123: Did Jesus Have Siblings?

Did Jesus have physical siblings? If so, wouldn’t that prove that Mary was not a virgin for her entire life? And, if that is the case, why do Catholics still refer to her as the “Virgin Mary” even though she conceived and gave birth to several children after Jesus? These questions and thoughts came to Kenny by email from a listener. In this episode, Kenny makes the point that Jesus did indeed have physical siblings, children of Mary and her husband Joseph. Catholics have been known to have a deep reverence for Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary was very deserving of honor for her role in God’s redemptive story, however some of the beliefs embraced by Catholics (and some other Christians) about her “perpetual virginity” may not be a Biblically-founded doctrine. Some other Christians may not embrace the doctrine of her perpetual virginity, however they may still refer to her as the “Virgin Mary” simply a sign of respect, although she clearly was not a virgin for her entire life. The Biblical evidences for Jesus having biological siblings: – Matthew 13:55: A group of people questioning Jesus’ authority, referring to His Earthly parents and siblings. – Matthew 12 and Mark 3: Mary and the brothers of Jesus sought to talk with Jesus. – John 7:5: Makes mention that even some of Jesus’ siblings didn’t believe He was the Messiah. – Galatians 1:19: Paul mentions meeting James, the younger brother of Jesus.