Brother (Heb. ‘âj; Gr. adelfós). This word is used in several senses: 1. A male person with respect to his relationship to any other person who has the same parents (for example, Jacob and Esau; Gen 27:6), or a common parent ( Jdg 8:19). 2. A man who is more or less closely related by blood. Thus, Lot is called Abraham’s brother (Gen 13:8; 14:14, 16), although he was actually his nephew. 3. Person of a related race or nation. Moses called the Edomite “brother” of the Hebrews (Deu 23:7). Within the Hebrew race, all men were considered brothers (Neh 5:7; Jer 34:9). 4. Any human being, since they all descend from the same ancestor. In this sense, the Lord taught the true brotherly relationship (Mat 5:22, 24; 7:3). 5. Believer, as indicated by Mat 23:8, Joh 21:23, Act 6:3 and Gal. 1:2. Christ himself presents himself as the brother of those whom he saves (Rom 8:29). Brothers of Jesus. Four men – James, Joseph, Simon and Judas – are mentioned as brothers of Jesus (Mat 13:55; Mar 6:3). There has been much discussion through the centuries about the exact relationship between them and Christ. Three main proposals have been put forward: 1. That they were blood brothers of the Lord; that is, children of Joseph and Mary (and therefore younger than Jesus). 2. That they were step-siblings; that is, children of Joseph from a previous marriage (and therefore all of them older than Christ, not related by blood to him). 3. That they were cousins of Jesus on Mary’s side, according to some, or on Joseph’s side, according to others. Those who hold the first position argue that this is the most natural way to understand the various references to these brothers, and that it is the most obvious intent of Mat 1:25 and Luk 2:7 Those who hold the second position argue that ethics Eastern relative would not allow younger brothers to tease older ones as Jesus’ brothers did to him (Mar 3:31; Joh 7:3, 4). They further point out that Jesus leaving his mother in the care of the apostle John (John 19:26, 27) and not one of his brothers strongly implies that Mary had no other children. The third position (that these brothers were Jesus’ cousins on Joseph’s side) is only based on conjecture. That they were cousins by Jesus on Mary’s side is based on the uncertain identity of “Mary the wife of Cleopas” as Mary’s sister (Joh 19:25; cf Mar 15:40), and on the unproven identity of “Cleophas” (Joh 19:25) with Alphaeus (Mar 3:18; see CBA 5:389). It is mentioned that the brothers of the Lord accompanied him along with his mother to Capernaum after the wedding in Cana (Joh 2:12). Later, Mary and these brothers requested an audience with Jesus (Mat 12:46-50; Mar 3:31-35; Luk 8:19-21). Towards the end of Christ’s ministry it is mentioned that his brothers wanted him to prove that he was the Messiah, which they themselves doubted (John 7: 3-5). It is clear that they later converted, because they are described in Acts with the disciples and others in “prayer and supplication” before Pentecost (1:13, 14). Paul suggests that 533 all of them were married (1Co 9:5). Many commentators maintain that the author of the Epistle of Jude, who identifies himself as the “brother of James” (Jud_1), was one of the brothers of Jesus. It is also generally accepted that the leader of the Jerusalem church was James, the Lord’s brother (Acts 12:17; 15:13). This seems to be confirmed by Paul’s reference to his visit to the city in stating that he saw only Peter and “James the brother of the Lord” (Gal. 1:18, 19; cf. 2:9). According to Josephus, James, the Lord’s brother, was stoned. Bib.: FJ-AJ xx.9.1.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
1. Male person related to another or other persons by having the same father and mother (Gen 27:6), the same father (Gen 28:2) or the same mother (Jdg 8:19).
2. A man from the same country (Exo 2:11; Act 3:22).
3. A member of the same tribe (2Sa 9:12).
4. An ally (Amo 1:9).
5. A relative (Num 20:14).
6. Someone who shares the same religion (Acts 9:17; 1Co 6:6); often Christian disciples (Matt 23:8; Rom 1:13). Someone spiritually related (Mat 12:50).
7. A fellow trader (Ezr 3:2).
8. Someone of equal rank or office (1Ki 9:13).
9. Any member of the human race (Mat 7:3-5; Heb 2:17).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
In the Bible you have to be very careful with the words “son” and “brother”.
Thus Jesus, in Mat 1:1, is called “Son of Abraham, son of David”: Obviously he was not “son”, but “descendant”.
They are called “brothers”.
1- Those born of the same parents.
2- The “relatives” who lived in the same tribe, or group of families, who were children of different marriages, who lived in a clan or tribe, and everyone knew them as the “Dominguez brothers” for example, even though they were children of different parents. So in Gen 14:12, Gen 14:14, Gen 14:16, it says that Lot was Abraham’s “nephew”, and then calls him “brother” twice in a row. The same thing happens with Jacob and Laban in Gen. 29. Jacob was the son of Isaac and Laban the son of Najar, but he calls them “brothers” twice: (verses 5,12,15). The same thing happens in Lev 10:4, 2 R.10.
13, 2Ch 23:21-23. and with Jesus in the NT many times, as we shall now see.
3- Members of the same religion are called spiritual “brothers”, not born of the same mother. Thus in Acts 1:14-15, the “brothers” of Jesus numbered 120.
Brothers of Jesus The NT mentions, at least 25 times, the brothers of Jesus. They are never blood brothers, but religious brothers or relatives of the same clan or tribe: In Acts 1:14-15: The brothers number about 120; they are “brothers of religion” the Virgin never had 120 children!
