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:
- Jesus is called Mary's "first" child, implying others (Luke 2:7)
- Joseph did not consummate the marriage "until" Jesus was born (Matthew 1:25)
- Jesus is clearly said to have had "brothers" (John 2:12)
- In ancient Jewish culture, having many children was seen as a blessing, so it would be odd for Mary to avoid having any children.
- Paul wrote against abstinence within marriage (1 Corinthians 7:5)
- 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:
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