posted July 09, 2011 03:17 AM            

There is an ancient and venerable principle of biblical exegesis which states that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a camel in disguise. So let's apply that to whether or not Jesus was married. There is no evidence that Jesus was married (looks like a duck), multiple indications that he was not (walks like a duck), and no early texts suggesting wife or children (quacks like a duck)...so he must be an incognito bridegroom (camel in disguise).
But seriously: For me the question is not whether Jesus was married, but, granted that he was not, why not? Within the options of his time, and leaving aside the possibility that all prospective fathers-in-law rejected him, there are three main possibilities.

The Eschatological Reason. First, if you believe by faith that a just God controls the world but also know by experience that the world is violently unjust, you may live in hope and chant in prayer that God will overcome someday. You believe there will eventually be a utopia (from Greek, "not-this-place") or an eschaton (from Greek, "not-this-time") upon a transformed earth. Second, if you have a special revelation (in Greek, "apocalypse") from God about its timing, you may conclude it will happen sometime within your own generation's lifetime--maybe now, soon, tomorrow. Third, you may also decide to live as best you can, assuming the time is almost here. Indeed, you may believe that if you live as if the time is here, you may hasten its presence and even jumpstart its consummation.

We also know that a profound utopian theology was the basis for the lifestyle of the Essenes, who lived in Jesus' time. In order, as their Qumran Rule of the Community puts it, "to bring about truth, justice and uprightness on earth" the successful sect member enters God's Community by "the placing of his possessions in common." Judging by their Dead Sea Scrolls and their carefully buried skeletons, those Qumran Essenes were an all-male group living in communal celibacy, ritual purity, and eschatological holiness--living in a sense like angels, with heaven already touching earth.

Outside Qumran there were also married Essenes living with their children in "encampments" throughout Israel. We do not know for sure how far their common life extended or even how regularly they observed the Qumran-style common meal. But according to their rules in the Damacus Document, they assessed to the common purse "the salary of two days each month at least" for the orphan, the needy, the poor, the elderly, the beggar, the foreign prisoner, the unprotected girls, and the unmarried woman (Damascus Document 14:12-17). Both groups were trying as best they could, and in somewhat different circumstances, to live their future heaven on present earth.

The Qumran Essenes prove the existence of celibacy as one possible part of a utopian lifestyle in Jesus' contemporary Judaism. He himself announced not just the imminent possibility, but also the present actuality, of the Kingdom of God. God's utopian program was already started and all were invited to participate in it--now.

On the other hand, there is also a more pragmatic reason for such celibacy. As Paul told the Corinthians, it was both permissible to marry and preferable not to do so: "I wish that all were as I myself am ... to remain unmarried as I am ... those who marry will experience distress in this life, and I would spare you that ... the present form of this world is passing away .... I want you to be free from anxieties ... in view of the impending crisis, it is well for you to remain as you are .. who marries does well, who refrains from marriage does better" (1 Cor 7). None of that is particularly profound, but it is also another possible reason why a first-century apocalypticist might not get married.

posted July 09, 2011 03:19 AM            

Philo's treatise On the Contemplative Life describes female and male Therapeutics living an early-first-century life of communal asceticism near Lake Mareotis outside Alexandria. "No one of them may take any food or drink before the setting of the sun ... and some ... can endure ... for three days without even tasting it ... and some ... will scarcely at the end of six days taste even necessary food .... The possession of servants or slaves [they hold] to be a thing absolutely and wholly contrary to nature .... When each chorus of the men and each chorus of the women has celebrated separately by itself ... they join together, and the two become one chorus." The reason for this lifestyle is not an imminent end-of-the-world but "because of their anxious desire for an immortal and blessed existence, thinking that their mortal life had already come to an end, they leave their possessions to their sons and daughters ... to other relatives ... [or] to their companions or friends."

Having withdrawn from normal life, they are free to concentrate on "explanations of the sacred scriptures [that] are delivered by mystic expressions in allegories."

posted July 09, 2011 03:20 AM            

None of that meant the impoverishment of Galilee--quite the reverse. It meant putting people to work in what amounted to early factories. But that meant a dislocation of peasant village life, and a loosening of the protective cocoons of extended families. If small family farms could no longer be sustained and were lost by foreclosure, family members were left to survive as best they could. Some must have done well in that cultural breakup, but others became dispossessed peasants looking for whatever work was available.

Think of those in the Parable of the Vineyard Workers who, at the height of the grape harvest, are still looking for work at 5 in the evening. Do you think they were all married? That is another reason why first-century Jewish males might not have a wife and children: poverty.

posted July 09, 2011 03:21 AM            

But Jesus was neither of these things. Therefore, he was called a glutton and drunkard (Matt 11:18-19=Luke 7:33-34). That, of course, is simply nasty name-calling and need not be taken at face value. But even to work as name-calling, it must have been based on some kind of fact.

John was, and Jesus was not, an ascetic. It seems most likely, therefore, that Jesus wasn't married because he was a dispossessed peasant. As such, he could say to others like himself, "Blessed are the destitute." Some people say that, no, Jesus was a carpenter, a skilled member of the middle class. Mark 6:3 says Jesus was a "tekton," a Greek word better translated as "manual laborer" than "skilled carpenter."

