THE WEDDING OF JESUS
Jesus was a Rabbi and here are the proofs: Matthew 23:7; John 1:38; 3:2; 20:16. The point is that a Rabbi in Israel had to be a married man. Then, according to Judaism, after the proper procedures, the Jewish prospect would undergo the ceremonial “mikveh” or immersion in waters before ordination.
After Jesus’ immersion in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, Jesus was seen during the next two days on his way to Galilee. (John 1:35,43) Then on the third day after his “mikveh” the family and friends were celebrating his wedding in Cana with Mary Magdalene.
According to the custom, the mother of the Bride would be in charge of the celebrations, but probably Mary’s parents had passed away because she used to live with her sister Martha and brother Lazarus in Bethany. I mean, they used to live with Mary who was the one well-to-do. Martha would pay her room-and-board as a maiden servant, and Lazarus… well, I think he was a loafer boy taking advantage of his rich sister. He was probably a sick man anyway.
Back to the wedding, Jesus’ mother Mary had to do the host job; and she did it quite well by giving orders around to the servants. Also, according to the custom, the Bridegroom was in charge to provide the wine, which mind you, Jesus made sure it was of the best quality. The tale of the miracle was interpolated much later to deviate the probing attention of those who have a mind of their own to find out what was really going on in Canah.
After Jesus’ wedding, you can check for yourselves, all Jesus’ come-and-goes were from and to Bethany, the home of Mary Magdalene. Then, whenever Jesus would return from his missionary campains throughout Israel, the address was Bethany. To his wife obviously, although most the time Mary Magdalene would follow Jesus as his beloved disciple. The Church later interpolated John as the “beloved disciple” for the same reason to get the mind of the readers away from the thought that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.
Do we have any evidence of a romantic approach prior or after their wedding? Of course, we do! After Jesus exorcized seven demons from Mary, she must have fallen in love with him. (Luke 8:1-3) The expression “seven demons” means the struggle that Jesus had to go through to extricate Mary from her not-so-reputable business in Magdala.
Then, in Bethany when Mary was smearing Jesus’ body with that expensive pefume, we all know, that Mary did not just throw that perfume at him from afar. Definitely not! she did smear him almost all over even in terms of massage, so much so that some of the guests thought it to be unbecoming. (Mat. 26:10-13)
Then, while everyone else would address Jesus as Rabbi, Mary would call him “Rabboni,” a colloquial term used as an expression of love, especially by a Rabbi’s wife. It also means “Master of my suffering,” as Rachel named her son Benoni before she died from child birth. (Gen. 35:18)
In another occasion, when Mary went to the tomb area after the crucifixion, and saw the empty tomb, she never suffered more in her life. She wanted to take him away with her. (John 20:15) Then, she was crying without consolation. In the middle of her travails, she saw a man standing by and throught to be the Gardener. “Why are you crying?” the man asked. Alas! She did not identify him; it was too dark. But then Jesus tried her name the way he used to call her: “Mary…!” It’s hard to say it in writing, but Mary melted all down and exclaimed" “Raboni!”
This term “Raboni”, or Master of my sufferings, is such a solemn and love-tender expression in Hebrew and Aramaic that only seldom is used out of the frame of deep love. It was then that she jumped to hug him but Jesus, probably all in bandages, forbade her to cause him any unnecessary pain. He would meet her later at more propitious circumstances. (John 20:17)
Then, after some apparitions to the disciples, Jesus said goodbye and left the company. From then on, the names of these three peoples were never mentioned again; Jesus, Mary Magdalene and Joseph of Arimathea. Jesus yes, but only in connection with his teachings by the Nazarenes, a Jewish Sect founded by his Apostles. Joseph had to go along because if he had stayed, he would probably be crucified for having cheated on Pilate regarding Jesus who was not dead when he took him off the cross.
Today, there are three speculations about their whereabouts. The first is that they settled down incognito in Talpiot, a small town not too far south of Jerusalem, where some people have claimed to have found out the graves of Yeshua, Miriam and Joseph. I went there personally but just to be told that the area could not be explored or visited by order of the local Meier for being under an Apartment building.
The second speculation is that they left Israel in the direction of Cashmere, India, where a Russian Archaeologist is claimed to have found the graves of Yeshua, Miriam and Joseph under the sign of the shield of David.
And the third, speculation is the one of the Da Vinci Code, that the three went to Europe and settled down in the Southern part of France in a small village. And that Mary gave birth to a daughter, who eventually got married into the Merovingian nobility.
Whatever happened after Jesus said goodbye to his disciples, I don’t endorse anything that has been speculated. My point is only to verify the truth about Jesus’ marriage to Mary Magdalene. If that’s true without the shadow of a doubt, we have only to be joyful that Jesus fulfilled also the commandment to get married and father children. Besides, a married man only adds to his honour for being so.
Ben:
I found myself reading along with this thread and from many, the attitude in which they displayed their thoughts, it came across as though to be married is a sin (even if only for Jesus, if he is to be our example… what does this then say?). Considering Mary was thought to be a virgin, jesus being married is taboo, and the priests (w/ their side exploits), oops, and let us not forget nuns, I have always viewed Catholicism to be anti family. :sad_yes:
