The Bible tells us that Jesus was born of a virgin through the virgin birth. About this back in Old Testament times, that is, hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, God gave a prophecy: “So the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel” (Is. 7: 14).
The fulfillment of this ancient prophecy is also described in the New Testament. Specifically, in Matthew 1:18-25. From this passage we learn three important details about the birth of Jesus Christ:
1. Jesus was born of a virgin, that is, a girl who had not known a man: “...before they were united, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit” (verse 18). “Rising from sleep, Joseph did as the Angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife, and did not know her. How at last she gave birth to her firstborn son, and he called his name Jesus” (verses 24-25).
2. The Immaculate Conception was brought about by the Holy Spirit: “...before they were united, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit” (verse 18) and “...for that which is born in her is of the Holy Spirit” (verse 20).
3. Jesus was the firstborn: “Rising from sleep, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife, and did not know her. How at last she gave birth to her firstborn son, and he called his name Jesus” (verses 24-25). The same thing is said in Ev. Luke 2:6-7 “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth; and she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Brothers according to the flesh
The Lord Jesus Christ was not ashamed (Heb. 2:11) to call all His disciples (Matt. 28:10; John 20:17) and His followers, redeemed, regenerated and adopted by God, His brothers, as well as the Apostle Paul (Rom. 8:29) on the same basis it is expressed about Him that He is “the firstborn among many brothers.” But in the Gospel and in other New Testament writings, in addition to this spiritually grace-filled brotherhood, the Lord’s brothers in the flesh are also mentioned.
There are several passages in the New Testament that refer to the number of Jesus' brothers and sisters. We'll look at just a couple of them in the Gospel of Matthew. One of them is found in the very first chapter of the New Testament.
When Joseph woke up, he acted at the command of the angel of the Lord and took Mary into his house as his wife, but kept her virginity until she gave birth to a son. Joseph called Him Jesus (Matt. 1:24-25).
It is natural to assume that Joseph and Mary led a normal married life after Jesus was born. In the first century there was no idea that Mary always remained a virgin, even after the birth of Jesus.
Jesus' mother and His brothers are mentioned in Matthew 12:46-50. And this is quite normal, since Joseph and Mary led an ordinary family life.
“While He was speaking like this to the people, His mother and brothers stood outside: they wanted to talk to Him” (Matthew 12:46).
“And he went to his hometown. There He began to teach them in the synagogue, and everyone marveled and asked: “Where did He get such wisdom and power to perform miracles? Isn't this man a carpenter's son? Isn't His mother called Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Jude? And aren’t His sisters here among us? So where did He get all this from?” And they did not want to recognize Him. Then Jesus said to them: “A prophet is not without honor except in his own city and in his own home” (Matthew 13:54-57).
Jesus lived in His home area, where everyone knew His family, including all of His brothers and sisters. What can we see from this passage? Jesus had four younger brothers.
“His sisters are among us” - meaning three or more. Although it may seem more logical that we are talking about only two. In order not to overdo the interpretation of this passage (one could assume that the number of brothers and sisters is equal), we will modestly assume that there were three of them.
So there were at least eight children (including Jesus), and if you count Mary and Joseph, there were only ten people in the family. Of course, in relation to Jesus, these seven children were half-brothers and half-sisters. All these brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ were only on the mother's side, because His Father is God, while the father of the other brothers and sisters is Joseph.
Jesus had many brothers and sisters. He grew up in a large family. This means that He learned to share, learned to understand other people, learned to be an example for His younger brothers and sisters, and so on. Joseph died before Mary, so Jesus had to become the head of the family, which in turn may explain the fact that He was in no hurry to begin His public ministry. Mary needed His support, especially when the children were still very small.
Reverence
Saint James was buried at the place of his death. Subsequently, a monument stood over his grave near the temple. According to Origen, the murder of Jacob, which happened shortly before the Jewish War, made such an impression on the Jews that the subsequent disasters and destruction of Jerusalem were considered by them to be God's punishment for the death of the righteous.
