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To: Buffalo Bob
Matthew Chapter 13 Verses 55 & 56 list Jesus having four Brothers and Sisters (plural).

It is the official position of the Roman Catholic Church that Jesus’ mother Mary remained a virgin for her entire life. This in contradiction to scripture.

As you should know, the word used to describe Jesus's "brothers" can also mean "cousins." So it's not clear that He did have brothers.

23 posted on 07/02/2023 8:17:59 AM PDT by Angelino97
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To: Angelino97

Context and usage of the term will make it clear.


28 posted on 07/02/2023 8:27:40 AM PDT by ealgeone
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To: Angelino97

“When we come to the New Testament, where the reference to the brothers of Jesus occurs, Von Soden correctly listed only two possible meanings for adelphos, namely, “either ‘physical brotherhood’ in the strict sense or more generally the ‘spiritual brotherhood’ of Israelites or Christians” (Kittel, 1964, 1:144).

A broadened meaning for adelphos (to refer to a cousin) does not exist in the New Testament. As Walther Gunther clarified: “In no case in the New Testament can adelphos be interpreted with certainty in this sense” (Brown, 1975, 1:256). That’s putting it mildly.

McClintock and Strong explained: “[W]hen the word is used in any but its proper sense, the context prevents the possibility of confusion…. If, then, the word ‘brethren’…really means ‘cousins’ or ‘kinsmen,’ it will be the only instance of such an application in which no data are given to correct the laxity of meaning” (1968, 895, emp. in orig.).

Lewis stated even more decisively: “ ‘Brothers’ (adelphoi) never means ‘cousins’ in New Testament Greek” (1976, 1:181, emp. added).

Indeed, the Greek language had a separate and distinct word for “cousins”—anepsioi (e.g., Colossians 4:10). When a nephew was meant, the relationship was clearly specified (e.g., Acts 23:16).

To summarize: “There is therefore no adequate warrant in the language alone to take ‘brethren’ as meaning ‘relatives,’ and therefore the a priori presumption is in favor of a literal acceptation of the term” (McClintock and Strong, 1:895).”

https://apologeticspress.org/did-jesus-have-fleshly-half-brothers-1271/


29 posted on 07/02/2023 8:30:23 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (We're a nation of feelings, not thoughts.)
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To: Angelino97

There is a Greek word for cousins. It is used once but never describing the brothers and sisters of Jesus.


31 posted on 07/02/2023 8:31:53 AM PDT by ealgeone
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To: Angelino97

‘CAN’ mean.

So who were Jesus’ uncles that fathered these ‘cousins’?


121 posted on 07/02/2023 12:24:56 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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