Jesus' Brothers and Sisters in the New Testament
The New Testament refers to Jesus' brothers and sisters in several passages, most notably in Matthew 13:55-56, where the people of Nazareth ask, "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?" [4]. These references have generated centuries of interpretive debate about the precise relationship of these individuals to Jesus.
The Biblical Evidence
The Greek term adelphos (brother) appears in multiple contexts throughout Scripture. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, "brother" can denote a natural sibling, a near relation or cousin, a fellow-countryman, a disciple, one of the same faith, a colleague in office, or simply a fellow-man [1]. This semantic range complicates any straightforward reading of the Gospel passages. The epistle of Jude identifies its author as "a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James" [2], suggesting a family connection to the James mentioned among Jesus' brothers.
Mark 3:31-35 presents Jesus' mother and brothers arriving to see him, prompting his teaching about spiritual kinship superseding biological family. The Tyndale House commentary notes that "Jesus' brothers are commonly understood to have been children born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus' birth," citing also Mark 6:3, Matthew 1:25, Matthew 12:46, and John 19:26-27 as supporting evidence [5]. This interpretation takes the term "brothers" in its most natural sense as full siblings.
Three Major Interpretive Positions
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown acknowledge that "an exceedingly difficult question here arises—What were these 'brethren' and 'sisters' to Jesus?" [4]. They outline three positions: first, that these were Jesus' full brothers and sisters; second, that they were step-siblings from Joseph's prior marriage; third, that they were cousins, following a common Jewish practice of using kinship terms for collateral relatives [4]. The commentary notes that "an immense deal has been written, nor are opinions yet by any means agreed" [4].
The second view, that these were Joseph's children by an earlier marriage, and the third view, that they were cousins, both emerged to preserve the doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity. The Tyndale House commentary explicitly connects these alternative interpretations to "the Roman Catholic belief that Mary was perpetually a virgin" [5]. John Gill's commentary on John 7:3 distinguishes between Jesus' brothers mentioned in Matthew 13:55—"James and Joses, and Simon and Judas, the sons of Alphaeus, the brother of Joseph"—and the unbelieving brothers in John 7, though he notes that "some of these were of the number of the twelve; and all of them believers in Christ; whereas these his brethren were not" [6].
The Question of Belief
John 7:3 records that Jesus' brothers urged him to go to Judea, yet verse 5 states plainly that "his brethren did not believe in him." This unbelief distinguishes them from the apostles during Jesus' ministry. However, Acts 1:14 places Jesus' brothers among the believers gathered in prayer after the ascension, noting they continued "with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren" [3]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown observe that Mary is "distinguished from the other 'women,' but 'so as to exclude the idea of her having any pre-eminence over the disciples,'" and note this is "the last mention of her in the New Testament" [3].
The transformation from unbelief to faith among Jesus' brothers suggests a post-resurrection conversion, likely catalyzed by Jesus' appearance to James mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:7. Whether these brothers were full siblings, step-siblings, or cousins, the New Testament presents them as distinct individuals who moved from skepticism during Jesus' ministry to leadership roles in the early church, with James becoming a pillar of the Jerusalem community.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Brother — (1.) In the natural and common sense (Matt. 1:2; Luke 3:1, 19). (2.) A near relation, a cousin (Gen. 13:8; 14:16; Matt. 12:46; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; Gal. 1:19). (3.) Simply a fellow-countryman (Matt. 5:47; Acts 3:22; Heb. 7:5). (4.) A disciple or follower (Matt. 25:40; Heb. 2:11, 12). (5.) One of the same faith (Amos 1:9; Acts 9:30; 11:29; 1 Cor. 5:11); whence the early disciples of our Lord were known to each other as brethren. (6.) A colleague in office (Ezra 3:2; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1). (7.) A fellow-man (Gen. 9:5; 19:7; Matt. 5:22, 23, 24; 7:5; Heb. 2:1”
- Jude “Jude 1:1 (Geneva1599) — IVde a seruaunt of Iesus Christ, and brother of Iames, to them which are called and sanctified of God the Father, and returned to Iesus Christ:”
- Acts (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Acts 1:14: continued with one accord--knit by a bond stronger than death. in prayer and supplication--for the promised baptism, the need of which in their orphan state would be increasingly felt. and Mary the mother of Jesus--distinguished from the other "women," but "so as to exclude the idea of her having any pre-eminence over the disciples. We find her with the rest in prayer to her glorified Son" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. This is the last mention of her in the New Testament. The fable of the Assumption of the Virgin has no foundation even in tradition [ALFOR”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 13:56: And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? An exceedingly difficult question here arises--What were these "brethren" and "sisters" to Jesus? Were they, First, His full brothers and sisters? or, Secondly, Were they His step-brothers and step-sisters, children of Joseph by a former marriage? or, Thirdly, Were they cousins, according to a common way of speaking among the Jews respecting persons of collateral descent? On this subject an immense deal has been written, nor are opinions yet by any means agreed. Fo”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 3:31: 3:31-35 Mark resumes from 3:20-21. • Your mother and your brothers: Jesus’ brothers are commonly understood to have been children born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus’ birth (see also 6:3; Matt 1:25; 12:46; John 19:26-27); some interpreters instead believe that they were either Joseph’s children by an earlier marriage or Jesus’ cousins, due to the Roman Catholic belief that Mary was perpetually a virgin.”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 7:3: That is, the brethren of Jesus, as the Syriac and Persic versions express it; who were not James and Joses, and Simon and Judas, the sons of Alphaeus, the brother of Joseph, the husband of Mary, so called, Mat 13:55, for some of these were of the number of the twelve; and all of them believers in Christ; whereas these his brethren were not. The Jew (l) therefore is mistaken, who supposed the above persons are here intended; and objects this their unbelief to Jesus, as if they knew him too well to give him any credit; whereas they did believe in him, and abode by him to t”