: l' " 1r.;r, ,r'i- UV ;-,t-'J hff-k**'1",, ) TnE Ey.ER-VIRGTNTTY oF THE Mothtr of God by Fr.JohnHainsworth

ast year for the Feast of the hinkabler that neither Mary nor Nativity, I gave a lecture about r,, would have rone of the central claims of the propriate to have Christian faith: the Virgin Birth r the birth of of Ghrist. This was all well until I ving aside for a inpassing the phrase "ever-virgin" niqueness of wjih reference to the Lord's Moth ond Person Someone asked, "Do you was the mean that Mary remained a e ancient iJesus' birth?" I said yes, th tivity Orthodox Church teach ion of of surprised bemuseme audience's faces said it of the Virgin Birth is lifelong abstinence That's impossiblel The lives of mo around the 1:,I historv/ attest to it is possible. one of many ispiritual warri :perhaps m greatest. ainic{W, j ylr.grruty aniir,its a yhl'bf lnsrst c

iiri:i*iniiiGfifiir.i::i. ir:ii:::::rji..r:r:'::ir :'..i,!i..1 :::.ili: | : 4.' :. :a ::: .;rj-, : j'. :.:i.: aa: ;!r:: ;.ii: i$E+.:"- .a.Fil,E Philo, 20 BC-AD 50) notes that Moses If touching the ark of the covenant "His brothers," making a clear distinc- "separated himself' from his wife had cost Uzzah his life, and if even the tion. In Acts 1:14, the separation is Zipporah when he returned from his scrolls containing the Law, the Psalms, more pronounced: "Mury the mother encounter with God in the burning and the Prophets were venerated, ofJesus, and His brothers." Some bush. Another rabbinical tradition, certainlyJoseph, man of God that he manuscripts use the conjunctive sym- concerning the choosing of the elders was, would neither have dared nor "along with, in comp,a-ny with," so that of Israel in Numbers 7, relates that desired to approach Mary the chosen the text rea'ds "Mary the mother of after God had worked among them, of Israel, the throne of Cod, to request , along with His brothers." In any one man exclaimed, "Woe to the wives his "conjugal rights"! case, Mary is never identified as the of these menl" I cannot imagine that molher ofJqsus' brothers (nor they as the fellow to the left of him replied, The Lord's "Brothers" her children). brrt only as the Molher "What do you mean,Joe?" The mean- There are several questions based on ofJesus. ing of the statement would have been Scripture that are often raised by those immediately apparent. skeptical about the doctrine of ever- The Meaning of "Until" \A/hether these stories relate actual virginiry. The first of these involves the Another objection to the idea of events or not, they express the popular passages which state explicitly that the Mary's perpetual virginity is that the piety in Israel at the time of the birth Lord had "brothers." There are nine Scriptures use the word "until" or "ti11" of . That culture understood such passages: Matthew 72:46-47 and in Matthew 1:25: ".. . and floseph] virginity and abstinence not as a mere 13:55-56; Mark 3:31-32 and 6:3;Luke did not know her till she had brought rejection of something enj oyable-to 8: 19-20; John 2:12 and 7:3-5; Acts forth her firstborn Son." what end?-but as something naturally 1:14; and 1 Corinthians 9:5. The Greek Whereas in English the word "until" taken up by one whose life has been word used in all these passages and necessarily indicates change after the consecrated by the Lord's Spirit to be generally translated "brother" is fact, in the ancient languages of the avessel of salvation to His people. The adelphos. this is simply not the case. For intervening centuries of social, reli- The Septuagint-the ancient Greek instance, if we read Deuteronomy 34:6, gious, and philosophical conditioning translation of the Hebrew Scriptures 2 Samuel 6:23, Psalm 72:7 andll0:7 have made us suspicious of virginity used by the Apostles (abbreviated (as interpreted byJesus in Matthew and chastity in a way that no one in the LXX)-includes specific words for 22:42-46) , Matthew 11:23 and 28:20, Lord's time would have been. "cousin," notably afulphi.nos and Romans 8:22, and 1 Timothy 4:13, to Mary became the vessel for the Lord anepsios, but they are rarely used. The reference just a few examples, we will of Glory Himself, and bore in the flesh less specific word adelphos, which can see that in none of these passages does Him whom heaven and earth cannot mean "brother," "cousin," "kinsman," the word "until" indicate a necessary contain. Would this not have been "fellow believer," or "fellow country- change. If it did, then apparently grounds to consider her life, including man," is used consistently throughout among other things we would be her body, as consecrated to God and the LXX, even when cousin or kins- meant to understand thatJesus will God alone? Or is it more plausible man is clearly the relation described at some point stop sitting at the right that she would shrug it all off and get (such as in Genesis 14:14,76;29:12; hand of the Fathec and that on some on with keeping house in the usual Leviticus 25:49; Jeremiah 32:8, 9, 12; unhappy date in the future He intends fashion? Consider that the poetically Tobit 7:2; etc.). Lot, for instance, to abandon the Church! parallel incident of the Lord's entry who was the nephew of Abraham The use of "until" in Matthew 1:25, through the east gate of the Temple (cf. Genesis ll:27-31), is called his then, is purely to indicate that Christ (in Ezekiel 43-44) prompts the call: brother in Genesis 13:B and 11:14-16. was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and "This gate shall be shut; it shall