Notice how Mark's first and most careful readers respond to that information. The writer of Matthew (who used Mark as a basis of his Gospel) calls Jesus "the carpenter's son." Luke (who also used Mark) omits any mention of occupation and simply call him "Joseph's son." They knew quite well it was not a compliment. It was what happened to a son dispossessed from his family farm and forced to find work as best he could. Under those circumstances, Jesus and many others like him would never have a chance to marry.

There remain, then these three--eschatology, asceticism, and injustice--but the likeliest of these is injustice.

posted July 10, 2011 01:37 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by rajji:
Given that Jesus was not married, the question becomes 'why not?' A look at some of the possibilities.
BY: John Dominic Crossan

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posted July 10, 2011 07:47 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by LEXX:In my opinion and very personal unconventional research;
D.
He was gay, but married for political/social reasons.

[B]

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Jesus was not a gay.
Bible clearly condemns homosexuality.

Let us examine some instances which raises doubts that he might have been a gay.

First- "He blessed a gay couple in the parable about The Roman Centurion".
The Greek word that the Roman centurion uses in this passage to describe the sick man – pais – is the same word used in ancient Greek to refer to a same-gender partner. In the this case Jesus heals the "sick man" not "the homosexual partner".
- Ever heard of Bromance? A bromance is a close but non-sexual relationship between two (or more) men, a form of homo-social intimacy.

posted July 10, 2011 08:22 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by katatonic:
forgive me if i am wrong with the source, but i believe the essene gospels say that jesus WAS married...to mary magdalene..? these were part of the material suppressed by constantinople when the bible was revised to shore up the holy roman empire, if my memory is correct.

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Throughout its history, the Christian religion has frequently changed its doctrines to suit the particular needs and circumstances of the times.

Nevertheless, so much remained the same that the identity of the two sects at their root cannot be denied. Essenism and Christianity are strikingly alike in their foundational teachings. Essene theology is much older than Christianity and contains nearly every essential doctrine and precept of the Christian religion.

The Essenes believed and taught it was their first duty to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Philo).
Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all else shall be added (Mt 6:33; Luke 12:31).

They, having laid aside all the anxieties of life and leaving society, make their residence in solitary wilds and in gardens (Philo).
They wander in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth (Heb 11:38).

They forsook father, mother, brothers and sisters, houses and lands, for their religion (Eusebius quoting Philo).
Whosoever forsaketh not father and mother, houses and lands, cannot be my disciples. (Luke 14:26, 33
They were called Ascetics because of their rigid discipline, their prayers, fasting, self-mortification, as they made themselves eunuchs (remained chaste).
There be eunuchs which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. (Mt 19:12)

They abjured the pleasures of the body, not desiring mortal offspring, and they renounced marriage, believing it to be detrimental to a holy life.
They that shall be counted worthy of that world and the resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage. (Mt 22:30, Luke 20:35) The unmarried careth for the things of the Lord (1 Cor 7:32).
They were the only sort of men who lived without money and without women (Pliny).
The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10). Christ's disciples traveled without money or scrip and eschew the lusts of the flesh.
Total silence was observed while eating. A solemn oath was required on becoming a member of the secret order, after which they scrupulously avoided oaths. Admission to the order required three things:

Love of God;
Merciful justice to all peoples, avoidance of the wicked, and assistance to the righteous;
Purity of character, which implied love of truth, hatred of falsehood, and strict observance of "the mysteries of godliness" to outsiders—heathens and publicans.
They endured suffering for righteousness' sake, and even sought it. They recognized eight different stages of spiritual growth and perfection:

Bodily purity;
Celibacy;
Spiritual purity;
The suppression of anger and malice, and the cultivation of a meek, lowly spirit;
The attainment of perfect holiness;
Becoming fit temples for the spirit;
The ability to heal physically but especially spiritually and raise the dead, meaning saving the lost sheep of the Jewish people from eternal death outside God's kingdom;
Becoming forerunners of the Messiah.
Clearly Essenism and Christianity are strikingly alike in their essential features. The former system contains nearly every important doctrine and precept of the Christian religion.

According to Josephus, the Essenes' life was simple and unassuming. Most Essenes rejected marriage; they did not trust women and preferred peace and harmony. They adopted children, however, and admitted adult males who were tired of life in the world.

Not only do they share a common table, but common clothes as well. What belongs to one belongs to all. Available to all of them are thick coats for winter and inexpensive light tunics for summer. Seeing it as an obstacle to communal life, they have banned marriage.

More on essenes herehttp://www.thenazareneway.com/essene_and_christian_parallels.htm

posted July 14, 2011 12:32 AM            

Probably because he didn't want to hear Mary nag all of the time.

posted July 14, 2011 04:04 PM            

It should be noted that in the Nag Hammadi texts there is no reference or indication to Jesus marrying Mary Magdalene or anyone else.

posted July 20, 2011 08:39 PM            

With a preference to men, yes- So, actually, Lexx is correct. You are mainly going by biblical content