Professor reveals artifact referring to ‘Jesus’ wife’

CAMBRIDGE, Ma. — In a surprise announcement that seemed scripted by the novelist Dan Brown, a Harvard professor revealed an ancient scrap of papyrus Sept. 18 that purports to refer to Jesus’ wife. The so-called “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife” presents a dialogue between Jesus and His disciples, said Karen King, a well-respected historian of early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School.

The fourth-century fragment says, “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife,’” according to King. The rest of the sentence is cut off. The fragment also says “she will be able to be my disciple,” according to King. The discovery that some ancient Christians thought Jesus had a wife could shake up centuries-old Christian traditions, King suggested. The papyrus now belongs to an anonymous collector who asked King to analyze it. Three scholars have determined the fragment is not a forgery, King said, but further tests will be conducted on the ink. The scholar also said she will press the fragment’s anonymous owner to come forward.