I believe thay are both mentioned as being sons of someone (Zebedee?). The same person. That would imply real brotherhood (at least half brotherhood)
You'll notice that while Jesus is said to have brothers and sisters, no one ever says Mary is their mother. (Joseph might be their father...)
SD
Luke 1:36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
SoothingDave: I believe thay are both mentioned as being sons of someone (Zebedee?). The same person. That would imply real brotherhood (at least half brotherhood)
James is called the son of Zebedee, and John is called his brother (Matthew 10:2). In Matthew 20 and 26, they are referred to as the "sons of Zebedee". Matthew 10:2 also calls Andrew the brother of Simon, but nowhere does it say that they have the same father. The only reference to the father of Simon is Matthew 16:17, where Jesus refers to him as "Simon bar-Jona". So the context of their being full brothers, half-brothers, or cousins is not clear. Although the pairing of Simon and Andrew with James and John (who were certainly brothers) in Matthew 10:2 is suggestive.
You just stretch for every concievable possibility to say well it might be true. Maybe Joseph was actually a woman. Or maybe he was a man mid sexchange pretending to be a man still. Maybe it's a Bug dressed up in a Joseph suit - without the bad attitude? Maybe Joseph was really a metaphor for herpes? The Bible doesn't say any of these things aren't true - and who's to say what's reasonable?