not The point is that the commonly used the Virgin Mary not conceived by be opened, and no one shall enter Greek word for a male relative, Joseph and Mary, since they did not by it, for the Lom God of Israel has ad,elphos, can be translated "cousin" or "know" each other "until" the birth. entered by it; therefore it shall be "brother" if no specific family relation In this context "until" is really synony- shut" (44:2). is indicated. mous with "before." If on the contrary And then there isJoseph's character Is there anywhere a clear statement it were meant in its full contempofary to consider. Surely his wife's miracu- in the Scriptures establishing Jesus' English sense-that is, if it really lous conception and birthgiving brothers as literally the children of meant thatJoseph and Mary's chaste (confirmed by the in dream- Mary? In fact, there is not. Nowhereis relationship changed after the birth- visions) and the sight of God incarnate Mary explicitly stated to be the mother then the stylistics present another big in the face of the child Christ would of.fesus' brothers. The formula for problem: the reader would have to have been enough to convince him speaking of the Lord's family is "His believe that Matthew was actuallY that his marriage was set apart from mother and His brothers." In Mark inaiting contemltlation of the couple's the norm. Within Mary's very body had the possessive, onautott-"of Him," is Iater sexual activity. This is doubtful to dwelt the second Person of the Triniry. inserted before both'Tlis mother" and say the least. r6 AGAIN vor..:6. No.'l The Meaning of "Firstborn" (1) ; Matthew and St. Mark is the mothdr of Another objection might be based (2) the mother of the sons of our Lord's "brotheri," 'James and the "frrstborn," prototokosin on word ; ." Also, it is inconceivable that Greek. The problem again is that the (3) Mary the Mother ofJames and Matthew and Mark would refer to the Greek word is not identical in seman- Joseph. Lord's Mother at the fobt of the Cross tic range to the English rendering. In the parallel passage in Mark as the mother ofJames'andJoseph, The English "firstborn" usually lb:40,41, the women are said to be: but not mentibn that she is the Mother (though, it must be said, not always) (1) Mary Magdalene; ofJesus as welll implies the existence of subsequent (2) ; If it is the case, as the Scriptures children, but with prototohos there is (3) Mary the mother ofJames the suggest, that iVpry wile oIClopas is no such implication. In Hebrews 1:6, Less and ofJoses. the same as the mother ofJames and for example, the use of prototokos in InJohn 19:25, the women are Joseph, we have the following conclu- reference to the Incarnation of the listed as: sion: the Theotokos had a "sister," Word of God cannot mean that there (1) Mary Magdalene; married to , who was the is a "second-born" Word of Godl (2) Christ's Mother; mother ofJames andJoseph, our Nowhere is the term used to express (3) His mother's sister, Mary wife of Lord's "brothers." Here, the question merely the order of birth; instead in Clopas. ought to immediately arise concerning Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:15, 18, For our purposes we should focus the Theotokos' relationship to this Hebrews 11:28 and 12:23, and Revela- on the woman who is referred to bv St. Mary: \Atrat kind of "sister" is she? tion 1:5, the title is applied toJesus as the privileged and legal Heir of the Kingdom, attesting that He is truly Who exactly are the "first in all things." To the contempo- rary ear, a better translation might "brothers of the Lord" if nat indeed be "heir," which is similarly siient on the subject of other children felloza sons of Mdry His mother? and carries the same legal and poetic force that is intended by "firstborn." A close study of the womsn at the

"Woman, Behold ThySon" Cross in Mattheza 27:55, 56 A-lso, consider the moving passage from St.John's in which our yields a plausible ansuer Lord commits His Mother into the care of St..]ohn as He dies on the Matthew as "Mary the mother ofJames Hegisippus, a Jewish Christian Cross. \Ahy would He do so if she andJoseph," by St. Mark as "Mary the historian who, according to , had other children to look after her? mother ofJames the Less and ofJoses "belonged to the first generation after Jewish custom dictated that the care of la variant ofJosephl," and by St. John the apostles" and who interviewed a mother would fall to the sdcond born in his list as "His mother's sister, Mary many Christians from that apostolic if the firstborn died, and if the widow wife of Clopas." community for his history relates that had no other child she would be left Note that in Matthew the names Clopas was the brother of St. Joseph, to take care of herself. Since she is 'James andJoseph" were mentioned foster-father of Christ (apud. Eusb. without other children, her Son gives before. Indeed, the way Matthew Eccl. H. w:22).If this is so (and her into the care of the beloved mentions "Mury mother ofJames Hegisippus is generally acknowledged . andJoseph" in 2? :55, 56 presupposes as fully reliable), then "Mary wife of that he has already introduced these Clopas" was the Virgin Mary's "sister" The Women at the Cross and the 'James andJoseph"-as indeed he has. in that she was her sister-in-1aw. Identity of the Lord's Brothers In Matthew 13:55, we read that our The puzzle therefore fits together. \44ro exactly are the "brothers of the Lord's "brothers" are 'James and St.Joseph married