James Son of Alphaeus

Brother of Matthew? The scriptures do not state that the two are brothers as was done with Simon and Andrew or James and John. It is a topic that has been debated but we do not have any definitive sources to say it is fact.

Mark 3:13-19
13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.
14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
16 And Simon he surnamed Peter;
17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

There are 4 other places in the scriptures that list James son of Alphaeus, or James the Less (meaning little or younger) amoung the 12 disciples commissioned to become apostles.

Mark 15:40

Mark 16:1

Matthew 27:56

Luke 24:10

Because the word Less could mean younger as well as little it causes speculation on the interpretation. One thing we know for certain is that his mother was also a follower of Jesus.