"Alphaeus, pr. name (1) Father of Jas. the less, Mt. 10:3; Mk. 3:18; Lk. 6:15; Acts 1:13. (2) Father of Levi, (or Matthew) Mk. 2:14*"
Definition and meaning
Alphaeus, pr. name (1) Father of Jas. the less, Mt. 10:3; Mk. 3:18; Lk. 6:15; Acts 1:13. (2) Father of Levi, (or Matthew) Mk. 2:14*
In the original Greek the word is written: Ἁλφαῖος
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of halphaios (G256) across the King James Bible.
Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
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Common questions
Strong's G256 (halphaios) is a Greek word that means: Alphaeus, pr. name (1) Father of Jas. the less, Mt. 10:3; Mk. 3:18; Lk. 6:15; Acts 1:13. (2) Father of Levi, (or Matthew) Mk. 2:14* It appears 5 times in the King James Bible.
The word halphaios (G256) appears 5 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G256 is halphaios, a Greek word defined as: Alphaeus, pr. name (1) Father of Jas. the less, Mt. 10:3; Mk. 3:18; Lk. 6:15; Acts 1:13. (2) Father of Levi, (or Matthew) Mk. 2:14*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
halphaios is a Greek word found in the New Testament.