Table of Contents
Many images go through one’s mind while thinking about Jesus: teaching His disciples on the hillside, healing the sick, or quelling the fury of the storm with one word. However, some of the simple truths escape us: Jesus grew up in a real family; He was not just the Saviour of the world, but He was someone’s son, someone’s brother, someone’s neighbor. So, how many brothers did Jesus have?
Thus, it almost comes as a surprise to us while reading the Gospels that in Nazareth, there were questions such as: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? … Are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us?” (Matthew 13:55–56, ESV)
The detail that Yeshua had brothers and sisters is so tainted with Christian overtones that it gives us something else to consider: Was there an ordinary human experience with blessed-ups and cursed-downs in family life? He lived in a house. In simpler terms: Jesus knew how it felt to have siblings who would at times not understand Him, to love people who sometimes doubted Him.
So, how many brothers did Jesus really have? And what do we know of His sisters? To this end, let’s look all across Scripture—there shall be no reading between the lines, just Scripture’s plain words.
The Verses That Name Jesus’ Brothers
In two different places, the Gospels actually list the names of Jesus’ brothers:
📖 Matthew 13:55–56 (ESV)
“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us?”
📖 Mark 6:3 (ESV)
“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”
👉 From these verses we learn something very clear:
- The names of Jesus’ four brothers were James, Joseph (also called Joses), Simon, and Judas (also called Jude).
- There were also sisters, though the Bible gives us no names or specific numbers.
So, at the bare minimum, the townsfolk of Nazareth knew Jesus’ family consisted of four brothers and at least two sisters.
Who Were These Brothers?
Let’s take a closer look at the four names the Gospels give us:
- James
- James became a very important leader in the early church.
- Paul himself calls him:
📖 “James, the Lord’s brother.” (Galatians 1:19, ESV) - In the book of Acts, James speaks up at the council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13).
- Joseph (Joses)
- Sometimes written as Joseph (Matthew) and sometimes as Joses (Mark).
- Not much else is said about him directly in Scripture, but he is always listed among the brothers.
- Simon
- Named in both Matthew and Mark, though we don’t get additional details in the New Testament about his role.
- Judas (Jude)
- Many/most scholars identify this Judas with the author of the letter of Jude.
- He begins that letter by writing:
“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.” (Jude 1:1, ESV) - Notice how he humbly calls himself a “servant of Jesus,” not “the brother of Jesus.”
What About Jesus’ Sisters?
The Bible only tells us that Jesus had sisters (plural). That means there were at least two, but their names are never given.
The townspeople of Nazareth recognized them and said:
📖 “And are not all his sisters with us?” (Matthew 13:56, ESV)
So, while we don’t know their names or how many, we can say with certainty that Jesus had at least two sisters.
Did Jesus’ Brothers Believe in Him?
At first, His brothers did not believe in Him. The Gospel of John says:
📖 “For not even his brothers believed in him.” (John 7:5, ESV)
Imagine that—growing up with Jesus, and still struggling to see who He really was! But after His resurrection, things changed dramatically.
In the book of Acts, we see them praying with Mary and the disciples:
📖 “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” (Acts 1:14, ESV)
Later, Paul even mentions “the brothers of the Lord” as recognized Christian workers:
📖 “Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?” (1 Corinthians 9:5, ESV)
This shows that while they started in unbelief, Jesus’ brothers became part of the early church movement.
Why Does the Bible Call Them “Brothers”?
In New Testament Greek, the term adelphos was most commonly applied to the meaning of “brother.” However, from time to time, in Bible language, it could denote an uncle-like relative or a kin.
- Some Christians (in the main Protestants) make these the actual younger brothers and sisters of Jesus, children of Mary and Joseph after Jesus was born.
- Others belonging to the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions view them as cousins or step-siblings, as they believe Mary remained a virgin throughout.
👉IMPORTANT: The Scripture does not clearly say whether these brothers and sisters were actually Mary’s children or Joseph’s children by a former wife or merely close kin, but it does say quite plainly that Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters by whom He was known.
What We Can Say for Certain
To compile all verses to their utmost resolution, these are the Bible’s absolute truths:
- Jesus had four brothers-James, Joseph (also called Joses), Simon, and Judas (Jude) (cf. Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3).
- The Bible uses “sisters” in a plural form, indicating there were at least two, but their names remain unknown to us (cf. Matthew 13:56; Mark 6:3).
- The brothers’ lack of belief in Him was temporary, for after the resurrection, the brothers became believers. (John 7:5; Acts 1:14).
- James, called the “Lord’s brother,” became a chief leader of the church (Galatians 1:19; Acts 15).
- Jude most probably wrote the letter of Jude and referred to himself as “the brother of James” (Jude 1:1).
This means Jesus shared a pretty normal home life in a big family of at least six siblings mentioned, if not more.
Why Does This Matter?
Sometimes people imagine Jesus to be somewhat drifting apart from normal family life. But Scripture tells us that He really knew what it was like to live with brothers and sisters-the challenges, the misunderstandings, and the joys.
His brothers at first did not believe in Him, but later some of them became His greatest witnesses, thus consummating the power of the resurrection whereby even those that were raised alongside Him began to trust Him as Lord after having seen Him risen.
Final Answer in Simple Words
What’s the final answer? The Bible tells us Jesus had four brothers—James, Joseph (Joses), Simon, and Judas (Jude)—and at least two sisters. That means Jesus grew up with at least six siblings—four brothers who are named in Scripture, along with at least two sisters whose names remain unknown.
Just having brothers and sisters for Jesus is pretty much the trivia that reminds us that the Son of God was never removed from the common trials of life. He grew up in a real household with siblings. Considering some of the brothers did not always believe in Him. Some of these brothers, including James and Jude, became perhaps the most courageous witnesses of this gospel because of Christ’s resurrection.
Details about the family of Jesus draw us close to Him. It indicates that Jesus understands family matters—from estrangements to reconciliation—and how powerfully He converses with changed hearts, even those that once doubted Him.
A final count of the number of female siblings may remain a mystery, but it is clear that Jesus entered a real family to save every family. He knows what it is like to be among man—and He invites us to be part of His eternal family.
Check out more Interesting and Informative Blogs!
Love our Content? Follow Us on Instagram!