Did Jesus Have BROTHERS?

About this sermon

Did Jesus Have BROTHERS? In the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit one God Amen Did Jesus have biological brothers? In Matthew 1:25, it is written that "[Joseph] did not know Virgin Mary till she had brought forth her firstborn Son." Also, Luke 2:7 mentions, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son." Does that mean she has a second born and so on? In addition, Jesus' brothers are named in Mark 6 and Matthew 13. So, did Jesus have biological brothers, as some believe, or is there more beneath the surface? It is understandable where the confusion comes from. These verses do seem straightforward. But there’s more to them than meets the eye. In fact, even Martin Luther, the father of Protestantism, believed in the perpetual virginity of Saint Mary. He said the following: "Christ our Savior was the real and natural fruit of Mary's virginal womb... without the cooperation of a man, and she remained a virgin after that." But how can Martin Luther believe that? Because there is indeed an alternative explanation. Let’s first clarify the basic sources of confusion in the verses we have just referenced and I encourage you to watch the video till the end as we unfold the more substantial evidence which will provide a comprehensible answer. So let’s first examine Matthew 1:25, when Scripture says that Joseph did not know Mary till she had her firstborn. In today’s use of the English language, this verse might imply a relation after the birth of Christ but remember Scripture is not written today but approximately 2000 years ago. Languages and meanings evolve with time. Here, the Greek term translated as "until," doesn't necessarily contrast "before" and "after." Back in the days, it signified something happening up to a certain moment, regardless of what occured afterward. For example, in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, in 2 Samuel 6:23, it says that "Mikal had no children until the days of her death," which doesn't, of course, imply having children after her death. So, when St. Matthew uses "until," he's emphasizing that Jesus' birth happened without any man's intervention. It's not about what happened after but what took place before the “until.” Similarly, the term "prôtotokos," or "firstborn," which is used in Matthew 1:25 and Luke 2:7, holds a unique legal and cultural meaning when applied to males. For instance, in Exodus 13:2, the Lord says, "Consecrate to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel." So a firstborn is defined by opening the womb of the mother and does not necessarily imply the child is first among siblings. In Jewish understanding, a child can be the first born and have no siblings. Now, let's unravel the complexity arising from the ancient Hebrew language's ambiguity about the terms "brother" and "sister." SUBSCRIBE TO COA! https://www.youtube.com/copticorthodo... FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Website | http://www.copticorthodoxanswers.org/ Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/CopticAnswers/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/CopticAnswers/ Twitter | https://twitter.com/CopticAnswers

Topics

• Jesus Christ