The well-known, liberal Jesus scholar John Dominic Crossan was asked on Beliefnet.com whether Jesus was married. He began his sarcastic
reply this way:
There is an ancient and venerable principle of biblical exegesis [interpretation] which states that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a camel in disguise. So let’s apply that to whether or not Jesus was married. There is no evidence that Jesus was married (looks like a duck), multiple indications that he was not (walks like a duck), and no early texts suggesting wife or children (quacks like a duck) … so he must be an incognito bridegroom (camel in disguise).
At one level, to hear the question about whether Jesus was married strikes one as odd. Almost everyone holds that Jesus was so dedicated to His ministry that He remained single.
A Look at the Claim that Jesus Was Married
Although I agree with Crossan’s assessment, to reply with humor or to simply dismiss the question about whether Jesus was married is not an adequate response. Some have given reasons why they think Jesus was married. In The Da Vinci Code, the Opus Dei attempts to cover up the “fact” that Jesus had a family and children in order to protect His claim to deity. In the novel the Opus Dei is a secret church society whose goal is to protect the church by any means. The novel argues the case for Jesus’ marriage on two primary bases: (1) that it was un-Jewish to be unmarried (p. 245), and (2) that according to Gnostic texts, Jesus kissed Mary on the mouth, and the apostles were jealous of His special relationship (pp. 246–47). To make the study complete, I shall include other arguments, from outside the novel, often brought forward to establish that Jesus was married.
At the start I must say several things. (1) There is no evidence anywhere that explicitly indicates Jesus was married. (2) One of the few things on which a vast majority of liberal and conservative Jesus scholars agree is that Jesus was single. Crossan in his Beliefnet.com piece did not feel the need to defend the case that Jesus was single. To him, it was that obvious. It is such an unusual situation in the study of Jesus for scholars of all persuasions to agree—when it happens, one should note it. The agreed-upon point is quite likely valid. (3) On the other hand, we have no explicit text declaring that Jesus was single. (4) On several occasions, it would have been easy for writers in the New Testament to say that Jesus was married if that was the case. This issue is also the burden of the investigation at the end of this chapter. (5) Even if Jesus had been married, it would not have had the devastating effect on Jesus’ claim of divinity that the conspiracy view alleges.
Let’s deal with the last point first. Jesus did many things that underscored His genuine humanity. He ate, thirsted, slept, tired, lived, and died. His everyday life was that of a normal human existence. His life was exceptional because of His relationship with God, His access to divine power, and His resurrection. One of the most basic beliefs of Christian faith is that Jesus was 100 percent human. So if He had been married and fathered children, His marital relationship and His parenthood would not theoretically undercut His divinity but would have been reflections of His complete humanity. Had Jesus been married, there was no need to cover it up. The whole rationale for covering up any supposed relationship has no basis in theology. Had Jesus been married, theoretically He still could have been and done all He did. This leads us to the major question: What evidence is there that Jesus was or was not married?
1. Mary Traveled with Jesus
Let’s now consider the reasoning brought forward to make the claim that Jesus was married. The major evidence is the text in Luke 8:1–3 that we reviewed earlier. Three women traveled with Jesus and supported His ministry team. The claim is that to travel with men or to live alongside men in such a way was unusual in the culture—a true claim. The inference then is made that Mary and Jesus must have been married for it to have been an acceptable situation.
To begin to make such a deduction, however, we must wed this text and idea to additional later texts. Those texts say that Jesus had a special relationship with Mary Magdalene. Such a link is required because Luke 8:1–3 notes three women: Susanna, Joanna, and Mary Magdalene. If traveling with the disciples in ministry suggests a marriage, then one would have to link Mary exclusively to Jesus, which Luke 8:1–3 does not do.
2. Other Texts Show that Jesus and Mary
Had a “Special” Relationship
Yet a second suggestion comes to complete the argument. It is that texts from a century or more
later than Luke indicate that Mary had a special relationship with Jesus that could point to marriage. This is the argument to which the novel appeals. The texts are the later Gnostic-like texts, the books of Philip and Mary of Magdala, which we noted in exploring who Mary Magdalene was. They include the ideas that she was a companion of someone (perhaps Jesus) since she was in the traveling party and that Jesus kissed her (but where or in what context is not known).
