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Was Jesus Married? Ancient Papyrus Mentions His ‘Wife’
A small fragment of faded papyrus contains a suggestion that Jesus may have been married.
The fragment, with just eight lines of text on the front and six lines on the back, is from a fourth-century dialogue, written in the Coptic language, between Jesus and his disciples. In it, Jesus speaks of “my wife,” according to Harvard professor Karen L. King, who discovered the fragment.
“The most exciting line in the whole fragment…is the sentence ‘Jesus said to them [his disciples], my wife…” King said in a video posted to Harvard’s YouTube channel. The next line of text reads, “She will be able to be my disciple.”
“This is the only extant ancient text which explicitly portrays Jesus as referring to a wife,” King wrote in her paper on the discovery.
The discovery, if it is validated, could have major implications for the Christian faith. The belief that Jesus was not married is one reason priests in the Catholic Church must remain celibate and are not allowed to marry. It could also have implications for women’s roles in the church, as it would mean Jesus had a female disciple.
For centuries, there has been debate about the possibility that Jesus was married, with many believing he might have had a relationship with Mary Magdalene, who is mentioned prominently in the New Testament. The speculation was even the subject of Dan Brown’s best seller, The Da Vinci Code.
King stresses that the new discovery “does not provide evidence that the historical Jesus was married.”
However, King writes, “the fragment does provide direct evidence that claims about Jesus’ marital status first arose over a century after the death of Jesus in the context of intra-Christian controversies over sexuality, marriage, and discipleship.”
In the years after Jesus’ death, Christians debated what was the correct way to follow Jesus’ example and lifestyle. King says the parchment might simply mean that some Christians believed after Jesus’ death that he was married during his life.
While working to determine whether the papyrus was a forgery, King said she was particularly interested in also researching the first time anybody stated that Jesus did not have a wife.
“I was surprised to find that it is indeed right during the same period when we’re dating this fragment,” King said. That means it was long after Jesus’ death that the question was first raised about whether or not Jesus was married — and this small fragment appears to state that he was.
King presented her research at the Tenth International Congress of Coptic Studies in Rome.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/09/was-jesus-married-ancient-papyrus-mentions-his-wife/
The fragment, with just eight lines of text on the front and six lines on the back, is from a fourth-century dialogue, written in the Coptic language, between Jesus and his disciples. In it, Jesus speaks of “my wife,” according to Harvard professor Karen L. King, who discovered the fragment.
“The most exciting line in the whole fragment…is the sentence ‘Jesus said to them [his disciples], my wife…” King said in a video posted to Harvard’s YouTube channel. The next line of text reads, “She will be able to be my disciple.”
“This is the only extant ancient text which explicitly portrays Jesus as referring to a wife,” King wrote in her paper on the discovery.
The discovery, if it is validated, could have major implications for the Christian faith. The belief that Jesus was not married is one reason priests in the Catholic Church must remain celibate and are not allowed to marry. It could also have implications for women’s roles in the church, as it would mean Jesus had a female disciple.
For centuries, there has been debate about the possibility that Jesus was married, with many believing he might have had a relationship with Mary Magdalene, who is mentioned prominently in the New Testament. The speculation was even the subject of Dan Brown’s best seller, The Da Vinci Code.
King stresses that the new discovery “does not provide evidence that the historical Jesus was married.”
However, King writes, “the fragment does provide direct evidence that claims about Jesus’ marital status first arose over a century after the death of Jesus in the context of intra-Christian controversies over sexuality, marriage, and discipleship.”
In the years after Jesus’ death, Christians debated what was the correct way to follow Jesus’ example and lifestyle. King says the parchment might simply mean that some Christians believed after Jesus’ death that he was married during his life.
While working to determine whether the papyrus was a forgery, King said she was particularly interested in also researching the first time anybody stated that Jesus did not have a wife.
“I was surprised to find that it is indeed right during the same period when we’re dating this fragment,” King said. That means it was long after Jesus’ death that the question was first raised about whether or not Jesus was married — and this small fragment appears to state that he was.
