Professor at Harvard Divinity School Karen King I found a mention in the text about wife Jesus Christ on a Coptic papyrus dating from the 4th century AD. She spoke about this in a report at the 10th International Congress of Coptic Studies in Rome, The Harvard Gazette reported on September 18.
"Jesus said to them, 'My wife'", says the fragment. The papyrus measures approximately 3.5 by 7.5 centimeters and belongs to a private collector. On one side it contains eight incomplete lines written by hand, and on the other side only three words and individual characters are preserved. The origin of the fragment is unknown, but based on the fact that the inscriptions on it were made in Coptic (the language of early Christians in Egypt), scientists suggest that the papyrus was found in Egypt.
On one side of the papyrus, the researcher found eight incomplete lines of text. The reverse side of the fragment was badly damaged, and due to faded ink, even after scanning with an infrared ray, only three words and a few individual letters could be distinguished on it. Despite the modest size of the find, the Harvard expert believes that the papyrus sheds long-awaited light on issues of family and marriage among ancient Christians. Karen King plans to publish her research in the January issue of the Harvard Theological Review. A draft of her work, along with images and a translation of the new fragment, is available on the website Harvard Divinity School.
Scientists' Find Shows Jesus Was Married
MAria Magdalene is one of the most mysterious personalities of the Gospel. People got their idea of her mainly from paintings on biblical themes. They usually depict a half-naked, repentant sinner with beautiful long hair, with which, according to the New Testament, she wiped the feet of Jesus.
Ancient materials. The Mystery of Mary Magdalene
“The Complete Orthodox Theological Encyclopedic Dictionary” provides very brief information about her: “—myrrh-bearing wife, originally from the city of Magdala. She led a dissolute life, and I. Christ, with his preaching, returned her to a new life and made her his most devoted follower. After the resurrection, I. Christ appeared to her before others.”
It turns out that he preferred a former harlot, who, in accordance with the strict Jewish laws he observed, had to be stoned to death. This strange predilection of the Savior for Mary Magdalene forced many scientists who studied the Bible and looked for evidence of the events that happened in history to take a closer look at this woman.
A detailed presentation of one of the hypotheses explaining the role of this mysterious figure in the New Testament is contained in the book by M. Baigent, R. Ley, G. Lincoln "Sacred Riddle". According to these researchers, the special relationship of Jesus Christ to Mary of Magdala can be explained very simply: she was... his wife. This version is confirmed by individual episodes described in the Bible, as well as existing Hebrew traditions and some Gnostic Gospels.
An expert on early Christianity, Professor Geza Vermes of the University of Oxford, writes: “The Gospels remain completely silent regarding the marital status of Jesus... This is a situation unusual in the Hebrew world, which deserves special study. After all, it is known from the Gospel that many of Jesus’ disciples, for example, Peter, were married, and Jesus himself does not praise celibacy (celibacy). “Have you not read that the Creator created man and woman from the very beginning? ... So let a man leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh,” he declares in chapter XIX of Luke. According to ancient Jewish tradition, marriage was mandatory for every man. Moreover, celibacy was condemned by society. One late 1st century Jewish writer even equates it to murder.
People were especially strict towards the “rabbi” - a person who chose the path of religious education, and it was precisely this path that Christ followed. Jewish law stated this most categorically: “An unmarried person cannot pretend to teach others.”
One piece of evidence for the theory that Jesus was married is the description in the Gospel of John of a wedding in Cana in Galilee, which was attended by Jesus and his mother. At this time, Christ had not yet preached a new faith or performed miracles.
As you know, at some point it was discovered that the wine at the wedding had run out. And here, unexpectedly, the mother of Jesus takes on the functions of a housewife: “And since there was not enough wine, the Mother of Jesus says to Him: “They have no wine,” and gives the order to the servants: “Whatever He tells you, do it.” Jesus fulfills his mother's wish and turns the water into wine. Although, if they were only guests at the wedding, then it is not their concern to monitor how wine and food are served.
Jesus' intervention becomes easily understandable (and even necessary) in only one case: when it comes to his own wedding. This interpretation of the episode is confirmed by the words of the “master of the table” addressed to the groom: “... every person first serves good wine, and when they get drunk, then the worst; and you have saved good wine until now.” And these words clearly refer to Jesus, who performed his first miracle in front of everyone.
According to the Gospel, researchers also establish the identity of Jesus’ wife. She was, whose role in the life of Christ seems deliberately obscured. As already mentioned, after the Resurrection, Jesus first appeared to her, which emphasizes her special significance in the life of Christ. And among the evangelists Mark and Matthew, Mary appears under her own name among the disciples of Jesus only at the moment of his crucifixion. The Evangelist Luke mentions it much earlier. Having met Jesus in Galilee, Mary accompanies him to Judea. But in those days it was simply unthinkable for an unmarried woman to travel alone on the roads of Palestine. Even less likely was her presence surrounded by a rabbi. Therefore, Mary Magdalene must have been married to one of the disciples or to Jesus himself.
Researchers find confirmation of this latter assumption in the Gnostic Gospels, written by the first Christians and not included in the New Testament. For example, the Gospel of Philip testifies that Jesus’ disciples were very jealous of the fact that he only kissed Mary Magdalene on the lips. Peter was especially indignant and even became her implacable enemy because of this. It was the special attitude of Christ towards Mary Magdalene, as mentioned in the Gnostic Gospels, that served as the reason for the non-inclusion of these books in the Christian canon. Mary’s privileged position is also emphasized in the works of the first Christian writers, who called her “the wife of Christ.”
