James the son of Alphaeus is one of the twelve apostles listed in Matt. 10:3, Mark 3:18 & 15:40 (here called James the Less), Luke 6:15, and Acts 1:13. He is an obscure apostle, mentioned only in lists of apostles and disciples. Not to be confused with James, son of Zebedee, he is sometimes thought to be the same as James, brother of Jesus and author of the Epistle of James, although this is most likely not the case.