Who was "James, the son of Alphaeus?"

There are many different views as to who this Apostle actually was. I will given you a few of them and then let you decide what you think is actually correct.

Adam Clarke says, "James the son of Alpheus. This person was also called Cleopas, or Clopas, Luke 24:18; John 19:25. He had married Mary, sister to the blessed Virgin, John 19:25." This would make him the uncle of Jesus Christ.

The Four-fold Gospel Commentary says, "Mark involves us in another difficulty by calling Levi the son of Alphaeus; for a man named Alphaeus was the father of James the younger (Mt 10:3). It is not likely, however, that Matthew and James were brothers, for Alphaeus was a very common Jewish name, and brothers are usually mentioned in pairs in the apostolic lists, and these two are not so mentioned. Pool takes the extreme view here, contending that James, Matthew, Thaddaeus, and Simon Zelotes were four brethren."

Another author contends, "James, the son of Alphaeus is the brother of our Lord. We know that only two Apostles were named James. Galatians 1:19 tells us that one of them was 'the Lord's brother.' Mary was the mother of Jesus and James (Mt. 13:55). Mary's husband Joseph must have died, or they called him Alphaeus."

Please vote on who you feel James, the son of Alphaeus is.

 

Let me add that there are some who believe that James, the son of Alphaeus was also called Cleopas, and was one of the disciples that Jesus met on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?