According to the authors of the book “The Sacred Riddle,” first the bride of Christ, and then his wife, was Mary Magdalene. They consider the veneration of Mary in the south of France to be another confirmation of their version. Churches and cathedrals were built in her honor. “All tourists know,” the researchers write in their book, “that Chartres Cathedral was dedicated to “Notre Dame” (in French - “our lady, our mistress, mistress”). It is usually translated as an address to Mary, the mother of Jesus, the Virgin Mary. The Great Cathedral of Paris is also dedicated to "Notre Dame". But in this case, in the south of France, Mary Magdalene is venerated, and not the Mother of God.
It turns out that most of the churches in Paris and its surroundings are sanctuaries of none other than Mary Magdalene. This fact became of interest to historians when they learned that many of these churches contained a statue of a woman with a child, usually represented as Mary with the child Jesus. However, it is possible that during the construction of these buildings, behind the obvious Christian cult, another - heretical - was hidden. There is reason to believe that Chartres Cathedral was secretly dedicated to Mary Magdalene, the supposed wife of Christ."
In the south of France, legends about the Grail, the sacred cup in which the blood of Christ crucified on the cross was collected, also arose. Mary Magdalene held the cup in her hands. Not only in the south of France, but also in Russia, there were legends about the special role of this woman in the life and death of Christ, sometimes reflected in icons.
The Tbilisi National Museum houses the precious Byzantine enamel of the Crucifixion. Experts attribute it to the 10th-11th centuries. There is a version that this image is an analogue of the enamel that adorned the Throne of Constantinople. The main thing in its plot is a female figure with a cup into which the blood of Christ is poured. On the left hand of the crucifix is a woman dressed like a woman with a cup. Thus, the author of the work persistently suggests that this woman is depicted at different points in time. Who is she who collected the blood of the Savior into the Holy Grail and took it away from Golgotha? A specialist in Russian icon painting, N. Kandakov, believes that Mary Magdalene is depicted on the Tbilisi enamel of the Crucifixion of Christ.
There is another very important question that the authors of the book “The Sacred Riddle” are trying to answer: “If the marriage of Jesus with Mary Magdalene was concluded, then what was its purpose? Or more precisely, were dynastic marriages and political interests hidden behind it? »
The Gospel of Matthew establishes Jesus' descent from Kings David and Solomon. In this case, he turns out to be the only legal contender for the throne of Palestine. Therefore, the inscription “King of the Jews” placed on the cross is not a mockery of it, but a statement of a real fact. And proof of this is the famous “slaughter of the infants” carried out by Herod. He was mortally afraid of the appearance of a legitimate contender for the throne and was ready to go to any extreme to get rid of him.
But what connection is there between the fact that Jesus is the rightful king of Judea and the necessity of his marriage with Mary Magdalene? At the very beginning of the appearance of Jews in Palestine, the holy city of Jerusalem belonged to the tribe of Benjamin. But his enmity with the other tribes of Israel led to the fact that the tribe was forced to go into exile and power passed to representatives of the tribe of Judah. True, as the “documents of the Community” testify, many representatives of the tribe did not dare to leave their homeland.
Jesus, who belonged to the descendants of David, was a legitimate contender in the eyes of the tribe of Judah, but in the eyes of the remnants of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in this area, he was a usurper. The situation could change after his marriage to a woman from the tribe of Benjamin. There is no information in the Gospel about which tribe Mary Magdalene belonged to, but, according to some legends, she came from the royal dynasty of the tribe of Benjamin. Therefore, in this case, an alliance of two previously hostile dynasties could arise, which would have serious political consequences. Israel would have received a priest-king, Jerusalem would have returned to its rightful owners, national unity would have been strengthened, and Jesus' claim to the throne would have been reaffirmed.
About the opinion of the book's authors "Sacred Riddle", the fact of the existence of the Jesus family was inconvenient and even dangerous for the development of Christianity. This may explain the consistent and purposeful selection of information contained in the Gospels placed in the New Testament. In addition to the four canonical Gospels, there were others. A special place is occupied by the Gospels of Thomas and Philip, which suggest that there were direct descendants of Jesus.
Jesus' wife Mary Magdalene and his children left the Holy Land and took refuge in Gaul, in the south of modern France, in the Jewish community. An indirect confirmation of this is the veneration of Mary Magdalene that has survived to this day, including the construction of churches dedicated to her, as has already been mentioned. Thus, the direct descendants of Jesus took root in Gaul - the royal blood of David, transmitted by Christ to his descendants, ended up in southern France.
The legends about this were kept in the strictest secrecy for almost four hundred years. In the 5th century, the descendants of Jesus merged with the Franks to give birth to the Merovingian dynasty. These kings, according to legend, had the ability to heal people from the most terrible diseases by simply laying on hands, as Christ did. Duke Godefroy of Bouillon, one of the inspirers of the Crusade, who conquered the Holy Land from the Saracens, was descended from Jesus, and his capture of Jerusalem in 1099 was something more than just a victory over the infidels. It was a war for the reconquest of the sacred inheritance, which should have rightfully belonged to the Duke's ancestor Jesus.
There is another very important fact that indirectly confirms the arrival of Mary Magdalene to southern France. Together with her, one of the main Christian shrines arrived in Europe -. There are many legends about where this bowl is located.
One of the most popular legends connects with the Albigensians - followers of the heretical teaching that swept the south of France at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries. It was here, according to the authors of the book “The Sacred Mystery,” that the Jewish community was located at the beginning of the first millennium, in which it found refuge. The Grail, which was their great relic, was kept in the impregnable Albigensian fortress of Montsegur. In 1209, the Pope declared a crusade against the Albigenses. During 35 years of continuous wars, the richest provinces of France were completely devastated, thousands of people were executed, but did not abandon their religion. In 1244, the last stronghold of the Albigensians, Montsegur, fell. But the holy relic did not go to the crusaders. On the night before the surrender of the fortress, four “initiates” fled through a complex system of underground passages and took with them the Holy Grail.
