Matthew 1:25 · Bible study
Matthew 1:25 Commentary: The 'Until' and 'Firstborn' Question
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Does Matthew 1:25's 'until' and 'firstborn' imply Mary had other children? Explore the grammar, historical context, and what commentators say.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Joseph respected Mary's virginity until Jesus' birth and named the child Jesus as commanded.
- Key words: 'knew her not' (ἐγίνωσκεν, imperfect tense, continuous action: not knowing her at all during that time); 'until' (ἕως, temporal preposition); 'firstborn' (πρωτότοκον, legal/status title).
- Main debate: Does the wording imply Mary had other children afterward? The text does not settle the question.
- Theological theme: The virgin birth as a secure foundation for Jesus' identity as God with us and Savior.
- Best use: A verse for grounding Christ's miraculous origin and for learning to let Scripture's silence be silence.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.
WEB World English Bible 2000
and didn’t know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
KJV King James Version 1769
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and did not know her till she brought forth her son--the first-born, and he called his name Jesus.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he knew her not, till she brought forth her first born son: and he called his name Jesus.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y no la conoció hasta que parió á su hijo primogénito: y llamó su nombre JESUS.
E ele não a conheceu intimamente ,até que ela deu à luz um filho, e lhe pôs por nome JESUS.
Mais il ne la connut point jusqu’ à ce qu’ elle eût enfanté un fils, auquel il donna le nom de Jésus.
Und er erkannte sie nicht, bis sie ihren ersten Sohn gebar; und hieß seinen Namen Jesus.
En bekende haar niet, totdat zij dezen haar eerstgeboren Zoon gebaard had; en heette Zijn naam JEZUS.
e non la conobbe finch’ella non ebbe partorito un figlio; e gli pose nome Gesù.
Ale jej nie uznał, aż porodziła onego syna swego pierworodnego, i nazwał imię jego Jezus.
и не знал Ее. [Как] наконец Она родила Сына Своего первенца, и он нарек Ему имя: Иисус.
只是 沒有 和她 同房，等 她生了兒子（有古卷：等她生了頭胎的兒子），就 給他 起 名 叫耶穌。
And he had no connection with her till she had given birth to a son; and he gave him the name Jesus.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 1:25
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree on the essential point: Matthew 1:25 teaches that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived and born. Joseph had no marital relations with her before the birth (Barnes, Calvin, Gill). The debate centers on what happened afterward. The phrase 'knew her not until' does not automatically mean they did have relations later. Calvin and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown note that 'until' in Scripture often describes a period before a certain point without saying anything about what came next, just as 2 Samuel 6:23 says Michal had no child 'until' her death, with no implication she had children afterward. Similarly, 'firstborn' (πρωτότοκον) is the legal term for the child that opens the womb (Exodus 13:2), regardless of whether siblings follow. Gill and Lightfoot point out that Jewish law used 'firstborn' even when no later children were expected. So the consensus is: this text does not decide the question of Mary's later children. The virgin birth is central; the perpetual virginity is a separate debate not settled here.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Helvidian view (Mary had other children): The natural reading of 'until' as implying a change, plus the phrase 'firstborn' suggesting multiple children.
- Jeromian view (perpetual virginity): Scripture uses 'until' without implying a reversal (2 Samuel 6:23); 'firstborn' is a legal title; church tradition attests lifelong virginity.
- Agnostic view (text does not decide): Calvin, Gill, Wesley: 'until' only tells us about the period before the birth; 'firstborn' is consistent with no further children. The passage does not address the later situation.
