John 7:5

For neither did his brethren believe in him Or, For not even did His brethren(as one would expect) believe on Him. It is marvellous that in the face of this verse any one should have maintained that three of His brethren (James, Simon, and Judas) were Apostles. This verse is also fatal to the common theory, that these -brethren" are really our Lord's cousins, the sons of Alphæus. Certainly oneof the sons of Alphæus (James) was an Apostle; probably a secondwas (Matthew, if Levi and Matthew are the same person, as is almost universally admitted); possibly a third was (Judas, if -Judas of James" means -Judas, brotherof James," as is commonly supposed). By this time the company of the Twelve was complete (John 6:67; John 6:70-71); so that we cannot suppose that some of the Twelve have still to be converted. If then one, two, or three sons of Alphæus were Apostles how could it be true that the sons of Alphæus -did not believe on Him?" -His brethren" cannot be the sons of Alphæus. They seem to have been converted by the Resurrection. Immediately after the Ascension we find them with the Apostles and the holy women (Acts 1:14; comp. 1 Corinthians 9:5; Galatians 1:19).