The Holy Family

[Convert_in_99]

Hello Everyone!

I love history and putting pieces together. Maybe somebody super smart out there could help me out.

Does anyone know why we Catholics don’t know more about the Holy Family and the early lives of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph?

Like, why do we not know for certain if Joseph was always a virgin or if he was a widower? Was Mary an only child? Did Jesus have half-siblings through Joseph, or were these really just cousins? ETC!!!

Why don’t we know more about this family of families? Was it lost over the years, or maybe just not deemed important enough to record? Maybe there’s a whole slew of info somewhere, and I just don’t know about it!?!?

Don’t worry not in danger of loosing faith here :nope: Just curious is all. :yup: Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks



Convert in 99

 

[1ke]

None of the things you ponder are relevant to our Salvation or to Jesus’ central mission.

 

[elvisman]

Hello Everyone!

I love history and putting pieces together. Maybe somebody super smart out there could help me out.

Does anyone know why we Catholics don’t know more about the Holy Family and the early lives of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph?

Like, why do we not know for certain if Joseph was always a virgin or if he was a widower? Was Mary an only child? Did Jesus have half-siblings through Joseph, or were these really just cousins? ETC!!!

Why don’t we know more about this family of families? Was it lost over the years, or maybe just not deemed important enough to record? Maybe there’s a whole slew of info somewhere, and I just don’t know about it!?!?

Don’t worry not in danger of loosing faith here :nope: Just curious is all. :yup: Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks



Convert in 99

Scripture reveals all that is necessary for salvation.
I also think that while scripture speaks on a lot of other minor details, it does not and CANNOT speak on every detail about everything.
I’ve never read a biography that did or any other non-fiction work that did.
God Bless.

 

[Verisimilitude]

To a large degree I think such information was left out on purpose as it would not serve the right purpose.

 

[Convert_in_99]

Just curiosity, that’s all. I know that its not pertinent to our salvation (Jesus would never leave out anything necessary.) Just as anyone is curious about their family’s geneology/history, so too am I curious about my favorite familiy’s history: The Holy Family. Wouldn’t you want to know more about your family? Why not long to know about God’s family?

I just thought maybe there were some documents I never read somewhere, or something I didn’t come across in my jourey to the Church. Still hoping someone can hook me up, but I will most certainly still believe if not. :yup:

Thanks for everyone’s comments



Convert in 99

 

[elvisman]

Just curiosity, that’s all. I know that its not pertinent to our salvation (Jesus would never leave out anything necessary.) Just as anyone is curious about their family’s geneology/history, so too am I curious about my favorite familiy’s history: The Holy Family. Wouldn’t you want to know more about your family? Why not long to know about God’s family?

I just thought maybe there were some documents I never read somewhere, or something I didn’t come across in my jourey to the Church. Still hoping someone can hook me up, but I will most certainly still believe if not. :yup:

Thanks for everyone’s comments



Convert in 99

There are uninspired works that speak of the Holy Family and Mary’s parents. One in particular is the “Protoevangelium of James”. This is where we get the idea that Mary was a consecrated virgin of the temple. I believe it is where we get her mother’s name, Anne.
It also speaks of Joseph having been married before and having children - the so-called “brethren of the Lord”.
You can look it up on the CA website and www.newadvent.org.
Happy hunting . . .

 

[Convert_in_99]

Thanks



Convert in 99

 

[Verisimilitude]

Just curiosity, that’s all.

I’d like to clarify. I didn’t mean that it isn’t a valid area of study, it is. I also don’t want to give the impression it is something “dangerous” to the faith to study. It isn’t. Truth can withstand scrutiny.

The purpose for the ambiguity I think is to avoid a comparrison:

If Christ’s family life with Mary and Joseph included 3 brothers and 2 sisters, devout Catholic familes might be disappointed when they have only 4 daughters.

If Jesus had brown eyes, blue eyed boys might be spiritually slighted.

Look at how many carpenters there are!

There are descriptions of 1st century life for a range of professions and environments to include Our Family. The particulars you are looking for were likely edited out, if ever known in the writting of the Gospels.

Also, think how unlikely that kind of inforamtion would be recorded more than already is. Christ first met the Apostles when He was at least 30 years old. In His 3 year ministry, how much do you think He spoke about His childhood to them? After, the business at hand was dangerous and chaotic.

Even if thought was given to the early biography of Christ soon after or before His trial; it’s more unlikely that the 30 year distance was too great to get more. Maybe the only unremarkable thing about Christ, his childhood. It was the 1st century after all.

I assume His Mother revealed what we know in the Gospels. Others obviously did some research to determine lineage. I think it’s a remarkable gift for the little we have.

 

[Convert_in_99]

I’d like to clarify. I didn’t mean that it isn’t a valid area of study, it is. I also don’t want to give the impression it is something “dangerous” to the faith to study. It isn’t. Truth can withstand scrutiny.

The purpose for the ambiguity I think is to avoid a comparrison:

If Christ’s family life with Mary and Joseph included 3 brothers and 2 sisters, devout Catholic familes might be disappointed when they have only 4 daughters.

If Jesus had brown eyes, blue eyed boys might be spiritually slighted.

Look at how many carpenters there are!

There are descriptions of 1st century life for a range of professions and environments to include Our Family. The particulars you are looking for were likely edited out, if ever known in the writting of the Gospels.

Also, think how unlikely that kind of inforamtion would be recorded more than already is. Christ first met the Apostles when He was at least 30 years old. In His 3 year ministry, how much do you think He spoke about His childhood to them? After, the business at hand was dangerous and chaotic.

Even if thought was given to the early biography of Christ soon after or before His trial; it’s more unlikely that the 30 year distance was too great to get more. Maybe the only unremarkable thing about Christ, his childhood. It was the 1st century after all.

I assume His Mother revealed what we know in the Gospels. Others obviously did some research to determine lineage. I think it’s a remarkable gift for the little we have.

Actually, I believe, from what little I’ve been able to read , that Jesus’s Mother had already been assumed into heaven when the Gospels were written.

Verisimilitude, don’t you worry. I didn’t take it as criticism at all. Peace

I just was wondering if I might have missed an obvious saint’s work, or early church document.

MAYBE, there’s so little info about the Holy Family so that we will sit here at all hours of the night discussing our Christian Faith …



Convert in 99

 

[Nita]

Regarding why Scripture didn’t give us more information: It doesn’t seem to be part of the Jewish tradition to include background information about family members that didn’t play an important role. For example, we know Moses had a son - but what ever happened to him?? Did Noah and his wife have brothers or sisters?? Family info on the prophets?? In the NT there’s very, very little family info on the apostles and other writers of Scripture.

Isn’t it going to be fun getting to learn more about all the people in Scripture, and meet their families, when we get to heaven.

Nita

 

[Convert_in_99]

I guess patience is a virtue.