The Many Wives of Jesus

NOTE

The early Mormon Church embraced polygamy and in so doing they sought to justify their preferred form of marriage by citing biblical examples. Starting in 1853, the Mormons began to claim that Jesus had many wives and possibly even children by them, all on the strength of an idiosyncratic reading of a few passages in the Gospels and the Psalms. The argument originated with Jedediah M. Grant, who falsely claimed in extemporaneous remarks that the pagan writer Celsus had identified Jesus as a polygamist in material preserved by Origen, a Christian Father, in his Contra Celsum. (Grant confuses him for a different Celsus, a first century physician.) As I wrote in my discussion of the claim, “The trouble is that Origen doesn’t attribute anything similar to Celsus whatsoever. Grant either made the whole thing up or grossly misremembered Origen’s discussion in 3.10 of how women threw aside propriety and followed Jesus into the desert.”

Jedediah M. Grant, Discourse on Uniformity (August 1853)

What does old Celsus say, who was a physician in, the first century, whose medical works are esteemed very highly at the present time. His works on theology were burned with fire by the Catholics, they were so shocked at what they called their impiety. Celsus was a heathen philosopher; and what does he say upon the subject of Christ and his Apostles, and their belief? He says, “The grand reason why the Gentiles and philosophers of his school persecuted Jesus Christ, was, because he had so many wives; there were Elizabeth, and Mary, and a host of others that followed him.” After Jesus went from the stage of action, the Apostles followed the example of their master. For instance, John the beloved disciple, writes in his second Epistle,” Unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth.” Again, he says, “Having many things to write unto you (or communicate), I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.” Again--“The children of thy elect sister greet thee.” This ancient philosopher says they were both John’s wives. Paul says, “ Mine answer to them that do examine me is this:— . . . Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas.” He, according to Celsus, had a numerous train of wives.

The grand reason of the burst of public sentiment in anathemas upon Christ and his disciples, causing his crucifixion, was evidently based upon polygamy, according to the testimony of the philosophers who rose in that age. A belief in the doctrine of a plurality of wives caused the persecution of Jesus and his followers. We might almost think they were “Mormons.”

Source: “Uniformity: A Discourse by Elder Jedediah M. Grant, Delivered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, Aug. 7, 1853.” Journal of Discourses, vol. 1 (Liverpool, 1854), 345-346.

Orson Pratt, “Celestial Marriage” (October 1853)

Next let us enquire whether there are any intimations in Scripture concerning the wives of Jesus. We have already, in the 9th No. of this volume, spoken of the endless increase of Christ’s government. Now, we have no reason to suppose that this increase would continue, unless through the laws of generation, whereby Jesus, like His Father, should become the Father of spirits; and, in order to become the Father of spirits, or, as Isaiah says, “The Everlasting Father,” it is necessary that He should have one or more wives by whom He could multiply His seed, not for any limited period of time, but forever and ever: thus He truly would be a Father everlastingly, according to the name which was to be given Him. The Evangelists do not particularly speak of the marriage of Jesus; but this is not to be wondered at, for St. John says: “There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.” (John 21: 25.) One thing is certain, that there were several holy women that greatly loved Jesus—such as Mary, and Martha her sister, and Mary Magdalene; and Jesus greatly loved them, and associated with them much; and when He arose from the dead, instead of first showing Himself to His chosen witnesses, the Apostles, He appeared first to these women, or at least to one of them— namely, Mary Magdalene. Now, it would be very natural for a husband in the resurrection to appear first to his own dear wives, and afterwards show himself to his other friends. If all the acts of Jesus were written, we no doubt should learn that these beloved women were his wives. Indeed, the Psalmist, David, prophesies in particular concerning the Wives of the Son of God. We quote from the English version of the Bible, translated about three hundred and fifty years ago: “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia: when thou contest out of the ivory palaces, where they have made thee glad, Kings’ daughters were among thine honorable WIVES: upon thy right hand did stand the QUEEN in a vesture of gold of Ophir.” (Psalm 45: 8, 9.) That this passage has express reference to the Son of God and His Wives, will be seen by reading the sixth and seventh verses which are as follows: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath annointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” This Being, whom the Psalmist here calls God, is represented in the next verses as having “honorable Wives.” If any should still doubt whether this prophecy has reference to the Son of God, they may satisfy themselves by reading Paul’s application of these passages in the eighth and ninth verses of the first chapter of his epistle to the Hebrews: “But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, 0 God, is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath annointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” Paul applies the words of the prophet David to the son of God, to the annointed Messiah, who is called God, and whose “throne is forever and ever.” Let it be remembered, then, that the Son of God is expressly represented as having “honorable Wives.” King James’ translators were not willing that this passage should have a literal translation, according to the former English rendering, lest it should give countenance to Polygamy; therefore they altered the translation to honorable women instead of wives; but any person acquainted with the original can see that the first translators have given the true rendering of that passage. Indeed, the very next sentence most clearly demonstrates this; for the Son of God is represented as having a “QUEEN” standing upon His right hand, clothed “in a vesture of gold.” This Queen is exhorted in the following endearing language; “Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty, for he is thy Lord; and worship thou Him.” (Verses 10, 11.)

Source: Orson Pratt, “Celestial Marriage,” The Seer (Oct. 1853), 159-160.

Orson Pratt, “The Judgment of God on the United States” (March 1855)

I see that some of the Eastern papers represent me as a Great Blasphemer, because I said that Jesus Christ was married, that Mary, Martha, and others were His wives, and that He begat children. All I say in reply, is, they worship a Saviour who is too pure and holy to fulfil the commands of His Father. I worship one that is just pure and holy enough “to fulfil all righteousness;” not only the righteous law of baptism, but the still more righteous and important law, “to multiply and replenish the earth.” Startle not at this! for even the Father Himself honoured that law by coming down to Mary, without a natural body, and begetting a Son; and if Jesus begat children, He only did that which He had seen His father do.

Source: “The Judgment of God on the United States—the Saints and the World: A Sermon by President Orson Hyde, Delivered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, March 18, 1855,” Journal of Discourses, vol. ii. (Liverpool, 1855), 210.

Anna Eliza Young, Wife No. 19 (1876)

They were all maniacs on the subject of Celestial Marriage, and the lengths to which they carried their advocacy of it did not stop with mere absurdities; it became the most fearful profanity. There was not a pure character in all the Bible history which their dirty hands did not besmear, and their foul tongues blacken. Not content with bringing up “Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob,” and David and Solomon, as their examples in the practice of polygamy, Brigham Young, in one of his sermons, delivered during the intensest heat of the excitement, declared that “Jesus Christ was a practical polygamist; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, were his plural wives, and Mary Magdalen was another. Also, the bridal feast at Cana of Galilee, where Jesus turned the water into wine, was on the occasion of one of his own marriages.

Source: Anna Eliza Young, Wife No. 19, or, the Story of a Life of Bondage (Hartford: Dustin, Gilman, & Co., 1876), 307.