About the Saint Grail remembered in the 30s in Nazi Germany. Otto Rahn, one of the developers of the theory of the existence of the Nordic race, visited the ruins of Montsegur, examined the area surrounding the fortress and visited some of the many natural caves where, in his opinion, the Holy Grail was hidden. In 1937, he organized an expedition, and, according to rumors, he managed to obtain information confirming that the Grail was located here.
Otto Rahn failed to send his next expedition: the scientist disappeared without a trace. In 1943, when Germany was already suffering an obvious defeat, a huge expedition organized by the Ahnenerbe society, part of the SS structure, arrived in Montsegur. Until the spring of 1944, the participants of the campaign conducted intensive searches in the caves under and around the fortress. In some newspapers after the end of the war there were reports that Holy Grail
November 14, 2013 in Blog
At the suggestion of Dan Brown, who in his work “The Da Vinci Code” elevated the Merovingians to the children of Jesus Christ himself from Mary Magdalene. What to research. However, the Merovingian princes exhibit one distinctive feature that definitely makes them related to the tribe of Dan.
What do we know about the famous Merovingian dynasty - the kings of France, whom contemporaries called “long-haired” and even “lazy”? The Merovingians were the first dynasty of Frankish kings, who ruled from the end of the 5th to the mid-8th century a state located in the lands of modern France and Belgium. Their family descended from the rulers of the Salic (sea) Franks. This people was known to the Romans from the middle of the 3rd century AD; its ethnonym translated means “free”. In the 5th century, the Franks were divided into two ethnic groups: the Salic (that is, maritime), who lived closer to the sea, and the Ripuan (that is, river), who lived along the banks of the Rhine. A reminder of that era is the name of the German region of Franconia, which has survived to this day. The unity of the Frankish people was symbolized by the dynasty of their rulers - the Merovingians, who belonged to an ancient royal family. The descendants of this dynasty possessed in the eyes of the Franks a sacred, mysterious power that brought good to the entire people. This was also indicated by one characteristic feature in the appearance of the Merovingians: they wore long hair, and cutting it meant the loss of the ability to carry out a high mission. This distinguished kings from their subjects, who wore short hair. According to legend, the supernatural abilities of the Merovingians were associated with long hair. This is confirmed by one historical episode: in 754, when the last Merovingian king of the Franks, Childeric III, was imprisoned, his hair was cut off by special order of the Pope. The kings of this dynasty were distinguished by their literacy, which was an outstanding phenomenon against the background of that era of the “Dark Ages”. They could read books written not only in Latin, but also in Greek, Aramaic and Hebrew. But let’s turn to the external outline of events and for this we will return to the era of the reign of the Merovingian dynasty. It was the 5th century, which became the watershed of two eras - the Ancient World and the Middle Ages. The Roman Empire was divided into two parts - Western and Eastern, or Byzantium. The Western Empire is declining. In 410, the “eternal city” of Rome was conquered and plundered by the Visigoths under the leadership of King Alaric. At this time, the Salic Franks (one of the many Germanic peoples), led by King Chlodion, cross the border river Rhine and invade Roman Gaul. The Franks (translated as free) were very restless neighbors of the Romans. King Chlodion was succeeded by Merovey. It was to this leader of the Salic Franks, who reigned from 448 to 457, that the Merovingian dynasty owes its family name. Its origin is also covered in legends. It was believed that the ruler was born from a sea monster. Sometimes Merovey himself is called a monster who emerged from the depths of the sea. The legend about his birth is as follows: while pregnant, Merovey's mother, the wife of King Clodio (Chlodion), went to swim in the sea, where she was kidnapped by a sea monster. It was believed that the blood of the Frankish king Chlodion and the sea monster flowed in Merovey's veins. This legend, when viewed rationally, points to an international dynastic marriage. The origin of the king is thus connected with something overseas. Fish, by the way, is also a symbol of Christ. The ending of the name Merovey (Meroveus) is associated with the words “journey”, “road” and is translated as “from beyond the sea” or “born of the sea”. Another translation of his name is “living creature” or “demon”. Under Merovey's son, King Childeric, the territory of his state began to expand. But his grandson, King Clovis, is even more famous. He became the founder of the powerful Frankish kingdom. Clovis annexed the north of Gaul to his possessions and expanded the borders of the state to the upper reaches of the Rhine. Around 498, the king was baptized. Unusual circumstances contributed to this. During the battle with the Almandians, when the scales were already tipping in favor of the enemies, Clovis remembered the stories of his wife, Clotilde, about the Christian faith, that Jesus is the Savior, and prayed: “Oh, merciful Jesus! I asked my gods for help, but they turned their backs on me. Now I think that they simply cannot help me. Now I ask you: help me cope with my enemies! I believe you!" As soon as these words were spoken, the Franks went on the offensive and plunged the Almandians into a disorderly flight from the battlefield. The baptism of Clovis took place in Reims. Since then, all the kings of France were baptized in this city. During the reign of Clovis, the famous medieval code of laws “Salic Truth” was also published. Paris became the capital of the Clovis state. It was with this ruler that the Merovingian period of French history began. The religious policy of the Merovingian kings is of interest. Their state largely preserved paganism. Christianization was not a priority of state policy, and the spread of the Catholic faith was the concern of volunteer missionaries, often not even local, but arrived from neighboring regions of Europe. In the 5th-7th centuries, these