The Wife of Jesus?

A Harvard scholar who unveiled ancient papyrus in which Jesus refers to "my wife" says the discovery provides no definitive answer.

Published

8 months ago

Categories

Arts & Society

Topics

Seriously?

People

Karen King

Places

Syria, United States of America, Egypt

Transcript

Was Jesus Married? A U.S. scholar searches for clues in an ancient Coptic papyrus in which Jesus refers to "his wife" Harvard Divinity School Professor Karen King -- who unveiled the papyrus -- says it offers no definitive answer. (SOUNDBITE) (English) KAREN KING, HOLLIS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY AT HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL SAYING: "I think the fragment itself is discussing issues about discipleship and family. But certainly the fact that this is the first unequivocal statement we have that claims Jesus had a wife, is of great interest." Christian tradition has long held that Jesus was not married (SOUNDBITE) (English) KAREN KING, HOLLIS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY AT HARVARD DIVINITY SCHOOL SAYING: "I want to be very clear that this fragment doesn't actually give us any evidence that Jesus was married, or not married. It is too late. Infact all of the earlier and most reliable historical information is completely silent and this does not change that situation. But we can ask the question when did Christians first start talking about whether Jesus was married or not? Who was the first person, for example to say that Jesus was not married? " The tiny fragment is owned by an anonymous private collector who contacted King to help translate and analyze it, and is thought to have been discovered in Egypt or perhaps Syria.