Question:
I’m puzzled about the ages of Jesus’ brothers. Was Jesus the oldest, or were His brothers older than Him?
Answer:
- The original word “adelphas” means “brother,” specifically one born of the same mother. However, in the New Testament, it is used in a broader sense to refer to brothers in faith or those of the same nation. This broader usage, especially in the plural form, is common. For instance, see Luke 22:32; John 20:17; Acts 2:37; 7:23; 1 Corinthians 8:13; and 16:12. Members of the same family or household could rightly be called brothers, leading some to believe that the “brothers” of Jesus were actually His cousins.
- It is clear from the record in Luke 1 that Jesus was the firstborn of Mary.
- The “brothers” of Jesus appear to have been older than He was. If they had been younger and raised alongside Him, they would likely have believed in Him from the start; yet, for a time, they did not (John 7:5).
- Their attempts to advise Him on His duties suggest that they were older (John 7:3-4). They seemed to believe that He needed to be controlled (Luke 8:19; Mark 3:31; Matthew 12:47).
- Many of Jesus’ brothers were well-known, and when mentioned alongside Him, He alone is referred to as the “son of Mary.” This implies that they were older and possibly sons of another mother (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). Other scriptures, such as 1 Corinthians 9:5 and Galatians 1:19, support this view.
- Furthermore, if Mary had other sons, why would Jesus, at His death, have entrusted His mother to John (John 19:26-27)? Joseph must have passed away before this, as there is no mention of him living after Jesus’ early years. Therefore, the simplest solution is that the brothers of Jesus were sons of Joseph from a previous marriage.
A more important question for each of us, however, is: Are we brothers and sisters of Jesus? We may be, as suggested in Matthew 12:50.
