Alphaeus

About Alphaeus

Alphaeus, also known as Cleopas, is mentioned in the New Testament as the father of two of Jesus' apostles, James and Matthew (Levi). James, the son of Alphaeus, is listed among the twelve apostles chosen by Jesus. (Mat.10.3; Mrk.3.18; Luk.6.15; Act.1.13) He is often referred to as "James the Less" or "James the Younger" to distinguish him from James, the son of Zebedee, and James, the brother of Jesus.

Matthew, also known as Levi, is identified as the son of Alphaeus in the account of his calling as a disciple. Jesus encountered Matthew at the tax collector's booth and called him to follow him, which Matthew did, leaving behind his profession. (Mrk.2.14)

In the Gospel of John, a woman named Mary is described as standing near the cross of Jesus, along with his mother and other women. This Mary is identified as the wife of Clopas (an alternative spelling of Cleopas or Alphaeus). (Jhn.19.25) Some scholars suggest that this Mary may have been the mother of James and Matthew, but this is not explicitly stated in the text.

Additionally, in the Gospel of Luke, a man named Cleopas is mentioned as one of the two disciples who encountered the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus. (Luk.24.18) While some traditions identify this Cleopas with Alphaeus, the father of James and Matthew, there is no clear evidence in the biblical text to support this connection.

The limited information provided about Alphaeus in the Gospels and Acts focuses primarily on his relationship to his sons, James and Matthew, who became followers of Jesus and members of the twelve apostles. His mention in the biblical text serves to identify and distinguish these two disciples from others with similar names.

Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.