Mark Goodacre's academic blog. Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Duke University, in the Religious Studies Department. Visit my homepage, follow me on twitter, or contact me by email.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Was Jesus Married to Mary Magdalene? at Baylor
I'm lecturing at Baylor University tomorrow on the topic, "Was Jesus Married to Mary Magdalene?" They have put this nice poster together, which features details of time and location. I look forward to seeing some of you there.
The Gospels and the Epistles are silent about Jesus being married to Mary Magdalene.
If I were Richard Bauckham, I might say this silence was 'protective anonymity' :-)
In fact, the Epistles are silent about the very existence of Mary Magdalene.
But we know she existed, because she is in the Bible, even if the very earliest Christians never mention her (or Judas, or Joseph of Arimathea, or Mary the mother of Jesus, or Thomas, or Lazarus, or Nicodemus, or Barabbas, or Jairus, or Simon the Cyrene)
Some of the reason the question is re-addressed is due to popular media re-raising the issue in recent years--Da Vinci Code, the Gospel of Jesus' Wife fragment last fall among other reasons. This is a very relevant topic to discuss.
@T.M.--I am going to disagree with you because the sources that you claim are 're-raising the issue' really aren't.
There is no issue to raise as the question has been answered numerous times and with the same answer--no.
One must consider the sources of the claim that Jesus and Mary were married. Since they are not biblical or inspired then they are merely causing trouble and not shedding light on an old worn out topic.
If the gospels had said Jesus was married to Mary then we could have a discussion but sinced all these claims come from unbelievers, we know they are simply trying to fool people and lead people from the truth.
Peter: no, it wasn't recorded, but I am planning on recording an extended NT Pod based on the paper.
Stephen: yes, the answer is "no", but what is revealing -- I suggest -- is why people have started asking the question again, and how this is impacting on scholarship.
theologyarchaeology: you really are a rude person.
Steven: so do you believe in the existence of the characters that are mentioned in the epistles, like Cephas, James, John, the twelve and Jesus?
Peter: well, I'm doing a related talk in Birmingham next week, so we'll have to see what they think!
Timothy M: yes, the Da Vinci Code is key here. It's interesting watching the change in claims in popular culture having their affect on scholarship, perhaps most dramatically in the Talpiot Tomb affair, which is very much a post-Da Vinci code phenomenon.
Any possibility of someone taping the lecture?
ReplyDeleteTitle with a question. That must already imply an answer.
ReplyDeleteThis just proves that scholars and scholarship are nothing but a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteThis question was asked and answered years ago and the answer still has NOT changed! NO they were not married.
Please try to get it through your heads that the truth is the only thing that matters not scholarship or asking the same questions over and over.
Maybe this is an exercise in futility to make it look like you are doing something to earn your pay
The Gospels and the Epistles are silent about Jesus being married to Mary Magdalene.
ReplyDeleteIf I were Richard Bauckham, I might say this silence was 'protective anonymity' :-)
In fact, the Epistles are silent about the very existence of Mary Magdalene.
But we know she existed, because she is in the Bible, even if the very earliest Christians never mention her (or Judas, or Joseph of Arimathea, or Mary the mother of Jesus, or Thomas, or Lazarus, or Nicodemus, or Barabbas, or Jairus, or Simon the Cyrene)
The title assumes the answer may be dependent on where you are. At Baylor: no.
ReplyDeleteSome of the reason the question is re-addressed is due to popular media re-raising the issue in recent years--Da Vinci Code, the Gospel of Jesus' Wife fragment last fall among other reasons. This is a very relevant topic to discuss.
ReplyDeleteDon't leave us hanging, Mark. Was he?
ReplyDelete@T.M.--I am going to disagree with you because the sources that you claim are 're-raising the issue' really aren't.
ReplyDeleteThere is no issue to raise as the question has been answered numerous times and with the same answer--no.
One must consider the sources of the claim that Jesus and Mary were married. Since they are not biblical or inspired then they are merely causing trouble and not shedding light on an old worn out topic.
If the gospels had said Jesus was married to Mary then we could have a discussion but sinced all these claims come from unbelievers, we know they are simply trying to fool people and lead people from the truth.
Peter: no, it wasn't recorded, but I am planning on recording an extended NT Pod based on the paper.
ReplyDeleteStephen: yes, the answer is "no", but what is revealing -- I suggest -- is why people have started asking the question again, and how this is impacting on scholarship.
theologyarchaeology: you really are a rude person.
Steven: so do you believe in the existence of the characters that are mentioned in the epistles, like Cephas, James, John, the twelve and Jesus?
Peter: well, I'm doing a related talk in Birmingham next week, so we'll have to see what they think!
Timothy M: yes, the Da Vinci Code is key here. It's interesting watching the change in claims in popular culture having their affect on scholarship, perhaps most dramatically in the Talpiot Tomb affair, which is very much a post-Da Vinci code phenomenon.
Mark: no, I don't think so.
'Steven: so do you believe in the existence of the characters that are mentioned in the epistles, like Cephas, James, John, the twelve and Jesus?'
ReplyDeleteThe twelve what? That is the question.
Is Cephas Peter?
Epistles are primary sources, while the Gospels are anonymous, unprovenanced sources.
Provenance is king.
Which Epistles do you mean, as concerning Jesus?
The Jesus of Hebrews speaks with the voice of scripture.
The Jesus of 2 Corinthians 12 speaks from the grave.
Did either of those Jesus's exist? The one who spoke personally to Paul, and the one who spoke through scripture?