What happened to Joseph the father of Jesus

All About Jesus ^

[EarthBound]

Further, why would it not be okay for Mary to have children younger than Jesus?

[linda_22003]

did jesus have a sister?
was she there at his death?
and did she cry for mary’s comfort
as she watched him
on the cross?
and was mary too despairing
ask your brother
he’s the boss
he’s the chief
he’s the man
he’s the show
did he have a sister?
a little baby sister?
did jesus have a sister?
doesn’t anyone know?

-- Dory Previn

[Sybeck1]

As a Southern Baptist, I have often wondered why would Joseph stick around if it happened the way the Catholics and others thought.

I mean, here you are, newly married, and you can't consummate with your wife. I don't see him being a strong force in the Lord's life as a youth if you cannot show your love to your wife, even as a stepfather to a stepson.

I mean no flaming to anyone, just a point that was on my mind.

[EarthBound]

Is this James not the half-brother of Christ? When Christ said to "behold his mother", was he not saying to be sure to take care of her? Also, how would telling a "stranger" to take on your mother make her other children orphans?

[Campion]

I mean, here you are, newly married, and you can't consummate with your wife.

If my wife became unable to have relations with me, would I be justified in just walking away, in your view?

Joseph was a just and Godly man (Scripture says so), and I think he viewed his wife as someone greater than an instrument for his sexual satisfaction?

He also had a mission given him by God in a dream, and I don't think he was the sort to walk away from his divinely-given assignment.

[EarthBound]

I mean, here you are, newly married, and you can't consummate with your wife. I don't see him being a strong force in the Lord's life as a youth if you cannot show your love to your wife, even as a stepfather to a stepson.

I also wondered about that. After Mary gave birth to Jesus, was she and her husband celibate until his death? Aren't they supposed to "be fruitful and multiply"?

[jboot]

"Possibly, but also Mary could just be a surrogate mother."

This is an elegant solution to the question of how Christ avoided original sin. If Mary contributed nothing to His composition, and was merely a vessel into which He was placed, he would inherit none of her traits, including sin.

Of course, this solution also sends us into murky Christoloigical waters where Docetic and Monophysite monters lurk. If Jesus recieved nothing from Mary, where did His humanity come from?

[TheCrusader]

"In short, it is likely that Mary & Joseph had other children."

Why some "Christians" go to such great lengths to prove that Our Lord's mother was not a perpetual virgin baffles me. Having studied all your listed verses, and more, I can say with absolute certainty that there is no N/T verse whatsoever that establishes that Jesus Christ had blood brothers or sisters. The Old Testament is rife with examples of people calling their uncles, cousins and followers "brothers". And never once does the N/T say "these are Mary's sons/daughters". Other O/T examples have only-child sons being called "first born", (because "first born" was actually the title bestowed on the child who opened the womb of his mother, whether or not he had siblings afterwards.

I have been in this debate many times with Protestants, and have never lost, having been able to answer each and every heretical example more than adequately. But this time around I'm going to pass, letting you prots make your charges against the Mother of God as you may. Though how anyone can possibly think such allegations against Christ's mother are pleasing to Him escapes me. I will, however, part with an Old Testament verse which prefigures the Virgin Mary:
" Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east, and it was shut. The LORD said to me, "This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it."" (Ezekiel 44:1-2).

[jboot]

Why some Christians go to such great lengths to prove that Our Lord's mother was a perpetual virgin baffles me, especially in the face of a complete lack of scriptural evidence or contemporary testimony.

But I don't presume to question their brotherhood in Christ over such a trival thing.

[Campion]

Is this James not the half-brother of Christ? When Christ said to "behold his mother", was he not saying to be sure to take care of her?

He was speaking to John, the "beloved disciple," whom Scripture idenfies as one of the two "sons of Zebedee".

There are two apostles name James. One is John's brother ("James the Greater") and the other is the "brother of the Lord" and son of Alphaeus/Clopas ("James the Lesser").

