e (Rom. 8:29): "Whom He foreknew, He
also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of His Son;
that He might be the first-born among many brethren." But the
evangelist calls Christ the first-born by His Mother. Therefore she
had other children after Christ. And therefore it seems that Christ's
Mother did not remain a virgin after His Birth.

Obj. 5: Further, it is written (John 2:12): "After this He went down
to Capharnaum, He"--that is, Christ--"and His Mother and His
brethren." But brethren are those who are begotten of the same
parent. Therefore it seems that the Blessed Virgin had other sons
after Christ.

Obj. 6: Further, it is written (Matt. 27:55, 56): "There were
there"--that is, by the cross of Christ--"many women afar off, who
had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him; among whom was
Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the
mother of the sons of Zebedee." Now this Mary who is called "the
mother of James and Joseph" seems to have been also the Mother of
Christ; for it is written (John 19:25) that "there stood by the cross
of Jesus, Mary His Mother." Therefore it seems that Christ's Mother
did not remain a virgin after His Birth.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ezech. 44:2): "This gate shall be
shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it;
because the Lord the God of Israel hath entered in by it." Expounding
these words, Augustine says in a sermon (De Annunt. Dom. iii): "What
means this closed gate in the House of the Lord, except that Mary is
to be ever inviolate? What does it mean that 'no man shall pass
through it,' save that Joseph shall not know her? And what is
this--'The Lord alone enters in and goeth out by it'--except that the
Holy Ghost shall impregnate her, and that the Lord of angels shall be
born of her? And what means this--'it shall be shut for
evermore'--but that Mary is a virgin before His Birth, a virgin in
His Birth, and a virgin after His Birth?"

_I answer that,_ Without any hesitation we must abhor the error of
Helvidius, who dared to assert that Christ's Mother, after His Birth,
was carnally known by Joseph, and bore other children. For, in the
first place, this is derogatory to Christ's perfection: for as He is
in His Godhead the Only-Begotten of the Father, being thus His Son in
every respect perfect, so it was becoming that He should be the
Only-begotten son of His Mother, as being her perfect offspring.

Secondly,