What’s Wrong with the Da Vinci Code?

How Can You Tell? If the New Testament books in general have through all these centuries been reliably preserved with their contents free from significant change? If the contents of the gospels are substantially accurate, or if there is reason to consider them all just fiction

Ways To Tell Bible Writers and their Testimony Stability of Scripture Early Bible Manuscripts Early Christians Non-Christians

Early Christians Tell Who Wrote the N.T. 1 Clement (of Rome) (16 pgs) 97/98 A.D. Epistle of Barnabas (13 pgs) c.100 A.D. Papias disciple of John (3 pgs) 110-113 A.D. -Wrote 6 volumes which have been lost Didache (Teach. of 12 Disc.)(6 pgs) < 125 A.D. (anonymous) to Diognetus (6 pgs) c.130 A.D. Polycarp, disciple of John (4 pgs) c.150 A.D. Justin Martyr (119 pgs) 138-165 A.D. Shepherd of Hermas (47 pgs) 160 A.D. Theophilus (33 pgs) 168-181/188 A.D. -his harmony/commentary on the gospels is lost

More Early Christians Athenagoras (34 pgs) c.177 A.D. Caius’ Muratorian Canon (3 pgs) 170-217 A.D. Irenaeus (264 pgs) 182-188 A.D. Tertullian (830 pgs) 200-220 A.D. 5 Books in Reply to Marcion (24 pgs) c.200 A.D. Clement of Alexandria(424 pgs) 193-217/220 A.D. Hippolytus, (233 pgs) 225-235/6 A.D. Novatian (39 pgs) 250-257 A.D. Anonymous against Novatioan (7 pgs) c.255 A.D. Origen (429 pgs) 230-254 A.D. Cyprian (270 pgs) 248-258 A.D. Not shown are Ignatius (c.110-117), Bardaisan of Syria (154-222), Melito of Sardis (d.177/180), Julius Africanus.

Notes on the Following Charts W Books and quotes mentioned by writer or by name J Books only mentioned as the words of Jesus / Savior S Mentioned as scripture or by apostle(s) Q Quote of 1 or more verses ½ Quote of ½ of a verse A Allusion 4G Mention of 4 gospels

Who Told Us What -TL Writer Clem. R. Barnab. Papias Didache Diognet. Polycarp Justin M. Hermas Theoph. Mt J Q W A Mk ½ - Lk Jn Acts ¼ Rom 1 Cor 2 Cor Gal No gospels besides 4.

Who Told Us What -ML Writer Clem. R. Barnab. Papias Didache Diognet. Polycarp Justin M. Hermas Theoph. Eph - Q Php W Col A 1 Th 2 Th ½ 1 Tim 2 Tim Titus Phm

Who Told Us What -BL Writer Clem. R. Barnab. Papias Didache Diognet. Polycarp Justin M. Hermas Theoph. Heb Q - ½ Jms A 1 Pet 2 Pet 1 Jn 2 Jn 3 Jn Jude Rev ? W

Who Told Us What -TR Writer Athenag. Muratori. Irenaeus Tertull. 5 Books Clem. A. Hippol. Novatian Anon. Cyprian Mt Q 4G W J Mk - Lk Jn Acts ¾ Rom 1 Cor S 2 Cor Gal

Who Told Us What -MR Writer Athenag. Muratori. Irenaeus Tertull. 5 Books Clem. A. Hippol. Novatian Anon. Cyprian Eph - W B Php Col Q 1 Th 2 Th 1 Tim 2 Tim Titus ½ Phm

Who Told Us What -BR Writer Athenag. Muratori. Irenaeus Tertullian 5 Books Clem. A. Hippol. Novatian Anon. Cyprian Heb - W Q ½ Jms 1 Pet 2 Pet ¼ 1 Jn 2 Jn 3 Jn Jude A Rev

What About Hebrews? Irenaeus in Fragment 37 indicated Hebrews 13:15 was written by Paul. Tertullian said the same. The style is different, but if Paul usually wrote in Greek, and Hebrews was written in Hebrew, that might explain it. Regardless, the readers must have known the writer, based on Hebrews 13:18-24

Different Religious Groups 27 Books – N.T. Scripture Early church writings Ascetic Gnostics. Many accepted Paul’s writings Over 30 different schools of Gnostics Libertine Gnostics. Many accepted Paul’s writings Ebionites only accepted a shortened form of Matthew Other religions: Greco-Roman gods, Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mandaeans, etc.

Verses Christians Quoted Before 125 A.D. Writer Mt Mk Lk Jn Ac Paul Other Clement R. 7 2 ½ ¼ 4 9 ¼ E. Barnabas 3 ½ 1 ½ 1 Ignatius Diognetus 3 ¼ Polycarp 9 ½ 2 ½ 22 ½ 14 Didache 17 5 95/96 A.D. Persecution of Domitian

Verses Christians Quoted 126-170/217 A.D. Writer Mt Mk Lk Jn Ac Paul Other Justin Martyr 57 2 32 1 Hermas ½ Theophilus 5 7 Melito of S. Athenagoras 4 Muratorian 177 A.D. Persecution of Marcus Aurelius, Gnostics

Verses Christians Quoted 182-250 A.D. Writer Mt Mk Lk Jn Ac Paul Other Irenaeus 223 18 130 109 88 291 82½ Tertullian 65+ Clement A. 181 33 116 77 38 623 178 Hippolytus 95 24 66 80 1 128 53 Novatian 4 ¾ Cyprian 209 20 101 110 59 689 166 202 A.D. Persecution of Septimus Severus many hundreds Some numbers include some allusions too.