[Salvation]

You might find the answer to your question here:

Nothing Will Be Denied Him (St. Joseph)

The Heart of a Father [St. Joseph]

Quemadmodum Deus - Decree Under Blessed Pius IX, Making St. Joseph Patron of the Church

St. Joseph [Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary], Solemnity, March 19

MORE THAN PATRON OF HOMES, IT'S TIME FOR ST. JOSEPH TO GAIN HIGHEST OF RECOGNITION [Fatherhood]

(Saint) Joseph the Patriarch: A Reflection on the Solemnity of St. Joseph

How I Rediscovered a "Neglected" Saint: Work of Art Inspires Young Man to Rediscover St. Joseph

The Heart of St. Joseph

The Importance of Devotion to St. Joseph

St. Francis de Sales on St. Joseph (Some Excerpts for St. Joseph's Day 2004)

St. Joseph: REDEMPTORIS CUSTOS (Guardian Of The Redeemer)

St. Joseph's Humility (By St. Francis de Sales)

March 19 - Feast of St. Joseph - Husband of Mary - Intercessor of civil leaders

St. Joseph's Spirit of Silence

Father & Child (An Evangelical Minister preaches on St. Joseph)

[Campion]

This is an elegant solution to the question of how Christ avoided original sin.

That's a solution in search of a problem. Jesus Christ was God, and the concept of him having original sin is nonsensical.

In the Catholic view, original sin is principally the lack of the indwelling divine life of the Blessed Trinity, and it's clearly impossible for Jesus to be at once God and also supernaturally lifeless.

[EarthBound]

" Then the man brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east, and it was shut. The LORD said to me, "This gate is to remain shut. It must not be opened; no one may enter through it. It is to remain shut because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it."" (Ezekiel 44:1-2).

Interesting verse, can you be SURE that it means Mary's womb? Talks about entering, not exiting. Also, I love how loaded your statements are, shows you are quite humble yourself. /sarc

"heretical example... prots make our "charges against the Mother of God"... allegations"... yeesh man, thanks for the honest and intellectual debate. I'm sure Christ would be just as pleased with how you're talking with us, right?

[Salvation]

You are misled. St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary lived very chaste lives. After all, he knew that the Holy Spirit (God) had been instrumental in the birth of Jesus Christ (also God.)

There were no brothers or sisters. That phrase is meant to include all brethren, cousins, other relatives, friends, etc.

[bahblahbah]

"If Jesus recieved nothing from Mary, where did His humanity come from?"

If he wasn't human, how would he be able to grow in the womb? BTW, I'm not really advocating for that position as I think it could be possible that decedents of Mary and Joseph could exist.

[Oberon]

If it's the same James.

[Sybeck1]

You and your wife would still have the desire to be together, if you were injured or she.

[jboot]

Jesus Christ was God, and the concept of him having original sin is nonsensical.

Of course, that is exactly true. But, being born of a woman, how did He avoid having His human nature tarnished with original sin? The fact that we know Jesus could not have posessed original sin does not make the question go away.

The Protestant does not hazard an answer to this mystery but trusts in God. Others have been less judicious.

[kawaii]

There were no brothers or sisters. That phrase is meant to include all brethren, cousins, other relatives, friends, etc.

As is typical in greek language of the day, and many languages today. In English cousins are very distinct from brothers and sisters however in many languages (and indeed cultures) the relationship is very indistinct.

Indeed it is interesting that until the gospels were translated into English such charges that Christ had siblings had not been made. Even most of the reformation era translators held that he did not.

[bahblahbah]

"Joseph was a just and Godly man (Scripture says so), and I think he viewed his wife as someone greater than an instrument for his sexual satisfaction?"

So it is sinful to gain sexual satisfaction out of your wife/husband? I know Augustine thought that even lustful sex even towards one's spouse was sinful, and I think Augustine was kind of a nut. Gotta love St Jerome with "I praise marriage, but it is because they give me virgins."