There is a good indication here.....that Ignatius thought he was.
There are ample scriptures that do show that The Lord had half siblings....and you know this as well as everyone else. The fact that it flies in the face of your theology..... is another story.
What Ignatius THOUGHT and what was true are not the same and even his thoughts do not suggest that James was the son of the Blessed Mother. Could he not have been our Lord's cousin and been similar in appearance?
"as if he were a twin-brother of the same womb"
Do you seriously want to claim that James was Jesus' twin brother?
Ignatius is using simile here ... "as if".
Besides, where do you get off quoting Ignatius as authoritative? Are you ready to accept the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (as Ignatius did) and submit yourself to the authority of the Catholic bishop (as Ignatius insists you must)?
Don't pick and choose.
There are ample scriptures that do show that The Lord had half siblings
And one that makes it absolutely impossible. On the Cross, Jesus gives Mary to John as his mother. The Gospel says John took her eis ta idia, "to his own [people]".
If Jesus had younger blood brothers who were children of Mary, he just committed a sin by exempting them from fulfilling the mitzvot "Honor thy father and thy mother."
You pick: Mary had other children and Jesus committed a sin almost as his last act on earth ... or Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Jerome, and the Pope got it right.
There's a similar situation between an uncle and nephew in the old testament (using brother), but I seem to have forgotten it from yesterday.
Cool link, thanks!
Interesting how it disproves the popular Protestant notion that the title of Mary "Mother of God" wasn't around until after Constantine! ;-)
If thou wilt give me leave, I desire to go up to Jerusalem, and see the faithful saints who are there, especially Mary the mother, whom they report to be an object of admiration and of affection to all. For who would not rejoice to behold and to address her who bore the true God from her own womb, provided he is a friend of our faith and religion? And in like manner [I desire to see] the venerable James, who is surnamed Just, whom they relate to be very like Christ Jesus in appearance, in life, and in method of conduct, as if he were a twin-brother of the same womb. They say that, if I see him, I see also Jesus Himself, as to all the features and aspect of His body. Moreover, [I desire to see] the other saints, both male and female. Alas! why do I delay? Why am I kept back? Kind teacher, bid me hasten [to fulfil my wish], and fare thou well. Amen.
Bolding added by me.
To say somebody is "as if" is distinctly different than saying somebody "is."