The question of whether Jesus had a sister is an interesting one that scholars continue to debate. The New Testament gospels mention Jesus having brothers, but do not specifically reference a sister. However, there are some tantalizing clues that suggest Jesus may have indeed had a sister.
References to Jesus’ Siblings in the Bible
The New Testament gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke record that Jesus had brothers. Matthew 13:55-56 states, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us?” Mark 6:3 reads, “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And in Luke 8:19-20, “Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.'”
From these passages, we can conclude definitively that Jesus had multiple brothers. The gospels name four of them—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. But while the gospel authors refer to Jesus’ sisters, they do not provide names or specify how many sisters there were.
The Apocryphal Gospels
Over the centuries, numerous apocryphal gospels emerged claiming to provide additional details about Jesus’ life and family. The authors of these texts likely fabricated stories to satisfy public curiosity. However, some modern scholars think the apocryphal gospels could preserve authentic historical traditions not found in the New Testament. Two apocryphal writings that mention Jesus having a sister are the Gospel of Philip and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene.
The Gospel of Philip
The Gospel of Philip is a 3rd century Gnostic text discovered in 1945 as part of the Nag Hammadi library in Egypt. Passage 59 of the Gospel of Philip refers to Mary Magdalene as Jesus’ companion:
“There were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary his mother and her sister and Magdalene, the one who was called his companion.”
The word translated here as “companion” can also mean partner or consort. This reference to Mary Magdalene and an unnamed sister of Jesus’ mother has been interpreted by some scholars as evidence that Jesus had a literal sister.
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene
Discovered in 1896 in Cairo, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene dates to the 2nd century A.D. It presents an account of post-resurrection dialogues between Mary Magdalene and Jesus’ disciples. In passage 17, Mary defends her authority to preach on Jesus’ teachings:
“Peter said to Mary, ‘Sister, we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of women. Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember, which you know (but) we do not nor have we heard them.'”
Peter’s use of the term “sister” in addressing Mary Magdalene has led some to hypothesize that the text implies Mary was Jesus’ literal sister. However, most scholars interpret “sister” as simply a title rather than an indication of their familial relationship.
Theories Supporting Jesus Having a Sister
While the biblical and apocryphal references to Jesus’ siblings remain inconclusive, there are some theories speculating that Jesus did indeed have one or more sisters:
- Mary as sister theory: Some theologians propose that Mary Magdalene herself was Jesus’ sister. They point to her close relationship with Jesus and presence at key events in the gospels as indications of a familial bond.
- Child of Joseph theory: One theory claims that Joseph, husband of Mary, had children from a previous marriage before wedding Mary and fathering Jesus. Under this view, Jesus would have had step-siblings, including one or more sisters.
- Daughter of Cleophas: The Gospels of Matthew and Mark mention a “Mary, the wife of Clopas” standing with Mary Magdalene observing Jesus’ crucifixion. Some posit this Mary could have been Jesus’ sister, although her identity remains uncertain.
Proponents argue these possibilities could explain gospel references to Jesus’ sisters in a literal sense.
Arguments Against Jesus Having a Sister
There are also reasons many scholars doubt the notion that Jesus had an actual sister:
- “Brothers and sisters” as terminology: References to Jesus’ brothers and sisters may have been figurative language conveying Jesus’ spiritual brothers/sisters in the Christian community, not biological siblings.
- Church tradition: The early church taught Mary was a perpetual virgin, so Jesus could not have had full siblings. Sisters mentioned in the gospels would have to be step-siblings or cousins.
- No name given: The absence of any specific name or details for the supposed sister(s) implies the gospel authors did not intend to portray literal sisters.
- Apocryphal uncertainty: Vague apocryphal references to Jesus’ sisters are late, unverified texts and likely hold no historical weight.
These objections weaken the case for Jesus having a biological sister.
What Early Christians Believed
When analyzing historical evidence, it can be helpful to consider the views of early Christians closest to Jesus’ time. The earliest post-New Testament Christian writings provide some insights into beliefs about Jesus’ family:
- The 2nd century father Hegesippus distinguished Jesus’ brothers like James the Just from his cousins, suggesting James and other brothers were sons of Joseph.
- The 2nd century apologist Justin Martyr also stated Jesus had literal brothers/sisters and explicitly denied the perpetual virginity doctrine.
- But by the 4th century, church fathers like Athanasius strongly advocated Mary’s perpetual virginity and rejected that Jesus had siblings.
Overall, the earliest Christian sources favor the view that Jesus did indeed have brothers and sisters in the literal sense. But this view faded over time as virginity doctrines solidified.
Conclusion
The issue of whether Jesus had a sister ultimately remains a mystery. Both the biblical and extra-biblical sources leave the door open for possible sisters but do not provide conclusive evidence one way or the other. Jesus certainly had brothers, whose existence alone indicates that views on Mary’s virginity evolved over time. But the data on sisters is more ambiguous. The strongest evidence suggests they were not literal siblings, but without more definitive proof, the theories supporting a sister of Jesus retain plausibility.
Source | Reference to Jesus’ Sister? | Supporting or Opposing a Literal Sister? |
---|---|---|
Gospel of Matthew | Mentions Jesus’ sisters | Supporting |
Gospel of Philip | Refers to Mary Magdalene as Jesus’ sister | Supporting |
Gospel of Mary | Unclear term “sister” used for Mary Magdalene | Ambiguous |
Hegesippus | Distinguishes Jesus’ brothers from cousins | Supporting |
Church Fathers | Taught Mary’s perpetual virginity | Opposing |