Help! Celibacy Apologetics Question

[Genesian]

I have been asked “Where does it say in the Bible that Jesus was celibate and never married?” I’m not sure how to answer. It doesn’t say specifically either of those things. What should I say?

 

[dmar198]

I have been asked “Where does it say in the Bible that Jesus was celibate and never married?” I’m not sure how to answer. It doesn’t say specifically either of those things. What should I say?

I would read this article, get a good grasp of it, print it out, give it to them, and when they have read it, talk to them about it.

catholic.com/thisrock/2006/0605fea1.asp

Main points:

“we find nothing where we would reasonably expect to see some reference to Jesus’ wife, then the absence of such evidence should be taken as evidence that Jesus was unmarried. In fact, we find no word of a wife of Jesus in places where we would surely expect to see such a mention if he had, indeed, been married: Jesus’ call to his ministry; his discussion of marriage, divorce, and celibacy; his death on the cross; and his resurrection. There are no explicit references in the Gospels to a wife of Jesus.”

“Nor does Paul mention a wife of Jesus when it would have been helpful for him to do so. When Paul discusses the relationship between husbands and wives in 1 Corinthians 7, being able to cite the example of a married Jesus would have come in handy. Likewise, it would have been useful to point to Jesus’ wife when Paul argues that he and his collaborators have the right to bring a Christian sister along on their missionary trips to help with temporalities. Paul certainly drew on the example of the other apostles who brought their wives to help (1 Cor. 9:5). Surely if Jesus had been married his example would have trumped that of Peter.”

“What’s more, none of the writings of those who immediately followed the New Testament writers—writers such as Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, and Irenaeus of Lyons—refer to Jesus as having been married. We have to jump a century or more, ignoring all the evidence in between, to find even the slightest support for a married Jesus.”

“Absence of evidence is not, as we have said, evidence of absence. But neither is it evidence of evidence. The assertion that Jesus was married puts the burden of proof on those making the claim. Those who argue for a married Jesus simply haven’t met that burden. What evidence we have—even when considered apart from the Church’s Tradition—all points in the other direction.”

 

[JerseyNeaner]

The Bible does not specifically state that Jesus did not marry. However, an event as grand as Jesus getting married would certainly have been mentioned. As it is not mentioned, it stands to reason that Jesus did not get married. Not to mention his wife would certainly have been present at His crucifixtion!

Regarding celibacy, 1 Corintians 7-9 says this:
**Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am, but each has a particular gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. Now to the unmarried and to widows, I say: it is a good thing for them to remain as they are, as I do, but if they cannot exercise self-control they should marry, for it is better to marry than to be on fire. **

Hope this helps!