Judas, Brother of Jesus (Ιούδας, Ioudas). One of Jesus’ brothers listed in Mark 6:3 and Matt 13:55. Possibly the author of the Letter of Jude in the New Testament, and if so, the biblical person traditionally known as Jude.

The books of Mark and Matthew give an account of Jesus’ miracles in His hometown. The residents scoff and state that they know Jesus’ family, specifically naming His brothers James, Joses (or Joseph), Simon, and Judas. Although these brothers have been assumed to be blood siblings of Jesus, debate on this matter extends back to the early church fathers. Some believed these brothers were either blood relatives of Jesus but not brothers, or children of Joseph through a previous marriage (Keating, Jude, 191). Mark 3:21, 31 indicate Judas was not a follower of Jesus before the crucifixion. Acts 1:14 says Jesus’ brothers were in the Upper Room at Pentecost and 1 Cor 9:5 implies that His brothers were traveling missionaries.

Hegesippus provides a story (preserved by Eusebius) of Judas’ descendants being brought before Domitian as political enemies. Upon examining them, Domitian releases them and orders the persecution of the church to stop. These grandsons go on to become church leaders until Trajan’s reign (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.19).