Ángel
Manuel Rodríguez
Were
the brothers of Jesus mentioned in the Bible sons of Joseph and Mary?
Jesus
had not only brothers but also sisters (Mark 6:3). The names of his brothers
are given (James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon [Matt. 13:55]), but not the names of the sisters. Since the
word “brother” is at times used in the Scripture to designate
a person other than one born from the same father and mother, questions
have been raised concerning Jesus’ “brothers” and “sisters.”
Within
the Roman Catholic tradition the need for clarification is necessary because
of their belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary. For us this is a historical
question, not a theological one. The debate goes back to the middle of
the second century and has not yet been resolved to the satisfaction of
all; the biblical evidence lends itself to different interpretations.
1.
Children of Joseph and Mary: Some consider this to be the New Testament
teaching. Jesus is called the firstborn of Mary (Luke 2:7), and we are
told that Joseph knew Mary, that is to say, had sexual intercourse with
her, after the birth of Jesus (Matt. 1:25). Therefore, the most logical conclusion
would appear to be that the “brothers of Jesus” refer to children
of Joseph and Mary. Besides, there is no clear indication in the Gospels that Joseph was a widower before marrying Mary
or that he had children from that previous marriage.
2.
Cousins of Jesus: This interpretation is based on the argument that
the word “brother” could sometimes designate a close relative,
a cousin. Among other things, this theory teaches that the mother of James
and Joseph was not the mother of Jesus but her sister, Mary, the wife
of Cleopas (John 19:25).
Her son James is the same one called the son of Alphaeus
or Cleopas (Mark 3:18).
That clearly makes the “brothers of Jesus” His cousins. But
the high level of speculation in this theory and the fact that there is
hardly any evidence for the use of “brother” in the sense of
“cousin” makes this suggestion unlikely.
3.
Stepbrothers of Jesus: Several arguments have been used to support
this position. First, nowhere in the New Testament
are the “brothers of Jesus” explicitly called “sons of
Mary.” The passage that comes closest to that idea is Matthew 13:55:
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s
name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?”
(NIV). But Jesus is the only one specifically
called a son of Mary. One could argue that the text is implicitly
saying that Mary was the mother only of Jesus, not of his brothers mentioned in the
passage.
Second,
the word “brother” is used in Greek literature to refer to a
stepbrother; so the term itself is not decisive in answering the question.
Third,
the word “firstborn” does not imply that Mary had other children.
It is used in Luke 2:7 to prepare the way for the consecration of Jesus
to the Lord as firstborn (verse 23). An ancient Jewish inscription refers
to a woman who died giving birth to her “firstborn.” Hence that
term cannot be used to argue that Mary had other children.
Fourth,
the fact that Joseph did not have sexual relations with Mary until after
she gave birth to Jesus (Matt. 1:25) does not necessarily mean that she had other children.
The purpose of Matthew’s remark was to emphasize that Mary was still
a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus.
Fifth,
the fact that the “brothers” of Jesus tried several times to
control Him suggests the possibility
that they were older than Jesus. In Jewish family life the older children
had authority over the younger ones.
Finally,
the fact that during His crucifixion Jesus entrusted His mother to John
implies that Jesus’ “brothers” were not Mary’s children;
otherwise, they should have provided for her.
Although
the topic is still being debated, it seems that the best solution is the
last one: Jesus’ brothers were His stepbrothers. The obvious question
is Why did the Lord close the womb of Mary? This is the theological question. The
Bible does not address it. Perhaps God was attempting to preserve the
uniqueness of Mary’s experience as the mother of the Savior.
12/13/01
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