tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post5603635318976276752..comments2024-03-27T17:15:37.606-04:00Comments on Triablogue: Possible forgery, possible Gnostic text, definitely lateRyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17809283662428917799noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-24761283355635713802012-09-20T16:11:31.180-04:002012-09-20T16:11:31.180-04:00One of Ron Rhodes' facebook posts:
Was Jesus ...One of Ron Rhodes' facebook posts:<br /><br />Was Jesus married?<br /><br />Regarding the New York Times article about a Gnostic fragment stating that Jesus was married...<br /><br />Here are the scriptural facts:<br /><br />* There is no mention in the New Testament of Jesus being married prior to the beginning of His three-year ministry.<br /><br />* There is no mention of Jesus being married during His three-year ministry.<br /><br />* There is no mention of Jesus being married at the crucifixion.<br /><br />* There is no mention of Jesus being married at His burial.<br /><br />* There is no mention of Jesus being married at His resurrection.<br /><br />In other words, there is no mention of a wife anywhere in Scripture!<br /><br /><b><br />Aside from this deafening silence regarding a wife are theological arguments against Jesus having been married. For example, in 1 Corinthians 9:5 the apostle Paul defends his right to get married if he so chose to do so: "Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?" Now, if Jesus had been married, surely the apostle Paul would have cited Jesus' marriage as the number-one precedent. The fact that he did not mention a wife of Jesus indicates that Jesus was not married.<br /><br />Some try to argue that since it was expected of every Jewish man to get married, then surely Jesus must have followed custom and gotten married. Such an argument is unconvincing.<br /><br />First, note that a number of major prophets were never married β including the likes of Jeremiah and John the Baptist.<br /><br />Second, note that there were whole communities of Jews which included non-married men β such as the Essene community at Qumran.</b><br /><br />Third, note that Jewish leaders often granted exceptions to the general rule of marriage. It was certainly not an unbending requirement, and hence this general requirement does not constitute proof that Jesus must have been married.<br /><br />Further, we must note that Jesus' marriage is yet future. He will one day marry the "bride of Christ," which is the church. Revelation 19:7-9 tells us: βLet us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."<br /><br />Clearly, the evidence is against Jesus having gotten married in New Testament times.<br /><br />Still further, the Gnostic fragment which states that Jesus had a wife is dated very late, hundreds of years after the canonical gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Therefore, it can hardly be considered a reliable source for information about Jesus.<br /><br />Such Gnostic documents have an uphill battle against the incumbant β that is, the trustworthy New Testament documents. [bold mine, AP]ANNOYED PINOYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00714774340084597206noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-89681243115881039292012-09-20T11:50:41.896-04:002012-09-20T11:50:41.896-04:00Hi Bill -- I don't pay too much attention to t...Hi Bill -- I don't pay too much attention to things like that. We hear them all the time in political contexts. It's pretty transparent what the media are trying to do with this. I think, though, this one smacks of having their hands in the cookie jar too many times (Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Judas, etc.). That is, people are getting wise to this much more quickly than they used to. <br /><br />I understand your concern though. John Bugayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17728044301053738095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-2752220998938985962012-09-20T11:47:00.575-04:002012-09-20T11:47:00.575-04:00Is anyone else bothered by Prof King's comment...Is anyone else bothered by Prof King's comment:<br /><br />"Christian tradition has long held that Jesus was not married, even though no reliable historical evidence exists to support that claim," King said in a statement released by Harvard.<br /><br />"No reliable historical evidence exists" seems a coy way of implying there is reliable evidence Jesus *was* married or at least the burden of proof is on those who say Jesus was not married.Bill Crawfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13536377851258250194noreply@blogger.com