Sidebar: Were there other kids?

According to Scripture scholar Rev. Roger Karban, "The context implies they are Jesus' brothers and sisters. From a scriptural basis, there is no reason to say she had no other children."

Theologically, however, the Church teaches that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no children besides Jesus. Some Protestants believe that Mary did bear other children.

Rev. Bertrand Buby, SM, a professor at the International Marian Research Institute at the University of Dayton in Ohio, said the controversy goes back to the early Church.

"The very first commentary on John's Gospel in the year 240 [included] the tradition that Mary was known to have no other children," he said. "In the fourth century, the controversy arises."

The Church has explained these references to Jesus' brothers as a mistranslation of a word that actually means "cousins" or "step brothers." But "there is no proof that they are cousins," Father Karban said. Other scholars have proposed that Joseph had children from a previous marriage.

As Scripture study continues, Father Buby said one thing remains clear: "We will do best to stay within our own tradition. Our Roman Catholic position is that the brothers and sisters are really relatives in the larger family context." (MM)

(10-01-98) [[In-content Ad]]