King presented her research at the Tenth International Congress of Coptic Studies in Rome.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/09/was-jesus-married-ancient-papyrus-mentions-his-wife/
El you crack me up.
Keep in mind that "marriage" back then, wasn't as it is now.
If a couple started living together, people considered them "married".
It's not like it is now, with the wedding ceremony, etc.
If he simply LIVED with Mary Magdelene, they would have been considered "married".
And since 'protection' didn't really exist back then, and he was only human, it stands to reason that he had children with his wife.
It doesn't change the fact that he was a charismatic man, a good teacher, walked on water, a successful leader, and a great person responsible for inciting a 'hope & change' mentality in his disciples.
Who knows... 500 years from now, people might be reading about Barack Obama, in the "King Biden's Version" of the Bible.
People liken BO to JC (ie: charismatic, teacher, leader, walks on water, incites hope and change, etc), so the same things may be written about him as is/was written about JC.
If a couple started living together, people considered them "married".
It's not like it is now, with the wedding ceremony, etc.
If he simply LIVED with Mary Magdelene, they would have been considered "married".
And since 'protection' didn't really exist back then, and he was only human, it stands to reason that he had children with his wife.
It doesn't change the fact that he was a charismatic man, a good teacher, walked on water, a successful leader, and a great person responsible for inciting a 'hope & change' mentality in his disciples.
Who knows... 500 years from now, people might be reading about Barack Obama, in the "King Biden's Version" of the Bible.
People liken BO to JC (ie: charismatic, teacher, leader, walks on water, incites hope and change, etc), so the same things may be written about him as is/was written about JC.
Well to me its just common sense if the word tells us he would have all the same temptations as we do and live the life of man. I doubt seriously if he did not experience being with the opposite sex and for him to not sin doing it, would he not be married? Whatever marriage at that time was? I guess that is why the catholic priest and nun thing never made sense to me. But that is just my own thinking.
I believe there is a lot of evidence showing he was married to Mary Magdalene as well. And given that time in history, it makes sense he would have married. Teko, I feel the same. Him being married changes nothing for me either....I find the fact that he has been put forward as being celibate, etc. confusing. Why would it matter?
Yeah El, shut your mouth...lol.
Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, and they had children. From what I've read, I think that's a fairly widely accepted view/fact.
That said, the Catholic Church, in the infinite wisdom, covered that fact up, because it didn't fit in with their "Son of God", holier-then-thou, righteous, persona that they were trying to make Jesus appear to have.
Basically, the Catholic Church swept the facts under the carpet, because the truth was inconvenient for their agenda.
Then again, I'm an atheist, so what do i care, right?
That said, the Catholic Church, in the infinite wisdom, covered that fact up, because it didn't fit in with their "Son of God", holier-then-thou, righteous, persona that they were trying to make Jesus appear to have.
Basically, the Catholic Church swept the facts under the carpet, because the truth was inconvenient for their agenda.
Then again, I'm an atheist, so what do i care, right?
Im with you adgal. I personally have a huge problem with organized religion. To me there is a big difference between religion and christianity. The bible tells me that Jesus came to live on this earth with men as a man and all its temptations. It would not change anything about the way I believe one way or the other. I would actually be more surprised if someone told me he had not married.
I think a lot of scholars have believed this for a while. I also grew up Catholic and no longer consider myself so. Many of the Church rules didn't make sense to me, Priests remaining celebate being one of them. I actually have issues with many of the rules in different Churches as I cannot figure out the reasoning behind them. I am a firm believer, but do tend to question many things, this being one of them.
The church gets enough things wrong, so it would be no mystery to me that they were wrong about this..... Plausible.
I grew up catholic and I have to say that got some things wrong. Women should play a very prominate role in the church. I am at a different church now from my youth and we had a woman pastor until she retired. We have women who serve on the board of elders. Prominate roles.
I also believe that Mary played a very large role in Jesus life and might have been his wife. Family and faith go hand in hand (if you believe in Jesus)
I also believe that Mary played a very large role in Jesus life and might have been his wife. Family and faith go hand in hand (if you believe in Jesus)
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