Only A Suspicion

Only A Suspicion

          I have it on good authority that there is a growing suspicion among some Bible scholars that Jesus was a married man. It is also rumored that He had a child, a boy, from that union. My first thought was, OK-what difference does that make? Jesus was sent to teach us how to live on the human level, the way God intended. We were meant to be healthy and happy. Marriage and family are an important part of the human experience.  God is not just loving, He is Love. For Jesus to express all kinds of love is natural and normal. Jesus is our brother and for Him to have a wife and demonstrate what a blessing a happy marriage can bring would be an inspiration to couples everywhere.

          Then I learned that the woman He honored to be His wife was Mary Magdalene, a prostitute. My second thought was, No Way! Jesus is too good for a woman living a life style like that.  Men would make a laughing stock of Him.  He would be scorned and called foolish because He made a woman, that many men in town knew intimately, His wife. How could He ever trust her?

          My third thought was, What a horrible unchristian thing to think! I’m ashamed! It made me remember the prodigal’s brother. When the prodigal left home without a second look, the ‘good brother’ stayed home, worked diligently winning souls for Christ and upholding the family’s good name. After savoring all the pleasures money can buy, the prodigal realized the world had nothing to offer, he repented and returned home: never to leave again. The brother’s envious and self-righteous nature was revealed, when he whined to the Father, “I’ve worked for you all these years and you have never killed a fatted calf and thrown a lavish party for Me. Yet, when this good-for-nothing came home, because he could no longer buy food, you treat him as royalty.” Our Father answered so wisely and profoundly, “Son, you are always with me and all that I have belongs to you.” This I take to mean, IF, you aren’t enjoying your life, how can you blame God? He wants us to be happy and He has given us the kingdom, what more can we need or want?   

          This brings to mind another Bible story. The woman was caught in the ‘act’ of adultery. The penalty is death by stoning. The accusers were ready and willing to carry out the sentence. That is until Jesus suggested that the man without sin should throw the first stone. I would have to leave with the rest of the sinners.

          There were many that wanted the penalty of death for Mary, Mother of Jesus, when they learned that she was ‘with child’ without the benefit of marriage. Joseph married her, after an angel assured him the baby Mary carried was holy. Long after the marriage people made snide remarks and let her know they had not forgotten or forgiven, what in their mind, was sinful behavior. What they didn’t know and today is not understood is: that all babies are creations of God. Without God no baby would be born.

          We have always thought that Jesus was celibate. The Bible doesn’t mention a wife. Although many of His disciples were family men. Jesus may have married the woman who washed His feet with her tears. Or the woman who has none left free of sin to stone her, or someone else, or no one at all. I am sure-IF-Jesus took a wife she was, prostitute or saint, a remarkable woman. A woman with whom He could share pillow talk of a deep spiritual nature that his followers would not comprehend. We may never positively learn if Jesus was a husband or father. That doesn’t bother me. The message that God is our Father and that our Father-Mother-Creator has an unconditional Love for His children is more important.

          What does bother me is what I learned about myself. How quick I was to judge. When the prodigal repented, like his brother, I felt that he should have to pay for his sins. As a Christian, I should rejoice and welcome any sinner with open arms.

          The crowd would be as ready, willing and able to stone Mary the Holy Mother of Jesus, as the prostitute found in sin. Worse, we would be in the circle cheering them on.

          When I heard prostitute, I instantly thought sin. I didn’t give any thought to what happened to her, why or how she had earned that title. She was automatically guilty of sin and I was superior to her.

          I don’t want to be unforgiving, vindictive, a Christian in name only, like the prodigal’s brother. I have some serious thinking to do.

          800 words                  Loretta Ellen Edwards