Outremer I

by D. N. Carter

  “You are referring to the marriage at Canna, where Jesus turned water to wine… and that it has been supposed that it was actually his wedding? But if you wish me to answer that question fully, I must beg your indulgence as it is rather long winded and complex,” the old man replied.

  “What…Jesus was married,” the wealthy tailor stated, very puzzled.

  “Yes, and one day in the future, when the Papacy reveals the truth of this, only then will the sacred feminine and real Church show itself. But let me explain first that I shall give you both sides of the argument as it will have relevance later. To do that, we must look carefully at the real evidence of whether Jesus married. Some rumours say this is a ‘truth’ covered up by the Church for self-serving reasons. But that is so far from the real hidden truth. People will argue over the ‘apparent’ historical evidence for centuries to come as they have already done, by claiming that a statement written must be either true or false…as if a piece of parchment adds any more validity to historical truth than a fake parchment. Even if you take the supposedly most reliable records, of his life as outlined in the carefully selected New Testament gospels, even they do not tell us explicitly whether Jesus was married or not. They don’t mention his having a wife. But nor do they state that he was unmarried. This very silence of the New Testament gospels is what fuels and gives rise to so many conflicting voices. Some see in these writings a plot to cover up the truth about Jesus. Others see the silence of the gospels as proof that Jesus could not have been married. It does seem rather farfetched to imagine that if Jesus had been married to Miriam of Magdala, whom we know as Mary Magdalene, or to any other woman for that matter, this very important fact would have been completely omitted from all of the earliest records of Jesus’s life. Those who claim that the earliest Christians conspired to hide this information because it confirmed that Jesus wasn’t divine forget that the supposed conspirators often gave their lives defending this view because they believed Jesus to have been divine. Would they have died for something they knew to be a lie?” the old man explained and asked.

  “But I know the gospels were written many many years after his crucifixion so they could have easily added those details later…you know, to compete with other religions at the time,” Simon interjected.

  “That is true with much of what is written in both the Old and New Testament… but that is why a code using mathematics and symbols was encoded within both. But that is precisely why some argue that the silence of the New Testament about the marital status of Jesus indicates he was in fact married. Why? Because virtually every Jewish man in Jesus’s day did marry, especially those who were considered to be Rabbis. But understand this…Jesus was not required by law, either governmental or religious, to marry as so many mistakenly believe. And, though he was in many ways a normal Jewish man, unmarried Jewish men in the time of Jesus were commonplace, just as they are now. This is especially the case within the Essenes, a group of apocalyptic Jews who eagerly awaited God’s intervention in history, for many amongst them did not marry by choice. Even mighty kings admired these men, venerated their sect, and increased their aura of mystery and credibility by their approbation and by the honours they bestowed upon them. There were about four thousand men that lived in this way, and neither had wives, nor kept servants; as thinking the latter tempts men to be unjust, and the former gives the handle to domestic quarrels; but as they lived by themselves, they ministered one to another. But even then, it is known that as many Essenes did marry as those who chose to be unmarried. The myth that the social decorum during that time virtually forbids a Jewish man to be unmarried is not warranted and is totally unfounded. According to Jewish custom, celibacy was condemned…yet in fact, some Jewish men chose to remain unmarried, and leading Jewish thinkers praised them for this choice. So it is just a myth.” The old man paused and shook his head. “However, unlike other Jewish teachers of his day, Jesus had close relationships with women, many of whom were his followers (Luke 8:2-3) and learned from him (Luke 10:38-42). Several of these women are mentioned by name in the New Testament gospels, including, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna, who together helped to support Jesus and his other disciples financially (Luke 8:2-3). But, you might wonder, what about Mary Magdalene? Several women named Mary are mentioned in the biblical gospels, including Jesus’s mother and Mary from Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus, the woman whom Jesus praised for learning from him (Luke 10:38-42). One of these ‘Marys’ is referred to as ‘Magdalene’, which means ‘from the village of Magdala’. Mary Magdalene is first mentioned as one of the women who accompanied Jesus on his preaching mission and helped to support him financially (Luke 8:1-3). Luke adds that seven demons had been cast out of her, presumably by Jesus (Luke 8:2). Nothing in this passage suggests that there was anything unusual about Mary’s relationship with Jesus, other than the very unusual fact that she was included among Jesus’s retinue. Jewish teachers in Jesus’s day usually didn’t teach women or include them as followers. In his inclusive practice Jesus was virtually unique, and his relationship with Mary and her female counterparts quite counter-cultural. I will explain more later of the symbolism behind the meaning of casting out demons for it is not what you are taught. And remember that Mary Magdalene is among the women who observe the crucifixion of Jesus (Mark 15:40). Then, on Easter morning she and a couple of female companions go to the tomb of Jesus, only to find it empty. Mary, according to John 20, encounters Jesus near the tomb, and then goes to announce his resurrection to the other disciples (John 20:1-18). In a sense, she is the first Christian evangelist, the first person to pass on the good news of Easter. This is all we know about Mary Magdalene from the biblical gospels. Several centuries after these texts were written, Mary became associated with the prostitute, though prostitute is a wholly inaccurate translation as I shall reveal later. It was she who bathed and anointed Jesus’s feet (Luke 7:36-50). But there’s nothing in Scripture that makes this connection. We have no reason to believe that Mary had ever been a prostitute. In fact as I shall detail, she was far from being a harlot, a prostitute”, the old man explained thoroughly.

