of his "other" brothers which was what one would natuarlly do... the most common answer is that Jesus brothers didn't accept Jesus and so he gave his mother to the apostle John ... but in Acts Of Apostles 1:14 the "brothers" of Jesus are clearly there with Mary.... so if Jesus did have brothers why didn't he not give Mary to them instead of John since it is clear that his "brothers" were his followers since they were there with mary?
2007-02-27 13:22:31 · 8 answers · asked by Borinke 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I agree fully with Midge's excellent answer! The world today doesn't understand purity (in body or in spirit), and so modern society attacks the Christian teaching that the Blessed Virgin Mary remained perpetually a virgin. Fortunately, there are still good souls out there who see the depth and beauty in the doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of the Virgin Mary. Those souls are especially blessed by her.
As for a more direct answer to your question...The Virgin Mary only had one child. The so-called "brothers" of Jesus were blood relations (cousins). The term "brother" in Hebrew and in Aramaic was much broader than its use today. It meant anyone who was related to you by blood (consanguinity). St. John was the Beloved Disciple. He was beloved because he was specially loved by Christ. Why did Christ love him in as a disciple in a very special way? Possibly because of the purity of his heart, or his zeal as a disciple. We need only look at St. John's Gospel and compare it to the other three to see how lofty and sublime it is (not that the others aren't! John's is just even more so). John's vision of Christ is a vision of the Lamb of God who gave His life for the world. Indeed, the Beloved Disciple was specially blessed by God...probably through the grace of resting his head upon the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Also, Sacred Tradition has always seen the giving of Mary to John at the Cross as a symbolic gesture that symbolizes the fact that the Virgin Mary is given to all disciples of Christ (and so you and me too). John is the "typical" (in the sense of archetype) disciple. We are present, as disciples, in the person of John at the foot of the Cross and we receive Mary as our mother.
I hope this answer helps a bit.
2007-02-27 14:27:15 · answer #1 · answered by uiogdpm 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are absolutely right!. This world tells us that there is something wrong with someone if they don't have sex all the time. They know nothing of chastity and Piety. The Blessed Virgin Mary and Joseph did not have relations and have other children. The enemy would love for you to believe that but, Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant. Joseph knew very well what would happen to someone who touched the Ark.
2007-02-27 21:50:56 · answer #2 · answered by Midge 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Of all the apostles, John was the only unmarried one, and by saying so, a virgin, a virtuous man, and of all the hearts that Jesus could read, his was the one he wanted looking after her. By that same token, when Christ gave her to John, he gave her to all of us. "This is your mother." She belongs to all of us. thank you, dear suffering Jesus. I think he thought about it for a long time. "When the time comes," he would think, "I will take care of her through the one I trust the most."
I think that we all take care of each other. But a woman left on her own in that society would have been a target for poverty.
2007-02-27 21:37:53 · answer #3 · answered by Shinigami 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
John was the youngest Disciple, and a trusted friend. James was about to be very busy running the world's 1st Christian church (in Jerusalem). As for Jude, Simeon and Josep, or his sister(s?) nothing is really known about them (except the Jude wrote a very small letter).
Maybe John was simply a better choice?
2007-02-27 21:28:15 · answer #4 · answered by kmsbean 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the oldest son of each family was entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of their mother once their father died. John was one of Jesus' closest disciples, like a brother. He had those he knew he could trust, so I guess he trusted John!
2007-02-27 21:34:05 · answer #5 · answered by Hey, Ray 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because John was the only one there at the time.
2007-02-27 21:30:51 · answer #6 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We don't know why. But assuming that Jesus did not have brothers and sisters (which is what Catholics do....for who knows what reasons) and that is why He did that, excuse me for saying this....is ridiculous.
2007-02-27 21:28:22 · answer #7 · answered by Esther 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
His brothers may have been to young as he was the oldest.
2007-02-27 21:30:15 · answer #8 · answered by saintrose 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