[Missouri gal]

“Abi” is still today used in Middle East to mean brother, cousin, OR close friend. Since we have kept the same tradition among Christians, even Protestants, it is almost funny to see Protestants botch the translation to claim Jesus had siblings. Mary's vow of perpetual virginity is witnessed by Luke 1:34 “How is this to be, since I do not know man?” Note the present perfect tense. If you refuse to believe the Church, at least believe the Bible!

[WayneS]

Yes. Mary was speaking in the present perfect tense. She was not speaking in the future tense. Nice try.

[WayneS]

PS: You left out an "a".

Luke 1:34 in my copies of the Bible says (emphasis mine): "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"

No reasonable person could argue that her words are some kind of pledge or promise that she will NEVER "know a man".

[ealgeone]

Mary's vow of perpetual virginity is witnessed by Luke 1:34 “How is this to be, since I do not know man?” Note the present perfect tense. If you refuse to believe the Church, at least believe the Bible!

Please! Have you read the text??

This is not a vow of perpetual virginity....it's a question from Mary to Gabriel as to how she will have a child as she is a virgin.

The Greek reads as:

Εἴπεν δὲ Μαριὰμ πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον, Πῶς ἔσται τοῦτο, ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω;

The bolded word means come to know, especially through personal experience.

It is in the present indicative tense. Wallace (Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics) indicates this may be a perfective present. It may be used to emphasize that the results of a past action are still continuing. This is always from the perspective of the writer.

Wallace also cautions on the perfect tense that the perfect tense denotes permanent results or eternal results. Context will tell us if it is true or not.

This means, from the perspective of the writer, in this case Luke, Mary was saying at this present time I have been a virgin and presently am and will continue. She is getting married so she knows this will change.

If we reference Matthew where it is noted that Joseph kept her a virgin until Jesus was born this means only one thing. After Jesus was born they consummated the marriage.

So how the context clears this up?

[Tzfat]

“Abi” is still today used in Middle East to mean brother, cousin, OR close friend.

What language would that be? Hebrew, Arabic, Assyrian, Farsi?

[Elsie]

Mary's vow of perpetual virginity is witnessed by Luke 1:34 “How is this to be, since I do not know man?”

What VOW?

Is it hiding in the penumbra of a question?

She did NOT say...

"I shall NEVER know a man."

[Elsie]

If you refuse to believe the Church, at least believe the Bible!

Darned good advice!