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Brandon wrote:

Hi, guys —

I understand that in Catholic teaching Jesus had no siblings, but this is a struggle for me.
There are several issues I'm trying to grasp on Catholic teachings related to the Blessed Virgin.

  • Did she remain a virgin?
  • How does the Catholic framework understand this Scripture from Matthew?:
25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Matthew 1:25
  • This verse from Matthew meant, having sex, right?
  • Am I correct in my understanding that after the birth of Jesus:
    • Joseph has sex with his wife, or
    • am I interpreting this incorrectly?

Brandon

  { Did Mary remain a virgin and, if so, how do you interpret Matthew 1:25 . . . as having sex? }

Paul replied:

Hello Brandon,

The original word that is translated until does not have the future connotation that English speakers tend to give it.

If I say:

I did not eat until 5:00 pm.

we tend to assume that I ate right after that — even though I did not express that with my words.

This unspoken connotation is absent in the original biblical language. Scripture indicating that Joseph and Mary did not consummate their marriage before Jesus was conceived, communicates the point that Jesus' conception was miraculous.

In addition, we know through Sacred Tradition, which is just as much the Word of God as Sacred Scripture is, that Joseph never did physically consummate with the woman that God has set apart for Himself, in His divine plan of salvation.

Peace,

Paul
[Related posting]

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