Did Jesus Have Siblings?
Jesus Had Brothers and Sisters
“Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?” (Matthew 13:55).
The Bible teaches that Jesus did have brothers and sisters. Matthew 12:46-47 and Mark 3:31-32 tell of a time when Jesus was teaching the people and that Mary and His brothers stood outside the crowd, desiring to talk with Him.
The Jews had a difficult time accepting Jesus in Nazareth because He was one of them; He had grown up in their midst. In Matthew 13:55 they say: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?”
They were partly correct. He was Mary’s son and He was the brother of the four men listed, but He was not the son of the carpenter. This event is also recorded in Mark 6:3.
The Meaning of “Brethren”
The Bible tells us in John 7:5 even Jesus’ brothers rejected Him at the beginning of His ministry: “For neither did his brethren believe in him.” The word “brethren” here must refer to His physical brothers. it could not refer to His spiritual brothers because they did not believe in Him.
However, God’s Word later tells us His brothers did finally accept Jesus as their Savior. Acts 1:14 states that as the disciples waited in the upper room in Jerusalem, they were joined by Mary and Jesus’ brothers.”These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.”
One of Jesus’ brothers’ even became an apostle: “But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19).
