Ancient scroll suggests Jesus was married

An ancient scrap of papyrus makes explicit reference to Jesus having a wife, according to a renowned expert in Christian history.

Harvard divinity professor Karen King unveiled the 4th-Century Coptic script at a conference in Rome.

She said researchers had identified the words " Jesus said to them, 'my wife'", which might refer to Mary Magdalene.

Christian tradition holds that Jesus did not marry - but Ms King said in early years it was subject to debate.

The provocative find could spark debate over celibacy and the role of women within Christianity, she added.

But the announcement sparked scepticism from some theologians.

Jim West, a professor and Baptist pastor in Tennessee, said: "A statement on a papyrus fragment isn't proof of anything. It's nothing more than a statement 'in thin air', without substantial context."

Ms King said the fragment, written in ancient Egyptian Coptic, is the first known scripture in which Jesus is reported to cite his wife.

She said several experts agree the yellowish brown papyrus is authentic, but that "final judgment on the fragment depends on further examination by colleagues and further testing, especially of the chemical composition of the ink".
 

'Worthy disciple'

Although the script is not proof of Jesus's marital status, Ms King said it revealed concerns early Christians faced with regards to family and marriage matters.

"This fragment suggests that some early Christians had a tradition that Jesus was married," she said.