Is the 'Gospel of Jesus's Wife' a fake after all? Fresh doubts cast over ancient papyrus that suggested Jesus was married after another in the collection with the SAME handwriting is proved to be a forgery

By LIZZIE EDMONDS
PUBLISHED: 04:26 EST, 30 April 2014 | UPDATED: 10:55 EST, 30 April 2014

(DailyMail) - ...Fresh questions over the authenticity of the 'Gospel of Jesus's Wife' papyrus have been raised after a text from the same collection written in the same handwriting was proved to be a fake, experts say.

Written in ancient Coptic, the Gospel of Jesus' Wife seemingly indicates Jesus was married as it reads: 'Jesus said to them, "My wife"' and '…she will be able to be my disciple…'

Since then, historians and religious leaders have attempted to both prove and deny the artefact's credibility. Last month, carbon testing on the papyrus seemed to suggest it was written between the fourth and eighth centuries and was therefore authentic.

However, experts say another fragment from the same collection as the 'Jesus's wife' papyrus is a fake - casting doubts on the legitimacy of the latter.

The forgery - a fragment of the canonical Gospel of John - is also written in the same handwriting, with the same writing instrument and ink - which for some proves once and for all the Jesus's wife piece is fake.

Writing in a blog for CNN, Joel S. Baden - an associate professor of Old Testament at Yale Divinity School - and Candida Moss - a professor of New Testament and early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame - said: 'It’s never a good sign for a text of doubtful authenticity to be found in the company of a sure forgery.

'More directly: Multiple experts agree that the fragment of John and the Jesus’ wife papyrus are written in the same hand, using the same ink and even the same writing instrument.

'Simply put: If one is a forgery, they’re both forgeries.'...

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