In comparing these statements, there cannot, I think, be any doubt that Mary the mother of Jude, James, Joses, and the other Mary- constantly associated with Mary Magdalene—are the same; nor that Mary the wife of Cleopas is also. Jude is brother of James; and James is son of Alpheus, alleged to be the same as Cleopas (ש) הלפְּם; and James (Jude), and Joses, sons of Mary, are Christ's brethren; and are sons of Mary, I suppose, wife of Cleopas. Thus the identity and connection of persons is evident. Mary, called the other Mary, the constant companion of Mary Magdalene, was wife of Cleopas, and mother of James, Jude, Joses, and Simeon; and these were immediate relations of Christ: whether by Cleopas or Mary does not appear. This does not affect the question as to Mary's having a family after the birth of Christ, nor her living with Joseph; of which, I think, Scripture leaves no doubt. But, further, this would determine, that that James the Lord's brother is the Apostle, James the Less; because James, the Lord's brother, is brother of Jude (Mark 6:3³Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. (Mark 6:3)). And James the Apostle is Jude's brother (Luke 6:16¹⁶And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. (Luke 6:16)), and son of Alpheus, and I think from the place James holds in the Acts and in Galatians, it is the same James and not another. For in Galatians, it is " James the Lord's brother," and " certain came from James; " and in Acts, " tell it to James," and James presides, in a sense, in Acts 15.

It would have been quite incongruous to introduce the Lord's name in an Epistle; whereas Jude, the brother of James, was the distinctive name he had acquired in contrast with Iscariot (Luke 6:16¹⁶And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. (Luke 6:16)).

The absence of all addition, in the case of James, is the natural proof of his being the well-known James.

2. In 1 Kings 15 there is certainly confusion comes in after Abijam. It is some question to me if Maachah was Absalom's daughter or granddaughter. If Absalom's daughter, allowing only five years from Absalom's death, she must have been six years old at David's death. The common chronology gives eight. Rehoboam was a year old when Solomon began to reign; so that she was five or seven years older than Rehoboam, if Absalom's daughter, supposing her born within a year before his death, the shortest time possible.

Solomon reigned forty years, this makes her forty-six or forty-eight, at Rehoboam's accession; he reigned seventeen; hence she was at least sixty-three or sixty-five at Asa's accession. It is possible she may have been his grand-mother, as in Chronicles it is not said his mother was Maachah, only the idol referred to. If 2 Chron. 11:20,21,22²⁰And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. ²¹And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.) ²²And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. (2 Chronicles 11:20‑22), be directly connected, it is clearly so. The mother's place was a kind of official one in the East, not the wife's, and still is. There remains 2 Chron. 13:2²He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. (2 Chronicles 13:2), which if not a mere misreading, must be compared with 11: 20-22; and if the same Abijah, raises further the question if Absalom or Abishalom is Absalom the son of David. The fact of 1 Kings 15:2²Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. (1 Kings 15:2) and 10, skews that something is to be sought out; some key I mean to it. The author of Kings and Chronicles cannot contradict themselves (nor each other), in the same passage and both on the same point.

I think it evident that it was not Absalom's daughter. It might be his granddaughter, but it is very doubtful. Maachah may have been Abijah's grandmother. But, there seems little doubt Abijah's mother was of Benjamin. It maybe, she was called Michaiah and Maachah, as the change of name is the commonest thing possible. Uriel and Abishalom were both known, one Uriel I suppose her father, the other a well-known ancestor. So Abihail, 2 Chron. 11:18¹⁸And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; (2 Chronicles 11:18), is evidently only a descendant of Eliab's. It is thus, though I doubt it, that Maachah may been a granddaughter of Absalom's, and daughter of Uriel. What adds to the probability of this is that Absalom was son of Maachah, so that the name may have been kept in the family, 1 Chron. 3:2²The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: (1 Chronicles 3:2). Uriel was a Benjamite, and called his daughter Michaiah, Maachah was given in Judah, where David's family connection was naturally kept

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.