Catholic Thread 1 :Mary the ἀειπάρθενος and the Protoevangelion of James
*this posting is being written under duress, I believe that this is major topic that is not to be taken lightly I hope it is found that I treated it with the respect and complexity that it is worthy of and that means yes this is a long post and it took me a longtime to write*
Christians in general agree that Mary the Mother of Christ was a virgin when she gave birth to the Lord but Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians additionally believe that she remained a virgin for the reminder of her life. That is to say she was an Evervirgin or ἀειπάρθενος. This is called the doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary.
The Biblical basis for this doctrine is weak, there even seems to be biblical passages against. Instead, Catholic and Orthodox get most of their support for this belief from the writings of early Church leaders (who are called Church Fathers by Catholics and Orthodox Christians). I will give the Catholics that most early Christian writers seem to feel that Mary an ἀειπάρθενος (evervirgn) and that many go through pains to defend this idea. Notable people in the early Church who felt this way include St.Jerome who wrote on the topic around the fourth century, Athanasius (293-373); Epiphanius (Palestine, 315?-403); and Cyril (Alexandria, 376-444). Augustine of Hipo AD 401.
In addition, to respectable Christian leaders and theologians above who held this belief the Catholics also use as evidence a book called the Protoevangelium (first Gospel or Infant Gospel) of James (יעקב or Jacob). This fascinating book is attributed to a man called James the Just also called James the Brother of Christ who was Head of the Church at Jerusalem in the years following the Lord’s death. The Protoevangelium does a few things including stating that James was mearly the step-brother of Jesus being Joesph's son by a previous marriage. But it also raises Mary's status making her especially holy of herself and telling a tale of her as a consicrated virign of the Temple in Jerusalem a concept that I am unaware of in Jewish Traditon.
A few years ago when the burial box of James the Brother of the Lord was found many Protestants pointed this out as evidence that Christ was not an only child but the Catholics were well aware of James the Brother of the Lord who is a canonized saint.
It should be pointed out that not all Catholic and Orthodox believers lean on the Protoevagelium of James which while it was considered as New Testament book did not even come close to entering the scripture (most of the New Testament arguments about scripture were about the books of James which Catholics believe was written by this James and the book of Revelation). Instead, many Catholics and Orthodox believers point to Jewish custom at the time of Christ's life and say that if would have been a manifest insult to the Lord's living brothers to give Mary to the keeping of an apostle if he had brothers who could care for her. They also well point out that in ancient Israel it was not uncommon to call even more distant relatives brothers and sisters. This is used as an explanation of certain Biblical references to Christ's siblings.
While early Christian writing is strong evidence it can’t be evidence against canonized scripture which would present some problems with this idea. The first scriptural problem with the idea of Mary as ἀειπάρθενος is
Matthew 1:25
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Prodistant (ty wacotton) - This seems to imply that Joesph did sleep with Mary.
Catholic- (ty Lurker) Only in the English verson in the Greek and the Latin translations it is not implied.
(Me- I have no idea, my Greek is not strong enough to be getting into these kinds of grammar arguments)
Matthew 12:46-49
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Prodistant- see that is his brothers and sisters
Catholic- no brethren means family in a general sort of way
Me- I'm with the Catholic the word used here is Αδελφος
which means family which can mean siblings but also other family and was used in Jesus' time to mean Jews as well as kinfolk.
The same arguments apply to Matthew 13:55-56, John 2:12 ,John 7:3-5.
Galatians 1:19
But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
To this the Catholics sometimes say that this was other family and sometimes talk about the Protoevangelium is this case it does seem to be talking about a flesh in blood brother but I am not convinced that Christ had genetic siblings.
More than all this evidence of siblings of Christ what seems to weaken the idea of Mary as evervirgin to me is the lack of biblical basis from the Catholic side. I respect the early theologians but on some level even with them you have to say, God has spoken and the rest is commentary.
If you want to know even more about this topic I suggest you read the Crosswalk forum. I used some of the arguments there on there and have found it a good place to learn about theological discussions in general.Crosswalk forums are civil (or else) and there is much to learn there.
The Assumption and Mary as the Mother of God (as apposed to the mother of Christ) are huge issue that I don’t have the time to explore right now but we will leave it at I am convinced of neither.