But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. – Matthew 1:25

 Today's Scripture Reading (October 16, 2020): Matthew 1

It wasn't until the fourth century C. E. that the Christian Church seemed to develop the idea that sex, all sex in every situation, was somehow sinful. During the fourth century, monasticism began to promote celibacy as the ideal state of human existence. Sex and marriage began to be linked to original sin. A celibate priesthood was still centuries away, but the foundation was already being laid. And at the same time, another teaching was being advanced; the perpetual virginity of Mary. When we speak of the Virgin Mary, we aren't talking about just the period leading up to Jesus's birth. The belief in the Virgin Mary speaks of the view that there was never a time when Mary was not a virgin; it refers to the idea that Mary and Joseph never lived as a normal husband and wife.

The perpetual virginity of Mary is a belief that is commonly held by Catholic and Orthodox churches, reaching back to the reverse sexual revolution that took place in the fourth century C.E. to find its origins. And as a result of this sexual revolution, the Biblical story began to be rewritten. One of the most prominent features of this rewriting dealt with Jesus's siblings. The Biblical record is straightforward; Jesus had brothers and sisters. These siblings were the focal point of Jesus's visit to Nazareth early in his ministry. The people looked at Jesus and argued, "Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him" (Mark 6:3). But if Mary was always a virgin, how did these siblings, at least six, come to exist. And there are a couple of theories that have been argued to explain James and his siblings' existence. One approach is that they were not siblings, but cousins who had come to live in the house of Joseph and Mary. Some tragedy had taken place among Mary and Joseph's siblings, and the holy family had taken in the orphaned children, making them part of their family. But if this is true, then why do the gospels not say "cousins." Another theory is that Joseph, who was older than Mary, was in his second marriage, and these children were older siblings from Joseph's first marriage.

But the dance is only necessary because of the fourth-century sexual revolution. The biggest problem with Mary's perpetual virginity is that the teaching is unbiblical and makes us jump through hoops to try to explain the basic instructions found in the Bible. One of the most explicit biblical teachings on this subject is located in the opening chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew says that Joseph did not have sex with Mary "until" Mary's son was born, confirming that the son that was to be born of Mary did not result from the contact of an earthly father.

However, after the birth, Joseph consummated his marriage with Mary and lived with her as a normal married couple. And they called their son, Jesus.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Matthew 2