The papyrus first discovered in Egypt in 2012 that came to be known as “the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife,” made the news again this week. The controversial Coptic text written by an early Christian and not a modern forger has been dated as being from between the 6th and 9th centuries. Karen King, a Harvard Divinity School historian and the original presenter of the papyrus, said she welcomed the debate over the text's ambiguities. For all we know, she said, the sentence fragment continued after the point where it’s missing with Jesus revealing his wife was in fact the church, or perhaps, as King suggested humorously, a la Shelley Berman, Jesus said, "My wife? Are you kidding? I don't have a wife!" What does The Urantia Book (The UB) reveal about the wife of Jesus? First there was never a wife of Jesus according to The UB and nearly all Christian scholars are in accord with that idea.
The story of Rebecca, daughter of a wealthy Nazareth merchant, and how she falls in love with Jesus is told in 127:5 (pg. 1403). She “made bold” to declare herself to Jesus. “He sincerely thanked Rebecca for her expressed admiration, adding, "it shall cheer and comfort me all the days of my life." He explained that he was not free to enter into relations with any woman other than those of simple brotherly regard and pure friendship. He made it clear that his first and paramount duty was the rearing of his father's family, that he could not consider marriage until that was accomplished; and then he added: "If I am a son of destiny, I must not assume obligations of lifelong duration until such a time as my destiny shall be made manifest." (127:5.5)
The UB shows Jesus took bold steps in his day by recruiting women as gospel teachers and evangelists. In the Bible, some such as Joanna “the wife of Cuza,” are described as financial contributors.
“Jesus requested David to summon his parents back to their home and to dispatch messengers calling to Bethsaida ten devout women who had served in the administration of the former encampment and the tented infirmary. These women had all listened to the instruction given the young evangelists, but it had never occurred to either themselves or their teachers that Jesus would dare to commission women to teach the gospel of the kingdom and minister to the sick. These ten women selected and commissioned by Jesus were: Susanna, the daughter of the former chazan of the Nazareth synagogue; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the steward of Herod Antipas; Elizabeth, the daughter of a wealthy Jew of Tiberias and Sepphoris; Martha, the elder sister of Andrew and Peter; Rachel, the sister-in-law of Jude, the Master's brother in the flesh; Nasanta, the daughter of Elman, the Syrian physician; Milcha, a cousin of the Apostle Thomas; Ruth, the eldest daughter of Matthew Levi; Celta, the daughter of a Roman centurion; and Agaman, a widow of Damascus. Subsequently, Jesus added two other women to this group—Mary Magdalene and Rebecca, the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea.” (150:1.1, pg. 1678)
“Mary Magdalene became the most effective teacher of the gospel among this group of twelve women evangelists.” (150:2.3, pg. 1680)
The other men, including apostles and rabbis, were shocked by the Master’s moves to liberate the women. Here are some other notable women described in The UB.
“Philip's wife, who was an efficient member of the women’s corps, became actively associated with her husband in his evangelistic work after their flight from the Jerusalem persecutions. His wife was a fearless woman. She stood at the foot of Philip's cross encouraging him to proclaim the glad tidings even to his murderers, and when his strength failed, she began the recital of the story of salvation by faith in Jesus and was silenced only when the irate Jews rushed upon her and stoned her to death. Their eldest daughter, Leah, continued their work, later on becoming the renowned prophetess of Hierapolis.” (139:5.11, pg. 1557)
“One of Herod's official family, Chuza, whose wife belonged to the women’s ministering corps, had informed him that Jesus did not propose to meddle with the affairs of earthly rule; that he was only concerned with the establishment of the spiritual brotherhood of his believers, which brotherhood he called the kingdom of heaven.” (154:0.2, pg. 1717) Her name is also given in the list of the ten devout women above and in Luke 8:1: Joanna, “the wife of the manager of Herod’s household.”
“Perpetua, Simon Peter's wife, became a member of this new division of the women’s corps and was intrusted with the leadership of the enlarged women’s work under Abner. After Pentecost she remained with her illustrious husband, accompanying him on all of his missionary tours; and on the day Peter was crucified in Rome, she was fed to the wild beasts in the arena. This new women’s corps also had as members the wives of Philip and Matthew and the mother of James and John. (163:7.3, pg. 1808)
In the Christian Bible, the women who labored in support of Jesus’ mission finally show up in the same spirit of devotion at the foot of the cross (Luke 23:49-56). After witnessing the horrific event, they then return to their homes to prepare “spices and ointments” for his anointing.
Bible students know that Mary Magdalene was the first witness to Jesus rising on the third day. The UB beautifully portrays her courageous and tender role in the Easter Sunday resurrection of the Master, (189:4, Discovery of the Empty Tomb). “In viewing the prominent part which Mary Magdalene took in proclaiming the Master's resurrection, it should be recorded that Mary was the chief spokesman for the women’s corps, as was Peter for the apostles. Mary was not chief of the women workers, but she was their chief teacher and public spokesman. (190:0.5, pg. 2029)
Let us remember and honor these inspiring women this Easter season.
