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Thank you for replying. It’s important to me because I’m trying to understand the internal consistency of the position many here hold — that Mary expected normal marital relations with Joseph. If that expectation is correct, then Luke’s narrative should reflect it. But in Luke 1, both Mary and...

Thank you for replying. But your answers don’t resolve the textual issues I’m raising. When you say “Nothing says what Mary expected,” that doesn’t really address the point. If you believe Mary and Joseph would eventually consummate their marriage, then Luke does not need to say Mary expected...

Your answers still don’t resolve the textual issue I’m raising. I’m not asking whether Mary is a virgin or “in a relationship.” I’m asking why She speaks as though conception is impossible if She expects normal marital relations with Joseph. When you say Mary is “not in a relationship,” you...

You’re mixing categories. Yes, ecclesia means “the called‑out people,” and the Church is indeed people who belong to Jesus. But saying it’s “not an established group” is simply incorrect. Jesus didn’t leave behind a loose collection of individuals doing their own thing; He formed a visible...

Thank you for replying. But your answers don’t resolve the textual issues I’m raising. 1. Why does Mary ask how conception will occur if She expects normal marital relations? Saying Mary is a virgin explains why conception has not happened yet, but it does not explain why She treats...

I’m not asking when Mary learned She could conceive without a man. I’m asking why She speaks as though conception is impossible if She expects normal marital relations with Joseph. If She expected future relations, conception would not be impossible — only not yet. In that case She would ask...

That’s true — religious Jews in Jesus’ day and today used similar interpretive tools. But the key difference is that they were interpreting Torah, not the New Testament, and Jesus Himself often corrected the outcomes those methods produced. That’s actually why grounding interpretation in...

Your answers still don’t resolve the textual issue I’m raising. Why does Mary ask how conception will occur if She expects normal marital relations? Saying Mary was a virgin does not answer this. If She expected future relations with Joseph, conception would not be impossible — only not yet...

Your question is really about interpretive trust — how we know we’re seeing what the text intends. That’s exactly why I use the method I described. It’s not about labels; it’s about grounding interpretation in the world the text came from. That’s why I rely on languages, context, and early...

Catholic — but the explanation I gave wasn’t a denominational argument. It came from how I study Scripture: languages, historical context, and early Christian sources. Anyone from any background can use the same approach if they choose.

Thank you for replying. If “I do not know man” simply meant Mary is not sexually active at present, that does not explain why She asks how conception will occur. If She expected normal marital relations with Joseph later, conception would not be puzzling — only the timing would be. In that case...

I’m not claiming Mary thought She was incapable of natural conception. I’m pointing out that Luke presents both Mary and Gabriel speaking as though conception is impossible without divine intervention. That is the part your interpretation still hasn’t explained. If Mary expected normal marital...

Thank you for clarifying your view. If Mary were simply saying, “I’m not married yet,” then pregnancy would not be impossible — only not yet. In that case She would ask when She will conceive, not how conception could occur. More importantly, how does Gabriel’s response fit your...

Thank you for replying. We all agree Jesus wasn’t conceived naturally — that’s not in dispute. But Mary did not know that yet when She asked Her question. My question is about Mary’s expectation before Gabriel explained the miracle. If Mary expected normal marital relations with Joseph...

Thank you for replying. My questions are not about “doctrines of man” — they come directly from Luke’s narrative. Could you please answer the two specific textual questions I asked? 1. Why does Mary ask how conception will occur if She expects normal marital relations? 2. Why does Gabriel...

I wasn’t speaking from a particular tradition. I answered the way I usually do — by looking at the original languages, the historical context, and how early Christians understood the relationships in the text. That’s simply the way I’ve always approached Scripture. My explanation came from that...

Many here — including @Titus, @David in NJ, @Armour of God, @marks, @David Lamb, @sondring7, and @markalan — reject the doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity and instead assert that Mary and Joseph had normal marital relations after the birth of Jesus. The usual arguments are: Marriage is...

Believing that Mary had no other children isn’t about elevating Her above Scripture — it’s about reading the texts accurately and avoiding conclusions based on English translations rather than the original languages. The New Testament explicitly distinguishes Mary the mother of Jesus from Her...

My only “assumption” is your own assertion — that Mary and Joseph had normal marital relations and children. If you now reject the idea that Mary would expect consummation with Joseph later, then you are rejecting your own position. So which is it? Did Mary expect marital relations with Joseph...

That’s fine, but calling the idea “ridiculous” still doesn’t answer the question. You’re free to hold whatever personal view you want — but unless you’re willing to defend it with actual reasoning, it remains weightless in a public discussion.