Jesus’ Family

In our earliest gospel of Mark (v 6:3), Jesus is said to have four brothers and unnamed sisters. His brothers were named James, Joses (Joseph), Judas (Jude), and Simon. Both Mark and Matthew mention sisters but does not name them. However, early Christian tradition says there were two sisters—Mary and Salome. Luke, in contrast, drops the list of sibling names entirely since he was an unabashed advocate of the apostle Paul and attempted to marginalize the brothers of Jesus. Luke also wrote the book of Acts, featuring Paul. John’s gospel did not name the siblings of Jesus. John was more intent on establishing that Jesus and the Father are One—a principal source for the Trinitarian Doctrine. Yet, many believe that Jesus was born to a virgin and question the existence of siblings. They will say: “I never knew that Jesus had any brothers or sisters.” Those who uphold the virginity of Mary, such as Catholics, reject the idea of biological brethren and maintain that the brothers and sisters were either cousins of Jesus or children of Joseph from a previous marriage.

The gospels indicate a rift between Jesus and his brothers and sisters in the early part of his ministry. It is obvious that Jesus’ siblings did not believe in Him. When Jesus began to teach and perform miracles, the Jews disbelieved in Him, and His family sought to control Him as well. Once when Jesus was speaking, His family stood outside and sent word to Him to desist from His teachings. This is in both Mark 3: 20-35 and Matthew 13: 53-58. The people of Nazareth were saying, “Where did Jesus get such wisdom,” and “Isn’t He the carpenter’s son, and isn’t Mary His mother?”

I Corinthians 15: 3-8 states: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. He appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” James appears as the principal authority in the Jerusalem church, presiding at the Council of Jerusalem recorded in Acts 15. Most scholars agree that this refers to James, the brother of Jesus.

Two of Jesus’ brothers wrote gospels: James and Jude. The author of James (right after Hebrews) introduces himself as “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Joseph took exception with Paul’s doctrine that ‘faith alone was essential to salvation’ when he wrote: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So, also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2: 14-17)

The epistle of Jude, only 25 verses long, and just before Revelation, identifies its author as ” the bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.” Jude wrote of “the Archangel Michael contending with the Devil over the body of Moses” (Jude, verse 9). Jude also wrote of keeping yourself in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Verse 21). Early church history says nothing further on Jesus’ brothers, Simon and Joses (Joseph).

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