Was the "James" of 1 Cor. 15:7 the son of Alphaeus?

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gryan
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Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:11 am

Was the "James" of 1 Cor. 15:7 the son of Alphaeus?

Post by gryan »

Re: The "James" of 1 Corinthians 15:5-7
"...and that He appeared to Cephas and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. And last of all He appeared to me also, as to one of untimely birth."

As my confidence grows that the "James" whose name appears simply in Gal 2:9 and Mark 16:1 and Acts 15 was the son of Alphaeus, and as I ponder Gospel of the Hebrews as referring to James the son of Alphaeus (not "the Lord's brother") under the title, "James the Just" (Cf gThomas, but contra Hegesippus), I am warming up to the the thesis of Karl Wieseler [1813-1883] which states that the "James" of 1 Cor. 15 must also refer the son of Alphaeus (A chronological synopsis of the four Gospels. p 404f):
https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_ ... ho%20is%22

In this interpretation (whether 1 Corinthians 15:5-7 is an interpolation or not), the "James" of Gal 1:19 (Cf 2:12) needed to be called "the Lord's brother" to distinguish him from the "James" whose simple name could be used in one accord with Cephas's in Gal 2:9 and 1 Corinthians 15:5-7 without any need for such an epithet.

In Wieseler's interpretation, the name of Cephas introduces appearances in Galilee, and the name of James introduces appearances in Judea. It can all be harmonized with the Gospel accounts, as he demonstrates in detail.
gryan
Posts: 1120
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:11 am

Re: Was the "James" of 1 Cor. 15:7 the son of Alphaeus?

Post by gryan »

Re: "those recognized to be pillars"

If the description "those recognized to be pillars"--James and Cephas and John-- excludes the "James" whose name requires an epithet--"the Lord's brother"--but instead, describes a select group from the original 12-- James [son of Alphaeus], Cephas [Peter] and John [son of Zebedee]-- then it makes sense that the name, "James" presented without epithet in 1 Cor. 15:7 is not "James, the Lord's brother"; but instead, refers to a "James" from same inner circle of "recognized ones".

In other words, the Cephas and James of 1 Cor. 15:7(=James and Cephas of Gal 2:9=the Peter and James of Acts 15) require no epithet (unlike the "James" who is called "the Lord's brother") precisely because they are "those recognized to be pillars."
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