One Catholic answer is that Joseph had children by a prior marriage, but not Mary. However, there is no evidence from church history that Joseph was married before, or that any of Jesus’ brothers were not by Mary and Joseph.
Moja ya majibu yatolewayo na kanisa Katoliki ni kuwa Yusufu alikuwa na watoto kupitia ndoa yake ya awali, lakini si kupitia kwa Mariamu. Hata hivyo, hakuna ushahidi toka kwenye historia ya kanisa kuwa Yusufu aliwahi kuwa na ndoa nyingine kabla ya ile na Mariamu, au mdogo wake yoyote wa kiume hakutokana na Yusufu na Mariamu.