2. PART IV THE DA VINCI CODE AND THE BIBLE

3. Sir Leigh Teabing : “The Bible is a product of man…not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it evolved through countless translations, additions and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book.” (The Da Vinci Code, pp. 312-313) ‘More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John among them.’ (p.313)

4. ‘The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great.’ (p. 313) ‘Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ’s human traits and embellished those gospels that made Him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned.’ (p. 317) Sir Leigh Teabing :

5. ‘Fortunately for historians…some of the gospels that Constantine attempted to eradicate managed to survive. The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1950’s hidden in a cave near Qumran in the Judean desert. And, of course, the Coptic Scrolls in 1945 at Nag Hammadi.’ (p. 317) ‘…the Nag Hammadi and Dead Sea Scrolls…The earliest Christian records. Troublingly they do not match up with the gospels in the Bible.’ (p. 331) Sir Leigh Teabing :

6. 1. The Dead Sea Scrolls

7. The Dead Sea Scrolls Jewish scrolls – not “Christian writings”. Most date from at least 100 years BC (Before Christ), so can’t possibly be gospels about Christ. Contents: Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), other Jewish documents. Over 99% agreement with texts of today

8. The Old TestamentThe New Testament The Differences between the OT and NT

9. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) The Differences between the OT and NT

10. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) The Differences between the OT and NT

11. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) About the history of Israel. The Differences between the OT and NT

12. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) About the history of Israel.History of Jesus and church. The Differences between the OT and NT

13. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) About the history of Israel.History of Jesus and church. Written c. 1500BC – c. 400BC. The Differences between the OT and NT

14. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) About the history of Israel.History of Jesus and church. Written c. 1500BC – c. 400BC.Written 10-60 years after Jesus. The Differences between the OT and NT

15. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) About the history of Israel.History of Jesus and church. Written c. 1500BC – c. 400BC.Written 10-60 years after Jesus. Written mainly in Hebrew The Differences between the OT and NT

16. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) About the history of Israel.History of Jesus and church. Written c. 1500BC – c. 400BC.Written 10-60 years after Jesus. Written mainly in HebrewWritten in Greek The Differences between the OT and NT

17. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) About the history of Israel.History of Jesus and church. Written c. 1500BC – c. 400BC.Written 10-60 years after Jesus. Written mainly in HebrewWritten in Greek Last book written c.430BC. “Canon” (collection) final c. 250BC The Differences between the OT and NT

18. The Old TestamentThe New Testament Jewish books (now in Christian Bible) Christian books (most writers of Jewish background) About the history of Israel.History of Jesus and church. Written c. 1500BC – c. 400BC.Written 10-60 years after Jesus. Written mainly in HebrewWritten in Greek Last book written c.430BC. “Canon” (collection) final c. 250BC Last book written by AD 99. The Differences between the OT and NT

19. 2. The Nag Hammadi manuscripts

20. The Nag Hammadi manuscripts I.Written later than the NT gospels, c. 150-200AD II.Written long after the deaths of disciples like Thomas and Philip, whose names they deceptively use. III.Written by Gnostics, not Christians IV.Discovery welcomed by churches, not suppressed V.Sexist! The Nag Hammadi manuscripts I.Written later than the NT gospels, c. 150-200AD II.Written long after the deaths of disciples like Thomas and Philip, whose names they deceptively use. III.Written by Gnostics, not Christians IV.Discovery welcomed by churches, not suppressed V.Sexist!

21. The Nag Hammadi manuscripts ‘Simon Peter said, “Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of Life.” Jesus said, “I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too many become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’ (Gospel of Thomas, Saying 114) The Nag Hammadi manuscripts ‘Simon Peter said, “Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of Life.” Jesus said, “I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too many become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’ (Gospel of Thomas, Saying 114)

22. The Gnostic gospels were never seriously considered as Gospels to be included in the Bible.

23. 3. Changing the Bible ?

