Origin (248
AD)
"The Book [the Protoevangelium] of James [records] that the brethren of
Jesus were sons of Joseph by a former wife, whom he
married before
Mary. Now those who say so wish to preserve the honor
of Mary in
virginity to the end, so that body of hers which was
appointed to minister
to the Word . . . might not know intercourse with a man
after the Holy
Spirit came into her and the power from on high
overshadowed her. And
I think it in harmony with reason that Jesus was the
firstfruit among men
of the purity which consists in [perpetual] chastity,
and Mary was among
women. For it were not pious to ascribe to any other
than to her the
first fruit of virginity" (Commentary on Matthew 2:17 ).
Hilary of Poitiers (354 AD)
"If they [the brethren of the Lord] had been
Mary’s sons and not those
taken from Joseph’s former marriage, she would never
have been given
over in the moment of the passion [crucifixion] to the
apostle John as his
mother, the Lord saying to each, ‘Woman, behold your
son,’ and to John,
‘Behold your mother’ [John 19:26–27), as he bequeathed
filial love to a
disciple as a consolation to the one desolate" (Commentary on Matthew 1:4).
.
.
248
354