Jesus married? or even fully human?

So, was Jesus married to Mary Magdalene? A little papyrus has renewed interest in the question. I just read an article that brings up a more troubling issue: Can we believe that Jesus was fully human? The article had this in it:

“If Jesus is a normal human being and he’s sexual, that’s the real fear,” James Tabor, a biblical scholar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the co-author of books about Jesus and his family, told NBC News. “You can’t think of Jesus like that because he’s too holy.” The Bible contains no explicit mentions of Jesus being either married or not married, but few churches have room for the idea of a sexual Jesus. 

I guess the question is what the difference is between being a normal human being and being fully human. In one sense Jesus was not just a normal human being. He is the Son of God, the firstborn over all creation. I could go on, but Jesus was hardly normal in the sense that there never was and never will be another like him. I usually say that Jesus wasn't merely human. However, it is crucial for us to know that he was fully human. Jesus experienced the full range of being human, because he was fully human. That's one reason I cringe a little every Christmas when we sing, "The little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes." Was Jesus exempt from the unpleasant aspects of being human? No. He was fully human. A sexual human, even. That isn't scary; that's comforting.

What would Hebrews 4:15-16 mean to us if Jesus was immune to the temptations we face?

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (New International Version)

The reality of Jesus with testosterone, single yet celibate, tempted but without sin, is a not a thought that we should shy away from. Can I really believe that somehow my experience as a human is more difficult than what Jesus faced?

That Jesus was not merely human but at the same time was fully human is central to not only what we believe, but also to how we live it out. As long as there is doubt about Jesus' full humanity, the church will continue to make strong proclamations. That is a conversation worth having.

As for Jesus being married, I have a personal opinion on that. A little papyrus isn't going to keep me up at night at this point. Another article speculated that Jesus' marital status may change the way churches think about celibacy among clergy and women's role in leadership. Let's just say I'm not holding my breath while this discussion continues.