If the Virgin Mary was married to Joseph.....WHY WAS SHE A VIRGIN??????
466075
To the original question:\n\nI'm not sure if anyone has explained -- when Mary was found to be pregnant she was "betrothed" to Joseph.   This was the 'first stage' in a marriage.  It legally bound the two together, and any violation was considered adultery.  Also, breaking this required a divorce\n\nBut the marriage was COMPLETED and consummated when the two 'came together'.  Mary and Joseph were betrothed, they had not yet come together.   \n\nMatthew tells us that, when Jospeh discovered it he was thinking of quietly, privately divorcing her (to avoid a scandal).   But at the instruction of the angel, who told him the child was 'of the Holy Spirit' he 'took her to him', i.e., took her into his household and they became 'fully' husband and wife.\n\nOthers have raised the question of whether Mary REMAINED a virgin after this.  Frankly, Matthew ONLY tells us that "he did not know her until" Jesus' birth.  The rest of the NT says nothing at all about the matter.  Protestants have usually deduced that they had normal relations after this, Catholics have appealed (as we have seen) to traditions beginning in the 2nd century (which Protestants do not accept as authoritative).   \n\nI will not get into that debate here, except to correct the point on John Calvin' view.  Calvin essentially insisted on leaving the question OPEN, neithre adopting a later tradition as authoritative, nor simply dismissing it.  He thought the reference in Matthew too unclear to settle the matter.  To BOTH sides he said:\n\n"What took place afterwards the historian does not tell us. . . . Certainly, no man will ever raise a question on this subject, except from curiosity; and no man will obstinately keep up the argument, except from extreme fondness for disputation."
179033
According the the story, God caused Mary to conceive, thus being his father.  Mary did not have sex with Joseph.  He was like a surrogate father to Jesus. OK?
639902
A betrothed virgin, not married.\n\nGet you facts straight.
383954
Personally, no. Mary was a Virgin, Immaculately Conceived, and was assumed into Heaven as a Virgin. \n\nHowever, some scholars believed that St. Joseph was a widow who was elderly and had grown up children  from that previous marriage and married the adolescent Mary as a favor to the High Priests of the Temple. Hence, Jesus had step-brothers. Other say that his reference to brothers is synonymous to cousins, which is how it was used back then, and still used today. \n\nOn Suday of Resurrection, the History Channel had a program about him, and on this topic you have brought up. The web History Channel web site might provide links to that show, as well as internet links to follow up on this subject.
1080109
I don't think it's that big of a deal either. Whether Jesus was married or not changes nothing for me. And it seems to make more sense that he was with Mary all the time if she was his wife, I always found it odd that he hung out with a prostitute. I think Catholics see sex as "sinful" so Jesus can't have any part of that. But then why is called Holy Matrimony? How is it wrong with your spouse? i don't care either way, there are more important issues for people to argue over!
175073
mary was not a prostitute.  that thought was put into effect by the church in the time of Constitine.  The bible never states that she was a prostitute.  The bible also does not state whether she or Jesus was married however there is a big whole in the story of Jesus from the bible.  We do not know much about his life during his teenage years unto where he professed to be God's son.  Therefore we cannot have a fair dipiction of his life if you were to go by the bible.  It was customary for jewish men of his day to marry as it was customary for women to marry.  They married young by todays standards so it is possible that he or she was married.  It was the church who commissioned what books went into the bible that we know today and not God.  There are several books now known that were purposely left out by the church of the time.  They give more detail as to the life of Jesus as well as Mary and the desiples. here is a link that has some information and links on some of the info I mentioned here if you are interested.
705212
Why are you still a virgin?If it is a religious meter i understand,but in any other case.....Anyway if you think that is wright,than O.K.(but since you are asking this question i assume that you also have second thoughts).
631165
The concept of a virgin birth isn't new, Dionysus, the Greek God was said to have been born of a virgin.  So was Mithras, according to many legends.  In fact, being born of a virgin was such a popular theme in the stories of various Gods, that early Christians pretty much HAD TO sell Jesus as being born of a virgin so he could compete.\n\nIn reality, I doubt it, but only Mary and Joseph would have known for sure...
260492
From among the descendants of Eve, God chose the Virgin Mary to be the mother of his Son. "Full of grace", Mary is the most excellent fruit of redemption: from the first instant of her conception, she was totally preserved from the stain of original sin and she remained pure from all personal sin throughout her life. \n\nMary is truly "Mother of God" since she is the mother of the eternal Son of God made man, who is God himself. \n\nMary remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in carrying him, a virgin in nursing him at her breast, always a virgin: with her whole being she is "the handmaid of the Lord" (Lk 1:38). \n\nThe Virgin Mary cooperated through free faith and obedience in human salvation. She uttered her yes in the name of all human nature. By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living.
632425
IF Jesus was married, he would have only had one wife.  He was supposed to be Jewish, not Mormon.
23169
The Roman Catholic Church for some reason felt that they had to protect Mary's virtue as the mother of Jesus by teaching that after she gave birth to the Lord she remained a virgin for the rest of her life. The Holy Scriptures do not in any way support this notion. The Catholics seem to want to portray her as eternally sexually pure in order to preserve her honor. What they don't seem to understand, however, is that even without her virginity, she is still a pure and honorable woman. She was undoubtedly a wonderful mother and a faithful and loving wife. In fact, the idea that such a woman would deprive her husband of his marital rights for the rest of his life is a notion that I see as offensive and insulting to this dear lady.
1164796
It is widely held in Christian academia that it is indeed a mistranslation from the Septuagint.  The Hebrew word "almah" does not mean virgin, but young unmarried woman.  Virgin is implied at best.
984990
Mary was actually at the cross, and Christ, as He hung there, asked one of His apostles to take care of her. If that is the case, then we must assume that Joseph was dead by then.
618155
He is who he is but we were comanded to go forth and multiply so why can't this pertain to him as well?  I have been taught that we have mother god but we aren't told anything about her because father god does not want us disrespecting her and befouling her as man has done to him.  so why can't the son of god have a wife and child as well?  There are too many things in the bible that show that Mary was married to Jesus.  Men and women did not touch like they did unless they were at least betrothed back then.
738169
I married a 28-year-old virgin... and yes, she was still a virgin up until our wedding night.  Any woman who can hold onto her virtue that long in today's world deserves respect.
504639
I think it is very possible they were married, but maybe not.  There is some evidence that he may have been married and some that says the person he was married to was Mary Magdalene.  The big thing is - does it matter?  I don't believe that if he was married it changed his message at all.
800329
I don't see how having a wife would make him less perfect. That does not mean he lusted, God created Eve for Adam, so why would he not create someone for Jesus? And remember Eve was created for Adam BEFORE sin existed, so how could having a companion be a sin?