preachers converted pagans living in the center of the vast Merovingian possessions, including in the vicinity of Paris and Orleans, to the faith of Christ. The head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, had virtually no influence in this state. However, the overthrow of this dynasty was not without his sanction. One of the most successful and influential kings of the dynasty was Dagobert, who ruled the Frankish state from 629 to 639. His reign was accompanied by successful military campaigns and culminated in the annexation of new lands to the kingdom. However, after the death of Dagobert, his heirs began to gradually lose power from their hands. Governance of the state increasingly began to pass from them to my lorddoms. This word comes from the Latin major domus - manager of the palace household. It was the mayors who controlled the income and expenses of the royal court, commanded the guards and were the king's representatives to the Frankish nobility. Since then, the Merovingians have been dubbed "lazy kings." In the middle of the 8th century, Major Pepin the Short decided to become not only actually, but also formally the first person of the country. Pepin gained the support of Pope Zacharias, who anointed him king and proclaimed him king of the Frankish kingdom. In November 751, the last Merovingian king, Childeric III, was shorn and imprisoned in a monastery. This is a known, visible part of Merovingian history. Let's turn to what is not so obvious. According to legend, the kings of this dynasty knew a lot about occult sciences and esotericism. In the tomb of Childeric I, son of Merovey, father of Clovis, found in 1653 in the Ardennes, in addition to weapons traditional for royal burials, various jewelry and badges, there were also objects related to the field of magic and witchcraft: a severed horse head, a bull's head made of gold , as well as a crystal ball. About three hundred golden bees were also found there. The bee was one of the sacred symbols of the Merovingian dynasty. Napoleon later used these golden bees of Childeric, wanting to emphasize the historical continuity of his power. In 1804, during his coronation, Napoleon ordered golden bees to be attached to his coronation robe. The kings wore a kind of magic necklace and knew a secret spell that protected them. The discovered skulls of some representatives of this dynasty had ritual incisions similar to those made on the skulls of Buddhist clergy in Tibet. In the distant Himalayas they were made so that at the moment of death the soul could leave the body. Legends have also reached us about the ability of the Merovingians to heal by laying on of hands. Even the brushes hanging from their clothes were used for healing. By the way, putting tassels of wisdom on clothes—tzitzit—is commanded by the Torah to the people of Israel. These kings were often called miracle workers by their followers, and sorcerers by their ill-wishers. They also had the gift of clairvoyance and extrasensory communication, and understood animals and the forces of nature. They knew the secret of longevity, and on the bodies of representatives of the family of kings there was a special sign - a red birthmark in the shape of a cross, located on the heart or between the shoulder blades. The origins of the royal family are shrouded in mystery. A medieval legend says that the kings of the Franks trace their ancient lineage back to the Trojans, heroes of Homer's<Илиады», прибывших в древние времена на земли Галлии. Хроники Средних веков называют предками Меровингов последнего царя Трои Приама или героя Троянской войны, царя-путешественника Энея. Бытует и другое мнение — не о греческих, а об иудейских корнях франкских королей. Согласно этой версии потомки иудейских царей после разрушения римлянами Иерусалима и Второго Храма в 70 году нашей эры «шли приют в землях франков, где положили начало династии королей Меровингов. Династия якобы происходит от потомков колена Биньямина, из которого некогда был выбран первый еврейский царь Шауль. И действительно, в роду Меровингов встречались ветхозаветные имена, например брата короля Хлотара II звали Самсоном. Если мы обратим внимание на библейского Самсона, древнеизраильского судью, он тоже носил длинные волосы, поскольку был назореем. Да и сборник законов, принятых королем Хлодвигом, «Салическая правда», имеет параллели с традиционным еврейским законодательством. Есть также мнение, что именно с династией Меровингов связана загадка чаши Грааля: ведь слово «Грааль» созвучно словам «sang raal» или «sang royal», что переводе означает «королевская кровь». «Граалем», «королевской кровью» легенда называет сына Иисуса Христа и Марии Магдалины. Сторонники этой версии приводят доказательства, что Иисус и Мария Магдалина были мужем и женой. Ученики обращаются к Иисусу «рабби» — учитель, а раввины, законоучители, по иудейским законам должны были быть женаты. Потомки же царя Давида должны были стать родителями не менее чем двух сыновей. Для жителя Святой земли тех времен был довольно прозрачным смысл действий Марии Магдалины, описанных в Евангелии от Иоанна (11:2): «Мария же… была та, которая помазала Господа миром и отерла ноги Его волосами своими». Это могла сделать лишь невеста потомка царского рода Давида. В Ветхом Завете и Давиду, и Соломону их невесты мазали голову миром и отирали ноги своими волосами. В Евангелии Филиппа, имеющем статус апокрифа, версия о том, что Иисус был женат, изложена еще более четко: «А верным другом Иисуса была Мария Магдалина. И любил Христос ее более остальных учеников Своих, и лобызал ее не единожды в уста ее. Остальные же ученики, оскорбленные тем, осуждали Его. Говорили они Ему: почему Ты привечаешь ее больше нас? Спаситель ответствовал им, и сказал так: почему же Мне не любить ее больше вас? Велико таинство супружества, — ибо без него не стало бы мира». Далее, согласно этой версии, после казни и воскресения Иисуса Мария с детьми бежала в тогдашнюю римскую провинцию Галлию, где скончалась в 63 году нашей эры. Могила Марии Магдалины находится на юге современной Франции, в окрестностях городка Сент-Бом. Позднейшее представление о Марии Магдалине как о блуднице сторонники этой точки зрения списывают на происки недоброжелателей: после свержения династии Меровингов теологи Римской церкви стали отождествлять ее с упомянутой в Евангелиях блудницей. В V веке потомки Иисуса породнились с Меровингами. И