Um, the essay does not prove Mary had other children after Jesus. The essay does make a great case for Joseph having children who were his by another wife, who perhaps died in childbirth prior to Joseph’s betrothal with Mary. But the Bible really doesn’t make this issue plain. Joseph however is not a part of the New Testament story after childhood of Jesus (the incident where the twelve year old Jesus lagged behind at the Temple and was not missed until the parents were on the road appears to be the last mention of Joseph, IIRC).
“The essay does make a great case for Joseph having children who were his by another wife, who perhaps died in childbirth prior to Joseph’s betrothal with Mary”
With all due respect, this is like the ‘Big Bang’ Theory. There is NO evidence of Joseph having had a prior wife ANYWHERE.
Yet there IS evidence that Mary had other children in this. They are always mentioned with Mary, not Joseph. Why do we just ASSUME that they MAY have been Joseph’s from a prior marriage? This is out of thin air.
Then by that logic why are not Joseph "earlier" children from a first marriage traveling with there Father and Stepmother "Joseph & Mary" at Jesus birth?...
But the Scriptures do. "and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas"
In order to take that position, one must invalidate the Scripture above. And that is the problem - Overriding Scriptures rather than letting the Scriptures renew the mind.