Joshua Bennett
The relationship between Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus, has been a topic of much discussion and debate among theologians and biblical scholars. Some sources suggest that Joseph and Mary were likely related, possibly as first cousins, based on interpretations of the gospels of Matthew and Luke, which mention Jacob and Heli, respectively. It is proposed that Jacob and Heli were brothers, making Joseph and Mary cousins. However, other explanations, such as levirate marriage customs, have also been put forward to explain their relationship. The Catholic Church teaches that the adelphoi or brethren mentioned in the Bible were cousins of Jesus, supporting the idea that Joseph and Mary were part of the same extended family.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Were Joseph and Mary related? | Yes, they shared the same ancestors. |
| Were Joseph and Mary first cousins? | It is likely, but not certain. |
| Were Joseph and Mary cousins? | Yes, according to some sources. |
| Were Joseph and Mary kindred? | Yes, according to Blessed Anne Emmerich. |
| Were Joseph and Mary married? | No, they were not. |
| Were Joseph and Mary virgins? | Yes, according to Jerome and the Catholic Church. |
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What You'll Learn
Joseph and Mary were likely related
It is likely that Joseph and Mary were related, though it is uncertain how closely. The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, written in the 7th century, states that the "brothers of Jesus" were his cousins. The Hieronymian view, put forward by Jerome in the 4th century, also argues that the "brothers of Jesus" were cousins, and not his blood brothers. Jerome was an outstanding defender of Joseph and Mary's perpetual virginity, stating that Joseph was not the physical father of Jesus.
The genealogy of Joseph and Mary has been a topic of discussion for many years. Some sources suggest that Mary was a descendant of King David, and it is likely that Joseph was also descended from David. Sextus Julius Africanus, citing relatives of Jesus, states that Jacob and Heli, the fathers of Mary and Joseph respectively, were brothers. This would make Joseph and Mary first cousins. However, it is unclear how Jacob and Heli could be brothers if they did not share a father. One explanation is that Heli died childless, and his widow married Jacob, making Joseph the offspring of the marriage, and legally the son of Heli. This explanation is supported by Lord A. Hervey, Bishop of Bath and Wells, who wrote a work on the "Genealogies of Our Lord Jesus Christ".
Another theory is that Mary was the daughter of Joachim, and Joseph was the son of Heli, who was Joachim's brother. This would also make Joseph and Mary cousins. However, it is important to note that the exact relationship between Joseph and Mary is not known with certainty, and there are many alternative explanations that have been proposed.
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Mary was a descendant of King David
It is widely believed that Mary was a descendant of King David. This is supported by the Gospel of Luke, which traces Mary's lineage back to David's son Nathan, and Heli, who was a direct descendant of Judah, not Levi. This is further affirmed by the angel Gabriel, who told Mary that Jesus would "be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David".
Mary's lineage is also recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, which traces her bloodline back to King David. This is significant as it proves Jesus of Nazareth was the Promised One, who would sit on the throne of his father, David.
Joseph, Mary's husband, is also believed to be a descendant of King David, specifically through King David's son Solomon. This is supported by Sextus Julius Africanus, who states that Jacob and Heli, the fathers of Mary and Joseph, respectively, were brothers. This would make Joseph and Mary first cousins, with the same ancestral lines.
While the specific details of Mary's lineage are not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, it is generally accepted that she was a descendant of King David, and that Jesus inherited his right to the Davidic throne through her.
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Jacob and Heli were brothers
The Bible states that Joseph was the son of Jacob, and Mary was the daughter of Heli. Jacob and Heli were likely brothers, which would make Joseph and Mary first cousins. This is supported by the fact that both Joseph and Mary were descendants of King David.
The Gospel of Matthew states that Joseph was the son of Jacob: "Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ." However, the Gospel of Luke contradicts this by stating that Jesus was "the son of Joseph, the son of Heli." This contradiction can be explained by understanding that Matthew's account gives the genealogy of Joseph, while Luke gives the genealogy of Mary. This is further supported by the fact that Matthew's account is told from Joseph's perspective, while Luke's account is told from Mary's perspective.
According to Sextus Julius Africanus, Jacob and Heli were indeed brothers. He states that Matthan, a descendant of King David through Solomon, married a woman named Estha and became the father of Jacob. After Matthan's death, Estha married Matthat, a descendant of King David through Nathan, and became the mother of Heli. Therefore, Jacob and Heli were half-brothers who shared the same mother but had different fathers.
The Levirate marriage law among the Jews further supports the idea that Joseph was the son of Jacob and Heli. This law states that if a man dies childless, his widow shall marry his brother, and the child of this marriage is legally considered the child of the first husband. In this case, Heli died childless, and his widow became the wife of his brother Jacob. Joseph was the offspring of this marriage and was legally considered the son of Heli while being the biological son of Jacob. This allowed Joseph to combine the lineages of two descendants of King David.