In the first centuries of Christianity, the cave where the saint fasted during the Passion of the Lord was turned into a temple, and it was shown to pious pilgrims.
In 351, the Apostle James appeared in a night vision to the holy hermit Epiphanius, who lived in the Kidron Valley, and addressed him with the words: “Go to the archbishop and tell him to send to pick up our bodies.” When the monk asked the guest to give his name, he replied: “I am Jacob, brother of the Lord, and with me are Simeon and Zechariah,” and disappeared from sight. Seized by doubts and thinking that all this, perhaps, was the machinations of the evil one, Epiphanius did not dare to do anything. The next night the saint again appeared to the hermit and addressed the same words, but he was still in doubt. On the third night, the holy apostle repeated the order, this time threatening the monk with punishment. Then Epiphanius, in fear, went to the archbishop, Saint Cyril, and told him everything. Taking several people with him, the archpastor went to the indicated place and ordered the earth to be dug up. Soon the bodies of the saints were found, shining like bright lamps. The relics were solemnly transferred to Mount Zion and placed in the place indicated by St. Cyril. Then one noble man from Eleutheropolis erected a temple in their honor on this site [4].
In the century, Saint Theophan the hymnist, Archbishop of Nicaea, Blessed George of Nicomedia, and later Byzantium, wrote many hymns in honor of the Apostle James, which are used in the Church to this day.
When the Russian pilgrim Anthony visited Constantinople in 1200, he found here the relics of the Apostle James in the chapel of the Chalcopratian temple, and the head in the temple of the holy apostles. Currently, his relics, according to some sources, are in Rome in the Church of the 12 Apostles. In Moscow, at the Old Jerusalem Compound, part of his relics was preserved, sent by the Patriarch of Alexandria Hierotheos in 1853.
Several theories presenting a different view
It is believed that these "brothers" were cousins of Jesus. However, in each case the specific Greek word for brother is used. Although the word can refer to other relatives, its normal and literal meaning is "sibling". There is a word for cousin in Greek, but it is not used. Also, if they were Jesus' cousins, why is it so often written about them that they were together with Mary, the mother of Jesus? There is not even a hint in the context of anything other than a literal blood relationship.
Another argument is that Jesus' siblings were Joseph's children from a previous marriage before he was married to Mary. There is a whole theory that Joseph was much older than Mary, was previously married, had several children, and then became a widower. The problem with this is that the Bible does not even hint that Joseph was married or had children before he was married to Mary. If Joseph had at least six children before he married Mary, why are they not mentioned in Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem (Luke 2:4-7), or their journey to Egypt (Matthew 2:13- 15), or back to Nazareth (Matt. 2:20-23)?
Prayers
Troparion, tone 2
As a disciple of the Lord, you have received, righteously, the Gospel, / as a martyr and masha, even indescribable, / as a brother of God, as you have boldness, / as a hierarch, / as a hierarch, pray God save our souls
.
Kontakion, tone 4
(Similar to: Ascended:)
Father's Only Begotten Word, who came to us/ in the last days, the Divine Jacob:/ first showed you to the people of Jerusalem a shepherd and teacher,/ and a faithful builder of spiritual sacraments.// Thus We all honor you, Apostle
.
How many blood brothers and sisters did Jesus Christ have and were there any at all?
The Bible tells us that Jesus was born of a virgin through the virgin birth. About this back in Old Testament times, that is, hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, God gave a prophecy: “So the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel” (Is. 7: 14).
