Who Was the "Other Mary"

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The Catechism of the Catholic Church states "against [the doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary] is sometimes raised that the Bible mentions brothers and sisters of Jesus. The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to other children of the Virgin Mary. In fact James and Joseph, `brothers of Jesus,' are the sons of another Mary, a disciple of Jesus Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls `the other Mary'" (page 126, #500).

Since the identification of the woman in Matthew 28:1 is vital to the Catholic belief in the Perpetual Virginity of the Mother of Christ, it will be well for us to examine the women mentioned during Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. We can be helped in this study by noting the sons of these mothers.

R.C. INTERPRETATION OF THE WOMEN NAMED MARY

Mary Magdalene is mentioned in all four Gospels, and can be eliminated from this discussion.

Mary the mother of James and Joseph (Mt 27:56) is the same person as "the other Mary" of Matthew 28:1. She would then be called "Mary the mother of James the less" in Mark 15:40, and "Mary mother of James" in Mark 16:1. In Luke 24:10 she is identified as "Mary the mother of James."

The three Marys mentioned in John 19:25 were Jesus' mother, Mary wife of Cleopas and Mary Magdalene. Mary wife of Cleopas is the same as Mary mother of James. James the disciple of Christ is the son of Alphaeus, which is an alternate rendering of Cleopas, and, because James the brother of John was "James the Greater", James the son of Alphaeus (or Cleopas) was "James the Less", as mentioned in Mark 15:40.

James the Less was the James mentioned in Luke 6:15 and also the James, one of Jesus' brethren (near kinsmen) of Matthew 13:55.

PROBLEMS WITH THIS INTERPRETATION

James the son of Alphaeus (or Cleopas) is never called "James the Less" as James the brother of John is never called "James the Greater."

James the son of Alphaeus (Luke 6:15) could not be one of Jesus' brethren of Matthew 13:55, as these brethren did not believe on Him (John 7:5).

Therefore the James mentioned in Matthew 27:56 could not have been James the son of Alphaeus. This James has a brother named Joses (or Joseph), and a mother named Mary .

Would three of the four evangelists have omitted Jesus' mother from the list of women at the Cross and Tomb?

If "the other Mary" is Jesus' mother, she would have to had other children. See the Messianic Psalm 69:8, when the Messiah says, "I have become an alien to my mother's children." The fact that Jesus' mother had other children is borne out by Matthew 13:55.

Wait a minute, our Roman Catholic friend will say. The word "brethren" is used in other parts of the New Testament to denote male relatives who are not blood brothers.

This is true, but the word "sisters" in Matthew 13:56 is never used of a female relative other than a blood sister. So the mother of the Messiah had other children, and they were alienated from him (John 7:5).

The picture at the Cross becomes very plain. We see three Marys mentioned:

Mary Magdalene

Mary wife of Cleopas (mentioned only in John 19:25). She is the sister of Jesus' mother and the mother of the Apostle James (not the brother of John). Her husband was one of the two disciples on the Emmaus Road (Luke 24:18).

Mary mother of Jesus. She is called:

Mt 27:56 - Mary mother of James and Joses (see Mt 13:55)

Matthew 28:1 - the other Mary

Mk 15:40 - Mary the mother of James the less

Mk 16:1 - Mary the mother of James

Luke 24:10 - Mary the mother of James

John 19:25 - Jesus' mother

The entire Catholic argument rests on the identity of "James the Less." If he can be linked to James the son of Alphaeus, then he can be linked to Mary Mother of Cleopas (very likely the same as Alphaeus). BUT if he be James the son of Alphaeus, he CANNOT be the James of Matthew 13:55, one of the brethren of Jesus.

There is no biblical link between James the Less and James the son of Alphaeus.

There is no disgrace to Mary's having had other children.

I'm glad that Matthew, Mark and Luke also named Mary the mother of Jesus as one of the holy women around the Cross. To omit her would have been shameful.

I'm glad no part of my salvation rests upon a Church that has decreed the unscriptural doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary. Back toHome Page