Question 203: Who were the brothers of Yeshua?

Answer:

The brethren of Yeshua are named in the New Testament as James, Joses, Simon and Judas. In Matthew 12:46; Matthew 13:55; John 2:12 and Acts 1:14 they are generally understood to be proper brothers, all being named together conjointly with the mother of Yeshua and the same is inferred from John 7:5. Some of the early church writers however, held that they were merely relatives or cousins (sons of Mary the sister of Yeshua' mother), it being a common custom to call all immediate relatives, nephews, cousins and half-brothers, by the general designation of "brothers" or "brethren." Further, the early fathers of the church held that Mary, the mother of Yeshua, had no other children. The question still remains open whether they were not the sons of Joseph by a former marriage and therefore half-brothers to Yeshua. On the other hand, Matthew 1:25 and Luke 2:7 favours the view that they were brothers and that Yeshua was the "first-born." Sisters of Yeshua are also mentioned in Matthew 13:56 and Mark 6:3, but their names are not given. Much has been written on the subject without positive determination, although most modern commentators hold to the opinion that the "brethren" in question were the sons of Joseph and Mary and that Mary's mother's sister had two sons, named James and Joses.