To any Catholics, what's the importance of Mary's continual virginity?

Question

It's pretty clear in scripture that Jesus had real half brothers and sisters. It doesn't put Mary down because she had sex with her husband, she's still blessed among women.

I'm not talking about the virgin birth.

Special K, your answer was not that special. So are you avoiding the question?

Answer 1

It is NOT clear in Scripture that these were children of Mary. When does it say that Mary gave birth to these children? Or even that she had sex with Joseph?

If you want to go by the Bible alone, the best you can say is, "I don't know if Mary gave birth to these children or not because Scripture doesn't say one way or another."

These brothers and sisters could have been Joseph's from his first marriage (history holds him to be a widower). They are never listed as "younger" children than Jesus. And if they were younger, where were they when Jesus was lost at the temple at age 12 and Mary and Joseph searched for Him?

The brothers and sisters also could have been adopted or foster kids because women often died in childbirth before antibiotics and other modern medical advancements made it safer. Lots of people took in their nieces and nephews when there was nobody left to care for them.

Above all, you have to look at it from Mary and Joseph's perspective. They were not 21st century Christians -- they were 1st century Jews. When Mary and Joseph understood God-made-flesh was within her womb, they also understood that her womb had become the Most Holy Place, which was where God met His people. If you read the Old Testament regarding the Most Holy Place, you will understand that Joseph would never have dared to attempt to go near Mary's womb, because of their Jewish understanding of the situation.

Answer 2

The Bible is very clear when it comes to Mary's Virginity:

Mary is Ever Virgin
Exodus 13:2,12 - Jesus is sometimes referred to as the "first-born" son of Mary. But "first-born" is a common Jewish expression meaning the first child to open the womb. It has nothing to do the mother having future children.

Exodus 34:20 - under the Mosaic law, the "first-born" son had to be sanctified. "First-born" status does not require a "second" born.

Ezek. 44:2 - Ezekiel prophesies that no man shall pass through the gate by which the Lord entered the world. This is a prophecy of Mary's perpetual virginity. Mary remained a virgin before, during and after the birth of Jesus.

Mark 6:3 - Jesus was always referred to as "the" son of Mary, not "a" son of Mary. Also "brothers" could have theoretically been Joseph's children from a former marriage that was dissolved by death. However, it is most likely, perhaps most certainly, that Joseph was a virgin, just as were Jesus and Mary. As such, they embodied the true Holy Family, fully consecrated to God.

Luke 1:31,34 - the angel tells Mary that you "will" conceive (using the future tense). Mary responds by saying, "How shall this be?" Mary's response demonstrates that she had taken a vow of lifelong virginity by having no intention to have relations with a man. If Mary did not take such a vow of lifelong virginity, her question would make no sense at all (for we can assume she knew how a child is conceived). She was a consecrated Temple virgin as was an acceptable custom of the times.

Luke 2:41-51 - in searching for Jesus and finding Him in the temple, there is never any mention of other siblings.

John 7:3-4; Mark 3:21 - we see that younger "brothers" were advising Jesus. But this would have been extremely disrespectful for devout Jews if these were Jesus' biological brothers.

John 19:26-27 - it would have been unthinkable for Jesus to commit the care of his mother to a friend if he had brothers.

John 19:25 - the following verses prove that James and Joseph are Jesus' cousins and not his brothers: Mary the wife of Clopas is the sister of the Virgin Mary.

Matt. 27:61, 28:1 - Matthew even refers to Mary the wife of Clopas as "the other Mary."

Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:47 - Mary the wife of Clopas is the mother of James and Joseph.

Mark 6:3 - James and Joseph are called the "brothers" of Jesus. So James and Joseph are Jesus' cousins.

Matt. 10:3 - James is also called the son of "Alpheus." This does not disprove that James is the son of Clopas. The name Alpheus may be Aramaic for Clopas, or James took a Greek name like Saul (Paul), or Mary remarried a man named Alpheus.

Jesus' "Brothers" (adelphoi)) = Cousins or Kinsmen
Luke 1:36 - Elizabeth is Mary's kinswoman. Some Bibles translate kinswoman as "cousin," but this is an improper translation because in Hebrew and Aramaic, there is no word for "cousin."

Luke 22:32 - Jesus tells Peter to strengthen his "brethren." In this case, we clearly see Jesus using "brethren" to refer to the other apostles, not his biological brothers.

Acts 1:12-15 - the gathering of Jesus' "brothers" amounts to about 120. That is a lot of "brothers." Brother means kinsmen in Hebrew.

Acts 7:26; 11:1; 13:15,38; 15:3,23,32; 28:17,21 - these are some of many other examples where "brethren" does not mean blood relations.

Rom. 9:3 - Paul uses "brethren" and "kinsmen" interchangeably. "Brothers" of Jesus does not prove Mary had other children.

Gen. 11:26-28 - Lot is Abraham's nephew ("anepsios") / Gen. 13:8; 14:14,16 - Lot is still called Abraham's brother (adelphos") . This proves that, although a Greek word for cousin is "anepsios," Scripture also uses "adelphos" to describe a cousin.

Gen. 29:15 - Laban calls Jacob is "brother" even though Jacob is his nephew. Again, this proves that brother means kinsmen or cousin.