24. CHANGING THE BIBLE Revisions? By Constantine’s time, copies of the Bible had spread all over the world. There was “backup”, not just one original “master copy” which could be altered. Differences? Small mistakes crept into some manuscripts during human copying process. “Textual criticism” sorts this out. Modern Bibles are open about this. No major history or belief is affected.

25. Textual variation: Example 1 Mark 1:1: “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” NIV footnote: “Some manuscripts do not have the Son of God.” Mark 1:11 (in all manuscripts): Voice from heaven says, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

26. Textual variation: Example 2 Mark 3:14: “He appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.” NIV footnote: “Some manuscripts do not have designating them apostles.” Mark 6:30 calls the 12 disciples “apostles”. (Also six references in Luke.)

27. Textual variation: Example 3 Mark 7:4 “When they come from the market-place they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.” NIV footnote: some manuscripts leave out the word cups and make the list read “pitchers, kettles and dining couches.”

28. Textual variation: Example 4 Mark 7:24 “Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.” Footnote: “Tyre and Sidon.”

29. Example 5: the big one… Mark 16 has 12 verses missing from some manuscripts Never there? Added by later writer? Torn off? I.Was present in vast majority of early manuscripts. II.Quoted by Christian writers before 200 AD. III.Back-up: most material also found in other Gospels. IV.No major history or belief based only there

30. Bottom line: Compared to the large-scale “additions and revisions” claimed by Dan Brown this is almost insignificant.

31. Testing sources:

32. 1. How many copies do we have ? Date Written Earliest CopyTime SpanNo. of Copies Accuracy of Copy Caesar, Gallic Wars1 st C BC900 AD1,000 years10? -adapted from Josh McDowell

33. 1. How many copies do we have ? Date Written Earliest CopyTime SpanNo. of Copies Accuracy of Copy Caesar, Gallic Wars1 st C BC900 AD1,000 years10? Tacitus, Annals1 st AD1100 AD1,000 years20? -adapted from Josh McDowell

34. 1. How many copies do we have ? Date Written Earliest CopyTime SpanNo. of Copies Accuracy of Copy Caesar, Gallic Wars1 st C BC900 AD1,000 years10? Tacitus, Annals1 st AD1100 AD1,000 years20? Plato, Tetralogies4 th BC900 AD1,200 years7? -adapted from Josh McDowell

35. 1. How many copies do we have ? Date Written Earliest CopyTime SpanNo. of Copies Accuracy of Copy Caesar, Gallic Wars1 st C BC900 AD1,000 years10? Tacitus, Annals1 st AD1100 AD1,000 years20? Plato, Tetralogies4 th BC900 AD1,200 years7? Aristotle4 th BC1100 AD1,400 years49? -adapted from Josh McDowell

36. 1. How many copies do we have ? Date Written Earliest CopyTime SpanNo. of Copies Accuracy of Copy Caesar, Gallic Wars1 st C BC900 AD1,000 years10? Tacitus, Annals1 st AD1100 AD1,000 years20? Plato, Tetralogies4 th BC900 AD1,200 years7? Aristotle4 th BC1100 AD1,400 years49? Catullus1 st BC1550 AD1,550 years3? -adapted from Josh McDowell

37. 1. How many copies do we have ? Date Written Earliest CopyTime SpanNo. of Copies Accuracy of Copy Caesar, Gallic Wars1 st C BC900 AD1,000 years10? Tacitus, Annals1 st AD1100 AD1,000 years20? Plato, Tetralogies4 th BC900 AD1,200 years7? Aristotle4 th BC1100 AD1,400 years49? Catullus1 st BC1550 AD1,550 years3? Homer, Iliad9 th BC400 BC400 years64395%, 764 lines in doubt of 15,600 -adapted from Josh McDowell

38. 1. How many copies do we have ? Date Written Earliest CopyTime SpanNo. of Copies Accuracy of Copy Caesar, Gallic Wars1 st C BC900 AD1,000 years10? Tacitus, Annals1 st AD1100 AD1,000 years20? Plato, Tetralogies4 th BC900 AD1,200 years7? Aristotle4 th BC1100 AD1,400 years49? Catullus1 st BC1550 AD1,550 years3? Homer, Iliad9 th BC400 BC400 years64395%, 764 lines in doubt of 15,600 New Testament1 st AD2 nd AD<100 yrs (part) <250 yrs (complete) Approx 25,000 >99% -adapted from Josh McDowell

