Father of James the Less, the apostle, and writer of the epistle, and "brother (i.e. cousin) of our Lord" (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13); also of Joses (Mark 15:40). Husband of the Mary who with Jesus' mother stood at the cross (John 19:25). The same as Clopas (as it should be written, not Cleophas), both names being Greek variations of Hebrew Chalpai, or Hhalpai. Possibly the Cleopas of Luke 24:18. If the translation Luke 6:16 be correct, "Jude, brother of James," Alphaeus was his father also. In Mark 2:14 Levi (Matthew) is called the son of Alphaeus. Whether he be the same is not certain: probably not.