DaVinci Code: The Truth Behind the Fiction - Part 9

DaVince Code Part 9: Mary Magdelene 2

In my last post, I looked at one of the two documents that are often cited to suggest that Jesus was married. We looked at the first document called the Gospel of Philip and I explained why this is not a reliable source for gathering any accurate information about Jesus (please read the last DaVinci post if you have questions about the Gospel of Philip). Then I provided a copy of the text:
Philip 63:33-36: “And a companion of the … Lord [probably], Mary Magdalene. He loved Mary more than [all] the disciples, and he used to kiss her [often] on the ________. He used to kiss her ________ on the ________. The rest of [the disciples were offended]. They said to him, ‘Why do you love her more than all of us?’”
I addressed the fact that those who use this passage to support the idea that Jesus was married will put the word “mouth” in the third blank space saying that Jesus kissed her “on the mouth” and that he would only kiss his wife on the mouth. The obvious problem is that many words can go in that blank and we simply cannot know what the original writer wrote. But, beyond the fact that we don’t know how the text reads, this argument is full of holes.

The first problem is that if Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene then why would the disciples have a problem with Jesus kissing his supposed wife on the mouth? Answer – they wouldn’t! A kiss on the mouth would be totally appropriate if they were married. So, the fact that the disciples would be upset at a married couple kissing doesn’t make sense.

Even more problematic for this passage is that the disciples WERE supposedly “offended” at the action that Jesus took. So, it is much more plausible that Jesus would have kissed Mary on the cheek. In Jewish tradition men would kiss each other on the cheek so if Jesus kissed Mary on the cheek the disciples might have been offended and responded with the question, “Why do you love her more than us?”

The last way this text is used by those who support the idea of Jesus and Mary being married will point to the use of the word “companion” to describe Mary’s relationship to Jesus. In fact, characters in Dan Brown’s book claim that there’s a word for “companion” in Aramaic that means “wife.” This argument comes from those who lack any historical insight into these later writings like the Gospel of Philip. These second or third century texts weren’t written in Aramaic but were written in the Coptic language. The Coptic word that is used in Philip is borrowed from a Greek word (from which these writings were originally written). The same word is used to describe the business partnership Peter had with James and John (Luke 5:10). So, this word could be used to describe a partnership between men as well as it could describe a husband/wife relationship.

So, when all these problems with the text (any one single issue discredits this passage as a good support to the marriage theory) are considered together they discredit this passage as good defense of the marriage theory. I will though say once again that this document was NOT written by Philip but centuries after Philips death.

The second document that supporters of the marriage theory use is the Gospel of Mary. Again, like the Gospel of Philip, this text was not written by Mary Magdalene but was written long after her death. They use the following passage:
Mary 17:10 – 18:21. “When Mary had said this to the disciples [she was re-telling some of the secrets Jesus had just confided in her privately], she was silent, since the Savior had spoken thus far with her. But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, ‘Say what you think concerning what she said. For I do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly, these teachings are of other ideas.’” Mary says, “This is what Jesus just confided in me privately.” Andrew says, “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe Jesus told you that. Peter also opposed her in regard to these matters and asked them about the Savior. ‘Did he then speak secretly with a woman, in preference to us, and not openly? Are we to turn back and all listen to her? Did he prefer her to us? And then Mary grieved and said to Peter, ‘My brother Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I thought this up myself in my heart or that I am lying concerning the Savior?’”
I’ll give you a day to read over this text a few times and see if you find anything in this passage to support the supposed marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

Until then…

Carpe Deum! (Seize God!)
Todd Phillips