Question for non-Catholic/non-Eastern Orthodox Christians...?

Question

The first ones to lead a break with the Catholic Church in the 16th century Protestant reformation-Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli-all believed in the perpetual virginity of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Why don't Protestants today believe what the first Protestants believed about Mary?

Answer 1

There is absolutely nothing in Scripture to suggest that Jesus had any siblings or half-siblings. This notion is just one more example of amateurish attempts at biblical interpretation. When James is referred to as the "brother" of Christ, the Greek word used is exactly the same as when we read that Christ, after His Resurrection, appeared to "more than 500 brothers at once". Therefore it is only reasonable to expect that the meaning is the same in both places - Christian brethren. Presumably these 500+ "brothers" were not all Mary's biological children? So there is no valid reason for claiming that James is either. This kind of error is the inevitable result of unauthorized, unauthoritative attempts at interpreting early Catholic writings. The Bible tells us that the Church founded by Christ is "the pillar and foundation of truth". This analogy between a building and truth is a powerful one. It is obvious what happens to any structure when the pillars and foundation are removed. It weakens, becomes malformed, and begins to disintegrate.

Answer 2

Not sure if you already know this or not but I wanted to correct the first two responses to your question to make sure nothing gets confused.

First, Christ had no siblings. Protestants are confused about this because they misinterpret the scripture that refer to brothers of Christ. What they're missing is that in the day of Christ, the word brother wasn't use the same way as we use it today. Back then, you would call your cousin your brother, or your best friend, or even an uncle or other companion your brother. It was a very broad term. Today protestants think it meant a literal sibling, but it doesn't.

Second, some of them say that they believe in the Immaculant Conception of Mary, but then they say that Mary was not sinless. This is a contradiction. The belief in the immaculent conception means that Mary was born without sin. Obviously, this means she had no sin also as she lived her life and then died. She wasn't conceived without sin and then all of sudden became sinful when she was born. That's makes so sense.

Mary also had no other children; Jesus was her only child.

The reason for so many different protestant beliefs is because there are so many different protestant churches.

Answer 3

Hi Glad2BCatholic. It really dosen't matter what Luther, Calvin, or Zwingli said or believed. What matters is what does God say? And yes Mary the mother of Jesus did have other children. God tells us this in His Holy word the Bible. In Matthew 13:55-56:

“Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” 57 So they were offended at Him..."

Was Mary a sinner? Yes. Women were considered unclean after giving birth. Unclean is a term used for sin in the Old Testament. After the birth of Jesus, Mary went to the temple and made a sin offering. God tells so in Mark 2:22-24:

"Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” The reason Mary made a sin offering is because she was a sinner

Now, do I believe Mary is in heaven? Yes. She called him Savior in Luke 1:46-47:

"And Mary said: “ My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."

Does Mary hold any special high place in Heaven? No the Bible dosen't say that at all.

My problem with the Catholic church and many Prototestant churchs is that these churchs try to twist Bible to fit their doctrine. They should make their doctrine fit the Bible.

Answer 4

For starters the Catholic Church or Church in Rome was not the only church that was founded by the Apostles.By the 16th century the Catholic Church had become a Harlot to the original gospel.Some of the churches still remain in Asia that John spoke of.The church still remains at Jerusalem.Your playing both sides of the fence here for if you believed in what Luther,Calvin,and Zwingli believed you would not be a catholic today,yet here you are trying to use them to fit your need.When Jesus was told that His Mother and Brothers were outside wanting to talk to Him.He did not give them the treatment that the Catholics would today.I see many Catholics who care more about Mary than Jesus ; example: Why pray to Mary who is dead and awaiting judgment when you could pray to Jesus who is alive and standing at the right hand of the Father.I know the church believes that Jesus was Marys only child but if His brothers were of another woman, what was thy doing with Mary that day ?The Catholics follow Mary yet today by following her example ; Their all standing on the outside with Mary wanting to talk with Jesus when they could be inside listening to Him.Sorry if the truth hurts.

Answer 5

2 reasons. 1. sola scripture, as you know Luther advocated. In scripture, it actually says Jesus has brothers and sisters , the greek word -adelphos- may be a bit ambiguous, but given the context it seems that is what the scripture is saying. (although you can certainly make the case that it is cousins or something).
2. B/c not every christian necessarily believed that, i.e. there is SOME , not much, BUT SOME dissent with regards to that question within the Catholic Tradition, see Jerome and Tertullian.

Answer 6

The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus. Those who say that the Catholic Church started during the time of Constantine are wrong. There is no historical evidence pointing to this. By the time the Edict of Milan, allowing religious tolerance (some revisionist erroneously say that this edict created the Catholic Church and made it the official church of Rome) was proclaimed there had already been more than 50 popes that reigned from the time of Peter. The Church was already referred to as the Catholic Church as early as AD 107 according to the writings of St. Ignatius of Antich. It is quite possible that the term already applied during the first century. Yes, the fundies and evangelicals have new heretical doctrines that were not taught by the Apostles of Jesus. These false doctrines are based on their wrong interpretation of th Bible. And the weird thing is that a lot of these fundies say that they are the only true Christians and that Catholics are not Christians.

Answer 7

I'm not really sure what the first Protestants believed, but I know that I believe Mary was a virgin, had an immaculate conception, and gave birth to Jesus Christ. She was not sinless, for only Christ was, and she did not stay a virgin after Christ b/c Christ had earthly brothers (one named James).

Answer 8

The Bible does not support this belief, it clearly states Mary and Joseph had other sons and daughters. It also talks about Jesus' brothers and sisters in different areas of the New Testament.

Answer 9

Why do some say they believ ein the Immaculate Conception but do not believe that Mary was sinless??? Mary's conception is the Imaculate Conception, not Jesus's...

Don't you call one another Brother and Sister in Christ? The apostles called themselves brothers of Christ but where of no blood relation...

Answer 10

Jesus had a half-brother, and since Joseph is never mentioned, I assume it's through Mary that Jesus gets his relation to his half-brother, James.