spamandham

Although people do it all the time, I really don't see how anyone can read the dozens (hundreds?) of nonliteral familial references Paul uses in his letters and conclude that 'brother' in this one instance refers to a blood relationship.

The only explanation I've ever heard for this bizarre confirmation bias is "yeah, but if he *did* mean literal brother, what term would he use?" - as if somehow that justifies interpreting it differently in this one single instance.

Chili

There was nothing human about Jesus as he was and remained without sin. The word 'human' refers to our earthly condition ever since man was banned from Eden so designated by the prefix -hu to identify him as earthly (-hu is from -humi = earhtly), for wich rebirth is justified to redeem the man without the earthly prefix. This then is why Jesus was not human and indeed does have his mothers DNA since she was never banned from Eden with Jesus now being the parthonocarpic fruit of the womb that born him = go figure but true nonetheless.

GakuseiDon

Let's put it this way: assuming a historical Jesus, and assuming the Gospel account that Jesus had a brother called James is correct: how would YOU interpret the meaning of the word 'brother' in "James, the brother of the Lord"?

It's not just a moot point. There are very few passages in Paul that even hint on when he is writing. If Paul met an actual brother of Jesus, then he must have been writing at some time within a generation of Jesus' crucifixion.

Chili

If 'historical Jesus' means the same as 'Jesus in history' and if 'Jesus is alive' today as he was then so is his brother alive in the rigth and the wrong way. Paul writes about a different gospel being preached and that was the gospel of James who ordered the Great commission in Matthew.

Please note that Luke's Jesus showed his wounds when he said: "as the father send me, so I am sending you" which is far greater in commission than anyone alive today in the Great Commission.

Chili

Sorry that should read 'parthenocarpic fruit of the womb'

spamandham

If I were Paul, I would just call him "James", because he's the only James I ever discuss and my audience would already know who I was talking about.

Steven Carr

I've looked in the Gospel of Luke and I can't find a brother called James.

Perhaps Luke corrected Mark's list, as everybody knew Jesus did not have a brother called James.

bacht

"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?"

Mark 6.3

GakuseiDon

Acts lists more than one James, as do the Synoptics. And I think we can't assume that the extant letters were the only ones ever written. James was a fairly common name, I believe, so some kind of qualifier isn't unexpected.

As I said, it isn't a moot point since it provides valuable data for the timing of Paul's letters, which contains little to help us. Assuming that there was a historical Jesus who had a brother called James, then how would we reasonably interpret the meaning of the word 'brother' in "James, the brother of the Lord"?

GakuseiDon

Complete list of references to "James" in Mark. The ones in red refer unambiguously to James the brother of Jesus, the bolded ones refer unambiguously to someone else, one James the son of Zebedee:
http://www.earlychristianwritings.co.../mark-kjv.html

Mark 1
[19] And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
[29] And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Mark 3
[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,

Mark 5
[37] And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

Mark 6
[3] Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

Mark 9
[2] And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

Mark 10
[35] And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.
[41] And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

Mark 13
[3] And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,

Mark 14
[33] And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

Mark 15
[40] There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

Mark 16
[1] And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.