In September 2012, Harvard’s Hollis Chair of Divinity Karen L. King announced the discovery of a Coptic papyrus fragment that includes the text “Jesus said to them, ‘My wife …’” After an extended silence while the papyrus was subjected to extensive scientific tests, Harvard’s Divinity School announced that “testing indicates ‘Gospel of Jesus’s Wife’ papyrus fragment to be ancient,” following the April 2014 issue of Harvard Theological Review’s (HTR) publication of carbon-14, paleographical, spectroscopy and other scientific analyses. Harvard Divinity School’s website includes updated images, Q & A and other resources on the papyrus.
However, the subject is still open for debate. In the second postscript to his forward in the same issue of HTR, Brown University’s Leo Depuydt writes, “All this still leaves me personally 100% convinced that the Wife of Jesus Fragment is a forgery.”
Just when the debate regarding the authenticity of the “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife” reached a fevered pitch, it was silenced. The Harvard Theological Review pulled King’s article, and Smithsonian suspended the airing of a documentary about the papyrus. HTR announced that the fragment would undergo testing, though the lack of specific information frustrated interested scholars and journalists (see: Bible History Daily: Is the Harvard Theological Review a Coward).
The “Gospel of Jesus’ Wife” is back in the April 2014 issue of Harvard Theological Review. HTR gives the papyrus fragment considerable treatment beyond Karen L. King’s critical presentation of the papyrus; the issue includes a paleographic analysis by Malcolm Choat, a chemical ink analysis by James T. Yardley and Alexis Hagadorn, microspectroscopy results by Joseph M. Azzarelli, John B. Goods and Timothy M. Swager, spectrometry radiocarbon analyses by Gregory Hodgins andNoreen Tuross, a condemnation as a forgery by Leo Depuydt, and, finally, a response by Karen L. King.
See Also:
Harvard Divinity School: The Gospel of Jesus' Wife
Discovery News: Is the Gospel of Jesus' Wife a fake?
Daily Mail: Is the Gospel of Jesus' Wife a Fake Afterall?
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HISTORICAL FACTS BY FAITH BY STEVE FINNELL
Why do I believe that the Bible is God's truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Why? Because of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ! Why do I believe in the resurrection? Why? Because it is a historical fact, recorded in the Bible. There are no living eye witnesses to the resurrection; I except the historical record in the Bible, by faith.
CAN HISTORICAL RECORDS BE TRUSTED?
Most men accept that Hannibal was born in 247 B.C. and was considered the greatest military tactician and strategist in European history. Why do men believe this? There are no living eye witnesses, so the historical record is accepted, by faith.
George Washington was the first president of the United States of America 1788-1797. Men accept this as fact, by faith, because of the historical record. There are no eye witnesses who are still alive.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and at last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
I believe the Bible to be God's record for mankind. I believe it because of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. I accept this as accurate historical facts, by faith.
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS FROM THE GRAVE PUTS HIM IN A CLASS BY HIMSELF!
MEN ACCEPT SECULAR HISTORICAL FACT, BY FAITH.
WHY DO MEN NOT ACCEPT GOD'S BIBLICAL HISTORICAL FACTS, BY FAITH?
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