Saw a great show on the Discovery Channel
 

about Jesus' family. It was very well done and interesting, regardless of your religious ties. Here's a link to the video.

http://www.discoverychannelstore.org/product-58055.html

From the Discovery site:

Most people know very little about Jesus' family members – who they were, how many there were and what role they played in his life as rebel leader and founder of a new religious movement. For the first time, a team of archaeologists and biblical historians reveal that Jesus was part of a large extended family – a network of relations that played a critical part in his upbringing and in the rise and success of Christianity.

Learn how, in a society that promoted the "extended family," Jesus was well supported and even inspired by his cousin John the Baptist, his grandfather Joachim, his uncle Clophas and more. Evidence from the gospels and recent archaeological finds reveal that Jesus' family was a dynastic clan that believed it was descended from King David. Like all dynasties, it did everything in its power to promote and perpetuate its lineage. But what they would never know is how well they would succeed.

It'd be odd to be Jesus' little brother. Think about how overshadowed you would feel.

Parents: "Jason, why can't you be more like your brother? He founded a religion that will change the world, and you're spending all of your time playing football."

Bullies: "Hey, Jason. Your big brother has girl hair. Heh-heh."

Girls at School: "Hey, Jason. Your big brother cured my acne! He's soooooo cute."

I think most of his siblings were older, but I'm not positive. However, the guy still living at home while his brother is out dying for sins is going to catch some flak.

Here's the family tree: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...esus/tree.html

Cool. The show talked about how James really got squeezed out of the historical picture due to his not-as-popular take.

I did a Family Tree on the net and found out Jesus
is my Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great, Great Uncle!!!

Holy Shit

Uncle Ralph always got totally wasted at family gatherings and embarrassed Him.

ROFL

You know there had to be some interesting arguments in that house.


Mary: "Willie, you need to get out on your own. Can't you get a carpentry apprenticeship with your brother?"

Willie: "Are you kidding? That's dangerous stuff. He puts a nail through his hand or his foot nearly every day."

Mary: "You're just lazy. You're just lying around, and carpentry is a good living. Just the other day, Jesus had a job down on the coast, and he brought back enough fishes and loaves to feed an army."

Willie: "I bet he stole them. You know that he's been hanging out with a prostitute, right?"

Mary: "Stop talking bad about your brother. And get a job! When I was your age, we would've done anything to get work. Why, when I had Jesus we didn't even have a place to stay! I had the baby in a barn, for crying out loud!"

Willie (under his breath): "Yeah, right. And you're the only woman in the world who has ever gotten pregnant without having sex."

In spite of my best efforts, this thread has forced me to recall my favorite Jesus joke:

What did Jesus say to the guys who were taking him down from the cross?

"Feet first, you pricks!!!!"

The four Gospels, the Acts of Apostles, and two of Paul’s letters mention “the Lord’s brothers,” “the brother of the Lord,” “his brothers,” “his sisters,” naming four of the “brothers”: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. (Mt 12:46; 13:55,*56; Mr 3:31; Lu 8:19; Joh 2:12; Ac 1:14; 1Co 9:5; Ga 1:19) This is not Judas "Iscariot". The majority of Bible scholars accept the evidence that Jesus had at least four brothers and two sisters and that all were offspring of Joseph and Mary by natural means after the miraculous birth of Jesus.
Of coarse this is contrary to the Catholic church teachings in which they believe that Mary was an "ever virgin", not having any additional childern.

I think they are portrayed as older in the show.

Then Mary wasnt a virgin when Jesus came along.

Maybe Mary and Joseph were a blended family, like the Brady Bunch.


Here's the story
of a lovely lady
who was bringing up three very lovely kids
All of them had hair of gold
Like their mother
The youngest one was Christ.

True, but from what I understand, the word "virgin" had a completely different meaning back then.