Ever-Virginity and Rosary

Mary's womb was blessed with Christ, but other children also. The Catholic apologists get very angry when you teach Mary was not an ever-virgin. Mary was a virgin when Christ was conceived in her womb and that fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 7. This is the faith God gave us.

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Catholics insist that she was a virgin until death, but there is no biblical teaching on that, quite the contrary, the scriptures teach she had other children. Plus, Catholics turn scriptures speaking of blessedness into veneration and worship of her through prayers like the Rosary.

Luk 1:48  For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

All generations shall call me blessed, is them recognizing her blessedness, not the praying of a Rosary.

It says "from henceforth" all generations shall call me blessed; the Rosary wasn't invented for 1000 years after. Couldn't be the rosary or even a prayer to her. The word henceforth means all immediate generations, not a delay of hundreds or thousands of years.

 So, what demonstrates Mary had other children?

I like Psalms 69:7-9 or Psalm 68 in Catholic Bible, it is a Psalm quoted in the New Testament about Jesus, his mother, and his brothers.

Psa 69:7  Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

Psa 69:8  I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.

Psa 69:9  For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. (Quoted when Jesus over threw the money changers.)

It is different in that they are referred to as my mother's children. Catholics argue that "my mother" is a reference to a previous ancestor, but there is no clue that leads in that direction. Also, when protestants do the same thing in Psalms 51:4-6 Catholics respond that it is without warrant.

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

My strong belief is Mary did have other children. This prophecy in Psalms 69 is fulfilled in John 7 where his brothers rejected him. Catholics would argue that if brothers and living with him they would have seen his glory by then, but Jesus did not work his first miracle and show his glory in teaching until age 30. They had 30 years to see him as a normal person. Joseph was sold by his brothers even after seeing visions and being chosen to save his family. As Joseph's brothers sold him, Christ's brothers would speak against the Christ for a time.

Joh 7:2  Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.

Joh 7:3  His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

Joh 7:4  For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

Joh 7:5  For neither did his brethren believe in him.

It is confirmed by Jesus that they lived in the same house. It is also testified by the crowd that his brother's and sisters lived in close proximity and were reared together.

Mat 13:54  AndG2532 when he was comeG2064 intoG1519 his ownG848 country,G3968 he taughtG1321 themG846 inG1722 theirG846 synagogue,G4864 insomuch thatG5620 theyG846 were astonished,G1605 andG2532 said,G3004 WhenceG4159 hath thisG5129 man thisG3778 wisdom,G4678 andG2532 these mighty works?G1411

The word translated country actually means town, it was their home town and the synagogue they had attended.

Mat 13:55  IsG2076 notG3756 thisG3778 theG3588 carpenter'sG5045 son?G5207 is notG3780 hisG846 motherG3384 calledG3004 Mary?G3137 andG2532 hisG846 brethren,G80 James,G2385 andG2532 Joses,G2500 andG2532 Simon,G4613 andG2532 Judas?G2455

Mat 13:56  AndG2532 hisG846 sisters,G79 areG1526 they notG3780 allG3956 withG4314 us?G2248 WhenceG4159 thenG3767 hath thisG5129 man allG3956 these things?G5023

Jesus was teaching things and in areas not covered in their synagogue teaching.

Mat 13:57  And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Verse 57 is a reference to the town and to his brethren there present. 1st cousins were not considered as part of the same house unless the reference was to an ancestor more than a level above, such as a great grand parent. If they were cousins from 2 sisters they were not considered the same household. Since there is no mention of an ancestor above one level adelphus is always speaking of a brother.

This is also true in Matthew 12 where no relative past his mother is mentioned. The word adelphus is always a brother from the same mother in such cases.

12:47  ThenG1161 oneG5100 saidG2036 unto him,G846 Behold,G2400 thyG4675 motherG3384 andG2532 thyG4675 brethrenG80 standG2476 without,G1854 desiringG2212 to speakG2980 with thee.G4671

Mat 12:46  WhileG1161 heG846 yetG2089 talkedG2980 to theG3588 people,G3793 behold,G2400 his motherG3384 andG2532 hisG846 brethrenG80 stoodG2476 without,G1854 desiringG2212 to speakG2980 with him.G846

In the New Testament there is actually a word for cousin. The Holy Spirit did not choose to use it with Christ's brethren.

adelphus = brother = from a common womb.

