Did Mother Mary have other children?

[Splinker]

It would have disgraced the other children

Maybe her other children were dead.

 

[Teneas]

Maybe her other children were dead.

It’s possible sure. I would think that Christ would have said something about his own brothers and sisters death however. I could be wrong.

 

[Dokimas]

**John 19:
25Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

26When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.**

According to some posters on other forums, they say Mother mary did have other children. Ok, so if Mother mary had more children, than why did Jesus say the above words when Mother Mary’s other children could very well have taken care of her? Does it also mean that the other children were black sheep and not capable of taking care of their mother, or does it also mean that Mother Mary was not a good mother to them, but only to Jesus?

If you were responsible for your mother, and you had a choice, would you leave her care to sibblings who had wrong understandings about life, death, God and eternity or to a person who understood the truth and who would follow your will?

 

[Dokimas]

**John 19:
25Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

26When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.**

According to some posters on other forums, they say Mother mary did have other children. Ok, so if Mother mary had more children, than why did Jesus say the above words when Mother Mary’s other children could very well have taken care of her? Does it also mean that the other children were black sheep and not capable of taking care of their mother, or does it also mean that Mother Mary was not a good mother to them, but only to Jesus?

I understand your belief comes from you presupposition of what the Holy Spirit meant by using the word, ‘Woman’. Would you agree that if this presupposition is incorrect, then your belief that Mary had no children could be incorrect?

 

[Dokimas]

They already thought Jesus was crazy and may have abandoned Him at His crucifixion or were afraid because of the seriousness of the charges and the religious leaders. All the apostles except John had abandoned Him also. Just a thought.

Good point. That goes along well with my point. Would a son trust the protection of his mother if sibblings abandoned her.

 

[Dokimas]

Is a thought for sure. But would Christ, being a good Jewish boy, do dishonor to his brothers and sisters by giving his mother to John?

If the siblings would not do right by His mother. absolutely. He love His mother and would want the absolute best.

 

[Teneas]

If the siblings would not do right by His mother. absolutely. He love His mother and would want the absolute best.

I don’t know enough about Jewish customs or families, specially those times, to know if that would be valid reaction for the Son of God/God himself to do to family members.

 

[Dokimas]

Matthew 1:24-25
24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Also, there seems to be a word missing in your translation: prototokos which means ‘firstborn’.

4416 πρωτοτοκος prototokos pro-tot-ok’-os

from 4413 and the alternate of 5088; TDNT-6:871,965; adj

AV-firstborn 7, first begotten 2; 9

1. the firstborn
   1a) of man or beast
   1b) of Christ, the first born of all creation

 

[Dokimas]

Your question is, Did Mother Mary have other children?

My answer…drum roll please…

Yes and No.

Back then she didn’t give birth to another child other than Jesus. But then John became her adoptive son, with Jesus Blessing as he said it.

Next on my mind, Of course she has other children…All of us.



Sorry I just couldn’t help myself…

You have shared the CC teaching on the issue, have you not?

 

[rovimax]

We could debate this all night long I suppose, but the point made here is that Scripture points to Joseph and Mary having a normal marriage with children in many verses in Scripture where as there is nothing there to suggest otherwise. One must take Scripture out of context and twist and turn much to get otherwise.

Haven’t you read in the beginning How confused Mary that she could get pregnant. If she has intentions of having normal relations with Joseph there was no need for her to ask the Angel Gabriel ‘’ How could this be?’’ She’s already bethroted and soon to be the wife, why ask how could she get pregnant?

The word until, When Jesus said that I will be with you until the end of the age Mat 28:20, you meen to tell that at the end of age Jesus will not be with us. Is 46; When God said ‘‘Even to old age I am He’’, will God ceased to be God when they become old? Bible language sometimes used fixed times to denote times without limitations.

 

[TinaG]

Hi!

There is the possibility that Joseph and Mary adopted children after Jesus was born. They would be rightly called his brothers and sisters. Nothing specifically states this did not happen. We should not go beyond the Scriptures and assert that Mary gave birth to others - such a statement IS jumping to conclusions. And where the Scriptures are silent, where do we go? Typically, to what the church has spoken on the issue.

