St. Joseph, Unquestionably Ever-Virgin

Essentials on St. Joseph as Most Chaste Spouse of the Mother of God

November 27, 2023

Most faithful Catholics have heard the tradition that Saint Joseph was a widower and had children from another marriage prior to his espousal to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This tradition comes from orthodox Catholics who laudably want to defend the Perpetual Virginity of Mary. They reason that if Jesus has “brethren,” (Mk 6:3)  as the Scriptures say, and that Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus, then these brethren must have been Jesus’ half-brothers from Joseph’s previous marriage. This line of reasoning solves a few difficulties but gives rise to even more. 

What difficulties are solved?

If Joseph had sons from a previous marriage, a couple of possible difficulties in the New Testament regarding Mary’s Perpetual Virginity are quickly resolved: First, as already noted, the “brethren” of Jesus are not His brothers through Mary, but his step-brothers through Joseph and so Mary’s virginity is not called into question. Second, Joseph would necessarily be an older man if this were his second marriage and old men are much less subject to temptations of the flesh than young men. If this were the case, it would be easier to explain why Joseph never claimed his marital right.  

What difficulties are created?

If Joseph had children from another marriage, where were they during the Presentation, the Flight into Egypt, and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple? The total absence of Joseph’s other children in these scenes is strange, to say the least. In addition to this, Jesus entrusts His Mother to John during His Crucifixion. This would be a very odd decision if Jesus had other brothers who were able to care for Mary after His death. 

What does Saint Thomas think? 

Saint Thomas is aware of the tradition that Joseph had previously been married, but he rejects it. He argues that Joseph was not only never married, but had taken a vow of perpetual virginity before being married to the Mother of God. Let’s take a look at his line of reasoning. 

Thomas poses this counterargument for himself saying that it is not fitting for Mary, who has taken a vow of virginity, to be married:

Obj. 2: Furthermore, vowing virginity would expose one to danger, if one were to hand oneself over to the power of a man. But this is a sin. Therefore, the Blessed Virgin should not have handed herself over to the power of another in marriage; therefore, neither should she have married.

Thomas is here showing that it is imprudent for a woman who has taken a vow never to engage in the marital act to enter into marriage. Initially, it looks like Mary is sinning against prudence by entering into a marriage with Joseph. Thomas answers this objection by saying:

Reply Obj. 2: Before the Blessed Virgin contracted with Joseph, she was assured by divine inspiration that Joseph had intended the same course of action, and therefore she did not expose herself to danger by marrying him…

Thomas resolves this difficulty by concluding that Mary must have known that Joseph “intended the same course of action” as her i.e. perpetual virginity. Otherwise, her decision to enter into marriage would have jeopardized her vow of virginity. 

To augment this argument, Thomas says this in his commentary on Matthew’s Gospel: 

…Because mention is made of the brothers [of Jesus], it is an occasion of the heresy that when the Virgin had begotten Jesus, Joseph knew Mary and begot sons of her; which is a heresy, because she remained a virgin inviolate after the birth. There has also been the opinion that these were Joseph’s sons by another wife. But this amounts to nothing, because we believe that just as the mother of Jesus was a virgin, so was Joseph, because he entrusted a virgin to a virgin; and as it was in the end, so also in the beginning.

Saint Thomas here makes an argument from fittingness. He points out the fact that the Virgin Mother of God was entrusted to a virgin (John the Apostle) as her guardian to watch over her until her Assumption and so it was fitting that the Virgin of virgins be entrusted to a virgin at the beginning of Jesus’ life just as she was at the end of his life. 

To further this conclusion, the Church has given Saint Joseph the title of “Most Chaste.” This would not seem to be the case if he did not manifest the virtue of chastity in the highest possible way, namely, perpetual virginity. 

Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Mother of God: Pray for us!

Thanks for reading,

The Daily Thomist