There Is History That Joseph Was a Widower with Four Children. Can You Prove That the Children Attributed to Mary Were Not Indeed Inherited?
1) Direct Answer
Yes. The “widower with four children” story is not Scripture. The Bible presents Jesus’ brothers and sisters as Mary’s own children born after the virgin birth.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Psalm 69:8 says of the Messiah, “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.” John 2:17 and Romans 15:3 apply Psalm 69 directly to Jesus. Now notice, it says “my mother’s children,” not “my father’s children.” That fits the virgin birth and shows Mary had other children.
- Matthew 1:25 says Joseph “knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son.” “Till” shows normal marital union followed the birth of Jesus, and “firstborn” points to more children afterward.
- Matthew 13:55-56 and Mark 6:3 name His brothers—James, Joses, Simon, Judas—and mention His sisters as present among them. The people said, “Is not this the son of Mary… and his brethren… and his sisters…?” That is natural, household language.
- John 2:12; Matthew 12:46; John 7:5 show “his mother and his brethren” moving and standing together as one family.
- Galatians 1:19 and 1 Corinthians 9:5 speak plainly of “the Lord’s brother.”
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- The Bible never says Joseph had previous children. That’s a later story, not the Word.
- The Messianic Psalm settles whose children they are—“my mother’s children.”
- “Till” and “firstborn” align with Mary and Joseph entering normal married life after Jesus’ birth.
- Jesus giving Mary to John at the cross doesn’t deny other sons; at that time His brothers did not believe (John 7:5). He entrusted her to a believing disciple present.
4) Reinforcing Statement
We don’t build doctrine on tradition. We stay with the Scripture: Jesus had brothers and sisters, Mary’s own children, born after His virgin birth.
Existing Follow-Up Answers
- Every "thing" God Ever "borrowed" Was Paid Back with Interest. Would It Not Be Inconsistent of God's Character to Borrow Mary's Womb and Not Repay?
1) Direct Answer No inconsistency at all. God did not "borrow" Mary's womb; God created a body by His Word and overshadowed a virgin. Then He hon
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What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Be not afraid, it is I
62-0629 §27
And four more years passed. And one day we found out that she was to be mother again. Some of them said, "Is this Joseph?" I said, "I don't know." But I said, "I don't know. But Joseph is coming, 'cause God never told me nothing but what was true." And so, I went out to the hospital, and kissed her as she went up into the room---the delivery room. A few minutes, the nurse came down. She said, "Who is Rev. Branham?" And I said, "Me." And she said, "You have a fine seven-pound boy." I said, "Joseph, honey, you've bee...
Where is He, King of the Jews?
58-1221M §29
...and sets her down on the rock, so the little beast of burden could rest. And as she placed her arms tenderly around his shoulders, I can hear her say something like this: "Joseph, we are both aware that all this is mysterious. We just can't understand it. But, both of us being believers, we know that Jehovah has something in store. And that He has chosen us---and has chosen me, above the women of the world today---to have this message concealed in my heart." You see, the world thought that was an illegitimate chil...
Thirsting for Life
57-0728 §8
I was going to bring my little boy, Joseph, up here. But I see he's probably got to shouting too loud in his way, so his mother had to take him out. The little boy the Lord gave to me by promise. Six years before he was born, we'd had one child, and the doctor said wife could have no more children. They have to be cesarean. And said she could not stand to have another child. And one day I was taking the life of Joseph in the Bible, and I got to weeping. All of you, when you read the Word, you just get to living in...
Questions and Answers
61-0112 §119
Now. Now, if you noticed, in Matthew 18:10, He was speaking about taking little children. There was little children, little tots, three or four years old. He picked them up. "They brought unto Him children (child)." " Children" comes from the name of "child." A child is just a little fellow---not an infant, but just between that and a teen-ager, see. It's not responsible yet for itself. Now, He said, "Take heed that you don't despise..." If you'd really take the interpretation of that word, is "mistreat," see, to m...
Expectancy
53-1108E §12
And on her road up, she was engaged to a man who had been married before, and had four sons; Joseph. And on her road up along to her house, a Light shined in front of her. And in the Light stood a big Angel, Gabriel, the Archangel. And he said, "Hail, Mary. Blessed art thou among women. You've found favor with God." And told about what was going to take place. And she was going to have a Child knowing no man. And was going to call His name Jesus. Six months before that, the same Angel came to a priest, and told him...