Меровей, согласно этим преданиям, был потомком Христа. Значительное число соборов, возведенных при Меровингах в их королевстве, были названы именем Марии Магдалины. В то же время в землях, где были сильны позиции Папы Римского, в честь этой святой храмов не называли. Когда династия пала и власть перешла к Каролингам, новой франкской правящей династии, приведенной к власти Пипином Коротким, многие из этих соборов были переименованы. Известно и то, что Меровинги именовали себя «деспозинами» («от Господа»). Прямым потомком Меровея был Готфрид Бульонский, один из вождей Первого крестового похода, правитель Иерусалима. Идя в завоевательный поход на Иерусалим, он, таким образом, возвращал себе «законное наследство» потомка Иисуса. Сам Готфрид Бульонский утверждал, что он происходит из колена Биньямина, младшего сына Якова, которому при разделе земли Израильской между коленами (эти события описывает Библия) достался Иерусалим. Также некоторые исследователи называют одним из потомков Меровея Гуго Шампанского, графа Шампани, в 1125 году отрекшегося от своего титула, для того чтобы уехать в Иерусалим и вступить там в орден тамплиеров. Естественно, существование потомков Меровингов тщательно скрывалось церковными и светскими властями. В раннем Средневековье династия Меровингов владела большей частью Западной Европы. Потомки Меровингов, зная о своем происхождении от Иисуса, держали это в тайне до поры до времени, поскольку боялись расправы над собой со стороны католической церкви, чьи догматы в таком случае оказались бы разрушенными. Тем более что печальный опыт расправы над членами династии имелся — франкский король из династии Меровингов, Дагоберт II, правивший в VII веке, был предательски убит в результате заговора церковников и части знати. Этот король противился расширению влияния римского престола. О своем истинном происхождении Меровинги собирались объявить после установления своей власти, а они стремились к воссозданию обновленной версии Франкского королевства в виде единой Европы. Оглашение того факта, что объединенной Европой правят потомки Христа, должно было энтузиазм и привести к религиозному ренессансу, так, как это случилось в Иране с приходом к власти аятоллы Хомейни в 1979 году. Одна из многочисленных легенд, окружающих династию Меровингов, гласит, что святой Ремигий, крестивший в христианскую религию короля Хлодвига, предсказал, что власть его династии продлится до конца света. Как известно, свержение династии произошло в 751 году, однако это не означает, что предсказание не сбылось. По одной из женских линий потомками Меровингов являются Каролинги — династия, сменившая их на королевском престоле. Династия Каролингов была родственна и другой династии — Капетингов. Потомками Хлодвига, таким образом, являлись почти все короли Франции, включая Бурбонов. Как известно, в настоящее время династия Бурбонов правит Испанским королевством. Прослеживаются и династические связи Меровингов с шотландской королевской династией Стюартов. Так в истории династии Меровингов переплелось прошлое и настоящее, история Древнего Израиля и средневековой Европы, легенды и предания, мистика и реальность. Автор: А.В.Дзюба
Despite the fact that the Christian Church recognizes all speculations regarding Our Lord Jesus Christ in his earthly life as heretical, they are still alive.
One of these heretical assumptions is the theory that Christ had a wife while he was in the flesh.
Some even claim the existence of his descendants, citing some lost and “secret” “gospels”. This excites ordinary people and provides food for writers to write adventure and mystical books like The Da Vinci Code.
They claim that the descendants of Christ and Mary Magdalene still live in the south of France and guard the Holy Grail.
Jesus Christ was never married
An Orthodox person, in principle, should not ask a question about the carnal life of Christ. The fact is that every believer knows that the Savior came to our world to atone for original human sin.
Christ is the God of the Word incarnate, and not a mere man and teacher of righteousness. Thus, it is impossible to treat him as an ordinary person. This concerns his life in the flesh.
Sermon on the Mount. Artist Jean-Baptiste de Champagne 1631 - 1681. Jesus Christ is the Savior, and not an ordinary carnal man, so the question of his wife is simply not appropriate for a Christian
It should be noted that during his earthly life, Jewish society did not encourage celibacy, although an exception was made for religious leaders. For example, some rabbis were single.
Nowhere in Scripture does it say that Jesus was married.
This is quite enough for this issue to be closed forever.
The idea of Jesus' wife was developed by the Gnostics
The attacks on the divine nature of Christ began a long time ago. Basically, the authors of various versions and theories pointing to his human nature are considered to be Gnostics. Gnosticism is a general name for a number of late antique religious movements.
They used ideas and motifs found in the Old Testament, Eastern myths and some early Christian teachings. The word "gnostic" is translated from ancient Greek as "knower."
Epiphanius of Cyprus. Icon (1645) from the collection of the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve, from the Church of Epiphanius of Cyprus. Saint Epiphanius in his writings ranked Gnosticism as one of the 80 heresies Epiphanius of Cyprus listed Gnosticism as one of the 80 heresies. Irenaeus of Lyon, who wrote the treatise “Against Heresies” in the second century, shares the same opinion. The very word “Gnosticism” was coined by Thomas More.
It is enough to briefly study the basic tenets of Gnosticism in order to be convinced of this.
Gnosticism is listed by Epiphanius of Cyprus as one of the 80 heresies.
For example, Gnostics believe that two forces are fighting in the world: the Demiurge - an evil force limited in its power, and the highest “good” God. He has compassion for humanity. The goal of man is to realize his divinity and gain gnosis, that is, secret knowledge.
Naturally, such a worldview is unacceptable for a Christian. Jesus Christ is the Savior who came into the world in order to atone for human sins and give people the Kingdom of Heaven.
He is the God of the Word incarnate. The Gnostics call him the highest “eon,” that is, a person who has known gnosis. Hence such attention on their part to the carnal life of Christ.
