the greek word "adelphos" of the original New Test. means Brother, But not in modern sense. It was also used to represent many close relationships like cousins,nephews,friends,etc.
According to Jewish law, the oldest son (Jesus,a good jewish man) had the responsibility of caring for the widowed mother, and that responsibility would pass to the next oldest if anything happened to the first-born son (cruxifiction) By this time, St. Joseph has died. Since Jesus, the first born, had no “blood brother(s),” He entrusted Mary to the care of St. John, the Beloved Disciple. questions>>comments??
2006-07-19 13:34:21 · 19 answers · asked by esero26 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The subject of Mary is vast. Jesus once asked, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?" He went on to show that everyone who seeks the holiness and rightiousness of God is his family.
An excellent point you make is that to fully understand all of this we must also be aware of how life was in that part of the world and at that time. It was the responsibility of adult sons to care for their older widowed mothers. Knowing this... how could Jesus have entrusted the care of his mother to John had there been other biological brothers/sons of Jesus and Mary? The customs and expectations of that culture would have made that impossible... if another biological son existed he would have surely stepped forward to take her into his home or else he would not have ever been able to show his face in public again.
Mary had only one son, Jesus the Christ. Her entire life was dedicated to Him and spent with Him.
2006-07-19 13:49:00 · answer #1 · answered by Augustine 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
It more than likely is representative to close relationships like cousins, nephews, friends, etc. The reason I say this is logically speaking none of Jesus's acquaintances in the bible are known as being of Joseph of Nazareth (that's another way they were called back then, by the father and the area the father lived). Nor is anyone described as being of Joseph of Bethlehem (or Egypt). They certainly would have mentioned this in the Bible if Jesus had direct siblings. Especially after He was put to death, and Christ put the care of His mother in St. John's hands.
2006-07-19 13:47:20 · answer #2 · answered by Greenwood 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
After Jesus' birth, Joseph and Mary had other children, Jesus' half brothers and sisters. That is evident from the question inhabitants of Nazareth later asked about Jesus: "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?" (Matthew 1:25; 13:55, 56; Mark 6:3) We can conclude from this that Jesus' immediate family consisted of his parents, four brothers, and at least two sisters.
2006-07-19 13:42:00 · answer #3 · answered by darrell h 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good points. It's shallow thinking to conclude that Jesus had siblings simply because the Gospels refer to His "brothers" and "sisters."
Those words have very wide meanings in the Bible -- they are often used in the Bible to describe cousins, nephews, other relatives, fellow tribesmen, and co-religionists.
I always ask people who believe that Jesus had brothers, "Why, then, did Mary ask the angel Gabriel how she was to have a child? As an engaged woman, would she not have assumed that her pregnancy would happen 'the normal way'?"
Mary's response to Gabriel makes no sense, unless she had taken a lifelong vow of virginity. If she hadn't taken such a vow, she would never have responded to Gabriel the way she did.
2006-07-19 13:40:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus certainly had many spiritual "brothers" and "sisters". Your logic rings true since John was not related to Jesus as far as we know. God, being very aware of humanity would not have required Mary to to not "know man" forever...she was Joseph's wife. Certainly Joseph married expecting to one day "know" his own wife and not be a celebate husband of a lovely and gracious woman with her entire life ahead of her from teenage to death over 33 years later. But then again St. Joseph was not a "regular" guy. For instance, God could have given Joseph a vivid imagination to supplant and transend his sexuality and the same for Mary...not being irreverent...just practical and understand Joseph and Mary as the human beings they were initally born to be and were for quite some time.
2006-07-19 13:52:30 · answer #5 · answered by acct10132002 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sarcophagus of Jame was a hoax. Jesus did have some half brothers, by Marry and Joseph. He entrusted His mother to the one that loved Him the most, John.
2006-07-19 13:43:53 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They were all Jesus'First cousins.
Proof: St. James, the "brother" of Our Lord Jesus, is identified in the Gospels as the son of a man named Alpheus.
2006-07-19 14:23:32 · answer #7 · answered by clusium1971 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's hard to say. The bible wants us to believe that Mary, who married Joseph after the birth of Jesus, remained a virgin. But that's highly unlikely. In those days you were expected to have a few children during your marriage. I guess it depends on what you believe.
2006-07-19 13:41:12 · answer #8 · answered by Jenn 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO. How could He have brothers? God and Mary had 1 child. Jesus.
Jesus did have 1/2 brothers and 1/2 sisters. yes
2006-07-19 13:54:50 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well if you believe the Bible, (which I do), in Matthew it says that Jesus Had brothers.
Matthew 12:46
[ Jesus' Mother and Brothers ] While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.
2006-07-19 13:44:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