Reference · Teaching 18
Perpetual Virginity — Cheat Sheet
The objection and the response
| Objection | Response |
|---|---|
| Matthew 1:25 says "until" | "Until" describes the time before; it says nothing after (2 Samuel 6:23) |
| Jesus is called "firstborn" | A legal term for the first child, not a claim about later children |
| Jesus has "brothers" | Adelphos can mean kinsman (Genesis 13:8); John 19:26-27 |
Key verses
| Verse | Used for |
|---|---|
| Matthew 1:25; Luke 2:7 | Protestant: "until" and "firstborn." |
| Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55 | Protestant: Jesus' brothers and sisters. |
| Genesis 13:8; 2 Samuel 6:23 | Catholic: how "brother" and "until" can be used. |
| John 19:26-27 | Catholic: Jesus entrusts Mary to John. |
The one-line argument to remember
Start from agreement: "No verse settles this directly. I'm asking how the earliest Christians read these words, and whether the plain reading is as plain as it looks."
Nuance to hold onto
- Admit the teaching is an inference from Scripture and Tradition, not an explicit verse.
- The "cousins or Joseph's earlier children" options are both Catholic-compatible. Don't insist on one.
- Be careful about claims regarding the Reformers. Check quotations before using them.