Tatian, a Gnostic Non-Christian Quotes 79% Mt Mk Lk Jn Other of the gospel 819 402 919 855 verses in the 76% 59% 79% 97% Diatessaron 172 A.D. Tatian died

Jewish Talmuds Refer to Jesus Babylonian Talmud Tol’doth Yeshu Barailyu The Amoa ‘Ulla’ Ye. IV 3 Baraita Tractate Sanhedrin

Josephus (93/94 A.D.) Josephus wrote about Jesus and His half-brother James. While the Latin version has some later additions, the Arabic edition still shows Josephus had a positive view of Jesus and James.

Roman Non-Christians Suetonius (120 A.D.) – disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus Lucian of Samosata (2nd century satirist) – Christians worshipped Christ. Cornelius Tacitus (c.55-c.117 A.D.) – Christus executed under Pontius Pilate. Pliny the Younger (112 A.D.) – Christians sang a hymn to Christ as to a god. Phlegon (soon after 137 A.D.) – eclipse at noon and earthquake, 33 A.D.

Other Non-Christians Thales/Thallus referenced by Julius Africanus (writing 232-245 A.D.) – darkness at the death of Christ Mara Bar-Serapion (> 72 A.D.) –the wise King the Jews executed

Bible Manuscripts < 177 A.D. 110/117-125/138 p52 (John Rylands) Jn 18:31-33;37-38 100-150 A.D. p104 Mt 21:34-37,43,45? p46 (Chester Beatty II) 70% of Paul, Heb c.125 A.D. p87 Phm 4 verses 2nd century Magdalen papyri 10 verses in Mt 26 100/125-150/175 p66 (Bodmer II), p14/15, p75 92% of the Gospel of John 125-150 A.D. p64, p67 (same ms) 19 verses in Mt Early-mid 2nd p4 (like p64, p67) 95 verses in Lk c.170 A.D. Uncial 0212 Diatessaron pieces c.175 A.D. p90 Jn 18:36-19:7

Bible Manuscripts 177-250 A.D. a 177 A.D. 97% John, 70% Paul/Hebrews. Aurelius’ persecution 2nd century p98 Rev 1:13-2:1 Mid/Late 2nd cent. p77 and p103 16 verses of Mt 150-200 A.D. p32 Titus 1:1-15;2:3-8 c.200 A.D. p1 16 ½ verses of Mt ca.200 A.D. p23 Urbana Jms 1:10-12,15-18 Late 2nd/early 3rd p38 Acts 18:27-19:6,12-16 Uncial 0189 Acts 5:3-21 200-225 A.D. p29 Acts 26:7-8,20 p45 (Chester Beatty I) 833 verses - Mt 71; Mk 147; Lk 242; Jn 84; Acts 289

Bible Manuscripts 177-250 A.D. b Early 3rd century p5 47 verses in John p30 25 verses 1,2 Th 200-250 A.D. p39 John 8:14-22 225-250 A.D. p13 110 verses of Heb 3rd century p9 1 Jn 4:11-12,14-17 p20 Jms 2:19-3:3a,4-9 p40 36 verses of Rom c.250 A.D. p22 Jn 15:25-16:2; 16:21-32 250-6/251 A.D. Severe persecution by the Emperor Decius across the entire Roman Empire

Bible Manuscripts 260-300 A.D. a 3rd century p27 30 verses of Rom p28 Jn 6:8-12, 17-22 p35 Mt 25:12-15,20-23 p. Antinoopolis 2.54 Mt 6:10-12 Mid 3rd century p37 Mt 26:19-52 p49 + p65 29 verses of Eph p80 Jn 3:34 p91 Acts 2:30-37,46-3:2 p69 9 verses of Lk p70, p101 19 verses of Mt

Bible Manuscripts 260-300 A.D. b 3rd century p95 Jn 5:26-29,36-38 250-300 A.D. p47 (Chester Beatty III) 31% of Rev –125 verses Mid/Late 3rd cent. p18 Rev 1:4-7 c.260 A.D. p53 12 verses Mt; 12 verses of Acts Late 3rd century p12 Heb 1:1 p15 1 Cor 7:18-8:4 p16 Php 3:10-17; 4:2-8 p17 Heb 2:12-19

Bible Manuscripts 260-300 A.D. c Persecution during Diocletian’s Reign (284-305 A.D.) 284-305 A.D. p50 (p. Yale 1543) Acts 8:26-32; 10:26-31 c.300 A.D. p72 1 Peter 1:1-5; 2 Peter 1:1-3:18; Jude 1-25 – 191 verses ca.300 A.D. p24 Revelation 5:5-8; 6:5-8 p78 Jude 4-5,7-8 p92 Eph 1:11-13,19-21; 2 Th 1:4-5,11-12

Bible Manuscripts 260-300 A.D. d ca.300 A.D. p102 Mt 4:11-12,22-25 Uncial 0162 John 2:11-22 Uncial 0171 Mt 10:17-23,25-32; Lk 22:44-50,52-56,61,63-64 Uncial 0220 Rom 4:23-5:3; 5:8-12 Uncial 0232 2 John 1-9

Summary Wild assertions are only easy to make if you ignore historical evidence It is false to call Gnostics Christians 21 Early Church Fathers < 258 A.D. show we have the right books preserved Tatian’s Diatessaron < 172 A.D. quotes 79% of the gospel verses 7 Jewish Talmuds plus Josephus mention Jesus

More Summary 5 Roman sources (112-137 A.D.) refer to Christ or darkness at the time of the crucifixion 2 other non-Christian sources show the darkness at the time of Jesus’ death and the executed wise king of the Jews 50 Early Bible Manuscripts < 300 A.D. show we have the right books preserved