Evangelists. Miniature from the Gospel. XIV century The heresy of Gnosticism began to take shape immediately after the advent of Christianity. This is why a Christian should study only the canonical gospels and not the apocrypha All modern speculation about Jesus' "wife" and his "descendants" is based on Gnostic sources. These are various Gospels, the authenticity of which is questionable.
Among them are the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Judas, the Gospel of Mary, etc. The authenticity of most of them is questionable, and some are even recognized as outright fakes.
The Gospel of Jesus' Wife is an ancient Gnostic text and not part of Holy Scripture
A surge of interest in the issue under consideration in our time is associated with the discovery of the so-called “Gospel of the wife of Jesus.” And if the heresies of the ancient Gnostics had already been debunked, then the new text gave rise to new heretical theories.
They argued that Jesus was not God in the flesh. In addition, such artifacts, whose authenticity is questionable, often become a source for composing occult and adventure literature, in the style of Dan Brown’s well-known work “The Da Vinci Code.”
Papyrus called the gospel of the wife of Jesus. Kept in a private collection. Its poor state of preservation does not allow us to completely decipher the text on it. If we stick to the facts, then the so-called “Gospel of the Wife of Jesus” is a fragment of papyrus measuring 4 x 8 centimeters.
It was first made public by Harvard University professor Karen King. The papyrus is badly damaged, and only a small fragment of it can be read.
The size of the papyrus, called "The Gospel of the Wife of Jesus", is 4 x 8 centimeters.
It is worth noting that the document was written in the Said dialect of the Coptic language. From the moment it was discovered, researchers doubted its authenticity.
In addition, scholars indicate that its text is a translation of an earlier Greek text dating back to the second century.
It is very similar to other apocryphal gospels compiled by the Gnostics. An example of such a “gospel” is the Gospel of Thomas.
Researchers doubt the authenticity of the Gospel of the wife of Jesus and consider it an apocryphal gospel compiled by Gnostics in the likeness of the Gospel of Thomas.
The Gospel of Jesus' wife has attracted the attention of researchers because it contains a fragment of the following phrase: “My wife...”. In addition, the following phrases from papyrus have generated scientific and theological controversy:
- "Not for me. My mother gave me life."
- "The disciples said to Jesus."
- "Deny. Maria deserves it."
- "Jesus said to them, 'My wife.'
- "She will be capable of becoming my student."
- "Let the evil people swell."
- “As for me, I’m with her to.”
- "Image".
In addition, supporters of the theory that Jesus was married point out that the document mentions the mother of Jesus and a certain Mary twice in the document. About her, the speaker states that “she could be my student.” The name of Jesus is not directly mentioned in the papyrus.
Harvard University Professor Karen King. She presented to the public in 2012 The Gospel of the Wife of Jesus Despite the fact that researchers have proven that papyrus was made and written in ancient times, mistrust remains in it. The fact is that King received the document from an unknown collector in 2010. He handed it to her for translation.
Typically, those documents that do not raise doubts about their authenticity are discovered during archaeological excavations. The papyrus is currently kept in a private collection.
Criticism of the Gospel of Jesus' Wife
From the moment the “gospel” attributed to the wife of Jesus Christ appeared in the public space, its public criticism began. Critics pointed to the fact that the document was badly damaged and it was therefore impossible to interpret its text unambiguously.
The papyrus is written in Coptic. This is the language of Egyptian Christians, but Christians usually wrote all religious texts in Greek.
Also, opponents of recognizing the document indicating the marriage of Jesus say that it was written 300 years after his death. How could the author of the text know anything about the life of the Savior if he did not see him himself?!
The Bible calls the Church “the bride of Christ” (Ephesians 5:25-33). This is exactly how the phrase “my wife” should be interpreted.
Video: Church - Bride of Christ. At 4 minutes 11 seconds, the author says that Jesus Christ will be like the husband of the Holy Church, and she will become his bride.
It is quite possible that Jesus had a spiritual relationship with a certain woman, but not a carnal one. At least the text of the New Testament does not contain any mention that Christ was married. The Gospel of Jesus' Wife contains nothing new.
It is of interest only as an example of the creativity of heretical sects of the Gnostic persuasion. Theologians and scientists can only find in it evidence of the different views of early Christians on family and marriage.
In addition, it is also worth studying for students of theological seminaries in order to know what arguments are put forward by followers of various Gnostic sects and sects in support of their rightness.
Mary Magdalene is the leading candidate for the role of the “wife” of Christ
Most skeptics and followers of heretical teachings claim that the wife of Jesus Christ is Mary Magdalene. This is due to the fact that it is mentioned quite often in the Bible.
For example, she was healed by Jesus from demons (Luke 8:2), followed him, serving and helping him with her property (Mark 15:40-41, Luke 8:3), was present at Calvary at the death of the Savior and burial He (Matt. 27:56, Matt. 27:61) she was the first to see the risen Christ (John 20:11-18), etc.
Mary Magdalene. Mosaic N.K. Bondarevsky 1895-1907, Savior on Spilled Blood. Mary Magdalene is the leading candidate for the role of the “wife” of Jesus Christ In addition, Mary Magdalene's closeness to Jesus is also spoken of. He allowed her to follow him, accepted her gifts, communicated with her.
It should be noted that the image of Mary Magdalene is often mixed with other images - the repentant harlot who washed the feet of Christ, as well as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.
In Catholicism, she is revered as a repentant harlot. The Orthodox consider her equal to the apostles. The fact is that she was sent by Christ to testify to His resurrection to the apostles.
