Ancient document suggesting Jesus had a wife 'is not fake' says scientists

US scientists have disputed Vatican claims regarding whether or not Jesus had a wife.

16:37 11 April 2014

US scientists are making a claim that discovered faded papyrus fragments, known as the “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife”, are real contrary to the Vatican’s assertion that they are fake. The piece became controversial as it includes a passage that says “Jesus said to them, My wife…” which is something that has never been seen in any scripture. 

 

On the fragment, there were also the words: “She will be able to be my disciple.” 

 

In any other scripture, there was no gospel saying that Jesus had women as disciplines. For this reason, there are now debates in some churches over whether women should be allowed to be priests. 

 

The fragment, which the Vatican claim was faked, has been analysed by experts at Columbia University, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They’ve confirmed that the papyrus was real and that ink used dated from between the sixth and ninth centuries. 

 

Historian Karen L King from Harvard Divinity School gave the papyrus its name and said in a recent interview: "I took very seriously the comments of such a wide range of people that it might be a forgery.

 

"When you have all the evidence pointing in one direction, it doesn't make it 100%, but history is not a place where 100% is a common thing."