[madison10]

Jesus’ instructions to John to take care of Mary, as his mother, upon his crucifixion seem to imply that Mary had no other children.

It implies that her other children were NOT the eldest son. It was Jesus' position as the eldest in the Jewish home to take care of His mother. Most likely He had John do it because 1) John was a nephew of Mary's 2)Jesus' brothers, who thought Jesus a nut, had scattered to the four winds & did not yet believe in Him as the Christ -- see James and Jude; therefore, Jesus was not going to leave Mary's care to them. We don't know how much younger they were than Jesus, there could have been sisters in between.

[Cronos]

madison, where did you get this Jesus' brothers, who thought Jesus a nut, had scattered to the four winds & did not yet believe in Him as the Christ -- the Gospels don't say that the cousins "scattered to the four winds"