Short Criticism Of The Perpetual Virginity Of Mary

 Catholics, Orthodox, many Lutherans and Anglicans as well as some Reformed theologians believe that Mary never had other children after Jesus was born (virginitas post partum) and that Jesus did not have a normal human birth, thus Mary even being a virgin during childbirth (virginitas in partu), thus they believe that Mary had no birth pains.

Biblically however, it is clear that Mary had other children after Jesus:

1. Jesus is called Mary's "first" child, implying others (Luke 2:7)
2. Joseph did not consummate the marriage "until" Jesus was born (Matthew 1:25)
3. Jesus is clearly said to have had "brothers" (John 2:12)
4. In ancient Jewish culture, having many children was seen as a blessing, so it would be odd for Mary to avoid having any children.
5. Paul wrote against abstinence within marriage (1 Corinthians 7:5)
6. The doctrine that Mary had no other children seems to come from ascetic Platonic/Gnostic thinking rather than the Bible

 

Catholics try to argue that the Greek word "ἕως" translated "until" in Matt 1:25 doesn't necessarily imply a change, yet it almost always does (examples taken from Biblehub):

Matthew 2:9 Conj

GRK: προῆγεν αὐτούς ἕως ἐλθὼν ἐστάθη

KJV: them, till it came

Matthew 2:13 Conj

GRK: ἴσθι ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν εἴπω

KJV: be thou there until I bring

Matthew 2:15 Conj

GRK: ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς

KJV: was there until the death of Herod: