Did Mary Have Other Children?

I have probably addressed this somewhere before on this blog, but I was asked about this question recently: didn’t Mary have other children?  That seems to throw a kink into the whole perpetual Virginity thing, doesn’t it? After all, the people Jesus grew up with doubted His claim to be the Messiah on the grounds that He was just a hometown Boy made good:

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
 (Mark 6:3; see also Matthew 13:55-56).

That sure sounds like Mary had other kids. Turns out, though, She didn’t.  We know this in two ways: first, because of the difference between what a first-century Jew and a modern English reader calls a “brother,” and second, because we know the parents of two of the men listed as Jesus’ “brothers.”

I. Brothers from Another Mother

The people called His “brothers” and “sisters” in Matthew 13 and Mark 6 are probably Jesus’ cousins. Ancient Hebrew and Aramaic didn’t have a lot of words for relatives, and the words that they did have often meant more than one thing (for example, the word that can mean “nephew” also meant “son’s son”).  As a result, distant ancestors are generally called “fathers” and “mothers,” like “Father Abraham,” and descendants, even distant ones, are described as a person’s sons and daughters. If you were any other kind of relative (sibling, half-sibling, cousin, in-law, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, etc.), they were usually called your “brother” or “sister.”

There’s an explicit example of this in the Bible.  From Genesis 11:27, Gen. 12:5, and Gen. 14:12, we know that Lot is Abraham’s nephew – the son of Abraham’s brother, Terah.  Yet Genesis 14:14 and Gen. 14:16 refer to Lot as Abraham’s “brother.”  In English, this would be wrong – they’re not brothers, they’re uncle/nephew.  In Hebrew and Aramaic, it’s right. They’re relatives who aren’t direct ancestors/descendants.
  It’s in this Biblical sense that Jesus and James, Joses, and the rest were “brothers.”

II. The Family Tree of James and Joses

Let’s look at two of the “brothers” – James and Joses – to show what I mean.  Matthew 27 relates the Crucifixion account. One of the interesting details is from v. 56-57, relating some of the women who were there:

And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.

So Matthew mentions three women: (1) Mary Magdalene, (2) the mother of Zebedee’s children, and (3) Mary the Mother of James and Joses.  That Mary is not the Virgin Mary.  If she were, Matthew would have said, “Mary, the mother of Jesus,” instead of “James and Joses.” But just to eliminate any doubts, look at the parallel accounts.  Here’s Mark 15:40,

There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;


Mark uses the same description: that this Mary is the mother of Joses and James (Mark specifies it’s James the Younger, instead of James the son of Zebedee).  He also tells us that Salome is the name of the woman described as Zebedee’s wife.  This Salome is mother of James and John (Matthew 4:21). Finally, we get to John 19:25-26, which distinguishes between that Mary and the Virgin Mary:

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

John’s list varies slightly from Matthew and Mark’s, and for good reason. From John 19:26-27, we know that the Virgin Mary was at the foot of the Cross, within earshot.  The other women were apparently further away, as Matthew 27:56, Mark 15:40, and Luke 23:49 all specify.  Since the three Synoptic Gospels are describing the women watching “from a distance” or “from afar,” their lists don’t include the Virgin Mary.

But John’s given us a number of clues.  First, this other Mary — the one described as the mother of James the Younger and Joses — isn’t the Virgin Mary.  Second, she’s the wife of someone else, Cleophas.  And third, she’s described as Jesus’ “Mother’s sister.”

This final clue is bigger than it appears, for a few reasons.  Obviously, it shows once more that we’re not dealing with siblings: Mary doesn’t literally have a sister named Mary – this isn’t a George Foreman situation.  Instead, Mary, Cleophas’ wife, was almost certainly Mary’s sister-in-law.  Tradition holds that Cleophas is St. Joseph’s brother, and both sons married women named Mary, but Scripture never explains the exact relationship between these two Marys. Suffice to say, they’re somehow related by blood or marriage.

Finally, this key unlocks the whole question of why James and Joses are called Jesus’ “brothers.”  Their mothers are described as “sisters,” so it’s sensible that the sons are desribed as “brothers.” We’re probably looking at something like this:

III. The Two Final Clues

There are two final clues that these men aren’t Jesus’ brothers.  Some translations give Joses’ name as Joseph.  If that’s right, it’s more evidence against this being Mary’s son.  Just as it’s supremely unlikely that the Virgin Mary would have a sister named Mary, it’s unlikely that St. Joseph would have a son named Joseph. Although that sort of thing is done these days, I can’t find a single case in the Bible were someone was given the exact same name as their father.

Finally, look at what Jesus does on the Cross:

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.  (John 19:26-27).

By this time, the Virgin Mary is apparently a widow. Typically, in Jewish culture, She’d be placed in the care of Her Son or sons. Jesus acts here as if Mary has no other sons, and places Her in the care of a non-relative, the Apostle John. But those who claim that Mary had numerous children (James, Joses, Juda, Simon, and multiple daughters) have to claim that Jesus skipped over them to entrust Her to a non-relative. That’s no small insult, particularly since one of His “brothers” is James the Younger, another one of the Twelve Apostles.  From Galatians 1:19, we know that St. James the Younger was an Apostle, and was alive and well in Jerusalem well after the Death and Resurrection of Christ.  It’s unthinkable that he would have actually been Jesus’ brother, and yet overlooked for the task of caring for his own mother.

