Perpetual Virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Revealed

The Holy Family2

The Holy Family: Jesus, Mary and Joseph only.

• The Bible says James is the Lord’s brother but it did not specify if they are siblings, uterine brothers, half brothers, blood brothers, or step-brothers:

Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?  (Mt 13:55, KJV)

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.  (Mk 6:3, KJV)

 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.  (Gal 1:19, KJV)

• If the Bible’s intent is a consanguineous relationship or of the same blood or origin, it resorts to circumlocution or the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea like in these verses:
▪ Circumlocution of uterine brothers:

And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.  (1 Kgs 1:6, KJV)

Yet his father never rebuked him or asked why he was doing this. Adonijah was also very handsome, and next in age to Absalom by the same mother.  (1 Kgs 1:6, NAB)

▪ Circumlocution of uterine sisters:

Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother: (Ezek 23:2, KJV)

Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother,(Ezek 23:2, NAB)

▪ Circumlocution of blood brothers or siblings:

We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.  (Gen 42:32, KJV)

‘There were twelve of us brothers, sons of the same father; but one is gone, and the youngest one is at present with our father in the land of Canaan.’  (Gen 42:32, NAB)

▪ Circumlocution of cousins:

And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.  (1 Sam 14:50, KJV)

Saul’s wife, who was named Ahinoam, was the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of his general was Abner, son of Saul’s uncle, Ner; (1 Sam 14:50, NAB)

Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.  (Jer 32:7, KJV)

Hanamel, son of your uncle Shallum, will come to you with the offer: “Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth, since you, as nearest relative, have the first right of purchase.”  (Jer 32:7, NAB)

▪ Circumlocution of Jesus’ cousins James and Joses:

▫ Jesus’ aunt Mary:

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.  (Jn 19:25, KJV)

So that is what they did.  Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, Mary, his aunt, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. (Jn 19:25, The Living Bible by Tyndale)

▫ Jesus’ cousins James and Joses are the sons of His aunt Mary:

Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.  (Mt 27:56, KJV)

There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (Mk 15:40, KJV)

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.  (Mk 16:1, KJV)

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.  (Lk 24:10, KJV)

• The Father of Jesus is God through the Holy Spirit:

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.  (Lk 1:34-35, KJV)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.  (Mt 1:18-21, KJV)

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.  (Jn 5:18, KJV)

Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:  (Jn 8:54, KJV)

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.  (Jn 20:17, KJV)

• Jesus is the only begotten Son of God:

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  (Jn 1:14, KJV)

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.  (Jn 1:18, KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (Jn 3:16, KJV)

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  (Jn 3:18, KJV)

• The mother of Jesus is Mary the betrothed of Joseph:

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  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. (Lk 2:4-7, KJV)

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. (Mt 1:24-25, KJV)

• Jesus is the only Son of Mary (“THE son of Mary” and not “A son of Mary”):

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.  (Mk 6:3, KJV)

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.  (Zech 12:10, KJV)

• Like a pretext to conceal God was already made flesh or manifested in the flesh until the proper time is nigh, Joseph and Mary were betrothed and married, and they made it known that Jesus is their only Son to make it appear that they lived a normal and legitimate ordinary Jewish family:

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Gal 4:4, KJV)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. (Mt 1:18-25, KJV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  (Jn 1:1; 1:14, KJV)

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Tm 3:16, KJV)

And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.  And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.  (Lk 2:48-52, KJV)

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, (Lk 3:23, KJV)

• The father of James the Lord’s brother (cf Gal 1:19) is Alphaeus, and not Joseph:

Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;(Mt 10:3, KJV)

And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, (Mk 3:18, KJV)

Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, (Lk 6:15, KJV)

And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.  (Act 1:13, KJV)

• The mother of James is the other Mary, wife of Cleophas aka Alphaeus, and not the Virgin Mary:

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.  (Jn 19:25, KJV)

And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.  (Mt 27:61, KJV)

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.  (Mt 28:1, KJV)

Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.  (Mt 27:56, KJV)

There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; (Mk 15:40, KJV)

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.  (Mk 16:1, KJV)

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.  (Lk 24:10, KJV)

• The Virgin Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary the mother of James are sisters (short for sisters-in-law):

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.  (Jn 19:25, KJV)

• If Mary the mother of James is the sister or sister-in-law of the Virgin Mary the mother of Jesus, then the former Mary is also the sister or sister-in-law of Joseph, the known husband of the Ever Virgin Mary.  Thus, if Mary the mother of James is the sister or sister-in-law of Joseph and the Virgin Mary, then that other Mary is the aunt of Jesus:

So that is what they did.  Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, Mary, his aunt, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene. (Jn 19:25, The Living Bible by Tyndale)

Ergo, James the son of Mary the aunt of Jesus, is the Lord’s cousin and not His sibling, uterine brother, half brother, blood brother, or step-brother.

