The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction? May 22, 2006

What’s Wrong With This Picture? Da Vinci paints Mary Magdalene in this Lord’s Supper scene with the 12 apostles. “…He sat down with the twelve.” (Mt. 26:20)

Beware of false teaching and separate fact from fiction! Christians - “Be Ye Warned” “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit…” (Col. 2:8) “For our weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God…casting down arguments and every high thing that exhausts itself against the knowledge of God…” (II Co. 10:4-5) “…rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Tm. 2:15) “…contend earnestly for the faith…” (Jude 3) Beware of false teaching and separate fact from fiction!

Today Show Interview (June 9, 2003): Matt Lauer: “How much of this is based on reality in terms of things that actually occurred? Dan Brown: “Absolutely all of it. Obviously, Robert Langdon is fictional, but all the art, architecture, secret rituals, secret societies—all of that is historical fact.” “His research is impeccable. These are topics that resonate at a deep, deep spiritual level – really at the core of the human psyche.” (New York Daily News) “Whether you agree or disagree with the topics – there on the table, and we are talking about them, and these are topics that for centuries have been taboo.” (ABC News, May 19, 2005) Beware of the propagation of the lies and deceptions!

The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction? Book Summary – “The “new” history says that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, that Jesus didn’t preach the Kingdom of God or repentance from sin or carrying one’s cross, but rather He preached the Good News about the unity of the masculine and feminine principles of reality. And impregnated Mary Magdalene – who is the real Holy Grail. Because she carries the “blood” of Jesus within her. Which Leonardo Da Vinci worked into his art.” (USA Today – May 15, 2006, p. 13A) Impact of the Book - Big budget movie in 2006, Major stars including Tom Hanks, Major interviews, TV programs, Prime time news organizations, Additional books written, etc.

Fiction: Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. “The early church needed to convince the world that the mortal prophet Jesus was a divine being. Therefore, any gospels that described earthly aspects of Jesus’ life had to be omitted from the Bible. Unfortunately for the early editors, one particularly troubling earthly theme kept recurring in the gospels. Mary Magdalene. More specifically, her marriage to Jesus Christ. It is a matter of historical record and Da Vinci was certainly aware of that fact. The Last Supper practically shouts at the viewer that Jesus and Magdalene were a pair.” (pg. 244, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code)

Fact: Jesus and Mary Magdalene were not married. “…Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons…” (Lk. 8:1-3) “And many women followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons…And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb… as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.” (Matt. 27:55-56, 61; 28:1; cf. Jn. 20:11-18)

Fact: Jesus and Mary Magdalene were not married. Jesus shows affection on the cross for His mother – “…Woman, behold your son!…” (Jn. 19:26-27) Our source of authority, the Gospels reveal Jesus’ family relationships and speak of Mary Magdalene. Nothing is hidden! There are absolutely no references in the New Testament that indicate Mary had a marriage relationship with Jesus. Remember: The source of lies is the devil – “You are of your father the devil…he is a liar and the father of it.” (Jh. 8:44)

Fiction: Christianity Is A 4th Century Creation. “The Bible as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great.” (Pg. 231, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) He goes on to say, “Until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet…a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless, a mortal.” (Pg. 231) Dan Brown says there were 80 gospels and Constantine picked what he wished. (231)

Fact: Christianity Is Not A 4th Century Creation. The truth is that the Catholic church did not create the Bible. The NT books were already in use. Much historical evidence exists to disproved Brown’s claims. Historian Antonio Muratori wrote in 175 AD - “The third book of the gospel is that according to Luke.” And it refers to the book of John as, “The fourth of the gospels is that of John, one of the disciples.” Irenaeus wrote in 170 AD and mentions only Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as the gospels.

Fact: Christianity Is not A 4th Century Creation - People acknowledged Jesus to be deity before 325 AD. 105 AD - Ignatitus, “God Himself was manifested in human form.” 150 AD - Clement, “It is fitting that you should think of Jesus Christ as of God.” 160 AD - Justin Martyr, “The Father of the universe has a Son. And He…is even God.” 180 AD - Ireaneus, “He is God, for the name Emmanuel indicates this.” 225 AD - Origen, “No one should be offended that the Savior is also God.” 235 AD - Novatian, “He is not only man, but God also.” 250 AD - Cyprian, “Jesus Christ, our Lord and God.”

