Brothers are cousins - Yo bro”
If Jesus had a sibling line we wou;ld know about it for sure
The closest you can come to “brothers” meaning “cousins” in the NT is “kin.”
“Kin” can mean many things. I just find it hard to dig deep in the lexicon for something else interpreters have clearly used for English “brothers.” It is similar the lexicon gymnastics used to say “until” does not really mean “until.”
I will caution the same reasoning and lexicon twisting gymnastics are used by the non-trinitarians and second coming of Christ “already happened” preterist crowd.
It is also odd given the wonderful 2000 year history of claimed Roman Catholic doctrinal purity touted here, that not one died in the wool Roman Catholic is participating in the Trinity debate going on here on the RF. Come on over, we would love the company:)
From the Latin Vulgate: Mark 3:31
et veniunt mater eius et fratres et foris stantes miserunt ad eum vocantes eum
In the DRA:
31 And his mother and his brethren came; and standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
In the NABRE:
31m His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him.
Of course there is a footnote here which refers the NABRE reader to Mark 6. In that footnote (I am sure you have an NABRE study Bible as I do) then goes into the gymnastics to explain how the “adelphos” reference should be understood within the context of the Semitic languages actually used in the time. Which allows for other “kin” types like uncles, nephews, cousins, and half-brothers etc.
You would think the good Catholic translators of the Latin would not use ‘fratres’ in these passages given they would no doubt know the implications of the widespread understanding of Mary’s perpetual virginity. But then again in the Latin, they could have used the exact word for cousin or kin or family members other than brothers or sisters.
As I stated in previous threads on this topic...Mary was indeed a Virgin when “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”(Luke 1). We know that as fact because it is in the text. Afterwards, not so clear other than:
Matthew 1:
25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.(DRA)
So there is that. However one wants to dig for other meanings to words they are free to do, however, there are no Bible versions to include the NABRE that takes “until” or “till” out of the text. I will note there is a lengthy footnote for this verse as well in the NABRE.
Am I saying that Mary was not a perpetual virgin? No, I am not. All I am saying is the texts never state so, nor do they suggest it or hint at it. In fact the impression is the opposite.