James The Just
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