72. Mary's Virginity and Betrothal to Joseph

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

Perpetual Virginity of Mary (Article 3) #

• Whether Mary remained a virgin after giving birth to Christ
• Examination of scriptural language that appears to suggest otherwise
• Defense of perpetual virginity against the heresy of Helvidius

Mary’s Vow of Virginity (Article 4) #

• Whether Mary absolutely vowed virginity despite Old Testament law commanding generation
• The distinction between conditional and absolute vows
• The role of Joseph’s consent in Mary’s vow
• Comparison between Mary’s practice of evangelical counsels and Christ’s

Christ’s Birth from One Betrothed (Article 5) #

• Whether it was suitable for Christ to be born of a betrothed virgin
• Four reasons justifying the betrothal
• The purpose of betrothal in protecting Mary’s reputation and providing for Christ’s care

Key Arguments #

Against Perpetual Virginity (Objections) and Their Refutation #

Objection 1: Matthew 1:18

• “Before Joseph and Mary came together” implies they later came together
• Response: The adverb “before” (ante) indicates what was thought or expected, not what subsequently occurred. The evangelist states the conception happened before any such union was possible, not that union would later occur.

Objection 2: The Meaning of “Until” (donec)

• “He knew her not until she brought forth” (Matthew 1:25) implies knowledge after birth
• Response: In Scripture, “until” often marks only the endpoint of a condition without implying what comes after. Example: “Our eyes are unto the Lord until his mercy upon us” does not mean eyes are averted from God after mercy comes. Similarly, Scripture uses “until” to indicate times about which there is doubt unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Objection 3: “Firstborn” implies siblings

• Christ is called “firstborn,” which cannot be said except of one who has brothers afterward
• Response: “Firstborn” in Scripture means the one who opens the womb, not necessarily one with subsequent siblings. The Old Testament law required redemption of firstborns even when they were the only child, proving the term does not logically require brothers. Modern usage confirms this: parents call their first child “the firstborn” even before knowing if more will follow.

Objection 4: “Brothers” of Jesus mentioned in Scripture

• John 2:12 and other passages mention “his mother and his brothers”
• Response: “Brothers” in Scripture refers to cousins or kinsmen according to four different uses of the term: by nature, by nation, by kinship, and by effect. The “brothers of the Lord” are understood as cousins—specifically, sons of Mary’s sister or relatives of Joseph—not sons of Mary herself.

Objection 5: Another Mary as mother of James and Joseph

• Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 mention “Mary the mother of James and Joseph” at the cross
• Response: This Mary is not the Mother of God, but rather the wife of Alpheus, whose son James the Lesser is called “the brother of the Lord” because of kinship. The Mother of God is always designated in Scripture by her dignity as “the mother of Jesus,” not by other names.

Against Mary Vowing Virginity (Objections) and Their Refutation #

Objection 1: The Old Law prohibited sterility

• Deuteronomy 7 states there shall not be anyone sterile of either sex
• Response: Although the Old Law required generation, Mary vowed virginity with the condition “if it be pleasing to God.” Once the angel revealed God’s pleasure in her virginity, she absolutely vowed it after betrothal with Joseph’s consent.

Objection 2: The Apostle says he has no command about virginity

• 1 Corinthians 7 states virginity is counsel, not command
• Response: The evangelical counsels began perfectly in Christ but were begun in Mary his mother. The Apostle’s statement concerns those who absolutely vow chastity from the beginning, not those who vow with condition or after betrothal by mutual consent.

Objection 3: Vowing virginity as a betrothed woman seems damnable

• 1 Timothy 5 states that those who vow virginity when already betrothed incur damnation
• Response: Mary was not damned because her vow was made with Joseph’s consent and knowledge, not against his will or contrary to their betrothal. The vow was not made in pride or violation of their conjugal bond but in mutual agreement.

In Favor of Mary’s Betrothal #

Four reasons why Christ ought to be born of a betrothed virgin:

1. Against false accusation: Lest the faithless reject Christ as unlawfully born (illegitimate child). Ambrose notes that without betrothal, Herod and the Jews would have grounds to persecute as one born unlawfully.

2. For genealogical clarity: His genealogy might be properly described through the man according to custom. The person of the male is asked and named in legal and genealogical matters, following the custom of Scripture which always seeks the origin through the father’s line.

3. For protection and nurture: That the devil not vehemently attack the infant, and that Joseph provide for his nourishment and care. Joseph served as earthly guardian and provider.

