print
The Bible Refers to Jesus' Wife, Too
by forwardslash

    "A Faded Piece of Papyrus Refers to Jesus' Wife." It's a tantalizing claim and an irresistible headline. According to a New York Times article published today, a Harvard researcher has discovered an ancient Coptic document that includes the phrases "Jesus said to them, 'My wife ...'" and "she will be able to be my disciple."

    If the document is real, and Jesus did in fact have a wife, the implications could be tremendous, the article says:

    "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."

    There's only one problem, though. The Bible itself refers to Jesus' wife, repeatedly. Only that wife is not Mary Magdalene or any other earthly woman. It's the church.