Some tedious questions about the Gospels

[jgmes2001]

If this is in the wrong forum, please move it.

I’m writing a story based on the Gospels, and I need some help identifying some of the saints in the Gospel narratives. I’ve done research but keep finding contradictoary answers. If possible, I’d like to know if there exists any official Church doctrines on the subject, or if there is a traditional Catholic intrepretations.

Mary Magdalene -is she the same Mary who is sister of Martha and Lazarus? Was she a sinner who annointed Christ’s feet, or the one who Christ saved from being stoned?

Furthermore, if Mary Magdalene is not sister of Lazarus, was the sister of Lazarus the same as the sinful woman?

Are Cleopas, the disciple on the road to Emmaus, and Clopas. husband of Mary, one in the same?

Furthermore, is Mary of Clopas the same as Mary, mother of James the Less and Joseph?

Is James the Less the same as the son of Alphaeus, and if so are Alphaeus and Clopas the same? Is Alphaeus the brother of St Joseph, thereby Mary’s brother-in-law?

Is Mary of Clopas the sister of the Lord’s mother, or is the Lord’s mother sister a different person? If so, are James the Less and Joseph two of the “brethren of the Lord”?

Is Judas Thaddeus the same as Jude the epistlist, and is he the brother of James the Less, and thereby also one of the Lord’s “brethren”?

Are the brethren of the Lord step-brothers from a previous marriage of St Joseph, or are they cousins?

Is there any reason to believe that any of the Apostles, other than Peter and Andrew, and James and John, are brothers?

I’ve also noted some people claiming that Salome, the wife of Zebedee, and Joana, as being the sister of the Blessed Virgin. Is there any credence in this?

Yes, I know very tedious, but everything I read seems to give a different answer. Thankfully none of this stuff is very important theologically, but I’m curious and want to know. Thanks in advance.

 

[dipper]

Have you tried The Catholic Encyclopedia?

eg on Mary

newadvent.org/cathen/09761a.htm

 

[Cara_Serrano]

If this is in the wrong forum, please move it.

I’m writing a story based on the Gospels, and I need some help identifying some of the saints in the Gospel narratives. I’ve done research but keep finding contradictoary answers. If possible, I’d like to know if there exists any official Church doctrines on the subject, or if there is a traditional Catholic intrepretations.

Mary Magdalene -is she the same Mary who is sister of Martha and Lazarus? Was she a sinner who annointed Christ’s feet, or the one who Christ saved from being stoned?

Furthermore, if Mary Magdalene is not sister of Lazarus, was the sister of Lazarus the same as the sinful woman?
Are Cleopas, the disciple on the road to Emmaus, and Clopas. husband of Mary, one in the same?

Furthermore, is Mary of Clopas the same as Mary, mother of James the Less and Joseph?

Is James the Less the same as the son of Alphaeus, and if so are Alphaeus and Clopas the same? Is Alphaeus the brother of St Joseph, thereby Mary’s brother-in-law?

Is Mary of Clopas the sister of the Lord’s mother, or is the Lord’s mother sister a different person? If so, are James the Less and Joseph two of the “brethren of the Lord”?

Is Judas Thaddeus the same as Jude the epistlist, and is he the brother of James the Less, and thereby also one of the Lord’s “brethren”?

Are the brethren of the Lord step-brothers from a previous marriage of St Joseph, or are they cousins?

Is there any reason to believe that any of the Apostles, other than Peter and Andrew, and James and John, are brothers?

I’ve also noted some people claiming that Salome, the wife of Zebedee, and Joana, as being the sister of the Blessed Virgin. Is there any credence in this?

Yes, I know very tedious, but everything I read seems to give a different answer. Thankfully none of this stuff is very important theologically, but I’m curious and want to know. Thanks in advance.

Sorry I can’t help you, but may God bless your effort to sort this out!
(Sounds like more penance than I’d be willing to do during Lent.)

 

[Eilish_Maura]

If this is in the wrong forum, please move it.

I’m writing a story based on the Gospels, and I need some help identifying some of the saints in the Gospel narratives. I’ve done research but keep finding contradictoary answers. If possible, I’d like to know if there exists any official Church doctrines on the subject, or if there is a traditional Catholic intrepretations.

Mary Magdalene -is she the same Mary who is sister of Martha and Lazarus? Was she a sinner who annointed Christ’s feet, or the one who Christ saved from being stoned?

Furthermore, if Mary Magdalene is not sister of Lazarus, was the sister of Lazarus the same as the sinful woman?

Are Cleopas, the disciple on the road to Emmaus, and Clopas. husband of Mary, one in the same?

Furthermore, is Mary of Clopas the same as Mary, mother of James the Less and Joseph?

Is James the Less the same as the son of Alphaeus, and if so are Alphaeus and Clopas the same? Is Alphaeus the brother of St Joseph, thereby Mary’s brother-in-law?

Is Mary of Clopas the sister of the Lord’s mother, or is the Lord’s mother sister a different person? If so, are James the Less and Joseph two of the “brethren of the Lord”?

Is Judas Thaddeus the same as Jude the epistlist, and is he the brother of James the Less, and thereby also one of the Lord’s “brethren”?

Are the brethren of the Lord step-brothers from a previous marriage of St Joseph, or are they cousins?

Is there any reason to believe that any of the Apostles, other than Peter and Andrew, and James and John, are brothers?

I’ve also noted some people claiming that Salome, the wife of Zebedee, and Joana, as being the sister of the Blessed Virgin. Is there any credence in this?

Yes, I know very tedious, but everything I read seems to give a different answer. Thankfully none of this stuff is very important theologically, but I’m curious and want to know. Thanks in advance.

There is no hope in this life you will get it sorted out with certainty – the original author notes have long ago disappeared.

 

[AmbroseSJ]

I don’t think you will get any definite, definitive answers to your questions, as they have been argued down through the centuries. However if you are writing a story that is fiction, but based on the biblical narratives, then you could take the authority that you deem to be most Catholic, and most likely in your own opinion, and run with it.

Just don’t take the most preposterous, and most unlikely, or we’ll have to assume you’re really Dan Brown writing under a new name.

 

[thistle]

Surely you can’t expect someone in these forums to spend hours doing your research for you??
One poster has suggested the Catholic Encyclopedia to you and I suggest in addition the Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J.
You will find most if not all of the people you are asking about in there.
The so-called step brothers of Jesus are not in Holy Scripture but in The Protoevangelium of James written in the second century AD.

 

[annem]

Yes, I know very tedious, but everything I read seems to give a different answer. Thankfully none of this stuff is very important theologically, but I’m curious and want to know. Thanks in advance.
Reply With Quote

I agree that everyone seems to have a different answer on these questions. Bauckham recently argued in “Jesus and the Eyewitnesses” that one of the reasons the names are so confusing is that people were being persecuted and it might be dangerous for the people involved if they were too readily identifiable.

One person who has done tons of research on just these names would be Ann Rice, the author of vampire books, now a Christian. You may not agree with all her opinions on these people, but you could peruse the book on Jesus she wrote. Most of the people you listed were also in her book. Also, she writes reviews on Amazon on biblical studies books. You may find the books she used of some use to you, also.

God bless, Annem