Response to the so-called wife of Jesus

	CTS Professor Offers Response to Gospel of Jesus’ Wife
	For Immediate Release September 26, 2012 FORT WAYNE, IN (CTS)—In the last several days much has been circulated concerning a small, papyrus fragment of Coptic text which has been dubbed the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife by Professor Karen King of Harvard Divinity School. These types of “finds” always create quite a stir and that is why Dr. Charles Gieschen, Academic Dean and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana, has studied this material and offered a brief analysis of its significance. His response may be read and downloaded at www.ctsfw.edu/response-to-the-gospel-of-jesus-wife. Dr. Gieschen, who earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan (1995) where his studies included the Coptic language and Gnostic writings, is an excellent resource for this topic. He has examined the digital image of this fragment, King's article and some early feedback of other scholars. His brief response walks the reader through the history of the fragment, discusses the various interpretations and comments on the import of the fragment. Dr. Gieschen concludes, “This fragment, therefore, may assist us in understanding the teaching of a Gnostic group concerning Jesus and His marital status, but it does not help us to understand the teaching of the historical Jesus or His actual marital status.” The best place to look for early and historically reliable evidence of Jesus' life, as Dr. Gieschen notes, is the four canonical Gospels. This fragment does nothing to displace the testimony of these Gospels that Jesus supported marriage as a divine institution, but was not himself married. Share ### Concordia Theological Seminary exists to form servants in Jesus Christ who teach the faithful, reach the lost, and care for all. For additional information concerning educational opportunities and events at CTS, please contact: Jayne Sheafer, CTS Director of Public Relations, 260-452-2250 or PublicRelations@ctsfw.edu. If you no longer wish to receive these updates you may opt-out.