  “But…but we hear so many legends surrounding Mary Magdalene…it is far easier to just ignore them all,” the Genoese sailor gravelled out.

  “Yes…most people do indeed do just that…at our peril I fear!” Gabirol commented as he quickly wrote more notes then opened a new wooden ink well.

  The old man looked at him and smiled.

  “With people like you, Gabirol, perhaps there is hope still…for there is always hope…Now what is exceptional about Mary, when understood in her own cultural setting, is that she was one of Jesus’s closest followers. Moreover, she was the first witness to the risen Christ, a role of exceptional honour and privilege. For those reasons alone we can see that Jesus held Mary in the highest regard, even if she was not his wife. Because nothing in the New Testament suggests that Jesus and Mary were married, those who advocate this position rely on non-canonical ‘gospels’. But you must know that the official canonical gospels are purely those selected at Nicea in AD 325 in Constantinople. All other gospels that did not fall in line or agreement with what the Church wished to preach were duly discarded or banned as heretical. Most people are not familiar with the non-canonical gospels. Thus when they hear that these writings reveal Jesus’s marriage to Mary Magdalene, they are at a loss to evaluate this claim, and often accept it at face value. Many even assume that the non-canonical evidence for Jesus’s marriage must be strong and ample since some writers get so excited about it. But in reality, the actual evidence is just as weak and scant. So a word of caution before we begin to look at the non-canonical evidence: dating of the non-biblical gospels is just as difficult as the canonical gospels because we have so little solid evidence. Those who want to see these gospels as reliable historical sources often push their authorship to as early as possible a time period, sometimes even into the first century AD. They fall foul of the same practice the early Church did i
n selecting and only believing that which they chose and best fits their own goals and aims,” the old man explained as he shifted upon his seat and stretched his arms, his shoulders clearly causing him some discomfort.

  “But I have heard that some even believe Jesus never existed and was purely a Roman initiative to subdue Jewish thought and rebellion. You know, create the myth of Jesus the Christ, who some argue was a Roma citizen himself all along and why he was allowed to be taken from the cross by his uncle, and that the teaching of ‘turn the other cheek’ and be meek and humble et cetera was all a cunning plan to make them all more compliant, more subservient and less militant,” Gabirol stated as he looked at his notes.

  “I know of this and I will cover that later in detail,” the old man replied as Gabirol made more notes. Simon watched him write.

