Who is the author of James?

• A. James, the half-brother of Jesus and son of Joseph and Mary
• B. Peter
• C. Paul
• D. John

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is identifying the author of the Epistle of James. The letter is traditionally attributed to James, who is described in Scripture as Jesus’ half-brother, a son of Mary and Joseph. This identification rests on several lines of evidence. In the Gospels, Jesus is named as the brother of James (along with Joses, Judas, and Simon), pointing to James as a close family relative (for example, Mark 6:3). Paul also refers to “James, the Lord’s brother,” which reinforces this identification beyond the Gospel accounts. The epistle itself starts with James presenting himself as “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,” and is addressed to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations, which aligns with the role of a leader in Jerusalem who would write to that audience. Early Christian writers consistently linked this James to Jesus’ brother, often called James the Just.

Given those connections, James, the half-brother of Jesus and son of Joseph and Mary, is the best fit for the author. The other figures—Peter, Paul, and John—are prominent in the New Testament for other letters and roles, but the internal and external evidence for this particular letter points to James rather than them.