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[[Image:St. James the Less c.jpg|right]]

[[Image:St. James the Less c.jpg|right]]

'''James the Less''', called ''Saint James the Less'' in [[Catholic]] and [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] traditions, is also called '''James the Lesser''' <ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mark15.html#40 Mark 15:40]</ref>. He was the brother of Joses and the son of a woman named Mary, the wife of Cleophas or Cleopas or Clopas<ref>Compare [http://biblehub.com/multi/john/19-25.htm multiple versions of John 19:25 Greek '''Κλωπά'''] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/luke/24-18.htm multiple versions of Luke 24:18 Greek '''Κλεόπας''']</ref>, who, when Jesus was in Galilee, followed him.<ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mat27.html#56 Matthew 27:56]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mark16.html#1 Mark 16:1]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/luke24.html#10 Luke 24:10]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/john19.html#25 John 19:25]. </ref> Joses was also called a brother of Jesus.<ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mat13.html#55 Matthew 13:55]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mark6.html#3 Mark 6:3]; see also [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mark15.html#47 Mark 15:47].</ref>

'''James the Less''', called ''Saint James the Less'' in [[Catholic]] and [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] traditions, is also called '''James the Lesser'''.<ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mark15.html#40 Mark 15:40]</ref> He was the brother of Joses and the son of a woman named Mary, the wife of Cleophas or Cleopas or Clopas,<ref>Compare [http://biblehub.com/multi/john/19-25.htm multiple versions of John 19:25 Greek '''Κλωπά'''] and [http://biblehub.com/multi/luke/24-18.htm multiple versions of Luke 24:18 Greek '''Κλεόπας''']</ref> who, when Jesus was in Galilee, followed him.<ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mat27.html#56 Matthew 27:56]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mark16.html#1 Mark 16:1]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/luke24.html#10 Luke 24:10]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/john19.html#25 John 19:25].</ref> Joses was also called a brother of Jesus.<ref>[http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mat13.html#55 Matthew 13:55]; [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mark6.html#3 Mark 6:3]; see also [http://www.christiananswers.net/bible/mark15.html#47 Mark 15:47].</ref>

== Name ==

== Name ==

Author of the [[Epistle of James|first Catholic Epistle]], his discourse is an exhortation to practical Christian living. His most famous teaching, and most controversial, is found in James 2:14-26{{cquote|What ''doth it'' profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ''ye'' warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what ''doth it'' profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was call the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and '''not by [[Sola fide|faith only]]'''. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent ''them'' out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. <br>—KJV text (<small>''boldface emphasis added''</small>)}}

Author of the [[Epistle of James|first Catholic Epistle]], his discourse is an exhortation to practical Christian living. His most famous teaching, and most controversial, is found in James 2:14-26{{cquote|What ''doth it'' profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ''ye'' warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what ''doth it'' profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was call the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and '''not by [[Sola fide|faith only]]'''. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent ''them'' out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. <br>—KJV text (<small>''boldface emphasis added''</small>)}}

[[Martin Luther]] wrote in his 1599 preface that the St. James Epistle is really "''an epistle of straw''" compared to St. John's Gospel and his first epistle, to St. Paul's epistles, especially Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians, and to St. Peter's first epistle<ref>[http://twelvetribes.org/articles/epistle-of-straw#footnote1_dirj6jr Epistle of Straw? - Twelve Tribes (twelvetribes.org)]</ref>, because of its insistence on works as a requirement for justification to life and its rejection of faith alone without works (''sola fide''). He afterward removed the "straw" statement, insisting that the epistle was good<ref>[http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/2007/04/03/six-points-on-luthers-epistle-of-straw/ Six Points on Luther's "Epistle of Straw", James Swan - Alpha & Omega Ministries (aomin.org)].</ref>

[[Martin Luther]] wrote in his 1599 preface that the St. James Epistle is really "''an epistle of straw''" compared to St. John's Gospel and his first epistle, to St. Paul's epistles, especially Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians, and to St. Peter's first epistle,<ref>[http://twelvetribes.org/articles/epistle-of-straw#footnote1_dirj6jr Epistle of Straw? - Twelve Tribes (twelvetribes.org)]</ref> because of its insistence on works as a requirement for justification to life and its rejection of faith alone without works (''sola fide''). He afterward removed the "straw" statement, insisting that the epistle was good<ref>[http://www.aomin.org/aoblog/2007/04/03/six-points-on-luthers-epistle-of-straw/ Six Points on Luther's "Epistle of Straw", James Swan - Alpha & Omega Ministries (aomin.org)].</ref>

==His place in history==

==His place in history==