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The fulfillment of this ancient prophecy is also described in the New Testament. Specifically, in Matthew 1:18-25. From this passage we learn three important details about the birth of Jesus Christ: 1. Jesus was born of a virgin, that is, a girl who had not known a man: “...before they were united, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit” (verse 18). “Rising from sleep, Joseph did as the Angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife, and did not know her. How at last she gave birth to her firstborn son, and he called his name Jesus” (verses 24-25). 2. The Immaculate Conception was brought about by the Holy Spirit: “...before they were united, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit” (verse 18) and “...for that which is born in her is of the Holy Spirit” (verse 20). 3. Jesus was the firstborn: “Rising from sleep, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife, and did not know her. How at last she gave birth to her firstborn son, and he called his name Jesus” (verses 24-25). The same thing is said in Ev. Luke 2:6-7 “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth; and she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Brothers according to the flesh
The Lord Jesus Christ was not ashamed (Heb. 2:11) to call all His disciples (Matt. 28:10; John 20:17) and His followers, redeemed, regenerated and adopted by God, His brothers, as well as the Apostle Paul (Rom. 8:29) on the same basis it is expressed about Him that He is “the firstborn among many brothers.” But in the Gospel and in other New Testament writings, in addition to this spiritually grace-filled brotherhood, the Lord’s brothers in the flesh are also mentioned. There are several passages in the New Testament that refer to the number of Jesus' brothers and sisters. We'll look at just a couple of them in the Gospel of Matthew. One of them is found in the very first chapter of the New Testament. When Joseph woke up, he acted at the command of the angel of the Lord and took Mary into his house as his wife, but kept her virginity until she gave birth to a son. Joseph called Him Jesus (Matt. 1:24-25). It is natural to assume that Joseph and Mary led a normal married life after Jesus was born. In the first century there was no idea that Mary always remained a virgin, even after the birth of Jesus. Jesus' mother and His brothers are mentioned in Matthew 12:46-50. And this is quite normal, since Joseph and Mary led an ordinary family life. “While He was speaking like this to the people, His mother and brothers stood outside: they wanted to talk to Him” (Matthew 12:46). “And he went to his hometown. There He began to teach them in the synagogue, and everyone marveled and asked: “Where did He get such wisdom and power to perform miracles? Isn't this man a carpenter's son? Isn't His mother called Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Jude? And aren’t His sisters here among us? So where did He get all this from?” And they did not want to recognize Him. Then Jesus said to them: “A prophet is not without honor except in his own city and in his own home” (Matthew 13:54-57). Jesus lived in His home area, where everyone knew His family, including all of His brothers and sisters. What can we see from this passage? Jesus had four younger brothers. “His sisters are among us” - meaning three or more. Although it may seem more logical that we are talking about only two. In order not to overdo the interpretation of this passage (one could assume that the number of brothers and sisters is equal), we will modestly assume that there were three of them. So there were at least eight children (including Jesus), and if you count Mary and Joseph, there were only ten people in the family. Of course, in relation to Jesus, these seven children were half-brothers and half-sisters. All these brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ were only on the mother's side, because His Father is God, while the father of the other brothers and sisters is Joseph. Jesus had many brothers and sisters. He grew up in a large family. This means that He learned to share, learned to understand other people, learned to be an example for His younger brothers and sisters, and so on. Joseph died before Mary, so Jesus had to become the head of the family, which in turn may explain the fact that He was in no hurry to begin His public ministry. Mary needed His support, especially when the children were still very small.
Several theories presenting a different view
It is believed that these "brothers" were cousins of Jesus. However, in each case the specific Greek word for brother is used. Although the word can refer to other relatives, its normal and literal meaning is "sibling". There is a word for cousin in Greek, but it is not used. Also, if they were Jesus' cousins, why is it so often written about them that they were together with Mary, the mother of Jesus? There is not even a hint in the context of anything other than a literal blood relationship. Another argument is that Jesus' siblings were Joseph's children from a previous marriage before he was married to Mary. There is a whole theory that Joseph was much older than Mary, was previously married, had several children, and then became a widower. The problem with this is that the Bible does not even hint that Joseph was married or had children before he was married to Mary. If Joseph had at least six children before he married Mary, why are they not mentioned in Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem (Luke 2:4-7), or their journey to Egypt (Matthew 2:13- 15), or back to Nazareth (Matt. 2:20-23)?
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