18 comments

  1. I wonder if the recent Christmas Special on Fox News Channel has anything to do with the immediate interest in the “brothers” of Jesus. They had two former Catholic priests on the broadcast dismissing the perpetual virginity of Mary. At least they had one priest in good standing on the special who noted that the Church holds to Mary’s perpetual virginity still. I also heard this discussed on Catholic radio.

    Your answer was great, Joe. Hope you had a blessed Christmas!

    1. The heresy that Mary was ever virgin is
      Catholic teaching. Jesus had brothers and
      sisters but they were not full siblings since
      He was conceived by the Holy Spirit not
      man. He was first born and his siblings
      were all younger.

  2. Hey…you might want to re-tweak your argument…though it is a good one and, I say this as a Catholic…but there is at least one case where I can think of a son named after his father… Tobit and his son Tobias.

  3. Victor,

    Good catch. I admittedly hadn’t thought about that one. To strengthen your point, in the Douay-Reihms, both Tobit and Tobias’ names are translated “Tobias,” which is very confusing give that they’re different names in Greek. Still, even though Tobias is “named after” Tobit, he’s not “named” Tobit, which was my real point. I modified the language slightly to clarify that.

  4. Hi Joe, some claim ha James the younger is not Jesus brother, but that he is he James of 1 Cor 15, when Jesus appeared to he 12 , then to James and Paul, this James is an apostle bur not a disciple….and That John the apostle was a cousin of Jesus because Salome and the Blessed virgin were sisters, therefore not a non relative , Jesus placed his mother under the care of a relative…..

    1. Hi Joe, sorry the T on my computer sometimes does not work, so I have corrected my comment –
      some claim that James the younger is not Jesus’s brother, but that he is the James of 1 Cor 15, when Jesus appeared to the 12 , then to 500, then to this James and Paul, this James is an apostle just like Paul and not a disciple. They also claim that John the apostle was a cousin of Jesus because Salome and the Blessed virgin were sisters, therefore not a non relative , Jesus placed his mother under the care of a relative…..which was in line with the fact that his brothers mocked him and never believed him , please comment also Joseph and Mary would be breaking Jewish law if they did not consummate heir marriage and be ” fruitful and Multiply, which they evidently did via James, Joses, Simon and Jude

    2. The statement about John and James the Lord’s brother is true. What is not true is the Blessed Mother having other children besides Jesus. After all if someone told you your spouse is carrying God in her womb, would you even think about touching her after that?

      1. Actually, yes. In the same way I recognize the very presence of the holy God around me in the awesome beauties experienced through our senses and understanding – our senses and comprehension being his gift as well; for every good gift comes from him (James 1:17), and this enables me to enjoy them even more. I see the consummation of Joseph and Mary’s marriage as confirmed in Mt. 1:25 where the author tells us this was delayed until after Jesus was born. I’m surprised this was not addressed in this article.

  5. The heresy that Mary was ever virgin is
    Catholic teaching. Jesus had brothers and
    sisters but they were not full siblings since
    He was conceived by the Holy Spirit not
    man. He was first born and his siblings
    were all younger.

  6. Solo confusión.. it seems donde on purpose. However since the cath Church over the ages has “edited” for other one sale, I start doubting id all the Bible interpretaciones by the early Vatican leaders (some were very vile..mind you). They have lots lots of trustful faithfuls…! Learning from books like Holy blood holy gmail by Beigent as well from my own rich multi-cultural experiencia in 62 countries…I also believe Mary+Joseph has many more children as customs in those days was! You can’t beat common sense in 2020 de no longer live in those early christianity yes where lots of jewish priests/
    pre achers thought they were smartest of all (and even todays Vatican persists to believe that…) ! Your opinión intelligently please. ???

  7. I am reading nowadays the book by Beigent “the Jesud papers”….fascinating + giving answers to intelligent questions that the Vatican tries ti David in 2020..
    Best read (opening yr eyes): best book ever..”holy blood holy grail” dame author with 12Univ profesora un archeology+teólogo. Not against cath church….but more FACTS ..slept Kinder rugby by Cath Church for ages !!!!! Must read.

  8. What do you do with Matthew 1:25 when speaking of Joseph and Mary and it saying “but he (Joseph) knew her not (had marital relations) until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” That seems to me to say pretty plainly that Joseph and Mary had marital relations, but not until Jesus was born.

  9. This issue of ‘until’ has been addressed and thoroughly refuted since the heresy was invented in the late 4th century. St. Jerome, addressing Helvidius, cited several Scripture passages to prove his point. The strongest argument, in my opinion, is Matthew 28:20, the last verse in his Gospel: “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” St. Jerome exposes the folly of what it would mean to think of ‘until’ in the same way, writing “Will the Lord then after the end of the world has come forsake His disciples, and at the very time when seated on twelve thrones they are to judge the twelve tribes of Israel will they be bereft of the company of their Lord?” The intent of Matthew 1:25 was to reinforce that there were no relations prior to Jesus’ birth, not to suggest there were relations afterward.

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