you choose Q: did Mary give birth to other children after Jesus?
Q: In the Scripture versions I read, Mary had several children with Joseph AFTER the virgin birth of Jesus. A friend believes Mary was a virgin throughout her live and had but one child—Jesus. Moreover, the term "brother or sister" was often used when referring to relatives, such as cousin, nephew, etc. Can you enlighten me regarding this issue? —Edward
A: The…
looking beyond calvary
The Mount Grace Priory in North Yorkshire is one of England’s best-preserved medieval monasteries. For hundreds of years, Carthusian monks lived there in solitude, devoting themselves to prayer. The priory’s ruins are impressive, but a more modern monument caught my attention on a recent visit to the site.
laying claim
My mother has developed a habit of occasionally asking us what items we would want once she leaves this earthly existence. Responding with lighthearted humor to her musings on death, and her tendency to be a bit of a packrat, my sister and I tell her not to hide any money in the house because we plan on selling it fully furnished when she dies. When I realized the other day that she still had a grapevine wreath my dad and I had made more than 20 years ago, however, I half-jokingly told her to write my name on it.
you choose Q: was Jesus being disrespectful to Mary in John 2:4?
Q: Can you explain the wedding story in John 2? It sounds to me like Jesus was being disrespectful to His mother. —Sylvia
A: Jesus’ response as translated in some English versions can be puzzling. For instance:
“Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4 AV).
“Jesus said to her,…
a song of hope
Fearful of its subversive text and implications, the Guatemalan government of the 1980s banned the public reading or singing of Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:47-55). It’s the poetic hymn Mary sang after the angel had announced that she would give birth to a baby from God. One might wonder how a tender song from sweet Mary about a little baby could possibly be a threat to powers of any political regime. We typically hear this text in beautiful choral arrangements during Christmas holidays, and the whole affair seems quite docile. We need to hear it again.
mary’s risky calling
May everything you have said about me come true” (Luke 1:38). With those words a young (probably teenage) Mary responded to the greatest discipleship call ever given. She had been chosen to give birth to the Son of God. The ramifications would be huge.
teenage pregnancy
If your teenage daughter or your fiancé told you she was pregnant but was still a virgin, would you believe her? For when a single person becomes pregnant, the evidence of sexually immoral conduct is highly probable. That’s because, beyond medically engineered fertilization, it’s impossible to get pregnant without sexual contact. There’s no other acceptable or reasonable explanation— unless, of…
