Q&A Home > J > Our Lord Jesus Christ > His Siblings

In the Holy Gospel to St. Luke 8:19, it is mentioned that the Lord Jesus Christ had brothers. Who were those brothers?

Those "brothers" of the Lord Jesus Christ were probably His cousins. In the Holy Gospel of St. Matthew 13:55 you will discover that St. James, Joses, Simon, and Judas are all called the "brothers of Christ." Cousins then as today were often affectionately referred to as brothers and sisters.

Further support of this, would be the Lord Jesus Christ placing His loving mother, St Mary in the care of St John, the Beloved, at His Holy Crucifixion. This would have been against the Law of Moses, had St Mary had any children or stepchildren.

Some of the Ancient Church Fathers, as denoted in the Orthodox Study Bible, believed the "brothers of Jesus" to be sons of Joseph by a previous wife, therefore "stepbrothers." Our church does not follow this belief.

For more details you may check this site:
The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary.