Mary the perpetual virgin?

Even if Mary had no other children, and she did, that does not keep her a virgin. She had a husband and scripture says;
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Well if she was with child before they came together then they had to come together at some point later.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

This is very clear that her husband did have relations with her after the birth of the Lord.

 

"I was fluent in French before I ever went to Europe." Does that mean I went to Europe after I became fluent in French? Could be, but not necessarily.

 

Now that certainly must be astute. I just can't tell why.

 

Doesn't have to mean anything. You can't tell by that statement whether I went to Europe or not. So when Matthew says, "before they came together," it doesn't prove they ever came together.

On the other hand, if I said, "I was fluent in French. Then I went to Europe," it would show that I definitely went to Europe. So if Matthew had said, "She was found to be with child. Then they came together," that would demonstrate Joseph and Mary actually came together.

 

This is horrific and absolutely ridiculous.

 

It's in the name of graciousness toward fellow believers.

There are also committed United Methodists that are Christians.

 

May I suggest a definition of heresy from the Greek? The Greek word hairesis occurs 9 times in the NT, translated in the KJV "sect" 5 times and "heresy" (or the plural) 4 times. So, though the basic meaning in the lexicons is "an opinion or choice" as freeatlast says, the NT usage for our purposes (the viewpoint of individual Christians, especially in a local church) indicates the development of a sect within the church that follows a certain doctrine.

The kicker is the noun from the same root, hairetikos, occuring in the NT only in Titus 3:10 as "heretic."--"A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject." So the obvious conclusion is that a heretic is someone who causes divisions in a church because of his teaching, and thus must be disciplined out of the church.

So, is the doctrine of the eternal virginity of Mary a heresy? It is if it threatens to cause a division in my church, a church split if you will. If someone is teaching that in my church I will (1) tell them never to mention it again because we believe it is unbiblical, and (2) take away any teaching position they have. If they then continue to spread the doctrine in the church, I will (3) institute church discipline proceedings against them.

 

As an obedient Jewish wife, wouldn't it have been sin for Mary to withhold her affections from her husband?

 

Amy you are absolutely correct and she did not withhold her affections. For anyone to believe that Mary was always a virgin even in marriage they have to reject scripture and be as Peter says willfully ignorant.

 

Same here...not sure how you can maintain from that statement you never went to Europe

 

Not if the husband knew his wife had taken a vow of chastity and did nothing to disavow it. See Numbers 30. We don’t know for sure but according to Eastern Tradition Joseph was old and had other children by a previous marriage.

 

You can’t, and that is my point. The statement doesn’t prove anything, whether you went or whether you didn’t.

 

Hope my hubby doesn't see that comment, he might choke to death laughing. :tonofbricks:

Seriously...what would be the point in her staying a virgin after marriage? Especially after already giving birth? Why would people consider not sleeping with your own husband extra holy or special? Some people can't have a physical relationship for medical reasons and to my knowledge, nobody, not even in the Christian world, holds them up as extra special or holy.

Please explain.

 

...not everyone :laugh: