Now, please, hold on unto the stones, and no throwing at least until you hear what I have to say. Besides, that's not my final word. I am still researching the matter. I am partially submitting this topic for some second thoughts to make sure it remains no doubt in my mind.
Jesus was a Rabbi and here are the proofs: Matthew 23:7; Luke 7:37-39; John 1:38; 3:2; 20:16. In many other instances he was addressed as Master which means the same. The point is that a Rabbi in Israel, then and today, had to be a married man or about to get married. Otherwise, he could not be ordained as such.
According to Judaism, after the proper procedure, the Jewish prospect would undergo the ceremonial "mikveh" or immersion in waters and, if not married yet, to take care of that before ordination.
After Jesus' immersion in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, Jesus was seen during the next two days recruiting his disciples and on his way to Galilee. (John 1:35,43) Then on the third day after his mikveh, the family and friends were celebrating his wedding in Cana with Mary Magdalene. Wait! Put down the stones! I'll explain.
First of all, and according to the custom, usually the mother of the Bride would be in charge of the celebrations, but probably Mary's parents had passed away because she used to live with her sister Martha and brother Lazarus in Bethany. I mean, they used to live with Mary who was the one well-to-do. Martha would pay her room-and-board as a maiden servant, and Lazarus... well, I think he was a loafer boy taking advantage of his rich sister. He was probably a sick man anyway.
Okay, but back to the wedding, Jesus' mother Mary had to do the host job; and she did it quite well by giving orders around to the servants. Also, according to the custom, the Bridegroom was in charge to provide the guests, especially with the wine, which Jesus, mind you, made sure it was of the best quality. The tale of the miracle was interpolated much later to deviate the probing attention of those who have a mind of their own from finding out what was really going on in Canah.
After Jesus' wedding, you can check for yourselves, all Jesus' come-and-goes were from and to Bethany, the home of Mary Magdalene. It must have been a very spacious beautiful home since Mary had the means to maintain it. Mind you that she would also take the tab for the expenses of Jesus' group of the Twelve, along with some other women of course who would tip in from time to time. (Luke 8:2,3)
Whenever Jesus would return from his missionary campains throughout Israel, the address was Bethany. To his wife obviously, although most the time Mary Magdalene would follow Jesus as his beloved disciple; but never like one of the Twelve. The Church later interpolated John as the "beloved disciple" for the same reason to get the mind of the readers away from the thought that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. But it's not helping because the evidences are just too shouting.
Do we have any hint to pick up as evidence for any romantic approach prior or after their wedding? Of course, we do! After Jesus exorcized seven demons from Mary, she must have fallen in love with him. (Luke 8:1-3) The expression "seven demons" means only the struggle Jesus had to go through to extricate Mary from her not-so-reputable business in Magdala.
Then, in Bethany - where else? - when Mary was smearing Jesus' body with that expensive pefume, we all know, although we forbid ourselves to think about, that Mary did not just throw that perfume at him from afar. Definitely not! she did smear him almost all over even in terms of massage, so much so that some of the guests thought it to be unbecoming. (Mat. 26:10-13; Luke 7:37-39)
Christ wedding is to the faithful church, the unfaithful are those portrayed in Rev 18.
He wasn't bound to anyone woman on earth. His wedding is in heaven.
Since there is no statement in the whole of the NT that Jesus was NOT married, you are in the same pool empty of evidences. In fact, there are more evidences in the gospels that Jesus was married than that he was not. If you insist against the truth that he was married, you will have to drop the claim that he was a Rabbi. You cannot dictate how things should be according to Judaism, if even a Jew, you are not. We are talking about a Jewish man, who claimed to have come to fulfill all the Jewish laws. (Mat. 5:17-19) To get married and father children is a Jewish commandment.
Oh, for Pete's sake! Everyone knows that Jesus was GAY.
Do you know something? Christians are to blame for your joke; not you. To have Jesus fooling around for almost four years with 12 guys, and calling one of them his beloved, I don't blame you to conclude that he was gay. Many others have only rolling eyes to this claim. But this Jesus must be the Christian one, because the Jewish one was not. The Jewish Jesus of Nazareth was married to Mary Magdalene, who was the same as Mary of Bethany. That woman in Luke 7:37, known as a sinner (prostitute) was Mary Magdalene. And that woman in John 12:3 was Mary of Bethany. Since Jesus was anointed only once but one woman only, both Mary's were the same.
Oh, for Pete's sake! Everyone knows that Jesus was GAY.
Do you know something? Christians are to blame for your joke; not you. To have Jesus fooling around for almost four years with 12 guys, and calling one of them his beloved, I don't blame you to conclude that he was gay. Many others have only rolling eyes to this claim. But this Jesus must be the Christian one, because the Jewish one was not. The Jewish Jesus of Nazareth was married to Mary Magdalene, who was the same as Mary of Bethany. That woman in Luke 7:37, known as a sinner (prostitute) was Mary Magdalene. And that woman in John 12:3 was Mary of Bethany. Since Jesus was anointed only once but one woman only, both Mary's were the same.
Ben
Truth is Jesus was very gay - joyful.
And the spirit of truth was with him to see those crying for help in the dishonoring of their bodies between themsleves.
Oh, for Pete's sake! Everyone knows that Jesus was GAY.
Do you know something? Christians are to blame for your joke; not you. To have Jesus fooling around for almost four years with 12 guys, and calling one of them his beloved, I don't blame you to conclude that he was gay. Many others have only rolling eyes to this claim. But this Jesus must be the Christian one, because the Jewish one was not. The Jewish Jesus of Nazareth was married to Mary Magdalene, who was the same as Mary of Bethany. That woman in Luke 7:37, known as a sinner (prostitute) was Mary Magdalene. And that woman in John 12:3 was Mary of Bethany. Since Jesus was anointed only once but one woman only, both Mary's were the same.
Ben
Truth is Jesus was very gay - joyful.
And the spirit of truth was with him to see those crying for help in the dishonoring of their bodies between themsleves.
Jesus could not have been gay because he would have broken one of the commandments that he came to fulfill. Therefore, he would be in contradiction with his own words in Matthew 5:17-19.
Ben, I am curious, while most of Christianity traditionally have identified Mary of Magdalene with the Mary the sister of Martha and Lazurus, I have yet to find a conclusive connection to them. Why do you conclude so?
Ben, I am curious, while most of Christianity traditionally have identified Mary of Magdalene with the Mary the sister of Martha and Lazurus, I have yet to find a conclusive connection to them. Why do you conclude so?
Because I am Jewish and I live the life of a religious Jew. The gospels are talking about a religious Jew called Jesus. Judaism also evolves; and evolution of religions is usually from conservative into more liberal. If today, a woman cannot touch a religious Jew if she is not his wife, you can make an idea how it was in the First Century. Besides, part of my major in Theology is Judaism in the First Century, if only logic is not enough to answer your question.
Perhaps only in a dream, a religious Jew can be that Don Juan to allow himself to be anointed by four different women, if those who anointed Jesus, reported by the four gospels are not one and the same.
John 12:1-3 has already proved to us that the Mary who anointed Jesus was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. And the four gospels have proved to us that in the second part of Jesus' Ministry, Mary Magdalene was too important a figure in Jesus' life till his last moments on the cross. It's only obvious that those women were one and the same, and that she was married to Jesus, if they are to have a Jesus as a religious Jew. If not, Christianity is in big trouble as it stands for a reshaping of its tenents.
