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That is probably true. But the point is, if it is not in Scripture, we cannot say that Joseph did have a wife before marrying Mary. We know that God, the ultimate Author of the bible, has revealed in it all that He wants us to know, all that is needed. Going beyond it in a matter like a supposed previous marriage of Joseph is mere speculation.
The Church existed long before any of the New Testament was written, and the brothers and sisters of Christ were among the many who spread the Gospel throughout Israel and beyond. There was no need to write any further details of them in the Gospels because anyone who met them could see with their own eyes how they were related in age to Mary.
Yet even when writing to those New Testament churches in Gentile cities, where they wouldn't have known things like whether Mary had children after Jesus was born or whether Joseph had been married previously, the writers make no mention of these things. Regarding respect, the brothers at that stage did not believe in Jesus - any respect they would have had for Him otherwise was obliterated by that. Also, we're not told when Joseph died, despite the so-called Cherry Tree Carol, which starts: "Joseph was an old man, An old man was he; He married sweet Mary,The queen of Galilee." The brothers' non-belief may well have been the reason Jesus tasked John with the care of Mary.
As it did not pertain to the Gospel, there is no reason why the Apostles would feel the need to write about them. In any case, the Church has retained that knowledge.
My experience says otherwise. My own big brother wasn't perfect like Jesus would have been, but he has always had my respect.
Irrelevant. Its a given that Joseph was no longer alive when Jesus began His ministry.
Yet they all became believers after His resurrection, which Jesus would have forknown. If His brothers were children of Mary then it would have been a huge slight against them to put their mother in the care of a non-family member. Joseph is described as a righteous man and Mary was obedient to God, yet apparently they raised their children so terribly that Jesus refused to leave Mary in their care.
Oh, you made a funny?
To be fair, you made an assertion, not an argument, and the rest of your post was an unrelated polemic against Orthodoxy in a thread where you should be united with the Orthodox in arguing for the legitimacy of Marian veneration as part of the deposit of faith. There wasn't much there for anyone to respond to, as far as it relates to the thread's topic.
I gve your off topic post the treatment it deserved.
How about 1 Kings 18:27?
I would much prefer making light of your polemical attack on the Orthodox Church than waste my time arguing with you.
Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox icons of the "Flight to Egypt" will often have a young James accompanying Joseph and Mary as they take the infant Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod.The proto gospel of James indicates that Joseph was married prior to betrothal to Mary. However, Jerome disagrees with this. He indicates that Joseph was likewise a virgin:
CHURCH FATHERS: The Perpetual Virginity of Mary (Jerome)
Featuring the Church Fathers, Catholic Encyclopedia, Summa Theologica and more.www.newadvent.org
But as we do not deny what is written, so we do reject what is not written. We believe that God was born of the Virgin, because we read it. That Mary was married after she brought forth, we do not believe, because we do not read it. Nor do we say this to condemn marriage, for virginity itself is the fruit of marriage; but because when we are dealing with saints we must not judge rashly. If we adopt possibility as the standard of judgment, we might maintain that Joseph had several wives because Abraham had, and so had Jacob, and that the Lord's brethren were the issue of those wives, an invention which some hold with a rashness which springs from audacity not from piety. You say that Mary did not continue a virgin: I claim still more, that Joseph himself on account of Mary was a virgin, so that from a virgin wedlock a virgin son was born. For if as a holy man he does not come under the imputation of fornication, and it is nowhere written that he had another wife, but was the guardian of Mary whom he was supposed to have to wife rather than her husband, the conclusion is that he who was thought worthy to be called father of the Lord, remained a virgin.
...and perhaps no reason for it being a topic of discussion here
"Given" by whom? The bible just doesn't say.
But He committed His mother to John's care whilst He was on the cross, not after the resurrection.
You can't be serious. Joseph is a central figure in the nativity narrative, then gets no mention at all after Jesus begins his ministry. When Jesus returns to the place of His upbringing, His brothers are mentioned by name but no mention of Joseph. How else do you imagine this might be explained?
But you yourself have said that there are some things Scripture does not mention. For instance, you wrote: "As it did not pertain to the Gospel, there is no reason why the Apostles would feel the need to write about them. In any case, the Church has retained that knowledge."
Granted, but Our Lord commands us how to behave. If we don’t follow His commands then the salt has lost its savor.
