How Do We Know that Jesus Didn't Have Siblings? (The Patrick Madrid Show)

Madison from Utah, who's on an amazing journey from Mormonism to Catholicism, has a Protestant friend who casually drops, "Hey, didn't Jesus have biological siblings?", and points to Mark 6:3. Oof. That’s definitely a “what do I even say to that?” moment. 🤔   Enter Patrick Madrid to save the day! 🦸‍♂️ He explains that, sure, the Bible names James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude as “brothers” of Jesus, but hold up! Back in the day, words like brother didn’t just mean, “Hey, we share the same mom.” Nope, in Biblical times, this term could also mean cousins, or even close family friends. The Aramaic language didn’t have a specific word for cousin, so everyone kinda got lumped into the "brother" category. 📜   Patrick also reminds us about the Church's teaching on Mary’s perpetual virginity; yup, that's been part of Church belief since day one!  And here’s the thing: If Mary had other biological kids, why on earth would Jesus ask John, not one of these "brothers," to take care of His mom at the Cross? It just wouldn’t add up, right?   Patrick suggests checking out Tim Staples’ book, "Behold Your Mother." It’ll break it all down for you in a way that makes total sense. 📚   So, next time someone hits you with the “Jesus had siblings” claim, you’re armed and ready! 💪       The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.