Clopas (or Alpheus)

John 3:1-17 (I recommend the RSV)

In Clopas (Aramaic), also known as Alpheus (Greek), we have one of the best document members of Jesus’ Jerusalem connections. It does complicate matters a bit that Clopas is also often spelled “Cleopas” or Cleophas” in Aramaic. Scripture tells us that he was the father of at least two of Jesus disciples, James the Less and Matthew. Tradition (Hegesippus of the 2nd century AD) tells us that he was the brother of Joseph of Nazareth, the father of Jesus. Tradition also identifies him as Cleopas, one of the two followers of Jesus that encountered Christ on the road to Emmaus. Which explains why Jesus “kept them from recognizing him” (Luke 25:16). Tradition also identifies him as the father of a third disciple of Jesus, Jude Thaddeus (also called Lebbaeus the Zealot). That is quite a resume for any follower of Jesus. 

The journey of Clopas to a reborn faith and life would have been quite different from those of Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea. For one thing, Nicodemus and Joseph came to Jesus from outside while Clopas would have been part of Jesus’ immediate family, as his uncle, from the beginning and would have developed an even closer relationship upon the death of Joseph of Nazareth. Clopas would not have had any legal obligation to care for his brother’s children, but Jewish tradition would have dictated that he step in to assure that his brother’s widow and children would be properly provided for. In fact, we know that Clopas’ wife, Mary, was among the women at the foot of the cross of Jesus comforting Mary, the mother of Christ.

It is anyone’s guess whether Clopas’ close relationship to Jesus’ family would have helped or hindered his path to become a follower of Jesus. Scripture tells us that many members of Jesus’ family thought that Jesus was “a few fries short of a Happy Meal.” But there can be no doubt that he did indeed end up as one of Christ’s most ardent followers. 

We can only imagine how the faith journey of Jesus’ family members would have evolved. Remember that Jesus was driven out of Nazareth after just one sermon (Luke 4:14-30). Matthew and Mark even add that because of the violent reaction of the people of Nazareth against Jesus, that Jesus “…could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief”. (Mark 6:5-6).

Nazareth would have been the home of all of Clopas’ family as well. He may have even been there in the synagogue when the hometown folk angrily drove Jesus out of town. I would imagine that his heart would have been torn between believing his nephew’s words and being totally shocked by them…perhaps even offended.

But to his credit, perhaps anchored in his love for Joseph and Mary, Clopas eventually had his moment of being reborn into the Love and Light of Jesus’ ministry and teachings. His wife, Mary, was with him every step of the way and may have been one of the first to understand just who Jesus was. She seems to have been closer to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Whatever Clopas’ commitment to the Gospel was before the Emmaus road, it certainly would have been quench hardened by the “burning” in his heart after Emmaus.

Tradition tells us little of Clopas after Emmaus. But it does identify one of his sons, Simeon (not Peter), as being the second leader of the Church in Jerusalem. Simeon would have taken over that office after the martyrdom of James, the Just (Jesus’s brother). Clopas would have been considered an old man. We do not know if he was and elder brother to Joseph or a younger one. We also do not know when Joseph of Nazareth died either, but most likely between 6-29 AD. 

And we cannot forget that three of his sons were among The Twelve who were with Jesus his entire ministry on earth. As I said at the outset, Clopas had an impressive resume to present at the Pearly Gates. 

I have had many adventures in my life in ministry, but I would never claim to be even close to that of Clopas. But the wonderful thing about the Kingdom of God is that we all, each and every one of us, are citizens and participants in its Glory. Not by what we have done, but by what the Holy Spirit has done with our meager contributions. 

My prayer for you all, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, is that we each continue to build our “spiritual resumes” in service to Christ’s Church. For everything we do or say or live in Christ’s Love, Joy and Grace is planted somewhere in the field of God’s Kingdom in the firm belief that it will grow into a plentiful harvest for Christ’s Church.

Blessings and Joy,

Jim McGrath