3243.—The Brothers of Jesus
By Editor
In replying to a question concerning the brothers of Jesus a few weeks since it was not thought necessary to say that the brothers were probably children of Joseph by a former wife. These in the Jewish law would be termed brothers even tho they were not the actual blood brothers of Jesus. Joseph was the father of Jesus in law, and Joseph's children were the brothers of Jesus in law. They belonged to the same family. The circumstances given in that reply would seem to indicate that they were older. The Bible does not expressly say. There are a great many other things which it does not expressly say. It does not satisfy our curiosity, but the reasons given are very probable. We did not intimate that His mother was not a virgin. We supposed every one understood that, Jesus was her first child, and presumably tradition may be correct in saying that He was her only child. Joseph seems not to have been living at the time of the crucifixion, or Jesus would not have commended His mother to John for his care and protection. The act of our Lord would also indicate that she had no other sons herself.