THE HOLY BIBLE ... THE VIRGINITY OF MARY

“Merciful Father, as you have sent the Holy Spirit on Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, to write all that You wished and wanted, we pray You, send the same Holy Spirit on us, so that we may understand, appreciate Your Word, and make it our plan of life. This we ask for the merits of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

44 …. Now, having explained and given all that material and proof about Mary’s Virginity, yet, we have to answer certain objections, questions raised, especially by Protestants, and some doubting Thomases in the Catholic Church because of some Biblical Texts.
If these verses are not well and properly explained, they seem to go against the teachings of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary.

To begin with the verse which says: “Jesus and His brothers and sisters.” We find this declaration in the four narratives of the Gospel and in the Acts of the Apostles.

“Is not this the carpenter’s ason? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?”(Mt.13,55-56)

“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.” (Mk.6, 3)

“Then came to him his mother and his abrethren, and could not come at him for the pressing crowd.

And they told Jesus: ‘Your mother and your brethren stand without, desiring to see you.” (Lk.8, 19-20)

“After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his abrethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.” (Jn. 2,12)

“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” (Acts, 1,14)

When we read these particular Texts from the Bible we might be tempted to draw the incorrect conclusions, and say: ‘So Jesus had brothers and sisters, therefore, it follows that Mary had more children after she gave birth to Jesus.’

Now, if we read and understand the Text correctly, yes, they do mention brothers and sisters of Jesus, BUT, and this is a very important BUT, the Gospel never calls them the children of Mary. Only Jesus is called the Son of Mary. (Mk.6,3)
Besides Mary is always addressed as the Mother of Jesus....and of no other children. (Gen.2,1; 19,25; Acts1,14).

Therefore, those addressed as ‘brothers and sisters’ of Jesus are not His natural brothers and sisters. But, providentially, the Evangelists Matthew and Mark, must have been inspired (needless to say ‘inspired’ because we know and believe that when the Divine Authors were writing, they were inspired), but for arguments sake, through them we know these brothers by name. They are mentioned as being; James, Joseph (or Joshua), Judas (not Iscariot) and Simon (Mt. 13,56; Mk.6m3) /45

Certain Information taken, with kind permission, from the book “Who is Mary” by H.G.Mons. Sylvester Magro ofm, Bishop of Benghazi. A very dear friend.