Scientists and religious experts are debating the value of a small piece of papyrus that found its way to a researcher in the United States. The piece of paper raises an ages-old question about Jesus, whose life and teachings form the heart of Christianity. Could Jesus have been married? Harvard Divinity School Professor Karen King recently explained the Coptic wording on the papyrus. She says the words mean that Jesus called Mary Magdalene, an early Christian, "my wife." She says he did this while speaking to his disciples, or followers. "I don't think that this text is that significant. There are so many barriers for it to get over. You've got to show that it's reliable, and there are real questions about whether that text is reliable." Professor Bock expresses other concerns about the papyrus. For example, he says, there is not enough writing on it to establish the real meaning of the words. He says the word "wife" may not mean "wife" in the traditional way. And, he says the papyrus is just one text showing that Jesus might have been married. "And then you've got the fact that this is one text out of many, many, many texts that don't indicate that Jesus was married. And I think had Jesus been married, the early tradition about Jesus would have reflected that." The passage is mainly about   _  .
an ages-old question left by Jesus. a result of one research on a piece of paper. whether Jesus were married. some debates about Jesus.