ALPHAEUS

(Al·phaeʹus).

1. The father of the apostle Matthew Levi, the tax collector.​—Mt 9:9; Mr 2:14.

2. The father of James the Less, the 9th listed of the 12 apostles. (Mt 10:3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13) Many scholars are supported by tradition in the general belief that Alphaeus was the same person as Clopas (Joh 19:25), which would also make him the husband of “the other Mary.” (Mt 27:56; 28:1; Mr 15:40; 16:1; Lu 24:10) Either a variation in pronunciation of the root word or the individual’s having had two names, a common thing in those days, would explain this difference.