  “Most credible scholars date the writing of the non-canonical gospels in the second or third century AD. These texts are, at any rate, much later than the biblical gospels by a long way with the possible exception of the Gospel of Thomas, which may have been written in the first century, though this is not at all certain. Several of the non-canonical gospels are named after one of the original disciples of Jesus, including Mary, but these disciples had nothing to do with the actual writing of the extra-biblical gospels. The Gospel of Thomas…since it’s probably the earliest and best known of the non-canonical gospels, it is therefore interesting to note that Mary Magdalene plays but a tiny role in the Gospel of Thomas, asking Jesus a question about the disciples: ‘Whom are your disciples like?’ This is the only place she speaks. She is mentioned at the end of this gospel in a most curious passage, which reads: ‘Simon Peter said to them, “Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of Life”. Jesus said, “I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”’ But you must understand that life here means spiritual life, not actual physical life. This passage does however again demonstrate, in accordance with the canonical gospels, that Mary was included among Jesus’s followers and that Jesus himself intentionally included women. Of course in the biblical record he valued them as women, not as beings that had eternal value if they became male. Maleness, in this text, should not be understood literally, but as a symbol of one’s spiritual or divine nature. The Gospel of Peter, written in the second century AD, focuses only on the last hours in the life of Jesus. It is noteworthy for its view that Jesus felt no pain when crucified and for its exoneration of Pontius Pilate for the death of Jesus. Mary Magdalene appears only on Easter morning, when she and her women friends come to the tomb of Jesus to weep for him. She is described as ‘a female disciple, Greek mathetria, of the Lord’. At the tomb, Mary and her friends see an angel who announces the resurrection of Jesus, and they run away frightened. In the Gospel of Peter we find no evidence whatsoever for a marriage between Mary and Jesus. But, once again, Mary is portrayed as a female disciple of Jesus. The Dialogue of the Saviour, also written in the second century AD, is a dialogue between the Saviour, and take particular note that he was never called Jesus or Christ, and some of his disciples, including Mary. The disciples ask questions about esoteric religious things, and Jesus gives equally esoteric answers. Although Mary is one of the frequent interrogators of the Saviour, at one point she makes an observation. The text explains, ‘This word she spoke as a woman who knew the All’. In other words, Mary has special knowledge of spiritual reality. There is no hint in The Dialogue of the Saviour of a marriage between Jesus and Mary or the Saviour and Mary. She is seen, once again, as central among the disciples of the Saviour, and as a person with special insight. Then we come on to the Sophia of Jesus Christ in a post-resurrection dialogue between the risen Christ and some of his followers, including Mary. It may have been written as early as the middle of the second century AD. Twice in this gospel Mary asks questions of Christ, such as ‘Holy Lord, where did your disciples come from, and where are they going, and what should they do here?’ The Pistis Sophia is a Gnostic gospel written sometime during the third century AD. It is a revelation of Christ in which Mary plays a prominent role, asking the majority of the questions about all measure of esoteric matters. Mary is praised in The Pistis Sophia as one ‘whose heart is more directed to the Kingdom of Heaven than all her brothers’. Jesus says that she is ‘blessed beyond all women upon the earth, because she shall be the pleroma of all Pleromas and the completion of all completions’. In other words, Mary will have the fullness of knowledge and therefore spiritual life within her. So impressed is Jesus with Mary’s spiritual excellence that he promises not to conceal anything from her, but to reveal everything to her ‘with certainty and openly’. She is the blessed one who will ‘inherit the whole Kingdom of the Light’. If you will, I would ask that you make a special note of the Kingdom of Light for it refers to a time in the future, when the very world we exist upon shall have a whole new light, both physically and spiritually…and that is when her time will come,” the old man said and looked directly at Gabirol. Gabirol wrote away as quickly as he could as the old man watched him carefully.

  “I cannot write quickly enough all you say…but I can make headings. But I shall make especial notes if you can kindly warn me to do so as you just did,” Gabirol explained still writing.

