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Many non-Catholic Christians, in their efforts to oppose Catholic beliefs, have presented Biblical passages which they assert proves that Mary did not remain a virgin following the birth of Jesus – her virginity prior to the birth is well established in Scripture. Others hold to the same position as they find it impossible to believe that neither males nor females can pass through life without participating in genital sexual activity with another person.
Matthew 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." Luke 1:27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.
Acts 1:14 All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Acts 15:13 After they had fallen silent, James responded, "My brothers, listen to me. Acts 1:15-16 During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, [16] "My brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. In the Bible the term "brother" is used 350 times, mostly not in reference to a natural brother. You should note that even the angel Raphael referred to Tobiah as "brother." Tobiah also referred to the angel –who was clearly not a natural brother (sibling)– as brother.
Tobit 5:11 Tobit asked, "Brother, tell me, please, what family and tribe are you from?" Tobit 6:7 [7b] The boy asked the angel this question: "Brother Azariah, what medicinal value is there in the fish's heart, liver, and gall?" Tobit 6:11 Raphael said to the boy, "Brother Tobiah!" He answered, "Yes, what is it?" Raphael continued: "Tonight we must stay with Raguel, who is a relative of yours. He has a daughter named Sarah, Tobit 6:16 Raphael said to him: "Do you not remember your father's orders? He commanded you to marry a woman from your own family. So now listen to me, brother; do not give another thought to this demon, but marry Sarah. I know that tonight you shall have her for your wife!
Mark 6:3 Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. In the four gospels there are a total of four women listed as being at the foot of the cross:
Mark 15:40 There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome. Mark 16:1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him. Luke 24:10 The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, John 19:25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. From the above it is ascertained that James and John were the first cousins of Jesus. It is because of this relationship that James and John believed that they had the right to seek privileged positions in the kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 20:20-21 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. [21] He said to her, "What do you wish?" She answered him, "Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom." It is probable that Mary, the wife of Clopas, was a cousin, perhaps a first cousin of Jesus's mother. It must be remembered that there was a problem of uncleanness in Mosaic law in relation to the touching of dead bodies. Levitical priests were prohibited from becoming unclean for anyone but a near relative. Anyone who touched a dead body would be unclean for a period of seven days.
Numbers 19:11 "Whoever touches the dead body of any human being shall be unclean for seven days; Numbers 19:14 "This is the law: When a man dies in a tent, everyone who enters the tent, as well as everyone already in it, shall be unclean for seven days; Numbers 19:16 Moreover, everyone who in the open country touches a dead person, whether he was slain by the sword or died naturally, or who touches a human bone or a grave, shall be unclean for seven days. Ezekiel 44:25 They (priests) shall not make themselves unclean by coming near any dead person, unless it be their father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or maiden sister; for these they may make themselves unclean. As an exception, because of her extreme love of Jesus, Mary Magdalene would have made herself unclean by aiding in the preparation of Jesus's body following His removal from the cross. And again in the final preparation for His burial following the high Jewish holy days. The Twelve Apostles – four of these are seen as being near relatives of Jesus –but not siblings– were doubtless the ones who had been referred to as His brothers. Salome, a cousin, would have been spoken of as one of His sisters. For the listing of the apostles to be without discrepancy it is understood that Thaddeus and Judas, son of James (the younger), are the same person.
Mark 3:16-19 (he appointed the twelve:) Simon, whom he named Peter; [17] James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; [18] Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, [19] and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. Luke 6:14-16 Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, [15] Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, [16] and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Acts 1:13 When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. Jesus often referred to God as His Father.1 The virgin Mary was irrefutably His mother. Neither in the temporal world nor in the spiritual world was Jesus ever considered as a bastard. By definition a bastard is an illegitimate child, a person not recognized as lawful offspring, that is, born of parents not married to each other. In the temporal world Joseph was Jesus's foster father or legal father. In the spiritual world Jesus's father is God the Father, His true and moral father. Morally speaking then for Jesus not to have been illegitimate in God's sight, Yahweh and Mary must be considered as being married, that is, Mary was the wife of God the Father – she became His wife by agreeing to bear His child. There is no inference that orgasmic intercourse was part of their relationship. In the Catholic Church Mary is referred to as queen of Heaven and earth. The book of Revelation assigns a crown to her. A crown is worn by both a king and a queen. [Rev. 12:1] A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. The wife or mother of a king is referred to as a queen.
John 10:36 can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. [Matthew 1:20] "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her." It is important to note the word "through." Properly understood this states that a sperm cell of special creation by God the Father was uniquely implanted in the womb Mary by the Holy Spirit. The ability to materialize by the power of God was exemplified, following the resurrection, when Jesus uniquely appeared to the apostles. [John 20:19] In no less a fashion did the already spiritually existing (eternal) Jesus have the cells of His Father and mother join together for the formation of His material body – the incarnate word became conceived. For Mary ever to have had sexual relations with anyone following the conception of Jesus would mean that Jesus had an adulterous for a mother, an unthinkable consideration for anyone who calls himself a Christian. While the foster father of Jesus passed from this life, God the Father has never ceased to exist in His natural state. No true Christian would ever believe that the brothers and sisters referred to in Scripture were anything other than near relatives – probably either first or second cousins.
4 October 2001 Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi
John 16:28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."
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