We are not just going by a salutation in a single epistle when we say that Jesus had physical brothers.
The gospels list 4 brothers of Jesus by name, and also refer to an unspecified number of sisters.
It is pretty clear that these are meant literally, not in some mystical sense of all men being brothers in Christ. After all, those who made note of his siblings were not his followers.
The word "brother" is "adelphos," which literally/etymologically means "from the same womb." It was originally only used for siblings who shared the same mother, regardless of who might be their fathers.
However, it is worth noting that by the time of Plato it had already come to be used for siblings in general, including half siblings who shared a father and not a mother. The Septuagint used the term when referring to the sons of Jacob as brothers of Joseph, even when speaking of those with different mothers.
(It is possible for the term "brother" to mean "brother-in-law" and "sister" to mean "sister-in-law," but that does not help us get over the issue of Mary's perpetual virginity. There would still have to be at least 4 siblings total.)
Roman Catholic often claims that the term brothers and sisters would be better rendered a cousins. Scholar from outside of their faith see no reason to do this though. The gospel writers would have used the term "anepsios" if they had meant cousin.
The Eastern Orthodox prefer more reasonable excuse to defend Mary's perpetual Virginity. They claim that Joseph was an older widower who already had several children from his first marriage; he was not really interested in having sex or fathering any more children with Mary, but rather wanted to get married because he needed help raising the children he already had.
Greek scholars usually agree that the word translated as "until" in Matthew 1:25 does not, like its English equivalent, imply that things later changed. It does not at all preclude that possibility either though.
The gospels list 4 brothers of Jesus by name, and also refer to an unspecified number of sisters.
Mark said:
Matthew said:
It is pretty clear that these are meant literally, not in some mystical sense of all men being brothers in Christ. After all, those who made note of his siblings were not his followers.
The word "brother" is "adelphos," which literally/etymologically means "from the same womb." It was originally only used for siblings who shared the same mother, regardless of who might be their fathers.
However, it is worth noting that by the time of Plato it had already come to be used for siblings in general, including half siblings who shared a father and not a mother. The Septuagint used the term when referring to the sons of Jacob as brothers of Joseph, even when speaking of those with different mothers.
(It is possible for the term "brother" to mean "brother-in-law" and "sister" to mean "sister-in-law," but that does not help us get over the issue of Mary's perpetual virginity. There would still have to be at least 4 siblings total.)
Roman Catholic often claims that the term brothers and sisters would be better rendered a cousins. Scholar from outside of their faith see no reason to do this though. The gospel writers would have used the term "anepsios" if they had meant cousin.
The Eastern Orthodox prefer more reasonable excuse to defend Mary's perpetual Virginity. They claim that Joseph was an older widower who already had several children from his first marriage; he was not really interested in having sex or fathering any more children with Mary, but rather wanted to get married because he needed help raising the children he already had.
Greek scholars usually agree that the word translated as "until" in Matthew 1:25 does not, like its English equivalent, imply that things later changed. It does not at all preclude that possibility either though.
