The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan, 2006

Mary Magdalene

The only daughter in the lineage of Benjamin, her future had been carved out since her infancy. Hers was the privileged destiny of royal blood and prophecy that had been foretold by the great prophets of Israel – a marriage that was believed was no less than the absolute will of God.

High Priests Pick Mary’s Husband -- John

Annas to Jesus: “You have brought this about yourself by aligning with the Zealots. The Romans will never allow us to show any kind of alliance with you because of the assassins and revolutionaries among your supporters. We would be inviting slaughter on our own people.”

Water to Wine – Mary Weds John

The wedding of Mary, the daughter of the house of Benjamin, and John the Baptizer, from the priestly lineage of Aaron and Zadok, took place on the hill of Cana in Galilee. It was well attended by nobles, Nazarenes, and Pharisees. Jesus attended with his mother, his brothers, and a group of their disciples. Caiaphas, who officiated the ceremony, lifted his glass to John, the bridegroom, and praised him for the quality of the wine.

Following the wedding of John and Mary, no one was speaking of the bride and bridegroom. Indeed, the dynastic merge had been completely overshadowed by the discussion among the common people of the miraculous transformation of water into wine by the younger prophet.

Unhappy Marriage

John wanted only to remain in the wilderness and do God’s work. He would abide by the law, which required men to be fruitful and multiply, and visit his wife at the appropriate times for reasons of procreation. But other than those periods specifically dictated by law and tradition, he had no interest in keeping company of any woman.

John would not allow Mary to be in the presence of Nazarene teachings. She would not be allowed to visit the home of the Great Mary, her most revered teacher and friend. And she would certainly never appear in public where Jesus was speaking. John was rankled by the fact that some of his own disciples had left the banks of the Jordan to follow his cousin Jesus.

Young, naive, and never exposed to anything by love and acceptance, Mary attempted to argue this with John, but met the first of her husband’s blows as she tried to object. John’s hand left an imprint on Mary’s cheek as a firm reinforcement that she would not argue with him about matters of obedience. He was a rough man who had never asked for what was pressed upon him, never intended to take a wife. She did her best to behave in a way that John would determine was obedient, but nothing about her ever pleased him.

John is Arrested

John the Baptizer was a troubling prisoner. Herod Antipas had not anticipated the strength of John’s following, which had grown to extraordinary proportions. Petitioners flooded the palace each day, demanding the release of their prophet. They appealed to Herod as a Jew, begging his sympathy as one of their own. To release the man would make Herod appear inconsistent and perhaps even incompetent to deal with Jewish insurgents.

John continued his ministry from prison, where his legend and his influence grew in the southern region. But the ministry of his cousin, the charismatic Nazarene, blossomed with increased vigor in the area north of Jordan and into Galilee. John’s followers brought word to him in prison of Jesus’ great works and of the miraculous healings that were attributed to him. But they also told of the Nazarene’s continued leniency toward gentiles and the unclean.

Herod Antipas had a problem. The Roman envoy who had witnesses the arrest warrant for John the Baptizer months earlier had returned. When the Roman asked the tetrarch’s officials why there were so many Jews surrounding the palace, he was told that the imprisoned prophet continued to attract followers. Herod knew when he was cornered. This envoy was returning to Rome the following day, and he could not risk the man reporting any perceived weakness to Caesar.

Before his execution, John asked for just one thing – that a message be sent to his wife in Galilee. He was allowed to receive one follower to act as a courier. To him, John gave his final words of instruction and repentance before the centurion’s sword fell swiftly. The head was severed from the body with the first blow, and John the Baptizer, prophet of the Jordan, was sent to the kingdom of God. It was to a heavily pregnant Mary that word was brought of John’s execution.

Herod had John’s head mounted on a pike and displayed high at the front of the gate of the palace to show the Roman envoy how swiftly and severely he would deal with treason. It stayed there until it had been picked clean by scavenging birds, but disappeared mysteriously one night.

Birth of John’s Child

Mary of Magdala sent word to the Great Mary and to Jesus that her child had been delivered safely, along with her thanks for their welcome prayers. She named the child John-Joseph, after his father.

Difference of Philosophies

After John’s execution, tremendous pressure was put upon Jesus to take a position among the followers. He went into the desert place and met with the Essenes and John’s disciples, preaching the kingdom of God in his own way. Some among the Essenes accepted Jesus as their new messiah and followed him because he was of the line of David. Yet many others were opposed to his Nazarene reforms because John had spoken harshly of these things at the end of his life. For the majority of the desert dwellers, John was the one and only Teacher of Righteousness, and anyone who tried to take his position was an imposter. The followers of John the Baptizer ignited a conflagration that has burnt through thousands of years.

The deep division between those who would follow John and those who would be faithful to Jesus was fashioned in these early days. The Nazarene spirit emerged as one of love and forgiveness, and was accessible to anyone who chose to embrace it. The Johannnite philosophy was a very different one, based on harsh judgments and strict rules of law. Where women were welcomed and honored by Jesus and the Nazarenes, they were reviled by the followers of John. John had always held women in low esteem.

Jesus Marries John’s Widow

Word of the union spread quickly, and the following day, throngs of people began arriving in Tabga. Some were followers, some merely curious at the idea of the bride and bridegroom of Solomon’s prophecy coming together. Others were not pleased at the idea of their beloved Galilean prophet joining with this woman of tarnished reputations.

All who feasted on the shores of Tabga that day were convinced beyond any doubt that Jesus the Nazarene was truly the messiah of prophecy. His reputation as a great worker of miracles as well as a healer continued to spread, as did his following among the common people. And many more were inclined to accept Mary at this time. Surely if so great a prophet had chosen this woman, she must be worthy.

Birth of Sarah

A perfect, tiny daughter was delivered to Mary and Jesus upon their return to Galilee. They gave her the double name of a princess, Sarah-Tamar. The name Sarah invoked a noble Hebrew woman of scripture, the wife of Abraham. Tamar was Galilean name; it made reference to the abundant date palm trees that grew in the region, and had been used by royal houses for generations as a pet name for their daughters.

Mary Pregnant at Crucifixion

“I will let the world know that you are my most beloved disciple. This child you carry, this son of ours, he has the blood of prophets and kings, as our daughter does. Their descendants shall take their place in the world, preaching the kingdom of God and the words contained within the Book of Love so that all people will know peace and justice the world over. This child has a special destiny in the western islands where the word of the The Way will spread. I have given my uncle, Joseph, instructions on this child’s upbringing. And you must name him Yeshua-David, in memory of me and the founder of our royal line. The greatest king to rule on earth will come from his blood.”

Fate of John-Joseph, Son of John the Baptist

One legend says that the more fanatic followers of John sought out his heir in Rome and convinced him that the Christians had usurped his rightful place. That John was the one true messiah and John-Joseph as his only son was the heir to the throne of the anointed one. Some say that John-Joseph turned on his mother and his family to embrace the teaching of his father’s followers. We don’t know where he ended up, but we do know that there is an intense sect of John worshipers in Iran and Iraq, called the Mandaeans. Peaceful people, but very strict in their laws and in their belief that John was the only true messiah. It is possible that they may be direct descendants.