What is clear: Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived and born, and Joseph did not have marital relations with her before Jesus' birth.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Mary's perpetual virginity | Mary was a virgin when she conceived and gave birth to Jesus. This is a non-negotiable Christian belief. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions hold that Mary remained a virgin her entire life. Many Protestant and Evangelical Christians believe she had other children with Joseph after Jesus, citing the natural reading of 'until' and references to Jesus' brothers (Matthew 13:55). |
| Meaning of 'until' in Matthew 1:25 | The word 'until' (ἕως) refers to the time before Jesus' birth, Joseph did not have relations with Mary before that point. | Some argue 'until' implies that after the birth, normal marital relations began. Others, citing examples like 2 Samuel 6:23, argue 'until' does not carry that implication; it simply marks the period leading up to the birth, with no statement about later events. |
| Significance of the term 'firstborn' | The term (πρωτότοκον) identifies Jesus as the first child Mary bore, fulfilling the Law's requirements for the firstborn (Exodus 13:2). | Debate concerns whether the word itself implies younger siblings. Some say 'firstborn' naturally suggests there were other children. Others note that in both biblical and extra-biblical usage, 'firstborn' is a legal title that applied even if no further children followed. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Jewish culture, betrothal was a binding commitment, almost as strong as marriage itself. Joseph, being a just man, planned to divorce Mary quietly when he learned of her pregnancy (Matthew 1:19). The angel's intervention changed his course. He took Mary home but 'did not know her', a common biblical euphemism for marital intercourse (Genesis 4:1). The word 'until' (ἕως, heōs) could mark a limit without implying a reversal. For example, 1 Samuel 15:35 says Samuel saw Saul no more 'until' his death, meaning they never met again. The term 'firstborn' (πρωτότοκον) carried legal weight in Jewish tradition. The firstborn son belonged to God in a special sense (Exodus 13:2; 22:29) and had birthright privileges. The title applied to Jesus even if Mary had no other children. In fact, both Matthew (1:25) and Luke (2:7) call Jesus Mary's firstborn, using the same Greek word. The Roman world also used census registration (Luke 2:1-3), which would have recorded Jesus as firstborn. Joseph naming the child 'Jesus' (Hebrew Yeshua, 'Salvation') was an act of obedient faith, fulfilling the angel's command (Matthew 1:21). This underscores that the child's identity, God with us, matters far more than the later family arrangements.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Matthew 1:25. The key Greek words, οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν, ἕως, and πρωτότοκον, are stable across the major manuscript traditions (Alexandrian, Byzantine, Western). The only minor variation is the phrase 'her firstborn son' (τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς τὸν πρωτότοκον) which some manuscripts have as 'her firstborn son' and others as 'her son, the firstborn'; the difference does not affect meaning.
Reception History
The earliest recorded debate on Matthew 1:25 comes from the 4th century, when Helvidius argued that 'until' and 'firstborn' proved Mary had children after Jesus. Jerome wrote an extended refutation (Against Helvidius), defending Mary's perpetual virginity on the basis of church tradition and the wider biblical portrait. Augustine largely followed Jerome's view. During the Reformation, Calvin and many Protestants regarded the perpetual virginity as a pious opinion, not a necessary doctrine. Wesley and the Methodist tradition read the verse as leaving the question open. In modern times, both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches continue to hold Mary's perpetual virginity as dogma, while most Protestant denominations consider it a matter of interpretation. Throughout all these readings, the verse has been consistently treasured as a witness to the miracle of the incarnation: God's Son, born of a virgin, named Jesus the Savior.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Joseph's obedience in the face of mystery. He trusted God's message, took Mary as his wife, and protected her reputation. His example: faith acts on God's word even before all questions are answered.
- The boundaries of Scripture. Matthew tells us what we need to know: the virgin birth was real, Jesus is the promised Son, and Joseph served as his legal father. The text does not satisfy every curiosity about Mary's later life.
- The name above every name. Jesus saves his people from their sins. The genealogy and birth narrative culminate in this: God has come to dwell with us and rescue us.
Five-point outline
- The context: Joseph's dilemma and divine direction (vv. 18-24).
- The euphemism 'know her not': its meaning in Scripture (Genesis 4:1, 25).
- The force of 'until' (ἕως): does it imply a change?
