If marriage isn't official until consummated, how could Jesus' mother been the Virgin Mary, married to Joseph?

Question

I am a Christian who has been posed this question from a friend who has doubts about the Bible...just wondering what the answer is.

Answer 1

Look at Matthew 1 Verse 20, read where it says that the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said to Joseph to "take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit."
Go to verse 24 (matt 1:24) it says "Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife
Do you see, he obeyed the Lord. He did as he was commanded.She was his wife.

Answer 2

Of course it was. Some things to take into consideration: Joseph was probably older than Mary. In those times, it wasn't uncommon for a girl to get married at 15 or 16 because the life expectancy was so short. Joseph may have been in his 30's and his hormones were probably raging. Do you think he would have sat back and done nothing if a young, nubile female whom he was married to told him, "sorry honey, but I've been impregnated by God and am going to give birth to Jesus Christ so I must remain untouched?" She would have probably been stoned!

Also, there is a strong likelihood that Mary had other children, some older than Jesus, some younger. That doesn't happen if you're a virgin. And, he probably had half-brothers as well from an earlier marriage of Joseph's, if one is to take the bible literally.

Something else to remember also is that they believed in those times in being fruitful and multiplying - you didn't do that if you were a virgin.

The Virgin Mary story is a delightful and charming myth but that's probably all it is. Did she give birth to Jesus, brother of James, and son of Joseph? Probably. Was she a virgin? Highly unlikely.

Answer 3

I would ask him where he got the idea that marriage wasn't official until consummation? Is that a cultural thing, something someone just said and everyone believes them? It is not a Biblical idea. I would ask him to tell you what he knows about 1st century Jewish marriage customs. That there is a betrothal period, where the couple are actually considered married, yet do not share a home yet. I would also point out that Mary and Joseph did have other children, from both of them. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Because Mary and Joseph did have sex as Jesus had a brother.

James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.

There has been some dispute regarding the relationship between Jesus and James, the natural interpretation being that James was the son of Mary and Joseph (thus a "half-brother" to Jesus).

In the history of the Christian church, some believing in the perpetual virginity of Mary developed the view that Jesus and James were foster brothers, while others conjectured that they were cousins.

Theologians have found no difficulty with the view that Mary and Joseph themselves together had other children, including James.

Answer 5

There are two possabilities. The first is that Matthew's account is the correct historical account and you could be married without the marriage being consummated. Matthew 1:20-25 The second possability is that this law of consummation was a man made law that added to God's Holy Torah like the law they added which said you weren't Sabbath observant if you healed on the Sabbath. In the same way with their man made law they would be saying you aren't married unless the marriage is consummated when in fact according to God's Law you were. Matthew 15:1-9

Answer 6

Mary was a virgin. She was impregnated by the holy spirit. God was the father. She was still a virgin when she had Jesus. This is why they call her the virgin Mary. After Jesus was born however, Mary and Joseph had other children.
Mary and Joseph were married, but being married doesn't mean you're not a virgin, having sexual relations does. Mary had not had sex with her husband until after she had Jesus, as a virgin.

Answer 7

Mary wasn't married to Joseph until after Jesus was conceived. Because of this Joseph had doubts about marrying Mary because she was pregnant. After Jesus was born the marriage was consumated. I'm not sure I buy the idea that it has to be consumated to be a marriage, but I also don't really understand where the confusion lies.

Answer 8

Mary had never been with a man sexually when she became pregnant with Jesus. A non-virgin would not be fit to be the mother of the Kink of Kings. An angel went to Joseph and told him that Mary was favored by God,and he should not put her away. Joseph believed what he heard. I would have too.

Answer 9

Mary was only a virgin until she had Jesus. The Bible tells of Jesus and his "brothers and sisters." Joseph "knew" Mary after the Child was older.

Answer 10

After Jesus develop into born, Mary did consummate the marriage with Joseph giving start to little ones. Do you imagine Joseph develop into married to Mary and did no longer have little ones after Jesus develop into born. Please human beings study the Bible, it has each and each and every of the solutions.