?Ask How many kids did Mary Jesus' mother have after Jesus?
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Zero. Key points to consider:
- Only Jesus is called the son of Joseph and Mary. (Matt. 13:55, Mk. 6:3)
- The Koine Greek word "ἀδελφός'' (sing. adelphos;pl. ἀδελφοί/adelphoi), translated "brothers" in English, has the following definitions: "fellow-countryman," "disciple/follower," "one of the same faith," and "kinsman/kinswoman, or relative," e.g., sibling, cousin, nephew, niece, uncle, aunt, etc.
- In Matt. 13:55 and Mk. 6:3, Joseph, Simon, James, and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) are called Jesus's “ἀδελφοί” (adelphoi/brothers). The context shows that its applicable definition is "kinsman/kinswoman, or relative." In Gal. 1:19, Paul refers to one of the two Jameses of the twelve apostles, and calls him Jesus's "ἀδελφός" (adelphos/brother), and the context shows that its applicable definition is "kinsman/kinswoman, or relative" as well. Therefore, we can deduce that the James in Matt. 13:55 and Mk. 6:3, and James in Gal. 1:19, were the same person. And, only the apostle James of Alphaeus of the Twelve, and his brother, apostle Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) of Alphaeus, correspond with Matt. 13:55 and Mk. 6:3. (Matt. 10:3, Mk. 3:18;15:40, Lk. 6:15-16, Ac. 1:13)
Keeping in mind the key points above, now compare the following scriptural and early Church Father writing excerpts:
Two scenes surrounding the same event:
"When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome (the mother of the sons of Zebedee), bought spices, that they might come and anoint him." (Mk. 16:1)
Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles." (Lk. 24:10)
Three accounts of the same scene:
"Mary Magdalene, Mary (Mary of Clopas/Cleophas) the mother of James (the Less) and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee [Salome]" (Matt. 27:56)
"Mary Magdalene, Mary (Mary of Clopas/Cleophas) the mother of James the Less and Joseph, and Salome (the mother of the sons of Zebedee)" (Mk. 15:40)
"His Mother (Mary of Joseph), His Mother's sister Mary, the wife of Clopas/Cleophas (the mother of James the Less and Joseph), and Mary Magdalene" (Jn. 19:25)
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I. "Mary the wife of Cleophas or Alphaeus [Clopas], who was the mother of James the bishop and apostle, and of Simon and Thaddeus (Jude/Judas), and of one Joseph." (Papias of Hierapolis [c. 60–130 AD], Fragments of Papias, Frag. 10, cf. Jn. 19:25)
II. "[...] James, who is called the brother of the Lord [...] as appears to me, the son of Mary sister of the mother of our Lord [...] after ordained by the apostles bishop of Jerusalem, wrote a single epistle, which is reckoned among the seven Catholic epistles" (cf. Jud. 1:1) and "[...] Mary who is described as the mother of James the Less was the wife of Alphaeus and sister of Mary the Lord's mother" (Jerome of Stridon [c. 347–420 CE], De Viris Illustribus, De Perpetua Uirginitate Beatae Mariae, cf. Jn. 19:25)
III. Eusebius of Caesarea [c. 260–340 AD] relates the following in his Historia Ecclesiastica:
“James, the brother of the Lord, was "[...] the author of the first of the so-called catholic epistles" and that while it is disputed, "as is the case likewise with the epistle that bears the name of Jude, which is also one of the seven so-called catholic epistles," it is known they have been "[...] read publicly in very many churches." (Bk. I, ch. 23, cf. Jud. 1:1)
"James […] surnamed the Just [...] bishop of the church of Jerusalem. This James was called the brother of the Lord" and "Paul also makes mention of the same James the Just, where he writes, 'Other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.'" (Bk. II, ch. 1)
"[...] those of the apostles and disciples of the Lord [...] with those that were related to the Lord according to the flesh ... pronounced Symeon [Simon], the son of Clopas [...] to be worthy of the episcopal throne of that parish. He was a cousin, as they say, of the Saviour. For Hegesippus records that Clopas was a brother of Joseph." (Bk. III, ch. 11)
"Josephus, at least, has not hesitated to testify this in his writings, where he says, 'These things happened to the Jews to avenge James the Just, who was a brother of Jesus, that is called the Christ.'" (Bk. II, ch. 23)
"[...] the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James" (Flavius Josephus [c. 37-100 CE], Antiquitates Iudaicae, Bk. XX, ch. 9)
"[...] James the Just bishop of Jerusalem" and "[...] but there were two Jameses: one called the Just [...] thrown from the pinnacle of the temple [...] and beaten to death with a club by a fuller, and another who was beheaded." (Bk. II, ch. 1) (Clement of Alexandria [c. 150–215 AD], Hypotyposes, Bk. VII, cf. Ac. 12:1-2)
"[...] James the brother of the Lord, succeeded to the government of the Church [...] called the Just [...]" (Bk. II, ch. 23) and "after James the Just had suffered martyrdom [...] Symeon [Simon], the son of the Lord's uncle, Clopas, was appointed the next bishop [...] because he was a cousin of the Lord." (Bk. III, ch. 22) (Hegesippus [c. 110-180 AD], Hypomnemata)
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Summary
Summary
The scriptural verses and crossover agreement between all my sources (early Christian Church Fathers) collectively prove the following:
- Jesus's brothers (kinsmen/relatives) Joseph, Simon, James, and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) in Matt. 13:55 and Mk.6:3 were the sons of His Mother's Spouse's brother, Alphaeus (Clopas/Cleophas), and his wife Mary of Clopas (Cleophas/Alphaeus), the sister [in-law] of Mary of Joseph, and thus His cousins.
- Jesus's cousins James and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) and the apostles James and Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) of Alphaeus (Clopas/Cleophas) of the Twelve were the same people.
- Jesus's cousin-apostle James of the Twelve, "James the Less", "James the brother of the Lord", "James the Just", "James the first bishop of Jerusalem", and the author of the Epistle of James were the same person.
- Jesus's cousin-apostle Judas (Jude/Thaddeus) of the Twelve authored the Epistle of Jude.
According to the words in Scripture? Joseph, Simon, and James, and Joseph are never called the sons of Joseph and Mary in Scripture. Only Jesus is (Matt. 13:55, Mk. 6:3). And, refer back to post #3.