I believe that Mary was a Godly woman and had sex with Joseph after Jesus' birth. But the verse you quote is a translation. The original language for "until" has a very specific sequence which means up until and has no linguistic value for the future. Looking at all of the evidence in the Bible, taking into account the original language, the Bible does not say either way if Mary was ever virgin or not.
Without tradition, there is no meaningful salvation difference between ever virgin and not. Logically, I would relate a virgin wife to a fig tree that doesn't bear fruit. It's just wrong.
You're claiming that Mary bore no fruit. Yes, that IS just wrong.
>>I believe that Mary was a Godly woman and had sex with Joseph after Jesus’ birth. But the verse you quote is a translation. The original language for “until” has a very specific sequence which means up until and has no linguistic value for the future. Looking at all of the evidence in the Bible, taking into account the original language, the Bible does not say either way if Mary was ever virgin or not.
Without tradition, there is no meaningful salvation difference between ever virgin and not. Logically, I would relate a virgin wife to a fig tree that doesn’t bear fruit. It’s just wrong.<<
This.
Which begs the question, “how many angels CAN dance on the head of a pin?”
;)
I believe the bible does give us information to determine the claim some make that ‘she was always a virgin’ is false.
Just as the bible does not say “Trinity” explicitly, we can figure out by reading what is written that God is a triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In the same way, we can read the following about Mary and come to the conclusion that Joseph KNEW her, in the biblical sense (ie sexually), AFTER she had given birth to Jesus. And thus, she could not be a virgin if she KNEW Joseph, and it is clear this occurred.
Supporting evidence in gospels confirm the idea because they mention that Jesus had brothers and sisters.
“Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?” (Mt 13:55,56).
Also: “There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee” (Mark 3:31,32).
Some in the Roman church say that they were his cousins or relatives. If this was the case, why would the biblical authors use the word ‘brothers’ instead of ‘relatives’ and ‘cousins’? (cf. Luke 1:36; Colossians 4:10). We have already seen in responses here there were such terms available to make a more accurate distinction. After all Scripture itself makes the case that God is not the author of confusion, and why would we not expect Scripture to be written clearly an unambiguously for such a uncomplicated idea whether or not Jesus had brothers and sisters.
The Roman church bought into the concept early on that the state of marriage was a lower state of grace than being celibate/virginal. Based on the idea that sex, even sex in marriage, is a defiling act. In their minds Mary has to be ever virgin as to not soil or defile herself as she was the God-bearer. For her to have sex like regular people is beneath her. The bible, however does not make any such wicked pronouncement about sex between a man and wife, and even compares the oneness and unique, God-blessed closeness of man and wife to the relationship between Christ and the church (His Bride):
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled” (Hebrews 13:4).
The Bible compares the love relationship between Christ and His church to the marriage relationship between husband and wife. “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:31,32).
The Roman church instead has always viewed sex as dirty and polluting and a necessary evil to bring children into the world. People who like sex are sick and dirty. Even married people. And it’s been like this for a very long time, fostered by the concept that virginity is better than those who have sex in marriage, and we can’t have a Mary who degraded and defiled herself and had sex with her husband.