Don't Crucify Jesus Again

Chhotebhai Noronha *

Harvard Professor Karen King with the previously unknown papyrus fragment that, when translated, contains "Jesus said to them, my wife." "This new gospel doesn't prove that Jesus was married, but it tells us that the whole question only came up as part of vociferous debates about sexuality and marriage," said King :: Pix - Rose Lincoln/Harvard

It is indeed sad that certain sections of the media have gone to town with a report that Jesus was married and a controversial figure. This sensational claim is based on a statement by one Prof Karen King of Harvard University.

She claims to have translated a 2.8 x 7.6 cm ancient Coptic language parchment that has the words "Jesus said to them, my wife". There is no reference or proof of the authenticity of this parchment, its date or author. Yet a small fragment is used to fuel the figment of our imagination. This is irresponsible reporting, more so at a time when the entire Islamic world is up in arms because of a slanderous movie on its origins.

Does not this fragment also come in the same category of irresponsible and offensive reporting on something that may deeply hurt religious sentiments? Should not the press show more restraint?

A few years ago fiction writer Dan Brown made similar claims in his novel "The Da Vinci Code", which he admitted was a mix of fact and fiction, and had no scholarly references. When Christians in India protested against the release of the same movie, all that the Government did was to have a line inserted at the beginning of the movie that it was a work of fiction.

Recently Christians in India were upset by a movie "Kya Super Kool Hai Hum", which shows a Christian priest performing the marriage of dogs! When approached all that the Information & Broadcasting Ministry did was to give an assurance to look into the matter. Do the religious sentiments of Christians not matter just because we don't protest violently? Even then we will not resort to violence as we trust the innate sense of goodness of our countrymen.

One also needs to set the record straight. The Bible is the most widely researched book in history, and open-minded research continues to this day. Christianity is open to truth, change and scientific analysis. Of Jesus' 12 apostles 11 were married (including Peter the first Pope). Hence they would have had no problem in projecting Jesus as married, had he actually been so.

The allegation that celibate Catholic priests have tried to project Jesus as a celibate is again incorrect, because the Catholic Church officially admits that priestly celibacy is a church tradition, and not of Biblical origin. There are millions of Protestant and Orthodox Christians whose priests are married, but they still believe in Jesus' celibacy.

The following scriptural texts also indicate that Jesus was celibate. Speaking of his won sanyasi status he said "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head" (Luke 9:59). In the throes of death on the Cross he commended his Mother Mary to the care of his disciple John, saying "This is your mother" (John 19:20). He was buried in a borrowed grave (John 19:41).

Jesus never gave importance to physical relationships. A woman once said to him in public "Blessed the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you! But he replied, more blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" (Luke 11:28).

So let us not be carried away by fragments of parchments or figments of pseudo-scholarship, but believe in the Word of God that is addressed to all people of good will.