The New Testament explicitly mentions that Jesus had brothers called James, Joses, Jude and Simon, along with at least two sisters who go unnamed. Far from being particularly dazzled by their sibling, they initially 'did not believe in him'. At one point, they’re even a little critical of Jesus’ methods, advising him to go to more populous areas because 'no one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret'.
.jpg)
It’s important to note that Christians do differ on the precise nature of their relationship with Jesus. Many believe they were indeed the children of Mary and Joseph, conceived in a conventional way after the miraculous virgin birth of Christ. However, many others believe Mary remained a virgin all her life. According to this school of thought, the words 'brothers' and 'sisters' were being used in a broader sense, referring either to Jesus’ cousins or step-siblings (potentially Joseph’s offspring from a prior marriage).
Mary and Joseph literally lost Jesus when he was a young boy, forcing them to mount what was essentially a missing person enquiry. Not counting the Nativity, this remarkable incident is the one and only story from Jesus’ childhood in the gospels. It begins with Mary, Joseph, the 12-year-old Jesus and several of their friends and relatives visiting Jerusalem for Passover. Later, as the group is traveling back, Mary and Joseph are alarmed to realize that Jesus isn’t among them.
A three-day search of Jerusalem ensues, with the panic-stricken parents finally finding Jesus in the Temple, 'sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking questions'. When Mary scolds the boy for lingering behind and worrying everyone, Jesus simply shrugs off her concern, and is altogether bemused there was so much fuss and bother over his disappearance.