Did Jesus have siblings?

[tonychanyt]

Jesus knew Luke 4:

24 "Truly I tell you," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown."

Jesus was getting popular but his family didn't believe him. Mark 3:

20 Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Some months later, he was getting too popular. His enemies wanted to kill Jesus, John 7:

1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him.

That was serious. Still, no sympathy from his half-brothers:

2 "Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. therefore His brothers said to Him, 'Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.' 5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him."

What kind of home brothers were these?

I don't think his brothers were being facetious. I think it was a case of sibling jealousy. They dared him to go to Jerusalem, where the Jewish leaders were expecting him:

11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?”
12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”
Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.

For his brothers, it was a case of familiarity that breeds contempt.

After Jesus died on the cross, James, one of his half-brothers, did have a change of heart.

 

[Diamond7]

After Jesus died on the cross, James, one of his half-brothers, did have a change of heart.

We are told that James is Josephs son from a previous marriage. He was 12 and Mary raised him for Joseph. Josephs other sons were older and married at the time. He was still alive when Jesus was 12 but we do not hear anything about Joseph after that story in Luke.

 

[David Lamb]

We are told that James is Josephs son from a previous marriage. He was 12 and Mary raised him for Joseph. Josephs other sons were older and married at the time. He was still alive when Jesus was 12 but we do not hear anything about Joseph after that story in Luke.

You say that we are told this, but who tells us this? I think we'd look in vain for anything in the bible to indicate that James was Joseph's son from a previous marriage (or even that Joseph had been married before), that James was 12, or that Joseph's other sons (from his supposed previous marriage) were older and married. We surely need to make sure that we base our beliefs on God's word.

 

[Diamond7]

You say that we are told this, but who tells us this?

The Gospel of James (also known as the Protoevangelium of James), written about 150 AD, presents Joseph as an old man chosen by God to watch over the Virgin. Jesus' brothers are presented as Joseph's children by an earlier marriage.[70]

The History of Joseph the Carpenter, written in the 5th century and framed as a biography of Joseph dictated by Jesus, describes how Joseph, aged 90, a widower with four sons and two daughters, is given charge of the twelve-year-old Mary, who then lives in his household raising his youngest son James the Less (the supposed author of the Protoevangelium) until she is ready to be married at age 14½. Joseph's death aged 111, attended by angels and asserting the perpetual virginity of Mary, takes up approximately half the story.[71]

Saint Joseph - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Gospel of James - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

We surely need to make sure that we base our beliefs on God's word.

Yes, the book of James is not cannon. They do find contradictions so it is excluded. The Bible has to 100% harmonize and there can be no contradictions. Still people talk about not throwing the baby out with the bath water. Why do we not hear about Joseph after Jesus was 12 years old. If he was as young as Mary then He should have been alive when Jesus was 30 years old.

 

[David Lamb]

The Gospel of James (also known as the Protoevangelium of James), written about 150 AD, presents Joseph as an old man chosen by God to watch over the Virgin. Jesus' brothers are presented as Joseph's children by an earlier marriage.[70]

The History of Joseph the Carpenter, written in the 5th century and framed as a biography of Joseph dictated by Jesus, describes how Joseph, aged 90, a widower with four sons and two daughters, is given charge of the twelve-year-old Mary, who then lives in his household raising his youngest son James the Less (the supposed author of the Protoevangelium) until she is ready to be married at age 14½. Joseph's death aged 111, attended by angels and asserting the perpetual virginity of Mary, takes up approximately half the story.[71]

Saint Joseph - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Gospel of James - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Yes, the book of James is not cannon. They do find contradictions so it is excluded. The Bible has to 100% harmonize and there can be no contradictions. Still people talk about not throwing the baby out with the bath water. Why do we not hear about Joseph after Jesus was 12 years old. If he was as young as Mary then He should have been alive when Jesus was 30 years old.

Sorry, but why do you think Joseph must have been alive when Jesus was 30 if he was roughly the same age as Mary? We are simply not told in the bible when or why Joseph died. Even today, with the advantages of modern health-care, some people die at younger ages than others.

 

[Diamond7]

Sorry, but why do you think Joseph must have been alive when Jesus was 30 if he was roughly the same age as Mary? We are simply not told in the bible when or why Joseph died. Even today, with the advantages of modern health-care, some people die at younger ages than others.

We are told that people are given 70 years or if for reason of strength 80. I do not deserve to be alive but if I am then how much more a righteous person like Joseph. The righteous do not die an early death before their time. I know the world says the good die young but it is the opposite that the good are given a long life.

Psalm 91
16With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

Proverbs 3 1My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; 2for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.

 

[David Lamb]

We are told that people are given 70 years or if for reason of strength 80. I do not deserve to be alive but if I am then how much more a righteous person like Joseph. The righteous do not die an early death before their time. I know the world says the good die young but it is the opposite that the good are given a long life.

Psalm 91
16With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”

Proverbs 3 1My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; 2for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.

Yes, the usual age of death after the flood is given in the bible as 70 years, but it's not absolute, otherwise you and I would be in heaven, both of us being over seventy, and nobody would die under that age. We just don't know from the bible how old Joseph was when he died.

 

[Diamond7]

We just don't know from the bible how old Joseph was when he died.

That sure would not be the case today. We know when everyone dies, why they died and what they had for breakfast that day. Makes you wonder if anyone can be trusted if there is so much dispute over an issue like that. Esp when Luke does a complete investigation and tells us so much about the mother.

 

[David Lamb]

That sure would not be the case today. We know when everyone dies, why they died and what they had for breakfast that day. Makes you wonder if anyone can be trusted if there is so much dispute over an issue like that. Esp when Luke does a complete investigation and tells us so much about the mother.

I'm not really sure what point you are making (my fault, I expect, not yours!). Did you mean that the la ck of information in the bible about Joseph's age means that maybe the bible can't be trusted? There are many things that aren't mentioned in the bible (most of the childhood of Jesus, the ages of the apostles, the name of Peter's mother-in-law whom Jesus healed, for example). Had God thought it was important for us to know such things, then they would have been mentioned.

 

[Diamond7]

Did you mean that the la ck of information in the bible about Joseph's age means that maybe the bible can't be trusted?

The question has to do with the brothers and sisters of Jesus. According to the tradition of the Catholic Church Mary took a vow before God to remain a virgin all of her life. So they believe the brothers and sisters belonged to Joseph from a previous marriage. We do not have enough evidence one way or the other. Except my question is why do we not hear about Joseph. Mary was still alive and Joseph should have still been alive also. IF those were really his brothers and sisters why does he not want to talk to them and be a brother to them?

So the lack of information in the Bible means, we do not know.