Did Mary and Joseph have their own biological children after Jesus’ birth?
Written by Steven L. Childers
The Holy Family, workshop of Raphael
Some traditions teach that Mary, the mother of Jesus, remained a virgin until her death. Other traditions teach that Joseph and Mary had several “normal” biological children after Jesus’ birth. How does the New Testament present Jesus’ “family” and “home” in Nazareth? Learn more.
Summary: The New Testament presents Jesus as having a relatively large “family” and a “home” in Nazareth with a father (Joseph), a mother (Mary), at least four brothers (James, Joseph, Jude, and Simon), and unnamed sisters.[1] Jesus’ brothers and sisters are presented in Scripture as the “normal” biological children of both Mary and Joseph after Jesus’ birth.
New Testament References
When Jesus was rejected at his home town of Nazareth, the people who lived near him when he was growing up and knew him and his family well said, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3).
One time when Jesus was preaching and performing miracles near his family home, a large crowd of people began gathering around him that was so large his family decided to go “seize him.” Some of his brothers were probably involved. When they seized him from the crowd, they told the crowd that Jesus was crazy: “Then he (Jesus) went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind” (Mark 3:20-21)
James, the oldest brother of Jesus, did not seem to be a follower of Jesus during his public ministry. The Apostle Paul attributes James’ later conversion to him seeing the resurrected Jesus. “Then he (Jesus) appeared to James, then to all the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:7).
After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the disciples of Jesus returned to Jerusalem and went up to an upper room to pray. Luke tells us that Mary and Jesus’ brothers were also with the disciples in the upper room: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:14).
Three years after the Apostle Paul’s conversion, James became a major leader in the Jerusalem church. When Paul visited Jerusalem to spend time with the Apostle Peter, he said he did not see any of the other apostles on that visit except James - one of the brothers of Jesus. “I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother” (Galatians 1:19).
When the Apostle Paul was arguing for the right of the apostles to bring their believing wives with them on their ministry trips, he mentions that “the brothers” of Jesus do this, as well as the brothers of Peter: “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Peter?” (1 Corinthians 9:5).
Catholic, Assyrian, and Eastern Orthodox traditions teach that Jesus’ brothers and sisters were not biological children of Mary and Joseph, but may have been cousins or step-brothers from a previous marriage of Joseph. They teach this doctrine as the “perpetual virginity of Mary.”
However, Protestant traditions affirm what they consider to be the clear and plain meaning of the New Testament teaching above – that Jesus had brothers and sisters who were the biological children of both Mary and Joseph after Jesus’ birth.
Footnote:
[1] Mary is often represented as a widow during the adult ministry of Jesus. The last time Joseph is mentioned is in the story of Joseph and Mary finding Jesus as a young boy (12 years old) in the temple (Luke 2:41-52). Joseph is not mentioned as being present at the Wedding at Cana at the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, nor at Jesus’ crucifixion. If Joseph had been alive and present at the cross, Jesus would not have entrusted Mary to the Apostle John’s care. Nor would Joseph of Arimathea been given charge of Jesus’ body because Jewish custom expected that charge to be given to Joseph.
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