4. Against concealment of the miracle: While some say betrothal hid the miracle from the devil, this reason is weak because demons can perceive bodily events through their natural knowledge, and demons later clearly knew Christ (Mark 1:24).

Important Definitions #

Ante (before) - Though often indicating things following, it shows only those things which are thought before; the evangelist says conception happened before they came together, meaning before such union was even contemplated.

Donec (until) - A temporal adverb that, in Scripture, designates only the time up to which something was uncertain, not what comes after that point. Its sense is: “about which one is able to doubt if they are not written, but other ones are left to our understanding.”

Primus genitus (firstborn) - In Scripture, the one who opens the womb, whether or not brothers follow. The term does not logically require subsequent siblings.

Fratres (brothers) - In Scripture, used in four ways: nature (from same parents), nation (fellow Israelites), kinship/consanguinity (same blood relatives), and effect (spiritual brothers in faith).

Coniux (spouse/conjugal wife) - A term indicating the conjugal bond rather than carnal union. Mary is called the spouse of Joseph through the first perfection of marriage (mutual consent), not through the second perfection (consummation).

Desponsatio (betrothal) - A binding commitment to marriage in Jewish custom, more serious than modern engagement. It established the conjugal bond and could result in stoning for infidelity, thus protecting Mary’s reputation.

Examples & Illustrations #

The Adverb “Before” and “Until” #

• Just as one might say “Before I ate, I navigated the gate” meaning one intended to eat at the gate before navigating, not that eating followed navigation, so Matthew means Mary conceived before they came together—the conception happened in a state before any such coming together was possible.

Modern Usage of “Firstborn” #

• When a second child is being born and someone asks an experienced father “Is this your first?” he replies “No, I’m used to this—this is my second.” Yet before the first child was born, they would have said “This is our first one” without knowing if a second would come. The term “firstborn” is properly used of the only child.

Redemption of Firstborns in the Law #

• The Old Testament law required redemption of firstborns in the first month. This proves that “firstborn” cannot require siblings to follow, for a child could not be called firstborn (and thus require redemption) only if subsequent siblings existed. If the term required brothers to follow, no child could ever be called firstborn until another was born.

Joseph’s Righteousness #

• A just man (like Joseph) would not presume to know Mary after the angel revealed she had conceived God of the Holy Spirit. He saw the shepherds, the Magi, and received angelic warnings—all indicating holiness. He would have had holy fear, would have waited forty days for Mary’s purification, and being the just man he was, would never have insisted on marital relations.

The Closed Gate (Ezekiel 44) #

• Augustine interprets the closed gate (through which only God enters and exits) as a figure of Mary: closed before birth, closed during birth, closed after birth. It represents her virginity in three stages, with Joseph never knowing her and only the Lord entering through her.

Questions Addressed #

Article 3: Did Mary Remain a Virgin After Giving Birth? #

• The Problem: Multiple scriptural phrases seem to indicate Mary had relations with Joseph after Christ’s birth
• Key Resolution: The adverbs “before” and “until” in Matthew indicate what was expected or thought before the Incarnation, not what subsequently occurred. Mary’s sanctification was miraculous preservation of her virginity, which took away from her any inclination toward carnal union.

Article 4: Did Mary Vow Virginity? #

• The Problem: The Old Law seemed to require generation; the Apostle says he has no command about virginity; betrothed women who vow virginity incur damnation
• The Solution: Mary vowed with the condition “if it be pleasing to God” before betrothal. After betrothal, with Joseph’s consent, she emitted an absolute vow. This was not damnable because made with Joseph’s knowledge and agreement, following the highest perfection. The evangelical counsels began perfectly in Christ and were begun in Mary.

Notable Quotes #

“The mother of God is called the coniux [conjugal wife], which means the one joined from faith—the first faith of the twirlow, which was not known by the flesh union nor would it be so known.” — Thomas, in explanation of Augustine

“She was betrothed, lest infamy would be brought against her virginity.” — Ambrose, referenced by Thomas

“The gate was closed forever—Mary the virgin was a virgin before giving birth, and a virgin in giving birth, and a virgin after birth.” — Augustine, from Ezekiel 44 interpretation

“The mother of God is not believed to have absolutely vowed virginity before she was betrothed to Joseph, but afterward, having taken a spouse, at the same time with that, she emitted the vow of virginity.” — Thomas’s synthesis of tradition