  “I shall indeed. Note further then that from The Pistis Sophia, a growing interest in Mary among Gnostic Christians, who valued knowledge, gnosis in Greek, above all, grew. She became regarded as a source of hidden revelation because of her intimate relationship with Jesus. Nothing in this gospel suggests a marriage between them, however, the Gospel of Mary, written in the second century, goes even further than The Pistis Sophia in portraying Mary as a source of secret revelation because of her close relationship to the Saviour. At one point Peter asks, ‘Sister, We know that the Saviour loved you more than the rest of women. Tell us the words of the Saviour which you remember, which you know but we do not nor have we heard them.’ So Mary reveals what the Lord made known to her in a vision, the content of which was not understood and consequently lost to many other than a second-century Gnostic. The Gospel of Mary reports that several of the disciples were not impressed by Mary’s insights into heavenly things. Andrew responded to her revelation by saying, ‘I at least do not believe that the Saviour said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas.’ Then Peter asked, ‘Did he really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did he prefer her to us?’ But Levi speaks up for Mary, ‘Peter, you have always been hot-tempered. Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. But if the Saviour made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Saviour knows her very well. That is why he loved her more than us.’ And it is from here that the first sparks were cast to fuel the fires of a secret marriage between Mary and Jesus. She is the recipient of his secret revelations and private speeches. The Saviour, who is not called Jesus in the Gospel of Mary, even preferred Mary to the other disciples, loving her more than them. Mary’s relationship with Jesus was then clearly marked as different and special. But there is nothing here to suggest that Jesus and Mary were married. Jesus’s love for Mary leads him to reveal special truth to her, not to take her as his wife. Nothing in the Gospel of Mary points to a sexual or spousal relationship between Jesus and Mary.

  “Finally we come to the Gospel of Philip, the last of the non canonical gospels to mention Mary Magdalene. This is the one document that those who believe Jesus was married claim is the one that states it so. Written late in the third century, it is not a gospel in any ordinary sense, but rather a collection of theological observations written from a Gnostic point of view. Some but not all of these observations mention Jesus. Two passages refer to Mary Magdalene, who plays a tiny role in this gospel. The first of these passages reads, ‘there were three who always walked with the Lord: Mary his mother and her sister and Magdalene, the o
ne who was called his companion.’ Much has been insinuated about the word companion, which, in the Greek original is koinonos. But, contrary to the wishful thinking of some, this word doesn’t mean spouse or sexual consort. It means ‘partner’ and is used several times in the New Testament with this ordinary meaning. But then again, the gospels refer to Jesus as being a carpenter, yet the translation should really mean craftsman. The second passage in the Gospel of Philip that concerns Mary is the most suggestive: ‘And the companion of the Saviour is Mary Magdalene. But Christ loved her more than all the disciples and used to kiss her often on her mouth. The rest of the disciples were offended by it and expressed disapproval. They said to him, “Why do you love her more than all of us?” The Saviour answered and said to them, “Why do I not love you like her?” When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. Then the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness.’ Even if we suppose that this passage, which appears in no other document, and which was written two centuries after the biblical gospels, conveys historically accurate information, the passage itself seems to disprove Jesus’s marriage to Mary. Surely if Jesus had been married to Mary then his special affection for her wouldn’t have been an offence, but perhaps it was deliberately included to show those people who can see the obvious signal they were married. A secret revealed in plain sight no less…but you must decide,” the old man said.

  “It would offend the male disciples if they were all jealous and boy lovers,” Simon interrupted.

  1 – 58

  “Can I kill him?” Sarah asked, shaking her head disapprovingly at him.

  “Well, surely Jesus could have satisfied the disciples’ question by explaining that Mary was his wife. But he doesn’t do this. Instead he explains his special affection for Mary by pointing to her ability to see the light, that is, to have knowledge. Granted, references to her being his wife could easily have been omitted on purpose and as we shall see later, for all I do at this moment is to build a firm foundation for your minds to rest upon,” the old man explained whilst trying not to laugh at Simon’s comments.