The Da Vinci Hoax (11)

The Errors - Christian History

Jesus: Married or Celibate

Jesus was not Married

In chapter 58 Brown has Teabing say "…Jesus as a married man makes infinitely more sense than our standard biblical view of Jesus as a bachelor…Because Jesus was a Jew…the social decorum during that time virtually forbid a Jewish man to be unmarried." There is no hard evidence (i.e. biblical reference or early Christian writing) that Jesus was married. Brown's is an argument from silence. The evidence points to Jesus remaining a life-long celibate (i.e. never married).

1. In the gospels Jesus' family is referred to several times, but no spouse or child of His is mentioned.

2. The Gospels tell us that women accompanied Jesus on his ministry and were present at Calvary and at his tomb on the morning of his Resurrection (including Mary Magdalene). But none of them is ever described as a spouse.

3. Christ suggested celibacy for the sake of the kingdom: "Some are incapable of marriage [eunuch] because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this, ought to accept it" (Mt 19:12).

4. Paul was an adult Jewish convert to Christianity who was himself celibate. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul expressed his preference that in this present time of distress (i.e. this difficult life while we await the return of Christ) that people remain single. Paul explained that being single made it easier to serve the kingdom without distraction. (1 Cor. 7:27-35).

5. St. Jerome tells us that "Christ and Mary, both virgins, laid the basis of virginity for both sexes" (St. Jerome, PL 22,510).

Celibacy was not Condemned by all Jews

Brown writes that, "according to Jewish custom, celibacy was condemned" (p. 245). Was it?

1. Celibacy was not common and generally disapproved of by the rabbis. But even they accepted postponing marriage for students of the Law so that they might concentrate on their studies.

2. The Judaism of Jesus' day was diverse and went beyond the rabbinical school. It had groups that either required celibacy or allowed it.

3. The Essenes were described by Josephus, Philo, and Pliny as being celibate (Josephus, Antiquities and Jewish War; Philo, Hypothetica).

4. Philo of Alexandria describes another Jewish sect of both men and women - the Therapeutae - who were celibate in their studies and pursuit of wisdom and the holy life (De Vita Contemplativa 68f).

5. But the dominant class of individuals who were "allowed" or "expected" to be celibate were prophetic figures throughout Jewish history: The prophet Jeremiah; the wilderness prophet Banus (Josephus, Life 2.11) and John the Baptist. The prophet Elijah may also have been celibate.

Why Jesus was Celibate

1. To be celibate means to be unmarried. In a society where marriage was the morally and religiously expected norm why was Jesus celibate? Everything He did had meaning and purpose. What was He saying by His unmarried state? Obviously He was not saying anything against marriage. At a time when divorce was permissible Jesus said that marriage was indissoluble. He often used parables of wedding banquets to illustrate the kingdom of God.

2. Christ's celibacy was a sign of His total dedication, His consecration, to the mission He received from His Father. Our Lord demonstrated that He was single-minded and single-hearted in His commitment to His vocation. It is in this context that we can understand His praise of those who freely leave all to follow Him, and those who choose to "not marry for the sake of the kingdom" (Mt 19:12)

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