Followers of heretical teachings also interpret this fact in their own way, saying that this is additional evidence of the close relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
Orthodox icon. Saint Mary Magdalene is depicted holding a vessel of myrrh in her hands as the myrrh-bearing wife. In Orthodoxy, Mary Magdalene is revered as a saint equal to the apostles. It is worth noting once again that in the New Testament there is no information that Christ was married. The same applies to his communication with women. At the same time, the Church does not see anything wrong in such relationships if they are within the framework of marriage.
However, one should never forget about the Divine nature of Christ, which is denied by the Gnostics, who are recognized as the creators of the legend about the wife and children of Jesus.
The legend of the children of Christ is widespread in France
heretical Christian sect, according to legend one of the keepers of the secret about the wife and children of Christ
Legends about Christ's wife and his children are widespread in the south of France. The fact is that here, at one time, there was a stronghold of the Cathars and Albigensians - followers of heretical teachings.
In their mythology, great importance was given to the image of a woman as the recipient of revelation and the beloved disciple of Christ.
If we briefly retell the version of the apocryphal texts and various heretical groups, it is as follows:
- The Catholic Church specifically attributed to Mary Magdalene the image of a harlot.
- Christ and Mary Magdalene were married and had a physical relationship.
- Mary gave birth to Jesus a child, who became the founder of the dynasty of the Great Guardians of the Holy Grail.
In addition, claims periodically arise that there was a daughter of Jesus Christ, Sarah, as well as his other descendants. In most cases, the apocrypha says that Jesus came from the family of King David, and Mary Magdalene from the tribe of Benjamin.
Thus, by marrying her, Christ could be considered the main contender for power in Judea.
According to modern adherents of Gnostic heresies and supporters of the feminization of the Christian Church, the wife of Christ and his children fled from Judea to Gaul and took refuge here in the local Jewish community.
This was hidden in secret for a long time, and 400 years later, in the 5th century, the descendants of Christ and Magdalene mixed with the local nobility and gave birth to the Merovingian dynasty.
Montsengur, an Albigensian stronghold, was destroyed in 1244.
Montsegur. View from the village. According to legend, the descendants of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene secretly live in the vicinity of the destroyed Cathar fortress. Duke Godefroy (Gottfried) of Bouillon is called a direct descendant of Christ. That is why, skeptics say, he became one of the inspirers of the Crusades and the keeper of the Holy Grail.
In addition, they claim that modern descendants of Christ live in the area of Montsegur - an impregnable castle of the Cathars, destroyed in 1244, who modernized and accepted the heresy of the Gnostics.
Conspiracy theorists consider Duke Godefroy of Bouillon to be a direct descendant of Christ and the founder of the dynasty of guardians of the Holy Grail.
Godfrey of Bouillon, fresco by Giacomo Jaquerio, 1418 - 1430. Duke Godefroy (Gottfried) of Bouillon is called a direct descendant of Christ. He was one of the leaders of the Crusaders It is this theory that feeds a wide range of modern writers and filmmakers. The “debunkers” of the church conspiracy do not say or invent anything new.
Various new scrolls and papyri only confirm the correctness of the Christian Church, which has been fighting for many centuries against heresies, including those related to the carnal nature of Christ.
Christ can only have spiritual children
From the text of the New Testament it is known that the Savior loved children very much. He communicated with them and blessed them. So, when His disciples did not want to let the children come to him to pray with him, Jesus said:
“Truly I tell you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Thus, we are all children of Christ, his spiritual children.
Video: Heresy about the wife of Jesus Christ - Mary Magdalene. (Biblical Refutation). At 43:13, the author says that Christ is “married” to the Church and he cannot have another “wife”.
Any talk about the possible existence of a carnal wife and children in Christ is recognized as heresy. The Russian Orthodox Church actively explains that the various interpretations of this issue adopted in modern literature and cinema are fiction, and they have nothing to do with the teachings of the Church.
The surge of interest in them in our time is caused not only by the destruction of traditional values. Also, some circles in the West want to feminize the Church and allow women and married priesthood to serve.
Bryullov Karl “Blessing of Children. Sketch" 1824. Christ loved children, but he was not married and had no children according to the flesh. We are all his spiritual children Jesus Christ is the God of the Word.
Descended to earth in order to atone for human sins and open the gates to the Kingdom of Heaven. This must always be remembered.
In addition, you need to visit the local temple more often and communicate with its priest, who can give clarification to believers and explain how he feels about certain conspiracy theories.
Using genetic analysis, scientists have found people who may be direct descendants of relatives of Jesus Christ. A documentary film “The Branch of Jesus” was made about this research, which will be shown weekly on the HISTORY channel starting December 17
Laboratory
The Catholic Church has only twice allowed researchers to take samples from the Shroud of Turin, in which Jesus is believed to have been buried. They are kept in the Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics of the University of Padua. The filmmakers went there to begin analysis together with scientists.
Relic
The shroud is a linen cloth 437 cm long and 111 cm wide, on which an image of a person’s body and face is imprinted. This drawing was discovered by archaeologist Secondo Pia when, in 1898, he was the first to be allowed to photograph the shroud.
Blood of Jesus
The analysis showed that the blood on the relics came from wounds on the body of a person with blood group 4. It occurs only in 3% of the world's population, more often in people from the Middle East. The head of the laboratory, Gianni Barcaccia, said that the design on the relic could not have been drawn, and that it itself is 2000 years old.
Druze
According to Gianni Barcaccia, the mitochondrial DNA (passed on to descendants only from the mother) from the shroud belongs to the Druze, an ethno-confessional group of Arabs. There are 1 million Druze on Earth, some of them live in Israel, including near Nazareth, where Jesus is from.
Ancestors
Now only those who have both a Druze mother and father are considered Druze, and converting to another faith means losing their belonging to this people. But in the time of Jesus, the Druze religion was not closed. This means that there could have been Druze among Jesus' ancestors, the filmmakers believe.
