Lebbaeus

AI summary: Lebbaeus matters because the cross references preserve the complexity of apostolic naming traditions in the Gospels and Acts. Though he is not a leading narrative figure, his presence in the apostolic lists ensures his place among those commissioned by Jesus and foundational to the church's witness. The multiple names also show how memory of the same person can circulate through different designations. Taken together, the material presents Lebbaeus as an apostolic figure remembered through overlapping name traditions.¹

Breast, the name of one of the apostles (Mark 3:18), called “Lebbaeus” in Matt. 10:3, and in Luke 6:16, “Judas the brother of James;” while John (14:22), probably referring to the same person, speaks of “Judas, not Iscariot.” These different names all designate the same person, viz., Jude or Judas, the author of the epistle. ³