Dr. Bock,

You are right. This is not going to go away and it is our duty to tell God's side of the story. If you are a Christian, the claim that Jesus married Mary Magdalene or even had physical relations and children with her should matter to you. I have read your book "Breaking the DaVinci Code" which reveals a lot of truth on this subject, but I believe you missed a chance to explain the marriage of God. Here is what I have discovered about the marriage of God in my study of the Bible:

1. Jesus is God in the flesh.

As a Christian, I believe that Jesus is God in the flesh who came to reconcile the world to Himself. God has always wanted a close relationship with the people that He created in His image. The act of disobedience in the Garden of Eden caused all of mankind to be separated from God. So from the beginning, God's plan was to come to us as a sinless man (Jesus) in order to redeem our sinful body and to save all of mankind from death.

Rom_5:12-14, 2Co_5:17-19, 2Pe_3:9, Col_2:8-9, Rom_8:10-11

2. God "married" the children of Israel.

God predestinated us to be permanently joined to Him through the body of Jesus. In order to do this, God first made a covenant with the children of Israel. The marriage ceremony took place in the wilderness at the foot of His mountain and from then on, God considered Himself "married" to the children of Israel. He then lead her to Jerusalem to make His home with her there, but she was not a faithful wife, though.

Rom_8:29, Exo_24:3-7, Isa_54:5, Jer_2:1-7

3. God's wife must be comparable to Him.

Just like Eve was made as a helper comparable to Adam, God intended for His wife to be comparable to Him. She would need a body, soul, and spirit like His own, perfect, holy, and glorious. Jesus is the only other perfect Man that has ever been created. Because He was sinless, His only perfect match could be a sinless woman, formed from His body, just like Eve was formed from one of Adam's ribs.

Gen_2:18, Gen_2:20-24, Isa_40:25

Because of her sin, God's wife was dying - turning to bones. God loved His wife and didn't want her to die. He wanted her to be free from sin so that she could live forever with Him. He also wanted to have godly offspring from His union with her. So, to set her free from the Law that could only produce death, God came down to Earth in the body (flesh) of Jesus to die and to rise (live) again. He didn’t just die for one, but for all mankind. It takes all of us, those who believe in Him, to measure up to the “stature of the fullness of Christ" – a helper comparable to Him.

Eph_4:13, Col_1:18-22, Heb_10:4-17, Rom_7:4

4. God's wife is joined to Him by one Spirit into one body - His New Bride.

Believers are all “pieces” of the Bride’s body, so this transformation takes place individually in their own lives as well as corporately because His Spirit dwells within them. They will receive their new imperishable, glorified, and spiritual body when Jesus returns for His Bride. But, Jesus is giving his Bride a new heart and soul while she is here on Earth so that she can be joined to Him now in every way and be fully prepared for His return.

1Co_15:42-49, Joh_17:18-23, 1Co_12:12-14, Mat_19:4-6, Eph_5:23-32, Act_4:32

The Wife's old body, the children of Israel, is not done away with, though. The Bride's framework, or bone structure, is formed from the "bone" of Jesus - Israel under the Law. Jesus is the "last Adam" and the new, perfect woman (Bride's body) will be formed just like Eve was formed from one of Adam's ribs. This will happen right before her new heart of flesh and new soul is put into it. We can see an example of Israel being called "bones" during the time of King David. The tribes of Israel called themselves King David's "bone and flesh". Jesus came from the lineage of David to be the eternal King of Israel. Under God's Law, Kings were only to have one wife.

Deu_17:14-17, 1Ch_11:1, Gen_2:22-23, 2Sa_5:1, Psa_34:20, Joh_19:36, Eph_5:28-31

God still loves the "bones" of His Wife and has never planned to get rid of them. Through Jesus, He will make those bones come to life again, forming the structure of His Bride. The Bride's new flesh and soul is the Church and they will be placed upon the bone structure of Israel, joining the two together by the power of the Holy Spirit to make her complete as one, fulfilling prophecy.

Eze_37:1-14, 1Co_15:51-57, Eze_37:21-28

If Jesus had married Mary, then God's Word to make us a part of His Bride is not true. Mary is a part of the Bride of Christ, not the Bride herself! If more Christians understood their identity in the Bride of Christ, then stories like these wouldn't be and issue.