It does not help that the Protoevangelion of James was banned by a pope. This is the principal source for the development of Marian theology. From what I have heard, Mary’s role as discussed in patristic literature is nowhere near the role the Catholics and Orthodox place her in today.

Where does this leave us? In the position of needing to be very, very careful in dealing with this emotionally overcharged issue.

-Tina

 

[Good_Fella]

Hi!

There is the possibility that Joseph and Mary adopted children after Jesus was born. They would be rightly called his brothers and sisters. Nothing specifically states this did not happen. We should not go beyond the Scriptures and assert that Mary gave birth to others - such a statement IS jumping to conclusions. And where the Scriptures are silent, where do we go? Typically, to what the church has spoken on the issue.

It does not help that the Protoevangelion of James was banned by a pope. This is the principal source for the development of Marian theology. From what I have heard, Mary’s role as discussed in patristic literature is nowhere near the role the Catholics and Orthodox place her in today…

-Tina

May I suggest that you read Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought, by Luigi Gambero: Ignatius Press: San Francisco, 1999.

Pax vobiscum :harp:

 

[Randy_Carson]

Thanks but I’ve heard it all before. I was a cradle Catholic for almost 35 years. I don’t share in these lengthy “try to explain it away” sessions. We can do this same thing to lengths that would explain away the Trinity as well. I wouldn’t buy into that either. Sorry, the Bible goes to much greater lengths to shed light on Mary and Joseph having a normal marriage than not.

No, it doesn’t, and all you’ve done is to dodge issues that you know you cannot prove.

You claim they had “normal marriage” meaning they had sex and other children. PROVE IT.

You say that “firstborn” must prove that there was a “secondborn”. PROVE IT.

You say that those called “brothers” are blood brothers of Jesus. PROVE IT.

The plain fact of the matter is that all you have are private, fallible interpretations of scripture which do not stand up to close scrutiny.

So, unless you’re prepared to make an argument in support of your assertions, I suggest that you stop speaking so confidently on matters about which you are clearly ignorant.

 

[Randy_Carson]

If you were responsible for your mother, and you had a choice, would you leave her care to sibblings who had wrong understandings about life, death, God and eternity or to a person who understood the truth and who would follow your will?

Oh, absolutely. That would go a long way toward winning them over, wouldn’t it? :nope:

 

[Dokimas]

Oh, absolutely. That would go a long way toward winning them over, wouldn’t it? :nope:

Is winning them over the issue or protect your mother?

 

[Randy_Carson]

Good point. That goes along well with my point. Would a son trust the protection of his mother if sibblings abandoned her.

Or perhaps these “brothers” were actually more distant relations (as the Aramaic language allows), and that Mary was already a widow with no one to care for her.

 

[Randy_Carson]

Also, there seems to be a word missing in your translation: prototokos which means ‘firstborn’.

4416 πρωτοτοκος prototokos pro-tot-ok’-os

from 4413 and the alternate of 5088; TDNT-6:871,965; adj

AV-firstborn 7, first begotten 2; 9

1. the firstborn
   1a) of man or beast
   1b) of Christ, the first born of all creation

My apologies. I quoted from a Protestant translation:

Matthew 1:24-25 (New International Version)
24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Matthew 1:24-25 (King James Version)
24Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

 

[Randy_Carson]

Hi!It does not help that the Protoevangelion of James was banned by a pope.

Tina, do you have a source for this? Obviously, the Protoevangelium was not considered inspired, but I don’t recall reading that it was ever banned. I’d like to learn more.

 

[Randy_Carson]

Is winning them over the issue or protect your mother?

If Jesus had blood brothers who were non-believers, then how would offending them help them to accept the fact that He was who He claimed to be?

 

[Dokimas]

If Jesus had blood brothers who were non-believers, then how would offending them help them to accept the fact that He was who He claimed to be?

That’s like saying 'how can a teen learn how to drive unless you plop them in the middle of the LA highway system in the driver seat of a Grand Prix car.