Parchment

Parchment

          Have you noticed how many parchments, scrolls, books and manuscripts have turned up? After being buried for hundreds of years, why are these religious artifacts being discovered now? Could it be a subtle hint or a direct message that it is time to examine our long held religious beliefs and values? When Jesus came to the Jewish people with new ideas about what God’s Laws really mean, they said He was in league with the devil and had to die.

          If Jesus came to your Church, Temple or Synagogue today, His life would not be in danger. Humanity would never think of making Him a human sacrifice. We would simply ignore, ridicule, scorn, mock and insult Him. We would let Him know in no uncertain terms that we don’t need Him confusing us with His radical religious ideas, we know what we believe and it is good enough for us. He wouldn’t be welcome in many places of worship. This would cause Him more pain then the nails holding Him on the cross. Not because the people rejected Him, Jesus was used to that. The pain would come from knowing His brothers and sisters have misunderstood His message all of these years.

          What have we learned from the things being unearthed? Most are still being examined, translated and tested for fakery. I haven’t read “The Dead Sea Scrolls” or any of the others myself. I have read reviews and articles from those who have. Also I watched a documentary on “Jesus’ Wife.”

          Yes, there was a parchment donated for study. Translation reads that Jesus introduced a woman as “My wife.” That doesn’t bother me in the least. My opinion is that Jesus was born and lived as we do. He was a young man at the height of His sexual function. Jesus came to teach us how to live within God’s Laws; to live a happy and healthy life.  God created us male and female and sanctioned marriage. Would it change His message if He were a married man?

          Then they did say something that bothered me greatly. Their investigation concluded that Mary Magdalene was the woman Jesus chose for His wife. The same woman that washed His feet with her tears and dried them with her hair: a prostitute. What??? I couldn’t believe my ears! Jesus married to a prostitute?? No way! He would want a pure, chaste, virtuous, modest woman that would be an asset to help Him with His ministry. I thought I must be missing something here, but what?

          I read Luke 7:36-59. I found what I was missing and I was ashamed. I was as narrow-minded as the Pharisee that invited Jesus to eat and the -Prodigal’s brother. I thought that just because I say nice things and do the right things, that I am better than a sinner. They have done things that I would never think of doing. I am not better, my sins are hidden better. Sins are mistakes or errors (belief in a lie or a false sense of things) done by people that don’t know any better.

          Jesus didn’t see a lost sinner. He saw the perfect child that God created, who made mistakes that God never considered. Error has no place in God’s perfection. Mary Magdalene repented: her mistakes and errors were forgotten. She became a willing, able and eager disciple, quick to learn the Truth that Jesus taught. She would be an asset to the group because she knew, from experience, how much suffering sinful error can bring. No one is any better than another. You don’t know what brought them to this place in life. Mary would have compassion and patience until they could recognize the error in their thinking. Mary was at the cross and she was the first to know that Jesus was no longer dead. Jesus came to heal and Mary Magdalene was a great success story. If He married Mary or anyone, I am ok with the idea. The idea doesn’t change His message one little bit.

          Carbon dating revealed that the parchment was not as old as they thought. That doesn’t rule out that it might be a copy of an original. There will be more information coming that may make us rethink what we believe. One thing I believe is: that the words that Jesus spoke will live forever. 

          731 words                                      Loretta Ellen Edwards