• If Mary the mother of James is the sister or sister-in-law of Joseph, then her husband Cleophas aka Alphaeus is the brother of Joseph (see here).

▪ Excerpt from Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible on Matthew 13:55(see here):  

“Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?”  (Mt 13:55, KJV)

And his brethren; not strictly so, but either the sons of Joseph by a former wife; or Mary’s, or Joseph’s brothers or sisters sons, and so cousins to Christ; it being usual with the Jews to call such, and even more distant relations, brethren: James; the son of Alphaeus, or Cleophas, one of Christ’s disciples, Matthew 10:3 called the Lord’s brother, Galatians 1:19 and the same that wrote the epistle that bears his name: and Joses; or Joseph, as the Vulgate Latin, and Munster’s Hebrew Gospel read; and which two names are one and the same: hence, in Talmudic writings, we often read of R. Jose, who is the same with R. Joseph (w): this Joses is, by Dr. Lightfoot, conjectured to be the same with Joseph, called Barsabas, who was put in nomination for apostleship, after the death of Judas, Acts 1:23.  And Simon; or Symeon, the son of Cleophas, who is said (x) to succeed James, as bishop of Jerusalem, and to be Christ’s cousin, being son of Cleophas, the brother of Joseph, the supposed father of Christ: and Judas; the same that is called Lebbaeus, and Thaddaeus, Matthew 10:3 and the brother of James, Luke 6:16 and the same that wrote the epistle that goes by his name.

And his sisters,…. Whose names, according to Epiphanius (b), were Mary and Salome; whom he supposes were the daughters of Joseph, by a former wife; but rather of Alphaeus or Cleophas,

▪ Excerpt from Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible on John 19:25(see here):  

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.”  (Jn 19:25, KJV)

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus,…. So near as not only to see him, but to hear him speak: his mother; the mother of Jesus, Mary; which showed her affection to Christ, and her constancy in abiding by him to the last; though it must be a cutting sight, and now was fulfilled Simeon’s prophecy, Luke 2:35 to see her son in such agonies and sorrow, and jeered and insulted by the worst of men; and though she herself was exposed to danger, and liable to be abused by the outrageous multitude; and it also showed that she stood in need, as others, of a crucified Saviour; so far was she from being a co-partner with him in making satisfaction for sin, as the Papists wickedly say: and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas. The Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions distinguish Mary the wife of Cleophas from his mother’s sister, by placing the copulative and between them, and so make two persons; whereas one and the same is intended, and who was the sister of Mary, the mother of Christ; not her own sister, for it is not likely that two sisters should be of the same name; but her husband Joseph’s sister, and so her’s; or else Cleophas was Joseph’s brother, as Eusebius from Hegesippus says (k): and who was also not the daughter of Cleophas, as the Arabic version has here supplied it; much less the mother of him; but his wife, as is rightly put in our translation: for, according to the other evangelists, she was the mother of James and Joses, and who were the sons of Cleophas or Alphaeus; which are not the names of two persons, nor two names of one and the same person, but one and the same name differently pronounced; his true name in Hebrew was or or “Chelphi”, or “Chelphai”, or “Chilphi”, a name frequently to be met with in Talmudic and Rabbinic writings; and so a Jewish writer (l) observes, that , “Chilpha is the same as Ilpha”; and in Greek may be pronounced either Cleophas, or Alphaeus, as it is both ways: ignorance of this has led interpreters to form different conjectures, as that either the husband of this Mary had two names; or that she was twice married to two different persons, once to Alphaeus, and after his death to Cleophas; or that Cleophas was her father, and Alphaeus her husband; for neither of which is there any foundation. She was no doubt a believer in Christ, and came and stood by his cross; not merely to keep her sister company, but out of affection to Jesus, and to testify her faith in him:

▪ Excerpt from Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible on Galatians 1:19(see here):  

“But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.”  (Gal 1:19, KJV)

