Perpetual Virginity of Mary

QUESTION: Perpetual virginity of Mary - Is it possible?

ANSWER:

Is the perpetual virginity of Mary possible? This would mean that Mary never had sexual relations with any man on earth for her entire lifetime. That she was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and was a vessel through which God came down from heaven to earth in the form of Jesus.

Most defenders of the perpetual virginity of Mary seem to miss one large point.

We believe that the Word of God is accurate and the translations from Aramaic and Greek have been true. The Word of God has been translated into a form that is understood by the least learned. The Holy Spirit is the One who reveals all truth. Correct?

In John 3:16 the Word states "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son." This means that Jesus was the only Son of God. There is no other way to salvation than through this belief in Jesus. Scripture does not say that Jesus was the only son of Mary.

When Mary talked with the angel Gabriel he told her she was "highly favored," not "holy." He said "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. It does not say that Mary would be holier than anyone else on earth, just that people would call her blessed.

God created man and woman to cohabitate and procreate. Jesus needed to be born of a virgin so that His birth was undefiled. Mary was only required to be the vessel of birth, not to be celibate. Joseph's dream required him to wed Mary and care for her until the birth of Jesus. She became his wife and according to Scripture "He had no union with her until she gave birth to a son."

The Scripture then goes on to say that Mary and Joseph had several children. Matthew 12:46, Luke 8:19, and Mark 3:31 say that Jesus' mothers and brothers came to see Him. Matthew 13:55 say that Jesus had four brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. Jesus also had sisters, but they are not named in the Bible.

Therefore, the perpetual virginity of Mary is not a biblical concept.