Brothers of Jesus

The New Testament names four brothers of Jesus (James, Joseph (Joses), Judas and Simon) as well as mentioning, but not naming, sisters. The most notable is James, whom Paul calls "the brother of our Lord."

Some scholars argue that Jesus' relatives held positions of special honor in the Early Christian Church. Christians of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox traditions, as well as some Anglicans and some followers of Lutheranism, reject the idea that Jesus had blood siblings, as their churches hold the doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary.

In the third century blood relatives of Jesus, without explicit reference to "brothers", were called the desposyni, from the Greek δεσπόσυνοι, plural of δεσπόσυνος, meaning "of or belonging to the master or lord". The term was used by Sextus Julius Africanus, a writer of the early 3rd century.

Read more about Brothers Of Jesus:  Jesus' Brothers and Sisters, As Church Leaders, Degree of Consanguinuity Between Jesus and His Brothers, Family Trees and Pedigrees, Interpersonal Relationship With Jesus in The New Testament, In Popular Culture

Famous quotes containing the words brothers and/or jesus:

    When you gonna get married, Marty? You should be ashamed of yourself. All your brothers and sisters, younger than you, they get married and got the children. I meet your mother in the produce store. She say to me “Eh, you know a nice girl for my boy Marty?” What’s the matter with you? That’s no way!
    Paddy Chayefsky (1923–1981)

    What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.
    Bible: New Testament, Mark 1:24.

    Man with an unclean spirit.