Did Mary the mother of Jesus the Christ

Created Date: 12-Sep-2016
have other Children? Yes

Last updated: 2-Jun-2021
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Sections

1 Not in Scriptures
2 Four Brothers and at least Two Sisters
3 Misunderstanding because of Two Scriptures
4 Traditions That Caused the Misunderstanding
5 Additional Scriptures State That Mary Had Other Children
6 James the Brother of Jesus Christ
7 Jude the Brother of Jesus Christ
8 Jesus Christ in the Psalms

1. Not in Scriptures

Jesus Christ never once called Mary the word "mother".  He always called her as "woman".  The Holy Spirit guided the writers in the New Testament on recalling this point as the subtle understanding that Jesus Christ eternal existence before entering His Creation of the Earth and Universe.

Rhetorically, would God have told Mary and Joseph:

  1. That they cannot have the intimacy of sexual relations after the birth of Jesus? 
  2. That they could not have any intimacy since they are raising Jesus because another child might be conceived? 

Note that a virgin is someone who has never had sexual relations with a partner which includes sexual relations that do not cause pregnancy.

There is no place in the scriptures that state that Mary could no longer have sexual relations and no place in the scriptures that state Joseph and Mary could not have a normal marriage with all of the benefits that make marriage fruitful and happy.

The scriptures inform us that after Jesus Christ's birth, Joseph and Mary had four sons and at least two daughters.  Mary never remained a virgin as the Roman Catholic Church teaches falsely. 

The reason the Roman Catholic church teaches Mary remained a virgin is primarily to defend Mary as a Queen of Heaven where if Mary had other children then the other children would be of a lesser category of Jesus Christ which would then postulate incorrectly these other children as half gods from the queen.  The Roman Catholic church uses Revelation 12:1-5 to incorrectly state that this proves Mary is a Queen where the scriptural passage absolutely is identifying the Nation of Israel which is verified by Genesis 37:-5-11. 

The following is a summary excerpt from the topic on Clothed with the Sun, Moon and Twelve Stars.

There are two sections of the Book of Revelation that have been misunderstood by the Roman Catholic Faith that the error is based on traditions rather than scriptures.  The two sections are Revelation 12:1-5 and Revelation 12:13-17.

Revelation 12:1-5 1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. 4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. 5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
Revelation 12:13-17

These verses are the connection to 1-5 to know it is dealing with Israel, and not children of the Roman Catholic Church.		 These verses indicate the persecution by Lucifer is against the idiom "woman" which is Israel and no other.  During the Tribulation Period there will be a remnant of Israel that will flee to be protected in Petra.  More details on Petra are later in this topic as connected with Matthew 24:15-22.  The "nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent", is a period three and one half years, which is the Tribulation Period's length, and "nourished" means protected, fed and cared for in a full human way.

13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth the man child. 14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring those who keep God s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

We know that scriptures always interpret the scriptures, and when the scripture requires an interpretation, the Holy Spirit always has other references in the scriptures to validate the correct understanding.  The idioms of the "Sun and Moon" and "twelve stars", are also used in the scriptural passage of Genesis 37:5-11 so that the reference is exactly identified, which is one of the many double modeling and patterns in the scriptures.

Jacob, who God renames him to Israel, has twelve sons where the son Joseph has two dreams that he tells his family which they become angry over the dream with the implied interpretation.  The interpretation is given by Jacob:

  • "What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?
  • Joseph is sold into slavery to Egypt later by his brothers because of the brother's jealousy, where through God's intervention of interpreting dreams, has Joseph rise to a ruler over Egypt under Pharaoh.  Many years later Jacob, the eleven other sons and all of the wives and children have to go to Egypt for food and survival, where Joseph through a series of character testing of his brothers will reveal himself to them that he is their brother.  Joseph, through his ruling position, does become the ruler over them, but Joseph only cares for them in a loving relationship.
  • The Nation of Israel is known as the Twelve Tribes, and Israel was prophesized in many Old Testament scriptures to bring forth the Messiah.
Genesis 37:5-11 5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more 6 He said to them, Please listen to this dream which I have had; 7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf. 8 Then his brothers said to him, Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us? So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. 9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me. 10 He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground? 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

The Roman Catholic tradition and belief, which can be appear to be honoring God and religious is not correct regarding the interpretation of the identity of the "a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" passage. 

