The Bible mentions James and John as two of Jesus’ closest disciples. But were they actually related to him by blood? There seems to be some debate about this. I’m curious to learn more about the possible family connection between Jesus, James, and John.
- Were James and John Jesus’ biological brothers?
The Bible refers to James and John as the “brothers” of Jesus, but there’s debate on what that exactly means. There are two main interpretations:
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Cousins: This view is held by Catholics and Orthodox Christians. They argue the Greek word used in the New Testament for “brother” can also mean cousin, and that Mary remained a virgin after Jesus’ birth.
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Brothers: Some Protestant denominations believe James and John were biological half-siblings of Jesus, born to Joseph from a previous marriage.
There’s no definitive answer, and it’s a topic of discussion among scholars.