the Virgin Lord" if not fellow sons of Mary His Joseph and Simon andJudas." simi- Theotokos, who gave birth to Christ, mother? (Here, I am gratefully in- larly, in St. Mark's Gospel, 'James and her only Child, preserving her virginity debted to the writing of Fr. Lawrence Joses" are mentioned as if we already and having no other children. St. Farley in The Gospel of Mark: The know who'James andJoses" are, which Joseph's brother, Clopas, also married Suffering Seruant, pages 85-87, Conciliar in fact we do from :3, where a woman named Mary, who had the Press, 2004.) A close study of the Christ's "brothers" are listed as'James childrenJames andJoseph (along women at the Cross in :55, andJoses andJudas and Simon." withJudas and Simon, and daughters 56 yieids a plausible answer. These It seems beyond reasonable dis- also). These children were our Lord's women were said to be: pute that the Mary at the Cross in St. "brothers" (using the terminology ot AGAIN WTNTER 2oo4 t7 Israel, which as we have seen made ments-converged in the young Orthodox theologian has said,tbecause no distinction between brothers and woman who would answer the way al1 she is the great example. This venera- cousins but referred to all as "brothers"). Israel should always have answered, tion is beautifully expressed in an St. Matthew and St. Mark, focusing and as we all are expected to answer Orthodox hymn that poetically on our Lord's family (Matthew 13:53ff now: "Behold the handmaiden of recounts 's first encounter with and Mark 6:lff), naturally refer to the Lord." Mary, who was about to become the Clopas' wife Mary as "the mother of But her purpose in salvation history Ark of the New Covenant,. the throne James andJoseph (Joses)." St. John, did not end there. She was not cast of God, the flesh which gave flesh to on the other hand, focuses on our aside as an article that is no longer the Word of God: Lord's Mother (cf.John 2:1ff) andjust useful. Instead her whole being and Awed bytthe beauty of your virginity as naturally refers to this same woman life would continue to point us without and the exceeding radiance ofyour as "His mother's sister, Mary wife of distraction to her Son. At the wedding puriry Clopas." But it is apparent that it is of Cana in Galilee we hear her words: Gabriel stood amazed, and cried to one and the same woman being "Whatever He says to you, do it" (John you, O Mother of Cod: relerred to by all. This reconstruclion 2:5). At her Son's crucifixion, she "\A/trat praise may I offer you is the best that can be made (though stands fast at the foot of the Cross, this that is worthy of your beauty? others exist, they all contain serious time pointing not with words but by By what name shall I call you? weaknesses) given both the Scripturai her refusal to leave His side even in I am lost and bewildered, and historical evidence. the face of what seemed an impossible but I shall greet you as I was nightmare. As we undertake to imitate commanded: Why Mary's Ever-Virginity Is this faithfulness in pointing always to Hail, O full of grace." + Important God, we will begin to see in the same Some would say that even if it can be measure that Mary's perpetual virginiry Fr. John Hainsworth is pastor of All proved, Mary's ever-virginiry is not is in fact her ever-ministry, the ideal Saints of Alaska Orthodox Mission, of essential to the proclamation of the example for our own ministry. Victoria, British Columbia. Born in East Gospel, and this is true on a cenain It is important to recover the proper Africa and raised in Calgary, Fr John Ievel. In its essence, the Orthodox veneration of Mary which the apostolic conuerted to Orthodoxy in 1992. He Church proclaims the Gospel ofJesus Church has always held, not because graduatedfrom St. Wadimir's Seminary in Christ. This is our message, our reason Mary is the great exception but, as one 2002 with a Master's d,egree in Diaini\. for being, the very life of our life. Teaching about Mary is realiy meant Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation for the initiates, those who have (Required by 39 USC 3685) PS Form 3526 i. PublicationTitle-Again already accepted the Gospel and have 2. 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Paid md /or requested circulation me blessed," Mury was not vainly (l) Paid or requested mail subscriptions (outside county, form 3541) 3450 3482 contemplating her own uniqueness, (2) Paid or requested mail subscriptions (in county, form 3541) 0 0 (3) Sales through dealers, vendors, other paid distdbution, etc. 182 92 but proclaiming the wonder that her (4) Other classes mailed though the USPS 104 97 life was to manifest God's glorious c. Total paid and / or requested circulation fsum 15 b1 to 15 b4] 3736 3671 d. Free distribution by mail victory in His Christ for all time. (1) Free distribution (outside county, form 3541) 115 Mary was not a happenstance vessel (2) Free distribution (inside county, fom 3541) 0 (3) Free distribution (other classes, though USPS) 3 I of Cod; rather her role in our salvation e. Free distribution outside of mail 137 was prepared from the beginning of f. Total free distribution fsum 15 d1, 15 d2, 15 d3 and 15 e] 283 Total distribution lsum 15 c and 15 fl 4019 the ages. The entire history of Israel- h. Copies not distributed 481 the patriarchs, the psalms, the proph- i. Total [sum 15 g and 15 h] 4500 j. Percent paid and / or requested circulation c divided by 15 g] 92.9610 ets, the giving of the command- [15 rB AGAIN vor..26. No.4