Why is it so hard to believe that this, in fact, could have happend? If you think about the church's rule in those times, and their reaction to people not following it, the penalty was very violent! Wouldn't it make sence to believe if the church told you " it didn't happen" then you would say it didn't happen. Also, male dominating times, if a woman had more of a relationship (friend or intimate) with Jesus than a man then of course when it was written, by men, it would make the male figure more promanent.