The Family of Jesus

The Family of Jesus in the NT
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

(Note: This page is still under construction; more will be added some day!)

The Parents of Jesus:

Joachim and Anna - parents of Mary; not mentioned in the NT, but in some Apocryphal Gospels
Mary of Nazareth -
- Gospel acc. to Mark: the family of Jesus (incl. Mary) is mentioned in a surprisingly negative light in only a few passages of Mark
  - "Mary" is explicitly named only when people in Jesus' hometown challenge him: "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary...?" (6:3a)
  - "His mother" is mentioned earlier (along with brothers and sisters) when the narrator claims that members of Jesus' family though he had gone mad, because so many people were following Jesus (3:21, 31-35).
  - Some scholars suggest that "Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses" (15:40), "Mary the mother of Joses" (15:47), and "Mary the mother of James" (16:1), might also be references to Jesus' mother, but this interpretation is disputed.
- Gospel acc. to Matthew:
  - "Mary" is first named at the end of Matthew's genealogy: "and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah." (1:16)
- Gospel acc. to Luke:
- Gospel acc. to John:
Joseph of Nazareth -

The Brothers and Sisters of Jesus:

Several passages of the four canonical Gospels mention "brothers" and/or "sisters" of Jesus:
His "brothers and sisters": James, Joses, Judas, Simon, and unnamed sisters (Mark 6:3)

Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind."

Mark 3:31-35 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (cf. Matt 12:46-50; Luke 8:19-21)

Mark 6:2-3 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

Matt 13:54-56 He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?"

Luke 4:22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, "Is not this Joseph's son?"

John 2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they remained there a few days.

John 7:2-10 Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. 3 So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; 4 for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." 5 (For not even his brothers believed in him.) 6 Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. 8 Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come." 9 After saying this, he remained in Galilee. 10 But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret.

John 20:17-18 Jesus said to [Mary Magdalene], "Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Acts 1:14 All these [eleven apostles] were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.