There is not one shred of evidence in the Bible—or even in the gnostic "gospels" for that matter—that Jesus Christ ever married a woman. The more one is familiar with the Bible, the more illogical that idea is. Consider these points:

• If Jesus was married to a woman, surely it would be recorded in at least one of the four Gospels or mentioned somewhere in the many New Testament verses on marriage. Yet there is not so much as a hint of it.

• Jesus had to focus entirely on His mission. Knowing He would have to give His life as a sacrifice for all humanity, it would have been incomprehensible that He would marry someone whom He would shortly leave a widow.

• Marriage to a woman would have created great confusion about the present and future role of His wife. Should she be adored and worshipped?

It's a ludicrous mistake to form opinions about Jesus and His followers based on the paintings of artists who never saw them. For example, the Bible shows that Jesus did not have long hair (1 Corinthians 11:14). And just because Leonardo da Vinci in his painting The Last Supper portrayed one disciple as looking somewhat feminine is no evidence of anything—certainly not that one of the 12 disciples was Mary Magdalene or any woman.

The only record we have of Mary Magdalene is the 12 times she is mentioned in the four Gospel accounts. Jesus cast seven demons out of her and then called her to be one of His followers. She was extremely grateful and dedicated and became a sterling spiritual example.

It is fascinating that after Jesus' resurrection, His first appearance was to a woman—Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9). Knowing the patriarchal prejudices in that society that still affected Jesus' disciples, it was further proof of His acceptance of the full worth of women.

But worship her? On the last page of The Da Vinci Code, the fictional professor thinks he has found the tomb of Mary Magdalene. "With a sudden upwelling of reverence, Robert Langdon fell to his knees." And his thoughts were, "The quest for the Holy Grail is the quest to kneel before the bones of Mary Magdalene. A journey to pray at the feet of the outcast one."

The first of the Ten Commandments forbids the worship of anyone but the one true God (Exodus 20:3). GN