Who is the least known apostle?

As one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, the apostles played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity. However, not all of the apostles are equally well-known. While some, such as Peter, James, and John, are widely recognized, others are much less familiar. In this blog post, we will explore the life and legacy of the least known apostle: James, son of Alphaeus.

James, son of Alphaeus, is mentioned several times in the New Testament, but little is known about his life. He is often referred to as "James the Less" or "James the Minor" to distinguish him from James, the son of Zebedee, who was one of the inner circle of three disciples closest to Jesus. Some scholars believe that James, son of Alphaeus, may have been a relative of Jesus, but this is uncertain.

What we do know about James, son of Alphaeus, is that he was chosen by Jesus to be one of the twelve apostles. He is listed in all four of the Gospels as one of the disciples, but he is only mentioned by name a few times. In the Gospel of Mark, James is listed along with his fellow apostle Judas (not Iscariot) as one of the "twelve whom he named apostles" (Mark 3:16). In the Gospel of Matthew, James is similarly listed among the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:3). In the Gospel of Luke, James is mentioned briefly as one of the apostles who saw the risen Jesus (Luke 24:33).

Beyond these few mentions, we know very little about James, son of Alphaeus. There are no stories or teachings attributed to him in the New Testament, and he is not mentioned in any of the early Christian writings outside of the Bible. This lack of information has led some scholars to speculate that James may have been a quiet, unassuming figure who played a supporting role in the early church.

Despite his relative obscurity, James, son of Alphaeus, played an important role in the formation of the early Christian church. As one of the twelve apostles, he was part of the inner circle of Jesus' followers and witnessed many of his miracles and teachings firsthand. After Jesus' death and resurrection, James and the other apostles continued to spread the message of Jesus throughout the world, establishing churches and communities of believers.