The New Testament names four brothers of Jesus (James, Joseph (Joses), Judas and Simon) as well as mentioning, but not naming, sisters. The most notable is James, whom Paul calls "the brother of our Lord."
Some scholars argue that Jesus' relatives held positions of special honor in the Early Christian Church. Christians of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox traditions, as well as some Anglicans and some followers of Lutheranism, reject the idea that Jesus had blood siblings, as their churches hold the doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary.
In the third century blood relatives of Jesus, without explicit reference to "brothers", were called the desposyni, from the Greek δεσπόσυνοι, plural of δεσπόσυνος, meaning "of or belonging to the master or lord". The term was used by Sextus Julius Africanus, a writer of the early 3rd century.
Read more about Brothers Of Jesus: Jesus' Brothers and Sisters, As Church Leaders, Degree of Consanguinuity Between Jesus and His Brothers, Family Trees and Pedigrees, Interpersonal Relationship With Jesus in The New Testament, In Popular Culture
Famous quotes containing the words brothers of, brothers and/or jesus:
“In certain respects, particularly economically, National- Socialism is nothing but bolshevism. These two are hostile brothers of whom the younger has learned everything from the older, the Russian excepting only morality.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“To see the earth as we now see it, small and beautiful in that eternal silence where it floats, is to see ourselves as riders on the earth together, brothers on that bright loveliness in the unending night—brothers who see now they are truly brothers.”
—Archibald MacLeish (1892–1982)
“Thinking as I do that the Creator of this world is a very cruel being, & being a worshipper of Christ, I cannot help saying: “the Son, O how unlike the Father!” First God Almighty comes with a thump on the head. Then Jesus Christ comes with a balm to heal it.”
—William Blake (1757–1827)