Deut. 23:7; 1 Chron. 15:5-18; Jer. 34:9; Neh. 5:7 -"brethren" means kinsmen. Hebrew and Aramaic have no word for "cousin."

2 Sam. 1:26; 1 Kings 9:13, 20:32 - here we see that "brethren" can even be one who is unrelated (no bloodline), such as a friend.

2 Kings 10:13-14 - King Ahaziah's 42 "brethren" were really his kinsmen.

1 Chron. 23:21-22 - Eleazar's daughters married their "brethren" who were really their cousins.

Neh. 4:14; 5:1,5,8,10,14 - these are more examples of "brothers" meaning "cousins" or "kinsmen."

Tobit 5:11 - Tobit asks Azarias to identify himself and his people, but still calls him "brother."

Amos 1: 9 - brotherhood can also mean an ally (where there is no bloodline).

Answer 3

According to the protoevangelium of St. James The Virgin Mary took a vow of celibacy. Catholics do not agree with your statement that scriptures are clear that Jesus had siblings.

http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2002/0202frs.asp

Answer 4

well, let me first ask you why is it important to you that Mary did not remain a virgin? Isn't this whole issue an attempt to discredit the Catholic Church?

First, there is Scriptural evidence that Mary did not have other children. Why did Jesus place Mary into the care of John if she had other children?

Those in Scripture who claimed to know Jesus' brothers and sisters (Matthew 13: 53-56) were in fact denying Jesus' divinity. (Matthew 13:57-58: "They took offense at him. And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.")

Now, I could point to verses in Scripture, but you will merely counter with a different interpretation. Whose interpretation is correct?

I could point to writings of the Apostles and Early Church Fathers, but then you will say it isn't in the Bible.

So, what is the point.?

Mary's Perpetual Viginity is important to Catholics because the truth is important, as it should be to all Christians.

Answer 5

In the days of the OT , women were "used" to produce workers and heirs for their husbands . Being a virgin guaranteed that the heirs were true bloodline to the father . Therefore virgin brides were the only true desirables , and after the first child they had to be tightly controlled ( because women were considered tempters of men ) to avoid the possibility of non-maritial sex so no false heirs would be produced . ( See : current day Islam for a look back 1800 years ago .) Mary was given the "honor" of always being with a pure womb (free from non maritial sex) so that any husband would be sure of her only having true heirs .
Of course this is just a Biblical story meant to teach certain values important to that time .

White Tiger , Of course that is all irrevelant to people who do not believe that "God" inseminated Mary from heaven above in order to produce a form of himself in human shape . We believe that most likely , if Mary did give birth to a child named Jesus it was a normal conception and either Joseph or her lover supplied the sperm (not so unbelievable for a teenager forced to marry an elderly man with children of his own ) . Of course this is at odds with Biblical prophecy . And that the prophecy was fullfilled was written well after the death of Jesus . And even the first literature claiming to support the "virgin birth" was about 90 years after the birth of Jesus .

Answer 6

It is so important because it is the truth, plain and simple. To ignore it would be the same as picking and choosing what one wants to believe in the Scriptures while skimming over and ignoring the rest. If you are interested in at least knowing why Catholics believe this to be true, I urge you to look this over: http://www.catholic.com/library/Mary_Ever_Virgin.asp

It can't hurt and it will only keep you in the know of Catholic beliefs and why they are what they are.

God be with you.

Answer 7

There is no one in all of History whose relationship with God is as complex, fulfilled, and achingly beautiful as Mary's. She is not only the greatest of Saints, she is our Mother, as Jesus is our Brother and Savior. In honoring her, we honor Him -- and imitate Him, as we are admonished to both honor our parents and imitate Christ, Who loved His Mother. Our relationship with Mary is that of a child to a blessed Mother who was given to us as Jesus gave her to John at the Cross. She is our spiritual Mother

Answer 8

Virgins and Penis foreskins are very important in the Bible.

"....According to the Tannaïte Rabbis, MOSES therefore had ordered the Israelites to kill all women older than three years and a day, because they were [virgins and] "suitable for having sexual relations." [138]...."

Under God's direction, Moses' army defeats the Midianites. They kill all the adult males, but take the women and children captive as sex slaves. When Moses learns that they left some alive, he angrily says: "Have you saved all the women alive? Kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the female children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves." So they went back and did as Moses instructed, killing everyone except for the virgins. In this way they got 32,000 virgins . ----(Numbers 31:1-54)

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The Bible says David wanted to marry the Daughter of Sol.

Saul tells him to bring 100 PENIS foreskins as a token.

David kills 200 Philistines and brings their Penile foreskins to Saul/Sol as dowry for his first wife (Saul's daughter Michal).

1 Samuel 18:27 -- Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Sol gave him Michal his daughter to wife. [ http://bible.cc/1_samuel/18-27.htm ]

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Answer 9

The old testament verse that says Mary has to be a virgin is actually mis translated. It is supposed to say that she was to be a young girl, of which Mary was.

Answer 10

those brothers could be joseph's from a previous marriage.

or more likely that fact that communities of that time don't make distinctions between brothers and cousins or close family friends(brotha')

btw, it should be pointed out that special K is a flamer, a troll if you will.

lost.eu/21618