That is your leap, not mine.
And a not too subtle attempt to distract from my questions and assertions.
I believe that the parents of Mary are Anne and Joachim as the Church teaches. Truth is that Scripture does not say anywhere who her parents were.
There is a document that names as her parents, Anne and Joachim, which is called the Protoevangelium of James, written about 150 AD, before the Jerusalem Talmud.
The Church makes no binding declaration on her members as to who Mary’s parents are and so we are free to believe in Anne and Joachim or Heli as her father, as you believe. The Church believes them to be Anne and Joachim and I have no problem with that belief and so accept it.
As for the differences in Luke and Matthew, I have no explanation. Just as I have no explanation for other apparent differences in the recounting of some stories by the Gospel writers. But, these slight differences have no bearing on my belief in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ.
I find it interesting though that you would hold up the fact that there is not word for “son-in-law” and thus, Heli, must be Mary’s father and Joseph’s “father-in-law”.
When Catholics use that same argument for why there are some in the NT called Jesus’ brothers who were really His cousins, we are roundly criticized and accused of “contorting” Scripture to support our belief that Mary bore no other children.
It matters not to me whether what you believe in this regard, I merely wanted to point out that in believing what you believe, you have relied on extra Biblical writings that contradict what Scripture clearly says.
There is a diametric difference between Luke and Matthew’s lineage. One of them must be lying or not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Which one is it?
>>I find it interesting though that you would hold up the fact that there is not word for “son-in-law” and thus, Heli, must be Mary’s father and Joseph’s “father-in-law”.<<
Heli is Mary’s father and Joseph’s father-in-law.
>>When Catholics use that same argument for why there are some in the NT called Jesus’ brothers who were really His cousins, we are roundly criticized and accused of “contorting” Scripture to support our belief that Mary bore no other children.<<
Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?
Matt 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And his sisters, are they not all with us?
Mark 6:4 But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. The same word (adelphos) is used in many other passages. We know that Simon Peter was Andrew’s brother; (Matt 4:18) that John was the brother of James; (Matt 4:21) that Herod had a brother, Philip; (Matt 14:3) that Judas (not Iscariot) was the brother of another James; (Luke 6:16) that Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha; (John 11:2) that Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters. (Matt 13:55; Mark 6:3)