Bible Encyclopedias
Judas of James

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

( Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου , Ioúdas Iakṓbou ): One of the twelve apostles ( Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13; for etymology, etc., see JUDAS ). the King James Version has the reading "brother of James," and the Revised Version (British and American) reads "son of James." The latter is to be preferred. In John 14:22 he is described as "Judas (not Iscariot)." The name corresponds with the "Thaddaeus" or "Lebbaeus whose surname was Thaddaeus" of Matthew 10:3 the King James Version and Mark 3:18 (compare THADDAEUS ). The identification of Thaddaeus with Judas is generally accepted, though Ewald and others hold that they were different persons, that Thaddeus died during Christ's lifetime, and that Judas was chosen in his place (compare Bruce, Training of the Twelve , 34). If the Revised Version (British and American) is accepted as the correct rendering of Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13 , this Judas cannot be identified either with the Juda (Mark 6:3 the King James Version), Judas ( Mark 6:3 the Revised Version (British and American)), or Judas ( Matthew 13:55 ), the brother of Jesus; or with the Judas (Judges 1:1 the Revised Version margin) or Jude ( Judges 1:1 the King James Version), the brother of James, whether these two latter Judases are to be regarded as the same or not. The only incident recorded of Judas of James is in John 14:22 , where during Christ's address to the disciples after the last supper he put the question, "Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?"