The incorrect tradition and interpretation from the Roman Catholic faith are:

  1. Incorrect: That the woman in Revelation 12:1 is a reference directly to Mary the earthly mother of Jesus Christ.
  2. Incorrect: The sign in Heaven to infer that Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus Christ, is elevated to a type of royal deity.
  3. Incorrect: The nation of Israel has nothing to do Revelation 12:1.
  4. Incorrect: Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus Christ,  is elevated to a status of Godly Royalty with special privileges with the triune God. 
  5. Incorrect: The Nation of Israel, because they as a nation refused to recognize their Messiah, then the reference in the Book of Revelation cannot be about Israel. 

The correct understanding of the Revelation 12:1-5 and Revelation 12:13-14 scriptural passages:

  1. The woman is Revelation chapter 12 symbolically appears as a sign in Heaven, is identified by other scriptures and even history itself as Israel. 
    (a) Jacob, who has his name changed to Israel, is the sun.
    (b) Rachel, Joseph's mother, is the moon.
    (c) Jacob recognized the dream as referring to him and his family.
  2. Because of the crown of twelve stars, on the woman, the stars are a reference to the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
  3. The red dragon, without any confusion, is Lucifer who takes one third of the Angels with him in a revolt against God that results in Lucifer and those angels being cast down to the realm of the Earth.
  4. The birth vessel is of course Mary but the passage is speaking about the Son who comes out of the lineage of twelve stars.
    (a) Lucifer has King Herod kill all the male babies in Nazareth. 
    (b) Lucifer is still trying to kill every Jewish person to stop one of the primary purposes of the Tribulation Period which is for Israel to recognize their Son whom they executed.  If there is no Jewish people left on the Earth then Jesus Christ cannot return to rule the Earth during the Millennial Kingdom.
  5. Mary had to be a virgin to get past the Curse of Jeconiah but also to have the seed from God Himself. 
    (a) Mary was a part of the Royal Blood line of the tribe of Judah.
    (b) Joseph was part of the Royal Blood line of the tribe of Judah.
    (c) After the birth of Jesus, then Joseph and Mary had four other sons and at least two daughters besides Jesus Christ.
  6. Israel as a nation is always identified as the wife of Jehovah in the Old Testament. 
  7. The idiom of the Church, in numerous New Testament scriptures which is all Christians regardless of Denomination, is the virgin bride of Jesus Christ.
  8. Revelation 12:14 is identifying the remnant of Israel that goes to Petra to be protected during the Tribulation Period.  It is not the Roman Catholic Church going to Petra.
Matthew 24:15-22

Jesus Christ speaking

 15 When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand), 16 then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains: 17 let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: 18 and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak. 19 But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! 20 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a Sabbath: 21 for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect s sake those days shall be shortened.

Note: the "abomination of desolation" reference is the event that starts the Tribulation Period, where Lucifer's goal is to murder all Jewish People on the Earth so that they cannot ask Jesus Christ to return.  If there are not Jewish People remaining, who recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, then the Tribulation Period will not end because Jesus Christ will not return.  Obviously this is not going to happen which is also why the remnant of Israel are hidden and protected in Petra.

Replacement Theological Belief

There is the belief by some Christian Denominations, such as the Roman Catholic Faith, that the Church has replaced and will be the recipient of all of the promises to Israel that have yet to happen, as Israel as a nation has forfeited the promises by rejecting Jesus Christ.  This is absolutely false and against the scriptures as Israel as a nation will recognize their Messiah during the Tribulation Period.  As one scriptural example, Steven the Disciple, was killed by the Sanhedrin for informing them that Israel in the future would accept Jesus Christ, and Israel has a pattern of accepting an offering and promise on the second attempt. 

God has many promises that are contained in the prophecies of the Old Testament that are for Israel, not the Church, and these prophecies still have a future fulfillment.  The entire Bible contains different dispensations, where Jesus Christ is the central theme, but there are distinct destinies for Israel, the Church, the 70th Week of Daniel / Tribulation people with Salvation, and the people of the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.  God's Word will absolutely happen according to Matthew 5:17-18.

Matthew 5:17-18 17 Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished.

Biblical Scholars point out that there are many Roman Catholic Traditions and beliefs that are known as part of Replacement Theology because of the substitution of the Roman Catholic Church for Israel.  This should be obviously wrong to anyone familiar with the unconditional promises given to the Nation of Israel that have yet to be fulfilled and Israel will eventually recognize their Messiah which is one of the main purposes of the Tribulation Period's purpose.  If there is any more doubt consider the 144,000 Jewish Virgins from Twelve Tribes that help evangelize the world for Jesus Christ during the Great Tribulation.