No passage in these books actually states that Jesus was married. The best that can be brought forward is that Jesus loved Mary more than He did others and that there was some unclear display of affection. No statement even raises the issue whether the information in these later texts is accurate, that is, whether the sources of such information are credible. The claims assume the accuracy of these texts. Even if the texts are accurate, the claims in these texts fall far short of showing that Jesus was married (as we saw in examining Code 1).
There is an irony in the use of such extrabiblical texts. It is that some people raise questions and doubts about some of the biblical gospel material because they regard it as prejudicial. (The belief is that the biblical texts reflect the view of the later “winners” in church history, so we cannot completely trust these sources. These biblical texts deny the variety of Christianity that existed in the first few centuries.) Yet authors writing more than a century later, operating on what seems to be the fringe of Christianity, are treated as if they speak truth—no questions asked. Do these texts lack a perspective and prejudice? Might they also distort the facts if the texts of the “winners” do? What makes such texts immune from examination? We shall return to this point in more detail in Codes 4 and 5. For now we need to remember two things: (1) these texts, even if true, never claim Jesus was married, and (2) these texts need to be subjected to the same critical eye that some give the more ancient, biblical material. It’s likely that these texts never explicitly link Jesus and Mary as husband and wife because their authors shared the common knowledge that Jesus was not married.
A second, independent argument for the marriage of Mary Magdalene and Jesus appeals to the scene of the sinful woman anointing Him in Luke 7:36–50. The argument is that this scene would not have been so offensive if the woman anointing Him had been His wife. This approach is fraught with problems we have already covered. The anointing woman of Luke 7 is not to be identified with Mary in Luke 8. More than that, the woman’s act as portrayed in Luke 7 was seen as offensive. As a result, the remark by the Jewish host was that if Jesus knew what sort of woman she was, He would not have allowed the anointing (Luke 7:39). How could such an argument apply if the woman was His wife?
To raise this text in this light, one has to cast doubt on the way that Luke 7 presents it. But if this text were so inaccurate in its portrayal, then how could the text give us anything of value for our question? Either Luke 7 is true—and it is clear that Jesus was not married to the woman who anointed Him—or the text is so inaccurate that it cannot be used to help us with the question. I think the text is accurate. It fits the frequent portrayal of Jesus as being open to and accepting of sinners who seek Him out. Either way, Luke 7 does not support the idea that Jesus was married.
3. Jesus as a Good Jew Would Be Married
Proponents of Jesus being a married man make a third argument, and the novel also appeals to it: because Jesus was a teacher and functioned like a rabbi, He would have followed Jewish custom and married.
Two factors make this argument weak. First, Jesus was not technically a rabbi, and He did not portray Himself as one. The apostles called Him rabbi in Matthew and Mark because He was their teacher, not because He held an official Jewish role. In fact, when Luke described Jesus’ role, he used the term teacher rather than rabbi. The Jews asked Jesus by what authority He did certain things because He did not occupy any official position within Judaism that would have permitted Him to act as He did within the temple (Mark 11:28). Jesus was not a rabbi nor did He always act like one. As far as the Jewish leaders were concerned, Jesus had no recognized official role within Judaism.
Second, Jesus’ teaching of the kingdom’s call to be eunuchs appears to be rooted in His commitment and example not to be married (Matt. 19:10–12). Why would Jesus issue such a statement, acknowledge it as a demanding calling, and not follow it? Some of the rationale for the Roman Catholic Church’s later view that priests should not be married is rooted in the view that Jesus was not married. We shall consider in detail this idea that it is un-Jewish for Jewish men to be single in the next chapter on Code 3.
4. An Initial Cultural Response: Jewish Men
And Women Together at Qumran
What of the unusual Jewish cultural practice of women, such as Mary Magdalene, living alongside men? There was a precedent of sorts at Qumran, better known as the community of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a Jewish separatist enclave that resided near the Dead Sea from the mid-second century b.c. to several decades after the time of Christ. This community raises the possibility of people living together for religious reasons and yet refraining from marriage.
