The half brothers argument raises some questions..Where were these brithers and sisters when Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem?Did they travel with their father and his wife..there is no mention of others there..Did they go to Egypt with Mary and Joseph?
There are many children mentioned as siblings to Jesus was Joseph an old man? Could an old man have easily made these journeys
Good point. Also, if Joseph was so concerned of himself that he contemplated putting Mary aside for being "with child" and unwed, it hardly makes sense he should himself father children out of wedlock, so these "others" could not have been younger siblings from other spouses.
Hey, grandma....we always left our kids with the grandparents.
It's heresy to suggest he married another woman after Mary, isn't it? It'd bother both Protestants and Catholics. Protestants want MARY to have other kids. Catholics WANT Joseph to be celibate after meeting Mary. (Father of the Church and all that.)
If brothers are blood brothers, then there are only two choices: They had both parents in common or they had only one parent in common.
I understand that in the Nicean/Post-Nicean era that the discussion centered around Mary being "impregnated" by 2 different "husbands" when the 1st husband was still living. They believe it made her into a "loose woman."
How would you argue against Mary being "an adulteress?"
If James is from a previous marriage and Joseph is an old widower how old would this have made James?