Fact: Christianity Is Not A 4th Century Creation. 185-254 AD – Origen said, “I know a certain gospel which is called, “The Gospel of Thomas” and a Gospel According to Matthias, and many others have we read – lest we in any way be considered ignorant because of those who imagine they possess some knowledge if they are acquainted with these. Nevertheless, among all these we have approved solely what the church has recognized, which is that only the four gospels should be accepted.” Clear historical evidence shows the New Testament was in existence by the 2nd Century. Christianity and the Church was established in 33 A.D. – “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Ac. 2:47)

Fiction: The Gnostic Gospels Are The True Story of Jesus. “The Gospel of Philip is a good place to start.” – “And the companion of the Saviour is Mary Magdalene. Christ loved her more than all the disciples and used to kiss her often on her mouth.” (pg. 244, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) There is also the Gospel of Mary he quotes from; “Levi said, “Surely the Saviour knows her very well. That is why he loved her more than us.” (Pg. 247, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) This is it in the Gnostic Gospels, yet he says, “I shan’t bore you with the countless references to Jesus and Magdalene’s union.” (Pg. 247).

Fact: The Gnostic Gospels Are Not Recognized As An Authoritative Source. Early manuscript evidence does not contain the Gnostic Gospels, nor is there any references to them in the New Testament. They do not harmonize with the rest of the Scriptures and are not inspired by God (I.e. no references, prophecy, etc.) Most of the Gnostic Gospels were written by approximately 225 AD, but well after the early New Testament church recognized the four Gospels. Remember: “All Scripture is inspired by God…” Don’t let false teachers and doctrines “overthrow your faith.” (II Tm. 2:18; 3:16-17)

The opposite is true! Fiction: The Early Church Suppressed Women. “Constantine and his male successors successfully converted the world from matriarchal paganism to patriarchal Christianity…” (Pg. 124, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) Dan Brown essentially is saying that Christianity destroyed the place of women in society and that paganism affirmed them. The opposite is true!

Fact: The New Testament Church Elevated Women. In the world of Paganism women were held in low regard. Women in Greece, India, and China had no rights and were considered property of their husbands. Aristotle taught that a woman ranked somewhere between a man and a slave. Plato taught that if a man lived a cowardly life, he would be reincarnated as a woman. “Wherever Christianity has been introduced, it has lifted up women.” (Under the Influence: How Christianity Transformed Civilization)

Fact: The New Testament Church Elevated Women. In the Old Testament: Esther, Ruth, Deborah, Hannah, Virtuous wife of Prov. 3, etc. In the New Testament: Genealogy of Jesus lists “…Rahab, Ruth, Mary…” (Mt. 1:1-17) “…there is neither male or female, all are one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28) “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord…Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church…” (Eph. 5:22, 25) “And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” (Mark 10:12)

Fiction: The Early Church Believed The Union Between Man and Woman was Evil. “The natural union between man and woman had been recast as a shameful act.” (Pg. 125, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) “Holy men…now feared their natural urges as the work of the devil, collaboration with his favorite accomplice…woman” (Pg. 125, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) “For obvious reasons, they worked hard to demonize sex and recast it as a disgusting and sinful act.” (Pg. 309, Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code)

Fact: The New Testament Church Believed The Union Between Man and Woman Was Lawful For The Married. “…The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another…” (1 Cor. 7:1-6) “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” (Heb. 13:4) Remember: Sexual relations outside of marriage is sin!

Other Mistakes and Inaccuracies “The Priory of Scion was a secret group charged with protecting the real Holy Grail and Da Vinci was a Grand Master, but this group was established in 1956 by a crackpot Frenchman who was exposed as a fraud in the 1980’s.” (USA Today, May 15, 2006, p. 13A) Bottom Line: The Da Vinci Code conflicts with secular and Biblical history. It is false teaching straight from Satan to shake the faith of many!

Dan Brown in a 20/20 TV interview: He is so convinced of his truth that he commented on his “conversion” to a new way of thinking about the origins of Christianity. He also admitted that he saw himself as being on a mission to bring this religious message to mainstream America! The Truth is, “The Da Vinci Code says wild things about the past that even secular historians scoff at and are bothered to hear readers take so seriously. No, Constantine did not transform Christianity from a feminine-centered wisdom movement to a Jesus-worshipping mega-movement. It just didn’t happen.” (USA Today May 15, 2006, p.13A)

Final Thoughts: We must know fact from fiction. The Da Vinci Code is a book fiction with a few facts sprinkled in! “…those who are untaught and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the rest of the Scripture…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II Pt. 3:16-18) We must see this as an opportunity to teach others the truth. Know and defend the truth! “…Be ready to give a defense to everyone asks you a reason of the hope that is in you…” (I Pt. 3:20) We must “be truly converted” to following Jesus and be zealous for His cause to share His Good News!

The Truth of The Gospel: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Ro. 3:23) “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” (I Co. 15:1-3) “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (Jh. 14:15) “Repent and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Ac. 2:38) “…Be faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10) Jesus died for us, so that we can be saved from the consequences of sin and death. Trust and obey the truth!