Did Mary Have Other Children?

No Bible-believing Christian doubts that Mary was a virgin when she conceived and bore Jesus. (Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:34, 35) The dogma that separates Catholics from Protestants and that is now even dividing Catholics is the perpetual virginity of Mary. Two recently published books, both involving Catholic authors, provide a new approach to the question of devotion to Mary.

One, written in English by a group of Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed and Anglican scholars, is entitled “Mary in the New Testament.” Explaining the reason for writing this book, coauthor Joseph A. Fitzmyer, of the Catholic University of America, stated:

“Modern Catholics tend to think that everything in our 20th century piety comes from the New Testament, but quite often what we are used to is not what the scriptural writer had in mind but rather the reflections of believers in subsequent centuries.”

Commenting on this book, Tom Harpur, religion editor of the Toronto Star, wrote:

“The team was divided over whether the evidence points to Mary’s having had other children after Jesus or not. . . .

“The book notes, though, that a 1976 commentary by German Roman Catholic scholar Rudolph Pesch comes out with the blunt opinion that these relatives were indeed natural brothers.

“As to the two later doctrines​—that Mary was immaculately conceived without sin and later ascended bodily into heaven—​the scholars have little to say due to the fact that there is nothing in the New Testament about either belief.”

The other book, written in French by Catholic author Jean Gilles, is called Les “frères et sœurs” de Jesus (Jesus’ “brothers and sisters”). It has caused much controversy among French Catholics. And no wonder, for in conclusion the author states:

“Briefly and in measured language, out of faithfulness to the [Catholic] Church, I believe I can sum up my investigation as follows. . . . The FOUR CANONICAL Gospels provide concordant evidence that Jesus had real brothers and sisters in his family. . . . In the face of this coherent block of proof, the traditional position [of the Roman Catholic Church] seems vulnerable and fragile.”

Did Mary have other children after the birth of Jesus?

“She gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths.” (Luke 2:7) “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brethren [Greek: adelphoi, “brothers,” not syngenēs, “kinsfolk” or “cousins”] James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us?”​—Matt. 13:55, 56.

By “Brothers,” Could the Bible Be Referring to Jesus’ Disciples, His Spiritual Brothers?

“After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brethren and his disciples.” (John 2:12) “So his brethren said to him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing.’ For even his brethren did not believe in him.”​—John 7:3, 5.