Was Mary a Perpetual Virgin?

December 6th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Matthew 1:24-25 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

Once Joseph awakened, he seems to have been a man on a mission. God’s communication to him was well received, for he went immediately to Mary, assured her of his devotion, and took her as his wife. Whereas both Zacharias and Mary asked the angel a follow-up question after they received a word from God (see Luke 1:18, 34), Joseph never says a word but goes to take Mary as his wife immediately in obedience to the divine announcement. His obedience to the divine word is certainly no less noteworthy than Mary’s in Luke 1:38.

Joseph was a remarkable man, for even after he married Mary “he kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son.” Matthew seems intent on letting his audience know that Mary was not touched sexually by any man until after she gave birth to Jesus. Although in Roman Catholic dogma, Mary remained a perpetual virgin after she gave birth to Jesus, the “until” clause in v. 25 argues against this. Furthermore, since God created the sexual union between husband and wife, there is nothing that would warrant Mary and Joseph from enjoying normal conjugal relations after Jesus’ birth (cf. 12:46; 13:55). In fact, it would have been very strange for them to refrain from such, for it was a forfeiture of experiencing that which God created to be enjoyed.

To be fair, Catholics do recognize that Jesus had brothers and sisters in the Bible, but in an effort to retain the tradition of Mary’s perpetual virginity, they relegate Jesus’ siblings, referenced in Matthew 13:55, as children of Joseph from a prior marriage. If this were true, however, then the oldest son of Joseph’s prior marriage would have been heir to the Davidic throne, not Jesus. Yet Matthew says it was Jesus who was the heir (1:1). They also point to the fact that Jesus commended Mary to John at the cross as evidence that she had no other children. Is it possible, however, that none of her children were present. After all, John 7:5 says Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him. Hence, He left her in John’s care (who was a close relative).

Jesus’ brothers and sisters spoken of in Matthew 13:55 do in fact sound like siblings. They are mentioned in the context of His immediate family where Jesus is called “the carpenter’s son.” The siblings are named (James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas), and His mother is present. Who else could the brothers and sisters be therefore but actual siblings? (Matt. 12:46; Gal. 1:19). Jesus’ family had come to take Him with them, for they were family! Matthew’s use of “mother” for Mary seems clearly to indicate that these brothers and sisters are her children. Furthermore, the Greek term for “brother” (adelphos) used in v. 55 is the normal word for “blood brother” (cf. Mark 1:16, 19; 13:12; John 11:1-2; Acts 23:16; Rom. 16:15). In fact, there is not a single example where adelphos is used for “cousin” in the NT, yet the word for “cousin” (anepsios) is used in Colossians 4:10, where Mark is described as “the cousin” (anepsios) of Barnabas.

After Jesus was born, eight days later, Mary and Joseph took the Child to be circumcised and to give offerings (Luke 2:21) in accordance with OT Law. It was at that time that Joseph named the Child “Jesus” (v. 25) in obedience to the angel’s command.

Food For Thought
Ultimately, it does not matter whether Mary remained a perpetual virgin. Although the most conservative Bible study points to the probability that she did have normal sexual relations after the birth of Jesus, Protestants and Catholics will always argue the issue. But bad interpretation leads to heretical ideas. For Catholics, this includes prayers and veneration to a dead woman! Christ is to be our only focus. No one else; only Christ. After all, it is He alone who saves.