In Gal 1:20: He mentions Santiago, the “brother of the Lord”: Of the two Santiagos, one was the son of Zebedee, “cousin” of Jesus; the other was the son of Mary of Cleophas, also a “cousin” of Jesus, and they all lived in the same tribe or clan; they were known as “brothers”, although they were children of different fathers.
(Mar 15:40).
In Mar 6:3: He mentions Jesus, the carpenter, the son of Mary: He does not say the older or younger, but “the son”, because there was no confusion, he only had one! He then mentions the names of 4 “brothers” of Jesus. and in Mar 15:40 he says that James and Joseph were sons of Mary of Cleophas, the Virgin’s sister by blood, therefore “cousins” of Jesus. Judas himself tells us in his letter that he was a “brother” of James, so he is also a “cousin” of Jesus. In Mat 13:55 and 27:56 he shows us the same thing as in the previous quotations from Mark.
In 1Co 9:5 he calls “sister” the “wife”, who was not a sister by blood, but by religion; and he mentions the “brothers of the Lord”, who were not “blood brothers”, but from the tribe, “cousins”, like the previous ones.
In Jua 7:3, Jua 7:5, Jua 7:10 the “brothers” of Jesus are mentioned 3 times, who were the same “relatives” mentioned above.
In Mat 12:46-50 the brothers of Jesus are mentioned 6 times: 2 times they are relatives, and 4 times they are “religious brothers”. And the same passage is described by Mark 3:31-35 and Luke 8:19-21, with the same explanation.
Rom 8:29 says that Jesus is “the firstborn among many brothers”, among millions!, because all Christians are “brothers of Jesus”, and “brothers among themselves”. And not only brother of Father, but of Father and Mother!, to the glory of God. See “Mother.”
Christian Bible Dictionary
Dr. J. Dominguez
http://bible.com/dictionary/
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
vet, (a) From the same father and the same mother (Gen. 27:6), or from the same father (Gen. 28:2), or from the same mother (Judges 8:19). (b) One having the same ancestry, nephew (eg, Gen. 14:16), or of the same race or nation from the same ancestor as the Israelites (Deut. 23:7; Neh. 5:7; Jer 34:9). (c) Ally (Am. 1:9) or co-religionist (Acts 9:17; 1 Cor. 6:6; 2 Cor. 2:12, 13). The plural frequently designates the disciples of Christ (Mt. 23:8; Rom. 1:13). Those who are born again are doubly brothers, and should be treated as such (Acts 15:23; 1 Cor. 16:20). (d) A man whom one loves as affectionately as one’s own brother or to whom one respectfully addresses this treatment (2 Sam. 1:26; 1 Kings 20:32). (e) No Exclusions. all members of the great human brotherhood (Gen. 9:5; Mt. 5:22; 18:35).
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
DJN
A
Brothers, members of a family, must live in love and harmony (Lk 15,27). But the Christian is a free man and, therefore, he should not be bound by family blood ties. When a banquet is offered, it is not necessary to invite the brothers and relatives (Lk 14,12.26); The one who leaves the family, parents and siblings, to follow Jesus Christ, will here inherit a hundredfold and then eternal life (Mt 19,29; Mk 10,29-30; Lk 14,26; 18,29). A time will come when brothers will make war on brothers, fathers on sons and sons on fathers (Mt 10,21; Mk 13,12; Lk 21,16). In the afterlife there will be no brothers and sisters, husbands and wives; we will all constitute a universal family, like the angels in heaven (Mt 22,24-30; Mk 12,19-25; Lk 20,28-36).
of Jesus. – The gospels speak of brothers and sisters of Jesus (Mt 12,46-47; 13,55-56; Mk 13,31-32; 6,3; Lk 8,19-20; Jn 2,12; 7,3.5 .10). What meaning is to be given here to the word “brother”? Non-Catholic critics affirm that they are true brothers, children of the same marriage; There are Catholics who defend that they are father’s brothers and that Saint Joseph had a previous marriage. Neither one statement can be proven. We know that the Most Holy Virgin conceived Jesus virginally by the power of the Holy Spirit and that she always remained a virgin. Let’s say that the fact that Jesus is called the “firstborn” only means that he was the first son, but it does not imply that the mother had other children. Let’s also say that the Greek word adelphos practically has the meaning of our language: brothers are the children of the same marriage. But we must also say that adelfoi translates the Hebrew word ah, which has the broad meaning of blood relative, consanguineous in whatever degree. Thus we have that Lot is called indistinctly nephew and brother of Abraham (Gen 13,8 and Gen 14,14). Apart from these brothers, let us better say “relatives” of Jesus, there are others, whom Jesus himself calls brothers, who are all men, but in a special way the poor and the humble (Mt 25,40), the apostles (Mt 28,10; Jn 20,17) and those who do the will of their Father (Mt 12,48-50; Mk 3,33-35; Lk 19,21).
MNE
FERNANDEZ RAMOS, Felipe (Dir.), Dictionary of Jesus of Nazareth, Editorial Monte Carmelo, Burbos, 2001
Source: Dictionary of Jesus of Nazareth
Source: Vine Old Testament Dictionary
adelfos (ajdelfov”, 80) denotes brother or close relative; in plural form, a community based on an identity of origin or life. It is used of: (1) male children of the same parents (Mat 1:2; 14.3); (2) male descendants of the same parents (Acts 7:23,26; Heb 7:5); (3) male children of the same mother (Mat 13:55;…