[dangus]

Incidentally, I read in a book (not an apologetic on this subject) where the city of Alphaeus was also known, in Pre-Christian times, as "Clopas." I left that out since I can't source it. But it does suggest that perhaps the evangelists simply associated the two names, considering "Alphaeus" a translation of "Clopas." Anyone know enough Hebrew or Greek to translate either one of those words?

[redgolum]

While I understand the desire for Roman Catholic's to prove that Jesus had no biological brothers, I have never got to excited about it. I mean that it isn't something which salvation is hanging on.

Growing up, my pastor always taught the confirmation classes that Jesus did not have any siblings, and that Mary quite possibly remained a virgin throughout her marriage to Joseph. The brothers refereed to could have been cousins or from an earlier marriage of Joseph's.

In Biblical Archeology Review, there is an ongoing debate about the James ossuary. You are right about the translation however, it more than likely refers to a close relative of Joseph's

[franky]

For my edification. During that period of history was the use the words brother and sister also used for friends and acquaintances? It is similar to some members of our society who use the word bro or brother or in the religious sense, brothers and sisters.

[The_Reader_David]

In the East the traditional understanding is quite clear: James and Jesus other brothers were His legal half-brothers (though in fact unrelated to Him) being the sons of St. Joseph the Betrothed by his previous wife, Salome.

St. James is titled "Brother of the Lord" in Orthodox hymnography because alone among Jesus' juridical half-brothers he was willing to share the inheritance from Joseph with Jesus. He also accompanied the Holy Family into exile in Egypt: Orthodox icons of the flight into Egypt show the aged Joseph, the young Virgin Mary carrying the Christ Child, and a youth--St. James.

That Jesus' brothers were not children of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is testified to by Christ's entrusting of Mary to the care of St. John: it would have contravened Jewish law and custom to do so had she had other children.

[irishtenor]

***Well, in ancient times, there was no concept of an "in-law." Mary of Cleophas was apparently BVM's sister-in-law.***

You've obviously never read Ruth. See Ruth 1:14.

[SunkenCiv]

Just adding this to the GGG homepage, not sending a general distribution.

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