What Scripture says
The Gospels present Mary Magdalene as a devoted follower of Jesus:
- Healed by him, “from whom seven demons had gone out” (Luke 8:2, ESV).
- One of the women who supported his ministry from their own means (Luke 8:3).
- Present at the cross (John 19:25) and the burial (Mark 15:47).
- The first to see the risen Jesus, sent to tell the disciples (John 20:11–18).
They never suggest she was married to Jesus.
What the evidence says
History
The Gospel of Mary
The Gospel of Mary survives in a 5th-century Coptic manuscript (the Berlin Codex), found in 1896, and two Greek fragments from the 3rd century. Several pages are missing, including the beginning. It was written in the 2nd century.
In the surviving text, the risen Jesus teaches the disciples and departs. They are afraid, and Mary comforts them, then shares a vision Jesus gave her about the soul’s ascent past hostile powers. Andrew doubts her teaching, and Peter asks whether Jesus would really reveal things to a woman privately. Levi defends her: “the Saviour knew her very well. That is why he loved her more than us.”
Its teaching about the soul escaping the powers that bind it is characteristic of Gnostic and related movements.
The Gospel of Philip
The Gospel of Philip was found at Nag Hammadi in 1945, in a 4th-century manuscript. It was probably written in the 3rd century. It is a collection of reflections on sacraments (including a “bridal chamber” rite), the soul and Gnostic ideas, rather than a narrative.
It contains the passage behind the “Jesus was married” idea:
“And the companion of the […] Mary Magdalene. […] loved her more than all the disciples, [and used to] kiss her [often] on her […].”
The brackets mark holes in the manuscript. The word after “on her” is missing. Some fill it with “mouth”, but the text doesn’t say; it could be “cheek”, “forehead” or “hand”.
What “companion” and “kiss” mean
- The Greek loanword translated “companion” (koinōnos) can mean a partner or spouse, but also a companion or fellow member of a group. Luke 5:10 uses it for Peter’s business partners.
- In the Gospel of Philip itself, kissing is a spiritual image: “the perfect conceive through a kiss and give birth” (a passage just before), describing the passing on of spiritual life.
| Text | Date | What it says about Mary |
|---|---|---|
| Gospel of Mary | 2nd century | Mary receives special teaching; Peter objects |
| Gospel of Philip | 3rd century | Mary is Jesus’ “companion”, kissed on a missing word |
| The four Gospels | 1st century | A devoted disciple and first resurrection witness |
Where they meet
These texts are much later than the Gospels and reflect Gnostic theology. They don’t provide reliable historical information about Jesus’ relationships (see 6.10), and even the passages used to claim a marriage don’t say it.
What’s still open
The exact meaning of the Gospel of Philip’s imagery, since the passage is damaged.
Bottom line
The Gospels of Mary and Philip are 2nd–3rd century Gnostic texts. Philip’s “kiss” passage, which has a gap in the manuscript at the crucial word, is the source of the Jesus-was-married myth. Leaving them out is rated Settled.