Brother

Signifies in Scripture the son of the same parent or parents, Mt 1:2Lu 6:14; a cousin or near kinsman, Ge 13:8 14:16 Joh 7:3Ac 1:14; one of the same stock or country, Mt 5:47Ac 3:22Heb 7:5; a fellow-man, and equal, Mt 5:23 7:3; one beloved, 2Sa 1:26; Christians, as sons of God, Ac 9:30 11:29. In Mt 12:46-50 13:55,56 Mr 3:31-35, the brothers of Christ are so mentioned, in connection with his mother and sisters, as almost to require us to believe they were children of Joseph and Mary, younger than Jesus. Yet this is not quite certain, as it may be that the James, Joses, and Judas in Mt 13:55, are the nephews of Christ alluded to in Mt 27:56Lu 6:15,16Joh 19:25; Cleophas and Alphaeus being probably the same.