We know that Jewish women and men lived in the wilderness, some apparently in a celibate state as a reflection of their commitment to God’s kingdom. There is indication that some men in this community took on a pledge of celibacy because women lived near them in a separate community. Crossan puts it this way:
We also know that a profound utopian theology was the basis for the lifestyle of the Essenes, who lived in Jesus’ time. In order, as their Qumran Rule of the Community puts it, “to bring about truth, justice and uprightness on earth” the successful sect member enters God’s Community by “the placing of his possessions in common.” Judging by their Dead Sea Scrolls and their carefully buried skeletons, those Qumran Essenes were an all-male group living in communal celibacy, ritual purity, and eschatological holiness—living in a sense like angels, with heaven already touching earth.
Crossan notes what is well known about the cemetery finds in the community: the remains are strictly male. However, just outside the periphery of the main cemetery are remains of a few women and children. This cemetery evidence is noted by Qumran scholar Geza Vermes in The Dead Sea Scrolls in English (p. 18). Many Essenes were known for their emphasis on celibacy (Josephus, Antiquities18.1.5.20–21; Jewish War2.8.2.121–22; Philo, Hypothetica11.14–17).
A passage from Josephus, the famous first-century Jewish historian, also testifies to celibacy in discussing the practice of the Essenes, the probable Jewish sect that inhabited Qumran:
It also deserves our admiration, how much they [the Essenes] exceed all other men that addict themselves to virtue, and this in righteousness; and indeed to such a degree, that as it has never appeared among any other man, neither Greeks nor barbarians, no, not for a little time, so has it endured a long while among them. This is demonstrated by that institution of theirs which will not suffer anything to hinder them from having all things in common; so that a rich man enjoys no more of his own wealth than he who has nothing at all. There are about four thousand men that live in this way, and neither marry wives, nor are desirous to keep servants; as thinking the latter tempts men to be unjust, and the former gives the handle to domestic quarrels; but as they live by themselves, they minister one to another. (Antiquities18.1.5.20–21)
We shall return to the rationale for these Jewish practices in the next chapter, for they provide a clue to the religious and cultural environment of the first century. For now, we need to appreciate that some Jews did not view marriage as an obligation and chose celibacy as a sign of piety. For those at Qumran, remaining single was about single-minded dedication to God. Paul exhibited a similar attitude in 1 Corinthians 7 when he advised the people not to marry because of the nature of the times; nevertheless if one did marry, he said, it was not sin. The point is that mutual ministry could take place across gender lines. It was unusual in the culture, but it would not mean that one had to be married to do so or that celibacy could not be practiced.
The Case for Jesus as a Single Man
Most scholars have long believed that Jesus was single, and we will examine three arguments supporting that belief. No early Christian text we possess, either biblical or extrabiblical, indicates the presence of a wife during His ministry, His crucifixion, or after His resurrection. Whenever texts mention Jesus’ family, they refer to His mother, brothers and sisters but never to a wife. Furthermore, there is no hint that He was widowed. To paraphrase Crossan, “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck!”
1. Mary Was Never Tied to Any Male When She Was Named
The first argument for Jesus being single takes us back to passages from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John where Mary Magdalene was named (Matt. 27:55–56; Mark 15:40–41; Luke 8:2; John 19:25). In these texts other women listed were connected to prominent or well-known males in their lives. It was an important clue, and here is where that clue applies. If Mary had been married to Jesus, this listing would be the place to mention it, as had been done with other women who were connected to sons or husbands. No listing of Mary Magdalene or any other woman does this to say that Jesus was married.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were written within a generation or two of Jesus’ life. Most scholars date the last biblical gospel, John, to the a.d. nineties. There was no “plot” yet to keep the details of Jesus’ life a secret nor was there an established precedent that ministers might not have the right to marry. Later in 1 Corinthians 9:4–6, Paul, a minister of the gospel, believed he had a right to certain things—such as marriage—rights that he did not use but that were possible for him.