39. 2. How much time separates our copies from the originals ? Dated c. AD 115-130 Several verses from Gospel of John John Rylands Fragment (P52), manuscript at the University of Manchester

40. Bodmer Papyrus II - Papyrus at Geneva Dated AD 150-200 Almost all Gospel of John

41. Chester Beatty Papyrus (P45), Manuscript at Dublin Dated c. AD 200 Large parts of the New Testament

42. Writings of church fathers Dated C. AD 100 Quotations from the gospels

43. When was the New Testament written ?

44. Reference point: the crucifixion of Jesus, c. AD31 The Book of Acts does not record the death of Apostle Paul, c. AD 67, nor the fall of Jerusalem, AD 70, so dated before this time. Matthew, Mark, Luke dated 50-65 AD, as are most of Paul’s writings. Paul (1 Cor 15) refers to 500 witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection, many still alive as he wrote.

45. Did Constantine change the Bible ?

46. Constantine (emperor of the Roman Empire AD 313-337) Gospels too widespread around the world Manuscripts from 200 years before Constantine are functionally identical to today’s Bible Parts of these gospels are quoted in the writings of church leaders before the Council of Nicaea, and are the same as today’s gospels. History has no mention of Constantine burning gospels of any kind - Christian or Gnostic. Conclusion: no tampering

47. Why were certain books included & others excluded ?

48. The early church used three main tests: I.Is the author known to be an apostle (or associate)? II.Does the content agree with previous inspired writings in the Bible? III.Is the book widely accepted in the Christian community?

49. “ One thing must be emphatically stated. The New Testament books did not become authoritative for the Church because they were formally included in a canonical list; on the contrary, the Church included them in her canon because she already regarded them as divinely inspired, recognizing their innate worth and generally apostolic authority, direct and indirect.” -Prof. F.F. Bruce

50. WHEN ?

51. The four gospels were brought together very soon after the writing of the Gospel of John, and were known collectively as “The Gospel” soon after 100 AD. By 180 AD it is clear that the four gospels had an established and authoritative position in the church The book of Acts was accepted early, as it was written by the author of the third gospel (Luke), and shared the authority and prestige of that work.

52. Ignatius and Polycarp (c. AD115) were acquainted with collections of Paul’s writings. 2 Peter 3:15-16 mentions Paul’s writings as “Scriptures” Eusebius (c. AD265-340) mentions that all of the current NT books were widely accepted except James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, which were disputed by some.

53. Athanasius (AD 367) records the first list of canonical books comprising the 27 books of the current NT The Councils of Hippo (AD393) and Carthage (AD397) were among the first to list the 27 books of the current NT. This list has been accepted up to the present day.

54. 4. What did happen at the Council of Nicaea ?

55. Dan Brown claims: Constantine “upgraded Jesus’ status almost 4 centuries after Jesus’ death” That the Council of Nicaea in AD325 officially voted that Jesus should be upgraded to ‘the Son of God’, and that it was ‘a relatively close vote at that’.

56. History records: Popular teacher Arius had taught Jesus was created. Council convened to deal with the problem. Did NOT debate: Was Jesus divine? (Believed that for 300+ years) Debated: Was Jesus always divine or created by God the Father? No vote. Bishops numbered 200-318: > 5 objected to wording > 2 refused to sign: political reasons Arius was condemned

57. 5. Has the Bible been changed in translation ?

58. Ancient languages have own objective meanings and grammar Translated by large teams of independent scholars from wide range of backgrounds Translations vary: Word for word. Formal equivalence translations, literal Thought for thought. Dynamic equivalence translations, explain & simplify

59. “ We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye-witnesses of his majesty…and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origins in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:16, 19:21