- The title 'firstborn': legal, not necessarily unique.
- The naming: Jesus as Savior, Joseph as obedient father.
Illustration hooks
- A woman praised for her hour of faithfulness, yet the biography is written without mention of what she did later. The honor stands on what we know.
- When a legal document reads 'firstborn', it does not require a list of younger siblings. The title stands alone.
- A couple adopting a child: the parent who takes the child home and names him exercises a love as real as biological relation. Joseph's naming of Jesus shows faithful fatherhood.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does 'until' mean Joseph and Mary had children after Jesus?
- Does 'firstborn' prove she had other children?
- Why does it matter whether Mary remained a virgin her whole life?
Leading a Discussion
This short verse concludes the Christmas story with a note about Joseph's obedience and the child's naming. It raises an important question about how we read biblical details. The group can explore the tension between what the text says plainly and what later tradition has built around it.
Discussion questions
- What does the verse tell us about Joseph's actions after the birth? (He did not have marital relations before Jesus was born; he named the boy Jesus.)
- What does the word 'until' (ἕως) typically do in a sentence? Think of a modern example: 'He trained until the race.' Does that mean he stopped training after the race?
- Look at 2 Samuel 6:23 and Matthew 12:20. In those verses, does 'until' imply the opposite happened later? Why or why not?
- The Greek word for 'firstborn' (πρωτότοκον) appears also in Luke 2:7. Is it possible to call a child 'firstborn' if no other children are born? How does Exodus 13:2 shed light on this?
- Why do you think the Church has debated Mary's perpetual virginity? What is at stake for different traditions?
- What does this verse teach us about Joseph's character and his role in Jesus' life?
- How does focusing on the virgin birth (essential) versus the later family life (not essential) help us prioritize in our own faith?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 13:2 | “Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.” |
| Exodus 22:29 | “You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. “You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me. |
| Matthew 1:21 | She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.” |
| Luke 2:7 | She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. |
| Luke 2:21 | When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. |
| Romans 8:29 | For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke insists that Mary's perpetual virginity is an unnecessary and unprovable doctrine, calling it a mere castle in the air. For him, only her virginity before Christ's birth matters for Christian faith; after that, the text at least indirectly suggests she may have had other children.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes distinguishes between Mary's virginity before Jesus' birth, which he affirms as scriptural, and the idea she remained a virgin afterward, which he says the Bible does not teach. He argues the phrase implies she later lived as Joseph's wife, and that the natural reading of the Gospels points to her having other children.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the phrase “knew her not” refers only to the period before Jesus’ birth and gives no information about what happened afterward. He considers it an overreach to build a doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity on this one verse, calling such arguments products of curiosity and fondness for debate.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But he knew her not, til she had broght forth her first borne sonne, and he called his name JESUS.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill clarifies that Joseph had no marital relations with Mary before Jesus birth, but he leaves the question of what happened afterward open. He argues that the word until in the text refers only to the time before the birth and does not settle whether Joseph later knew her. Marys perpetual virginity, he says, is not a necessary article of faith.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB argues that the word "till" does not prove Joseph and Mary lived as husband and wife after Jesus' birth, since Scripture often uses "till" without implying a change. Likewise, calling Jesus Mary's "first-born" does not settle whether she had other children, because Jewish law used that term for the first child regardless of later births.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes the tragic inward struggle of both Mary and Joseph: Mary pregnant by the Holy Spirit yet misunderstood, Joseph a just man torn between doubt and generosity. His decision to privately divorce her was not hardness but a painful, honest conflict. The angel who appears is the Angel of the Lord from the Old Testament.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley argues that the wording "knew her not, till after" does not prove Joseph and Mary had marital relations after Jesus' birth. He points out that such phrasing can mean the event never happened at all, just as Michal's childlessness "till death" means she never had children. The term "firstborn" also applies even when no other children follow, as in Luke 2:7.