According to a 2016 PhD dissertation by L.S. Ojala (supervised by Martinus C. de Boer, author of Galatians: A Commentary, John Knox, 2011), the "James" of Acts was "the son of Alphaeus".
I will quote at length (pp. 79-80):
"Although the majority of modern scholars identify the James of Acts 12:17; 15:13; and 21:18 as James the brother of Jesus, this conclusion does not arise inherently from Acts. It is, rather, an interpretation imported mainly from the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians. Some scholars have acknowledged that it is more natural to identify the James of Acts 12:17 as James of Alphaeus; however, this possibility has not, it appears, been given much serious consideration.
The findings of this chapter demonstrate the difficulty (if not impossibility) of identifying the James of Acts 12:17; 15:13; and 21:18 as the brother of Jesus in light of Luke’s literary methods. In light of Luke’s methods of distinguishing characters with the same name from each other, of introducing named characters, and of keeping track of previously named characters, James of Alphaeus is most likely the person meant by Luke in Acts 12:17 and afterward. This identification fits well with what is indicated of James’s relationship to Peter prior to Acts 12:17, as well as in ch. 15. Moreover, this identification fits very well with the depiction of James as one of the “apostles and elders” at the Jerusalem Council who has the authority to offer a “judgment” on the matter of Gentile circumcision.
This would also explain why Luke omits from his source (Mark 6:3) the names of the brothers of the Lord. The brothers do not play any central role individually or collectively in Luke’s narrative and therefore to name them is unnecessary."
https://research.vu.nl/ws/portalfiles/p ... tation.pdf
I will quote at length (pp. 79-80):
"Although the majority of modern scholars identify the James of Acts 12:17; 15:13; and 21:18 as James the brother of Jesus, this conclusion does not arise inherently from Acts. It is, rather, an interpretation imported mainly from the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians. Some scholars have acknowledged that it is more natural to identify the James of Acts 12:17 as James of Alphaeus; however, this possibility has not, it appears, been given much serious consideration.
The findings of this chapter demonstrate the difficulty (if not impossibility) of identifying the James of Acts 12:17; 15:13; and 21:18 as the brother of Jesus in light of Luke’s literary methods. In light of Luke’s methods of distinguishing characters with the same name from each other, of introducing named characters, and of keeping track of previously named characters, James of Alphaeus is most likely the person meant by Luke in Acts 12:17 and afterward. This identification fits well with what is indicated of James’s relationship to Peter prior to Acts 12:17, as well as in ch. 15. Moreover, this identification fits very well with the depiction of James as one of the “apostles and elders” at the Jerusalem Council who has the authority to offer a “judgment” on the matter of Gentile circumcision.
This would also explain why Luke omits from his source (Mark 6:3) the names of the brothers of the Lord. The brothers do not play any central role individually or collectively in Luke’s narrative and therefore to name them is unnecessary."
https://research.vu.nl/ws/portalfiles/p ... tation.pdf
Statistics: Posted by gryan — Thu Jul 18, 2024 3:34 am