The perpetual virginity of Mary is a Catholic and Orthodox doctrine that states that Mary remained a virgin for her entire life. This means that she had no sexual relations either before or after the birth of Jesus. While not explicitly stated in the Bible, supporters of this doctrine point to several passages that they believe imply Mary’s perpetual virginity.
In examining what the Bible says about Mary’s virginity, there are a few key points to consider:
Mary’s virginity before Jesus’ birth
The gospel writers Matthew and Luke explicitly state that Mary was a virgin when she became pregnant with Jesus. Matthew 1:18 says “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” And Luke 1:34 records Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel’s announcement that she would conceive and bear a son: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” The implication from these verses is that Mary had no sexual relations up to the time she became pregnant with Jesus.
Mary’s virginity during Jesus’ birth
The doctrine of the virgin birth affirms that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb by the Holy Spirit, not through sexual relations with a man. This implies that Mary’s hymen was not ruptured during Jesus’ birth. While the Bible does not provide details about the physical aspects of Jesus’ birth, early church writers like Ignatius of Antioch and Irenaeus used the image of light passing through glass to describe how Jesus passed through the womb without damaging Mary’s virginity.
Mary’s virginity after Jesus’ birth
This is the most debated point, as the Bible does not explicitly state whether Mary remained a virgin after giving birth to Jesus. There are a few passages that supporters of perpetual virginity claim imply ongoing virginity:
- Matthew 1:25 says Joseph had no sexual relations with Mary “until she had given birth to a son.” Some argue the word “until” implies that Mary remained a virgin afterward.
- When dying on the cross, Jesus entrusted his mother to the apostle John (John 19:26-27). Some believe Jesus would not have done this if he had siblings to care for Mary.
- Paul refers to James, the brother of Jesus, as an apostle (Galatians 1:19) – not a sibling. Perpetual virginity supporters claim “brother” here means a wider kinship, not just a biological brother.
On the other side, those who do not accept perpetual virginity point out:
- Matthew 12:46-47 refers to Jesus’ mother and brothers seeking to speak with him. This indicates Jesus had siblings born of Mary.
- Mark 6:3 refers to Jesus as “the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon.” Again implying biological siblings.
- The Greek word for “brother” (adelphos) overwhelmingly means a literal brother, not just kinsman, in the New Testament.
So in summary, the biblical evidence is not definitive either way. The doctrine of perpetual virginity relies in part on tradition and readings between the lines rather than explicit biblical statements. Sincere Christians can understand these texts differently.
What did the early church believe?
In the early centuries of Christianity, belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity was common, though not universal. Important early church fathers like Irenaeus, Athanasius, Augustine, and Jerome all affirmed the doctrine. The early creeds also point to Mary’s perpetual virginity using phrases like “Born of the Virgin Mary.” On the other hand, Tertullian acknowledged that Mary had sexual relations with Joseph after Jesus’ birth. The Protestant reformers in the 16th century rejected the perpetual virginity dogma, arguing Scripture points to Mary having children with Joseph after Jesus. So there is evidence on both sides from church history.
Papal pronouncements
In 649, Pope Martin I formally condemned those who denied Mary’s perpetual virginity and affirmed it as authoritative doctrine at the First Council of the Lateran. The Second Council of Constantinople in 553 stated that Mary was “ever-virgin” before, during and after Christ’s birth. At the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, Pope Paul VI officially referred to Mary as the “ever-virgin mother of Jesus.”
In summary, Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches teach that Mary’s perpetual virginity has been a long-established doctrine beginning in the early centuries. It forms part of their dogma on Mary as the highest woman of virtue and a model of purity. On the other hand, most Protestant Christians do not accept the perpetual virginity doctrine due to the lack of clear biblical evidence.
Does it matter theologically?
For Catholics and Orthodox, Mary’s perpetual virginity is important because it makes her an appropriate vessel for bringing Christ into the world, emphasizes her unique status, and upholds celibacy as a higher state. Mary embodies the female prototype of consecrated virginity. On the other hand, most Protestants do not place the same degree of theological importance on the doctrine. Some view it as an unnecessary over-exaltation of Mary with potential negative implications regarding marriage and sexuality.
Whether or not Mary remained a virgin does not directly impact core doctrines like Christ’s divinity, atonement for sins, and resurrection. So Protestants tend to view it as a relatively minor issue. The bodily circumstances of Mary do not affect the inner spiritual reality of Christ’s miraculous conception, sinless life, and redemptive work. Her virginity points to the supernatural origins of Christ, but arguably has more indirect theological significance.
Conclusion
In the end, the perpetual virginity of Mary is a historically complex doctrinal issue. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox position affirms the doctrine as an ancient orthodox teaching closely tied to their views of Mary, celibacy, and sanctity. Protestantism generally does not place as much weight on teachings that lack clear biblical substantiation. Sincere believers can study the same texts yet arrive at different conclusions. While an important issue historically, the perpetual virginity debate ultimately revolves around theological judgments rather than central tenets of the Christian faith.
