Is my research correct?
I checked all the Holy Books that didn't make it into the Bible and this is one of them!
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0847.htm
THE PROTEVANGELIUM OF SAINT JAMES
19. And the midwife went forth out of the cave, and Salome met her. And she said to her: Salome, Salome, I have a strange sight to relate to thee: a virgin has brought forth-a thing which her nature admits not of. Then said Salome: As the Lord my God liveth, unless I thrust in my finger, and search the parts, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth.
20. And the midwife went in, and said to Mary: Show thyself* (*spread your legs!), for no small controversy has arisen about thee. And Salome put in her finger, and cried out, and said: Woe is me for mine iniquity and mine unbelief, because I have tempted the living God; and, behold, my hand is dropping off as if burned with fire.
2007-10-26 14:39:24 · 6 answers · asked by Opus 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If Mary was a virgin at birth that means the marriage between her and Joseph was not consummated. That means she was not officially married. That means Jesus was born of an unwed woman thus a mamzar. (Today we use the term ba.st.ar.d).
2007-10-26 17:55:38 · answer #1 · answered by forgivebutdonotforget911 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"THE PROTEVANGELIUM OF SAINT JAMES" is listed with the Catholic Apocrypha. The Apocrypha are those texts which the Catholic Christians consider to be of questionable origin and authenticity. Do not confuse this with the Catholic Deuterocanonical books which they consider to be not inspired of God but good for teaching and historical context. The Protestants consider the Catholic Apocrypha and Deuterocanonical books to all be apocryphal.
Mary was assumed to be a virgin by her age and the historical - but not necessarily Biblical - tradition of sending away a child to live in a monastary until she was old enough to wed - the onset of menustration. A marriage would be arranged and the girl was engaged.
At that time she would be sent home to learn from her mother for the next couple of years everything that a good wife needed to know. If she lived in the country it might include animal care. If she lived in a city - as Mary did - it would include how to haggle at the market.
The father of the groom would check her progress on a regular basis. When he determined that she was ready, the wedding would take place.
It was assumed that since the girl spent so much time under such close supervision, she had no opportunity to mess around.
2007-10-26 15:02:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The virgin birth was something that happened long before all but a handful of people knew the Christ was the Christ.
Early chruch-er, pharisees etc did not verify cause Mary was nobody before the birth. .. and for years after too!
I think it is however probable and likely that someone did notice/discover before the birth, but notice how the mid-wife and the cave contradict most other narratives of the event.
... i do not think you can wholeheartedly believe that you have, "... checked all the Holy Books that didn't make it into the Bible"
2007-10-26 14:44:21 · answer #3 · answered by David F 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That sounds like a lot of hooey to me. I believe in the Virgin birth because it's in the Holy Bible. The story your relate sounds like some folk tale that got passed around. First of all, how can someone probe a woman who has given birth to determine whether or not she is a virgin? The birth would have destroyed any evidence of virginity.
2007-10-26 14:43:50 · answer #4 · answered by Martin S 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It was not. The actual biology of reproductionis new relatively speaking.
2007-10-26 14:41:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They had a standard questionnaire.
Bureaucracies ruled back in the day.
2007-10-26 14:42:32 · answer #6 · answered by Ray C 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