2. Four Brothers and at least Two Sisters

In Mark 6, Jesus Christ is teaching on the Sabbath and people were astonished by His Wisdom along with Miracles before taking offense at him.  In Mark 6:3:

Mark 6:3 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? And they took offense at him.

Therefore, we learn that Jesus had:

  1. Brother named James
  2. Brother named Joses
  3. Brother named Judas or Jude   (This is not Judas Iscariot)
  4. Brother named Simon
  5. And at least two sisters.

Note that the brothers and sisters were from the earthly father Joseph and not through the Holy Spirit.  Jesus Christ, preexisted all of humankind in the world, where the scriptures are simply stating that God allowed Joseph and Mary to have children.

3. Misunderstanding because of Two Scriptures

The question is why is there a belief that Jesus Christ was supposedly an only child, when the scriptures point out that He did have what we would call step brothers and step sisters?  Much of the misunderstanding is because of Matthew 1:25 discussing Joseph's relationship with Mary and also because of John 19:26-27 where Jesus consigns His mother to one of the Disciples.

Matthew 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.
John 19:26-27 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, Woman, here is your son. 27 Then he said to the disciple, Here is your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

Notice these points concerning both of these scriptures:

Notice also in Luke 2:7, it describes Jesus as the firstborn and it does not say her only child.   

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

4. Traditions That Caused the Misunderstanding

One of constructive criticisms by Believers who have been leaving Denominational Christian Faiths for Non-Denominational Churches, is the roles of Traditions having doctrinal value.  In several very well-known Christian Denominations, there have been:

  1. Traditions, with no scriptural basis, that have become doctrine for the membership,
  2. Traditions, with no scriptural basis, that have been removed as doctrine which then offended people, and
  3. Traditions, with no scriptural basis, that were never doctrine but treated as if they were doctrine. 

This is not meant to sound like "Double Talk", but there have been centuries of beliefs based on something that is against the scriptures, which is the Word of God.  Regarding point #2, a well-known Roman Catholic Tradition that at one-time was taught to have severe consequences, was if a person ate meat on Friday during Lent, then that person was in danger of going to hell, which has been removed as supposed consequence.

If God chose to give the gift of celibacy to both Mary and Joseph because of Jesus Christ then that is God's prerogative, but the Scriptures do not support this conclusion.  A good friend of this author, said "if I were a betting man, then I would say God would not withhold the gift of sexual relations from a married couple such as Joseph and Mary".  To add on to this, the desires of the Jewish Parent of that period time in the world history was to have as many children as possible as they felt it is a gift of the Lord.

Psalm 127:3-5 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. 4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one s youth. 5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

5. Additional Scriptures State That Mary Had Other Children

There are many scriptures that state that Mary had other children:

John 2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and His mother, and His Brothers, and His disciples: and they continued there not many days.
Matthew 12:46-50 46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You. 48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, Who is My mother and who are My brothers? 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.
Mark 3:31-35 31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You. 33 But He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brothers? 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.
Luke 8:19-21 19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told Him by some, who said, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You. 21 But He answered and said to them, My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.
John 7:3-5 3 His brothers therefore said to Him, Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world. 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

After Pentecost, Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 9:5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

6. James the Brother of Jesus Christ


Many Biblical Commentators believe James, brother of Jesus Christ, was the leader of the Church of Jerusalem:

Acts 12:17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren. And he departed and went to another place.
Acts 15:13 And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, listen to me:

This is confirmed in Galatians:

Galatians 1:18-19 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord s brother.

7. Jude the Brother of Jesus Christ

There is many Biblical Commentators who believe that the Epistle of Jude, whom identifies himself a brother of James in Jude 1:1 "brother of James" in one of Jesus' brothers.  Supposition is Jude identifies himself with his earthly brother in reverence to the Lord.

Jude 1:1 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

8. Jesus Christ in the Psalms

The Psalms have many references that point to the Messiah and we can learn about Jesus Christ through them.  In Psalm 69, a messianic Psalm, it speaks about the childhood of the Messiah where He is treated as a stranger to His own brothers and sisters.  The people in Bethlehem, make fun of Jesus Christ as boy, where they call Him illegitimate, even though He had the greatest Father who is God.

Psalm 69:7-8 7 For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face. 8 I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother s children;
Psalm 69:10-12 10 When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn; 11 when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me. 12 Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards.

What to read next?

1.  Should Mary be Venerated?  2 Risen - 4 Gospels and is there a discrepancy on Easter? 3 Flood ends where the next day is the first day on the new earth and it is the same day as Christ's Resurrection  4.  Day of the week Jesus is Crucified (It was not Friday)