Descendants
For the film, the DNA of a Druze man from a village near Nazareth and his daughter was compared with DNA from the shroud. It turns out that these people may be descendants of people from Jesus' family tree. “This makes my faith even stronger,” said the man, whose name is Nazarene. “And that’s why I’m happy.”
Lawrence Gardner
The Holy Grail and the descendants of Jesus Christ
PREFACE
The monograph “The Holy Grail” is a remarkable achievement in the field of genealogical research. It is rare to find a historian familiar with the most interesting facts presented in this work. The author's absolutely delightful revelations will undoubtedly be appreciated by the majority as a significant contribution to the treasury of enlightenment. Therefore, this work is essential for the history of those fundamental issues that contributed to the formation of the Christian Church in Europe and the Crusader states.
Perhaps the book's coverage of a number of fundamental problems will seem heretical in nature to some. Since the discoveries inherent in this work are completely inconsistent with orthodox traditions, each individual retains the right to accept or not accept this point of view. However, there is no doubt that Lawrence Gardner, having penetrated into the very essence of all available manuscripts and archival documents relating to this topic, went far beyond the boundaries of generally accepted concepts. The resulting information is presented in its true light and presented by the author in a clear, lively and engaging manner.
The work presented to the reader presents an amazing opportunity to comprehend centuries-old, politically motivated agreements between rulers, as well as the deceptions and intrigues associated with them. After all, for almost two millennia, the destinies of millions of people were decided by one-of-a-kind, albeit often eccentric, individuals who perverted the spiritual aspirations of human society. At ease, objectively and in great detail, the author sets out the contents of numerous documents withdrawn from circulation concerning the heritage of mankind. Thus, he resurrects from political oblivion the deliberately suppressed history of an unshakable royal dynasty, which the church for a long time tried to eliminate for the sake of achieving selfish goals. We can only hope that in the current age of renewed reason, truth will triumph and the Phoenix will rise again from the ashes.
HRH Prince Michael of Albany,
Head of the Stuart royal family
Chapter first
Beginning of genealogy
WHO DOES THE GRAIL SERVE?
It is generally accepted that after the suppression of the uprising of the Jewish people and the capture of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The Roman rulers destroyed all written references concerning the right of inheritance by the descendants of the Savior Jesus of the kingdom of David. Nevertheless, not everything was destroyed, and the heirs of the Anointed of God preserved documents related to this matter, transferring the legacy of the Messiah from the Middle East to the West. As Eusebius, the bishop of Caesarea who lived in the 4th century, states in his “Ecclesiastical History”, these heirs were called desposini (which translated from ancient Greek means “from the Lord”) - a reverent title that was given exclusively to those who belonged to the same knee, just like Jesus himself. Among the owners of the sacred inheritance were the descendants of the royal family of Judah - a dynastic branch that is still alive today.
As we explore the detailed genealogical accounts of the royal descent of the Messiah's descendants in the direct line of Jesus and his brother James, we are introduced to the fascinating history of this magnificent family. However, in order to move in this direction, it is necessary first of all to consider the biblical and gospel stories from a completely different point of view from the generally accepted one. This is not a rewriting of history anew, but a new form of well-known events - rather a return of history to its original fundamental principles, and not a recasting of myths in a modern way for strategic reasons by those whose interests extend in a completely opposite direction.
Undoubtedly, some will dispute the following regarding this last statement. There will also be those who, energetically trying to defend the usual ideals, will subject these pages to devastating criticism. In this case, one can only hope that the critics' arguments will be carefully weighed, for, as the Reverend Lewis of Glastonbury discovered in 1922, destructive criticism often destroys itself, while the intended victim remains far beyond its reach.
Moreover, this book is entirely intended for open-minded and inquisitive readers. Its authority rests on its revealed interpretation of ancient Holy Land documents such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as many evangelical and early Christian texts removed from public use. The documentary facts presented in it were also extracted from Celtic chronicles and historical chronicles of the Middle Ages, as well as state, church and knightly archives of Europe.
Acting in secret collusion, the church and secular authorities usurped the right of messianic inheritance for centuries. It began at a time when imperial Rome, adapting to an alternative ideal, took a course towards Christianity, and continues to this day.
Many seemingly unrelated historical events were in fact links in this ongoing suppression of the clan. From the Jewish Wars of the 1st century to the American Revolutionary War and beyond, the governments of England and other European countries, along with the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, never stopped plotting. Trying to limit Judea in the right of royal primogeniture, the highest church hierarchy established monarchical regimes headed by nominally ruling sovereigns, which included the British proper - the Hanoverian and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasties. These kind of “autocrats”, enthroned to replace the deposed preachers of religious tolerance, were obliged to instill certain creeds.
Now, on the eve of the new millennium, a time of reflection and transformation is coming in the civilized world. And to carry out such transformations, it is necessary to rethink all the achievements and mistakes of the past. And it would be difficult to find a better archive for this purpose than that which exists in the annals of the Sangreal.
The concept of the Holy Grail first appeared in the Middle Ages as a literary concept based (as will be shown later) on a number of misinterpretations of ancient texts by scribes. It is a literal translation of the expression Saint Grail, which derives from the more archaic forms San Graal and Sangreal. The ancient Order of the Sangreal - the dynastic order of the Scottish kings of the House of Stuart - was directly related to the European Order of the Kingdom of Zion. The knights of both orders were adherents of the Sangreal, which (as shown above) establishes the true royal origin of the Jewish dynasty, descending from the Holy Grail.
Apart from its purely dynastic aspect, the Holy Grail also has a spiritual meaning. It was represented through a variety of symbols, but as a material object it was most often represented as a cup, especially the cup that contained or once contained the blood of Jesus.