2. A Minister’s Right to Marry Was Cited
Without Reference to Jesus
Without Reference to Jesus
First Corinthians 9:4–6 may be the most important text for this topic. It reads, “Do we not have the right to financial support? Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?” Paul noted in this aside that the apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas (Peter) had the right to a wife. In other words, they had every right to be married. It would have been simple for Paul to add that Jesus was married—had He been. Such a point would have sealed his argument, but he did not make that point. Some might object by suggesting that Paul cited only people who were alive. But the response to such an objection is that Paul was discussing precedent and rights. To raise the example of what someone did would be possible and logical, had Jesus had such a status. The conclusion is that Paul did not make the point because he could not make such a point.
This 1 Corinthians 9 passage shows that the church was not embarrassed to reveal that its leaders were married—or to suggest that they had the right to be. The same would have been true of Jesus if He had been married. In fact, had Jesus been married, there would have been no better place for Paul to say it than here. It would have clinched Paul’s case that he also had the right to be married. Paul did not mention it because Jesus had not been married.
Some will reply that 1 Corinthians 7 could be made to make the same point in reverse. This entire chapter affirmed that remaining single is advised. Why did not Paul make the same point with Jesus here that one argues for in chapter 9 of 1 Corinthians? He could have well said that Jesus was single and made Him the example. That would have sealed Paul’s point, but he did not say it. The point would be that such arguments from silence prove nothing.
The point is well taken, but a reasonable reply is possible. The difference in the two situations of 1 Corinthians 7 and 1 Corinthians 9 may well show that not all silence is equal when it comes to noting differences in the nature of the evidence. Paul did not need to make a point about Jesus’ singleness because it was well known, assumed, and not debated. More than that, and more important, Paul’s view was not that one must be single, but that singleness was advisable. To bring up Jesus as the example would make the point about being single in too strong a manner. He wanted people to take seriously the option of remaining single, but he did not suggest that marriage was wrong. So he did not mention Jesus.
3. Jesus Showed No Special Concern
For Mary Magdalene at the Cross
For Mary Magdalene at the Cross
As we examine the scene of the cross, we see a third and final argument indicating that Jesus was single. At the cross many believing women, including Jesus’ mother, gathered. If there was an occasion where family would be present, it was there as Jesus was dying. Yet no wife was described. Jesus was most concerned about His mother as He gave her into John’s care (John 19:26–27). In addition, had Jesus been married, His wife would have been present with His mother to celebrate the Passover festival that brought them to Jerusalem during the time of Jesus’ arrest. Once again, no wife was mentioned because there was no wife.
What Can We Say About Jesus Being Married?
The discussion surrounding whether Jesus was married has been particularly complex, but such is the case in investigating mysteries. Sometimes juries have to hear detailed testimony about DNA and double helixes, a topic they typically would not encounter in daily life. Sorting out whether Jesus was married requires careful examination of ancient texts and Jewish history, topics not typically part of everyday discussion.
It has long been believed by Christians and scholars that Jesus was single, and there are good reasons for this belief. When He was in ministry, there was no mention of a wife. When He was tried and crucified, there was no mention of a wife. After His death and resurrection, there was no mention of a wife. Jesus’ family members—His mother, brothers, and sisters—were mentioned more than once, but never a wife. Nor was there any indication that He was widowed.
This is not an argument from silence in the classic sense because there were numerous opportunities to make the point about Jesus being married—had He been. The problem here is that where no marriage has occurred, silence will be the result! Other texts show that Jesus supported a single lifestyle for some of His followers, an example that seemed to include Him.
So our second code is broken. What is the likelihood that Jesus was married? The answer here is short—none. So how does one explain Jesus being single? That is the third code we need to investigate because it helps us to appreciate how first-century culture differed from our own culture and reinforces the idea that Jesus had a reason to be single, even though the novel claims that Jesus had to be married.
Bock, D. L. (2004). Breaking The Da Vinci code : Answers to the questions everyone’s asking (31). Nashville: Nelson Books.