RE: Michael McDonald (16 May 2006) "question: Jesus's Family question:
Jesus's Family" <http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/may2006/michaelm516.htm>

Nothing must wound the heart of Mary more than the fact that so many
people have turned their onto eyes to her instead of looking only to the
Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and answered prayer. Like any observant
Jewish wife Mary rendered unto her lawful husband Joseph due marital
affections and had several children by him after Jesus was born. Of
course, she was a virgin when Jesus was born, but not after that. In
other words: Mary was not-a-perpetual-virgin.

Matthew 13:55 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b40C013.htm#V55> Is not
this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his
brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Mark 6:3 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b41C006.htm#V3> Is not this
the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of
Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were
offended at him.
Acts 1:14 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b44C001.htm#V14> These all
continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
 

Note this verse in particular because it proves that Jesus' brothers and
sisters were in fact the children of Mary (and not Joseph by another
marriage, or his cousins):

Psalms 69:8 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b19C069.htm#V8> I am
become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.
John 7:5 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b43C007.htm#V5> For neither
did his brethren believe in him.

The new-but-not-improved 'bibles' change Isaiah 7:14 to make it sound
like Mary was a perpertual virgin, even though she clearly was not. The
modern versions say "the virgin" (sometimes even with a capital "V")
instead of "_a virgin_" in Isaiah 7:14. Here is the correct version:

Isaiah 7:14 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b23C007.htm#V14>
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Mary was "a virgin" when she conceived Jesus in the flesh by the Holy
Ghost (hence Jesus Christ by Mary was made of "David's seed" according
to the flesh - Romans 1:3
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b45C001.htm#V3> ), but she is no
longer a virgin, therefore it is inappropriate to call her "The Virgin
Mary." That title is never given to her in the Bible.  A good Jewish
wife, like Mary, would never be rebellious against her husband in
conducting a sham marriage where she refuses to fulfil the most basic
Torah commandment: Be fruitful and multiply (see, Genesis 1:28
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b01C001.htm#V28> , Genesis 9:1
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b01C009.htm#V1> , Genesis 35:11
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b01C035.htm#V11> , Genesis 48:4
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b01C048.htm#V4> , Leviticus 26:9
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b03C026.htm#V9> ; see also 1
Corinthians 7:5 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b46C007.htm#V5>).

This also tells us that it is incorrect to call Mary "the Mother of
God." The Lord Jesus Christ eternally existed with God as part of the
godhead: he did not come into being out of Mary or when he was concieved
in the flesh through Mary - that was only his body. Hence "this day I
have begotten thee" is a reference to the conception, and not (despite
the warring creeds on this point) to any particular point in time when
Christ became the Son of God, because he has an eternal pre-existence
with God before anything was created (see, Micah 5:2
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b33C005.htm#V2>  "from everlasting";
John 1:3 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b43C001.htm#V3>  "All things
were made by him";  Ephesians 3:9
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b49C003.htm#V9>  "hid in God, who
created all things by Jesus Christ", see also John 1:1, etc. etc.).

Because people make this mistake (Jesus is God, therefore Mary is the
"mother of God"!), we notice that not one time did Jesus ever call Mary
his "mother" - but rather always called her "woman."  Mary even made the
mistake of referring to Joseph as the "father" of Jesus (proving she was
not "sinless" either, but needed a "saviour" also Luke 1:47
<http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b42C001.htm#V47> ) , and so the Lord
corrected her on that point, saying he was about his real "father's
business." Luke 2:48-9 <http://www.justbible.com/Chapters/b42C002.htm#V48>.

- M