Here's the link to this Deseret News article: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765605862/Hamblin-and-Peterson-Does-papyrus-prove-Jesus-was-married.html.
And here's the one that caught everyone's attention last week http://news.yahoo.com/jesus-married-papyrus-fragment-fuels-debate-212627918.html (Why is that not hotlinking? Oh well.)
Was Jesus married? New papyrus fragment fuels debate
news.yahoo.com
Anyway,
This is big news. An unproven fragment which scholars say won't change the debate between Agnostics and Christians over the celibacy of Jesus Christ, but, nevertheless, it still gives me hope. For those who are pro-marriage, it means the introduction of a two-edged sword. In a world where everyone is claiming that cohabition and gay marriage are perfectly acceptable while heterosexual marriage is obsolete, the claim that Dan Brown's theory might be true after all means we're in a whole new ballgame and for the pro-marriage and family party this is a big victory. "The implications (are) staggering," (Hamblin and Peterson).
This is also big news for Mormons in general. As members of the church that bears His name, aren't we, in fact, the ultimate authority on all things Jesus? Shouldn't we be stepping forward to back up this debate? With this new finding about the (possibility) of Jesus being married it raises the question, "Do we claim to worship a married Christ?"
I am a scholar of the scriptures. That well-worn, studied-to-death Bible and Book of Mormon (triple combination) in the photo above I've been using since my high school seminary days. I brought them to Atlanta, Georgia in 1997-99, and I've taken the New Testement class at every college and university LDS Institute I've ever attended.
Now, in every single New Testement class I've ever sat in, without fail, this question has always come up, "Was Jesus married?" and every single teacher/professor in said class has always given the same answer, "Well, the church has never made an official statement but many Bible scholars agree that, yes, he most likely was and that his wife was most likely Mary Magdalene." The teacher would then site several references in the New Testament to back up the claims-such as all the examples where Mary is present during important times in the Savior's ministry.
I agree with all my teachers who support these claims, that Jesus was married.
With General Conference coming up in just a couple weeks, wouldn't it be nice if one of the bretheren (Elder Holland?) would step forward and give an official statement to make it final? Two years ago Elder Packer made strong statements regarding homosexuality. I could totally see the same thing happening here. Another challenge to those who would tear down and make light of what should be the most important decision we ever make on earth-backed up by Jesus himself!
And who better to agree with such claims than us single, never married women who yearn for a more feminine friendly world instead of the misogyonistic drenched one we are currenly forced to live in? A married Christ means a more feminine Christ. A married Christ means a movement back to domesticity and procreation within the bonds of holy matrimony.
The arguments of those against such statements will crumble like sand, wait and see.
