A Faded Piece of Papyrus Refers to Jesus’ Wife (Written in Coptic in the fourth century)

New York Times ^ | 09/18/2012 | Laurie Goodstein

[SeekAndFind]

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A historian of early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School has identified a scrap of papyrus that she says was written in Coptic in the fourth century and contains a phrase never seen in any piece of Scripture: “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife ...’ ”

The faded papyrus fragment is smaller than a business card, with eight lines on one side, in black ink legible under a magnifying glass. Just below the line about Jesus having a wife, the papyrus includes a second provocative clause that purportedly says, “she will be able to be my disciple.”

The finding was made public in Rome on Tuesday at an international meeting of Coptic scholars by Karen L. King, a historian who has published several books about new Gospel discoveries and is the first woman to hold the nation’s oldest endowed chair, the Hollis professor of divinity.

The provenance of the papyrus fragment is a mystery, and its owner has asked to remain anonymous. Until Tuesday, Dr. King had shown the fragment to only a small circle of experts in papyrology and Coptic linguistics, who concluded that it is most likely not a forgery. But she and her collaborators say they are eager for more scholars to weigh in and perhaps upend their conclusions.

Even with many questions unsettled, the discovery could reignite the debate over whether Jesus was married, whether Mary Magdalene was his wife and whether he had a female disciple. These debates date to the early centuries of Christianity, scholars say. But they are relevant today, when global Christianity is roiling over the place of women in ministry and the boundaries of marriage.

[Huskrrrr]

You’re quite right. I spoke in haste.

[BykrBayb]

I know, it’s frustrating when people make claims like this.

[PJBankard]

Until Tuesday, Dr. King had shown the fragment to only a small circle of experts in papyrology and Coptic linguistics, who concluded that it is most likely not a forgery

Until its proven 100% authentic to come from the time frame stated, it's fake. Even if it is authentic, it doesn't prove anything as it is only a fragment. The text could literally mean anything, as viewing from a fragment stand point is inconclusive. No reputable scholar would make a statement based on a message fragment.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks SeekAndFind. Suggestion of a married Jesus - Ancient papyrus shows that some early Christians believed he wed A Faded Piece of Papyrus Refers to Jesus' Wife Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[BykrBayb]

Then I guess Twitter will never be a reliable historic record. ;)

[Jvette]

Just as He didn’t “fit” in His own time, He doesn’t “fit” in these times.

Some people will do all they can to deny Him, twist His words or try to remake Him according to their own philosophy.

It is a fool’s quest.

Jesus is eternal.

[Jvette]

Women have not been written out of the picture.

That is a fallacy.

Women are mentioned many times in the New Testament and were among Jesus’ followers.

There is no perversion in the Gospels or the books of the NT that follow them.

To compare Christianity in any way to Islam is perverted.

[Jvette]

I wasted not a shred of time on that garbage even though people told me it was a “good read.”

[verga]

Any time you are near one of these “Intellectuals” carry a one iron. Even God can’t hit a one iron./sarc

seriously I just said this to the golf coach. He is taking some students to a tournament tomorrow, and I told him: "If it starts to rain ...."

He just laughed

[Jvette]

<<<<>>> Not funny, but an evil plot by men to deny women their rightful place and the power Jesus intended them to have. The written evidence of His marriage was quickly disposed of in order to keep women down.

[Jvette]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

You’re right. That WAS a good laugh.

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

It seems you have a very good argument for his being married. He would have stuck out like a sore thumb in that time if he was unmarried. Somebody would have commented on his single status, but they did not.

[narses]

Uh, no. Not even.

[Revolting cat!]

Any news on his alleged brother Luci? (A boy named Luci, you ask? Ask Bishop Mittens, that’s his area of expertise.)

[cookcounty]

I wonder what Professor Karen King’s wives think about this.
I wonder if the above fragment, written in ancient HTML, will be recovered in 1,600 years?)

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

I note your heavily foot-noted response. “Uh, no. Not even”

[narses]

Yaaawnnnnnn........

[ravenwolf]

Much of the faith and its continuity is based and central to a strong family. This means marriage, fidelity etc etc between a man and a woman.

---

I am not trying to be rude, but even though you may hear a lot about family in church you do not read much of it in the gospel.

In fact among other things in matt 10:36 Jesus said, And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

And no doubt Jesus experienced this himself, most likely his mother and the ones called his sisters and brothers.

I think where the perversion exists is for people to claim to be Christian but spend their entire life trying to prove the words of Christ to be garbage.

[Slings and Arrows]

I have asked Orthodox rabbis they cannot find a requirement in the Talmud that requires a rabbit to be married.

Bunnies worldwide rejoice.

[Melian]

This post gave me two thoughts:

1) That woman looks deranged.

2) Since Jewish law forbade unmarried men from teaching children, this sheds new light on the Scripture passage where the Apostles tried to keep the little children from bothering Him. Maybe they wanted the children to go away because He was unmarried!