It can be a distant womb as a common ancestor, but not used as such in the New Testament, since there were other words they could use for a relative. It could be used of a spiritual brother Matt 7:2, but not here, the emphasis is their common womb.

Jesus' brothers are never referred to as cousins even though there was an exact word for that, the Holy Spirit could have made it plain they were cousins if they were.

Luk 1:36  And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

G4773

συγγενής

suggenēs

Total KJV Occurrences: 12

kinsmen, 5

Luk_14:12, Act_10:24, Rom_9:3, Rom_16:7, Rom_16:21

kinsman, 2

Joh_18:26, Rom_16:11

cousin, 1

Luk_1:36

see also Barnabbas thy sisters son, another idea for describing a cousin or near kinsman other than a brother. His brethren were never referred to as cousins or other relative, but brother "adelphus".

Act 23:16  And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

Col 4:10  Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)

So there were actually two words and ways  that described a near kinsman such as a cousin or nephew. G5207 and G4773. G5207 is actually used of Jesus as the Father's son, so it does not  mean cousin, but when used with a close relatives son together they would describe a cousin.  It means son but when used with the relative infers a cousin or nephew or niece. As Col 4:10 above.

Also there was a word for only son. Monogenese. Jesus is never referred to as Mary's only son. He is referred to as her firstborn son. Never only son. He was referred to as God's only son, never Mary's. The Holy Spirit could have used only son if he chose to. He did not.

Luk 2:7  And she brought forth 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.

The term only son can be found in a few of the New Testament passages.

Luk 7:12  NowG1161 whenG5613 he came nighG1448 to theG3588 gateG4439 of theG3588 city,G4172(G2532) behold,G2400 there was a dead manG2348 carried out,G1580 the onlyG3439 sonG5207 of hisG848 mother,G3384 andG2532 sheG3778 wasG2258 a widow:G5503 andG2532 muchG2425 peopleG3793 of theG3588 cityG4172 wasG2258 withG4862 her.G846

Luk 9:38  And,G2532 behold,G2400 a manG435 ofG575 theG3588 companyG3793 cried out,G310 saying,G3004 Master,G1320 I beseechG1189 thee,G4675 lookG1914 uponG1909 myG3450 son:G5207 forG3754 he isG2076 mineG3427 only child.G3439

or when speaking of Christ as the only begotten of the Father.

Joh 1:18  No manG3762 hath seenG3708 GodG2316 at any time;G4455 theG3588 only begottenG3439 Son,G5207 which isG5607 inG1519 theG3588 bosomG2859 of theG3588 Father,G3962 heG1565 hath declaredG1834 him.

Joh 3:16  ForG1063 GodG2316 soG3779 lovedG25 theG3588 world,G2889 thatG5620 he gaveG1325 hisG848 only begottenG3439 Son,G5207 thatG2443 whosoeverG3956 believethG4100 inG1519 himG846 should notG3361 perish,G622 butG235 haveG2192 everlastingG166 life.G2222

Jesus wasn't called Joseph's firstborn but Mary's firstborn. In an inheritance sense this had no significance since the firstborn came thru the father, but to show she had other children, it was important.

The word firstborn was important to her current virginity when Christ was conceived. It aided in disproving, in a sense, the ever-virginity. The term only son would have accomplished the same, but the Holy Spirit chose firstborn son.

The Catholic church has now changed the wording of Matthew 1:25, taking out the word firstborn and changing Matthew 1:25 in the New Jerusalem Bible from,

"He knew her not until she brought forth her firstborn son."KJV

to

"he had not had intercourse with her when she gave birth to a son; and he named him Jesus"

The original Duay-Rheims actually read as the King James.

Mat 1:25  And he knew her not till she brought forth her first born son: and he called his name Jesus.

In verse 25 the word till has never once been translated when until this version.

Catholics are simply changing the word of God to fit their theories. The greek word is "Till" and the sentence structure does not fit "when". Of course they can argue it does, but clearly not.

The Catholics have made changes many times in the past.