John Calvin Commentary Matthew 13:55

"Is not this the carpenter`s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?" — Matthew 13:55 (ASV)

Is not this the carpenter’s son? It was, we are aware, by the wonderful purpose of God, that Christ remained in private life until he was thirty years of age. Most improperly and unjustly, therefore, were the inhabitants of Nazareth offended on this account; for they ought rather to have received him with reverence, as one who had suddenly come down from heaven. They see God working in Christ, and intentionally turn away their eyes from this sight, to behold Joseph, and Mary, and all his relatives, thus interposing a veil to shut out the clearest light.

The word brothers, we have formerly mentioned, is employed, according to the Hebrew idiom, to denote any relatives whatever; and accordingly, Helvidius displayed excessive ignorance in concluding that Mary must have had many sons, because Christ’s brothers are sometimes mentioned.³⁴⁷

³⁴⁷ Jerome replied to replied to Helvidius in a work entitled, in a work entitled, Contra Helvidium de Beatoe Marioe Virginitate CAVIN has formerly alluded to the controversy between these two authors, (Harmony, vol. 1. CAVIN has formerly alluded to the controversy between these two authors, (Harmony, vol. 1. p. 107.) — .) — Ed.