Why did Mary remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus?

Why did the Virgin Mary remain a virgin even after the birth of Jesus?

It is an interesting question, and it can be answered on both a divine and a human level.

In this video, Jimmy Akin explores both aspects of the question, showing why, on a human level, Mary would have chosen to remain a virgin and why, on a divine level, God would find it fitting to have his Son born of a woman who remained a virgin for her whole life.

In the process, Jimmy quotes from from a little-known document from the A.D. 100s that sheds some light on the question.

[texaslocoman]

She implicitly says so when she says "God has done great things in me" and "All generations will call me blessed" she is telling us that her life changed when the Word became flesh in her

[johnflorio]

We Catholics have taught Mary is a perpetual virgin but it is illustrative to understand the Orthodox Church also teaches the perpetual virginity of Mary as do some non-English speaking Protestants.  People in Jesus' day spoke mostly Aramaic and much of the Bible was transcribed into Greek.  There's no word for "cousin" in Aramaic so it was common to use "brother" at that time.  Going from Aramaic to Greek to Latin to English when translating Sacred Scripture is not a one-for-one word-for-word exercise.

[splashenful]

I believe that the "brothers & sister" of Our Lord were His cousins.

St. James, the "brother of Our Lord, " is called the "son of Alpheus, " in the Gospels.

[rethinkscience]

Jesus and Joseph were both carpenter while many of the brother were Fisher man. Traditionally a son would learn the trade of the father, old school apprenticeship.

[fmayer]

Finally, a clear and correct. Step brothers. Looking a the totallity of the entire context with real understanding of the ancient text.
Thank you!

[haroldbowlby]

perfect example of how you can twist the scriptures to come to a foregone conclusion.

[jamessimpson]

Thanks Jimmy. That's the best explanation that I've heard.

[donniferreyes]

Most scholars say they did have children (James, Joses, Jude, Simon, Jesus, two unnamed sisters). Matthew 1:25 provides support for this. The KJV of the bible mistranslates the Greek word translated to “know” (as in Joseph knowing Mary prior to Jesus). In which case actually accurately means “to know sexually”. Which then implies that after Jesus’s birth, Joseph and Mary had sexual relations.

In any case, why the hell is it important the she is PERPETUALLY VIRGIN? To maintain the “clean and pure” image of Mary? What does that teach us? That those who aren’t are impure and dirty? Apart from being historically wrong, this is just politically and socially unjust.

[texaslocoman]

The belief that Joseph was a 70 years old widow with 6 kids from other woman is ridiculous! Joseph could be young and still consecrated to God and didn't have the sexual desire towards Mary(He was "GOOD")

[ellahope]

If Mary the mother of God had other Sons Jewish custom would have been for them to take care of their Mother not John apostle to Messiah.

[GovtWatchdog]

Why would anyone want to have other children after giving birth to the Son of God, especially as a virgin??

[albertdevasahayam]

Mary remained a virgin even after the birth of Jesus because (1) she was the spouse of the Holy Spirit, and (2) God destined her to become the spiritual mother of the new family of God, consisting of the disciples of Jesus, the Church.

[AustinoM]

I'm currently reading the visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich and she seems to claim that Joseph was not an old man when he married Mary. Rather, he was in his 30s. I wonder how this coheres with the Protev.

[curryhot]

Matthew 1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.  That sentence implies to me that he 'knew' her AFTER the birth.

[bridgetfarace]

Another thing that makes it fairly obvious that these guys weren't his actual brothers, was that as he was dying on the cross, he gave the Blessed Mother to St. John. Why would he do that, if she had other kids who could take care of her?

[lauraf.c.]

If Joseph had children from the previous marriage than why didn't he take them for the census in Bethlehem in Luke 2?

[R.C.]

I do not believe Joseph was old.
Also as Mary, is the new Ark of The Covenant, she is untouchable

[titaniumsteel]

The Jews used the word "brother" for any near relative, without necessarily meaning " blood-brothers."
E.g. in Genesis 14:14 in Original Hebrew, Lot is called Abraham's "brother" yet we know that Lot was Abraham's nephew (Genesis 11:27)
It is important to note that the Bible does not say that these " brothers and sisters" of Jesus were children of Mary.
The word for brother or (sister), adelphos (adelpha) in Greek, denotes a brother or a sister or near kinsman.

[sangeetasanjiv]

Thanks so much Jimmy ...this really clears up things for me! ...Super helpful!

[JimmyAkin]

The claim isn't that the Protoevangelium has equal historicity with the gospels, just that it *may* preserve *some* traditions regarding Jesus' family accurately--the way other early Christian sources do. Hope this helps!