If Matthew 1:25 says Joseph 'did not know' Mary until she gave birth, does that imply they had marital relations after Jesus' birth?

In Matthew 1:25, we read that Joseph 'did not know her until she gave birth to a son.' The word 'until' often causes confusion. Its usage does not imply that something happened afterward, but simply that something did not occur until that specific point. In other words, the verse is stating that Joseph did not have relations with Mary before Jesus' birth, without making any claims about what happened after this event.

An example of this same construction can be found in Psalm 110:1: 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.' Here, the 'until' does not mean that Christ will cease to be at God's right hand after the victory over the enemies; on the contrary, He will continue to reign forever. The 'until' merely marks a point in time, without indicating what happens afterward.

Another example is in 1 Timothy 4:13, where St. Paul says, 'Until I come, devote yourself to reading, exhortation, and teaching.' The use of 'until' here does not suggest that Timothy should stop reading after Paul's arrival. What happens after the 'until' is not specified, only what is expected before that time.

Matthew 28:20 follows the same pattern. Jesus states, 'And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.' This does not mean Jesus will cease to be present after the end of time; the expression emphasizes the certainty of His presence until the end, without excluding its continuation afterward.

Finally, in 2 Samuel 6:23, we read that Michal, daughter of Saul, 'had no children until the day of her death.' Here, it is clear that she had no children during her life and, obviously, would not have any after her death. The 'until' does not imply that something changed after the mentioned event, but only reinforces the fact up to that point.

Therefore, in Matthew 1:25, the 'until' does not indicate that Joseph knew Mary after Jesus' birth. The Catholic Church teaches that Mary remained a virgin before, during, and after Christ's birth, and the word 'until' is used here to emphasize that Joseph respected Mary's virginity until Jesus' birth, without implying that this changed afterward.