While it is commonly believed that Matthew and Luke present the genealogies of Joseph and Mary, respectively, this is not universally accepted. Some scholars propose alternative explanations or suggest that the contradictions cannot be decisively resolved with the information available in the extant sources.
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Joseph and Mary were first cousins
The relationship between Joseph and Mary, the parents of Jesus, has been a subject of much discussion and debate among theologians and biblical scholars. While some argue that they were first cousins, others propose alternative relationships or dispute the existence of any familial ties between the two.
One popular theory supporting the cousin relationship is based on the biblical figures Jacob and Heli. In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph is identified as the son of Jacob (Matthew 1:16), while in the Gospel of Luke, he is referred to as the son of Heli (Luke 3:23). Sextus Julius Africanus, as quoted by Eusebius in his "Ecclesiastical History," explains that Jacob and Heli were brothers (1.7). According to this interpretation, Heli died childless, and his widow married his brother Jacob. Joseph was the offspring of this marriage, making him the biological son of Jacob and the legal son of Heli. This explanation reconciles the seemingly contradictory genealogies presented by Matthew and Luke.
Lord A. Hervey, Bishop of Bath and Wells, further elaborates on this theory. He suggests that Mary was the daughter of Jacob, making her and Joseph first cousins. This proposal aligns with the belief that both Mary and Joseph descended from the royal line of King David, reinforcing their shared ancestral lineage.
However, it is important to note that the exact nature of the relationship between Joseph and Mary is not definitively established in the Bible or through historical sources. While the cousin theory is widely accepted, other scholars propose alternative explanations. For instance, some argue that the terms "brother" and "sister" in the Bible should be interpreted more broadly to include cousins or even more distant relatives. This interpretation is supported by early Catholic Tradition and theologians like Jerome, who defended the perpetual virginity of both Mary and Joseph.
Additionally, it is worth considering the cultural and historical context of the time. In ancient Jewish society, it was common for close relatives to marry within the same family, and it is likely that many individuals in Nazareth were related within a few generations.
While the question of whether Joseph and Mary were first cousins remains open to interpretation, it does not diminish the significance of their roles as the earthly parents of Jesus and their place in Christian tradition and theology.
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Joseph and Mary were not first cousins
There are several theories regarding the relationship between Joseph and Mary, with some arguing that they were first cousins. However, it is important to note that this theory is not universally accepted, and there are alternative views that suggest they were not first cousins.
One theory suggests that Joseph and Mary were related but not as first cousins. According to this view, they shared common ancestors and were likely both descendants of King David. This theory is based on the idea that all Jews in Nazareth may have been related within a few generations. While it is probable that they shared some degree of kinship, the exact nature of their relationship is not definitively known from historical sources.
Another theory posits that the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke, which mention Joseph's and Mary's genealogies, respectively, should be interpreted differently. Sextus Julius Africanus offers an explanation that involves the figures of Jacob and Heli, who are proposed to be brothers. According to this explanation, Heli, being childless, had his widow marry his brother Jacob, and Joseph was the offspring of this marriage. Thus, Joseph was the son of Jacob by nature but legally the son of Heli. This interpretation suggests that Mary, as the daughter of Jacob, would have been Joseph's cousin, but it relies on assumptions about the cultural practices of the time.
The Hieronymian view, put forward by Jerome in the 4th century, argues that both Mary and Joseph were life-long virgins. This perspective holds that the "brothers of Jesus" mentioned in the Bible were actually the sons of Mary, the "mother of James and Joses," who was identified as the sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus. This interpretation suggests that the "brothers" were cousins of Jesus, rather than his siblings, and it has been supported by Catholic tradition and early Protestant leaders.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that the terms "brother" and "sister" in the Bible can often be understood in a broader sense, referring to cousins or even more distant relatives. This interpretation is supported by the use of the word "firstborn" in Scripture, which typically refers to the first male child and does not necessarily imply the presence of subsequent children. Additionally, Jesus is often referred to as an only child, and the “brethren” are never referred to as the sons of Mary or Joseph.
In conclusion, while some theories propose that Joseph and Mary were first cousins, this interpretation is not universally accepted. Alternative explanations suggest that they may have been more distantly related or that the Biblical terminology regarding "brothers" and "sisters" should be understood in a broader cultural context. The exact nature of their relationship remains a subject of ongoing discussion and interpretation.
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Frequently asked questions
It is believed that Mary and Joseph were related, as many biblical husbands and wives were. However, it is unlikely that they were first cousins.
The evidence that Mary and Joseph were cousins comes from the gospels of Matthew and Luke, which describe Joseph's genealogy and Mary's genealogy, respectively. It is believed that Heli and Jacob, the fathers of Joseph and Mary, respectively, were brothers. This would make Joseph and Mary cousins.
The Hieronymian view, put forward by Jerome in the 4th century, argues that Joseph and Mary were both lifelong virgins. This view holds that the "brothers of Jesus" were cousins, and the children of Mary, the "mother of James and Joses/Joseph".
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