But other of the apostles saw I none,…. This is observed to show, that as he did not receive the Gospel from Peter, so neither from any of the other apostles, whom he did not so much as see, much less converse with; save James the Lord’s brother; not James the son of Zebedee, the brother of John, whom Herod slew with the sword; but James the son of Alphaeus, he who made the speech in the synod at Jerusalem, Acts 15:13 was the writer of the epistle which bears his name, and was the brother of Joses, Simon, and Judas, who are called the brethren of Christ, Matthew 13:55 and that because they were the kinsmen and relations of Christ according to the flesh, it being usual with the Jews to call such brethren. The relation came in and stood thus; this James was James the less, the son of Mary the wife of Cleophas, Mark 15:40 which Cleophas was the brother of Joseph, the husband of Mary the mother of our Lord, as Eusebius, from Hegesippus, relates; and so our Lord and this James were brothers’ children, as was supposed: or else the wife of Cleophas the mother of James, was sister to Mary the mother of Christ, as she is called, John 19:25 and so they were sisters’ children, or own cousins; and thus Jerom (t), after much discourse on this subject, concludes that Mary the mother of James the less was the wife of Alphaeus, (or Cleophas, which is the same,) and the sister of Mary the mother of the Lord, whom the Evangelist John surnames Mary of Cleophas; and persons in such a relation, and even uncles and nephews, were called brethren by the Jews; see Genesis 12:5 nor is James one of our Lord’s disciples being called his brother, any contradiction to John 7:5 as the Jew (u) affirms, where it is said, “neither did his brethren believe in him”; since they might not believe in him then, and yet believe in him afterwards: besides, Christ had brethren or relations according to the flesh, distinct from his disciples and apostles, and his brethren among them; see Matthew 10:1 such as were James, Judas, and Simon; nor does the Evangelist John say, that none of Christ’s brethren believed in him, only that they that came to him and bid him go into Judea did not. Some have been of opinion that a third James, distinct from James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus, is here meant; who was not of the twelve apostles, and was surnamed James the just, and called the brother of Christ because of his faith, wisdom, and becoming conversation; but certain it is, that this James was of the number of the apostles, as appears from the exceptive clause, “other of the apostles saw I none, save James”, &c. and from his being put with Cephas and John, who were pillars and the chief among the apostles; and besides it was James the son of Alphaeus, who was surnamed the “just”, and Oblias (w), and presided over the church at Jerusalem, and was a man of great esteem among the Jews; and is by (x) Josephus, as here, called the brother of Jesus.

• PAUL MADE A SOLEMN OATH TO GOD that the Apostle James the son of Alphaeus is one and the same James the brother of the Lord:

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.  Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.  (Gal 1:18-20, KJV)

Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days.  The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother.  I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.  (Gal 1:18-20, New Living Translation)

It was not until three years later that I finally went to Jerusalem for a visit with Peter, and stayed there with him for fifteen days.  And the only other apostle I met at that time was James, our Lord’s brother.  (Listen to what I am saying, for I am telling you this in the very presence of God.  This is exactly what happened – I am not lying to you.)  (Gal 1:18-20, The Living Bible by Tyndale)

• Facts gleaned from the foregoing Biblical passages and excerpts:

The Father of Jesus: God the Father through the Holy Spirit.

The only begotten Son of God the Father through the Holy Spirit: Jesus.

The mother of Jesus: the Ever Virgin Mary, the untouched and unmolested cohabitant of the righteous Joseph.

The only Son of Mary: Jesus.

The assumed father of Jesus: Joseph.

The father of James: Cleophas aka Alphaeus the husband of the other Mary, and the brother of Joseph, brother-in-law of Mary and uncle of Jesus

The mother of James: the other Mary, the wife of Cleophas aka Alphaeus and sister or sister-in-law of Joseph and the Virgin Mary, and aunt of Jesus.

The cousins of Jesus: James, Joses, Simon, Judas, (Mary, and Salome – from Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible in Bible Hub).

The siblings, uterine brothers/sisters, half brothers/sisters, blood brothers/sisters, or step-brothers/sisters of Jesus: NONE!

• CONCLUSION:

We therefore conclude that James is not the Lord’s sibling but His cousin aka His brother, that is, His relative according to the flesh for He himself shared in the blood and flesh of Abraham’s descendants:

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.  (Rom 9:3-5, KJV)

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.  (Heb 2:14-16, KJV)

THEREFORE, JESUS IS THE ONLY SON OF THE FATHER AND OF THE VIRGIN MARY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

UNDENIABLY, THE PROTESTANT’S FALSE TEACHING OF A DEFLOWERED EVER VIRGIN MARY IS JUST ANOTHER BLATANT LIE OF SATAN WHICH THE GULLIBLE GOBBLED UP HOOK, LINE AND SINKER:

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  (Jn 8:44, KJV)

Source: splendorofthechurch.com.ph