The da Vinci Code and the New Testament

1
The da Vinci Code and the New Testament
FACT or FICTION?
Chuck Gianotti March 2006
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Best-Seller

• NY Times Best-Seller list
• Other languages
• Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, etc.

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• Begins in the Louve in Paris
• Curator murdered.
• In dying moments scribbles out a code.
• Main Characters
• Harvard Prof. Robert Langdon (symbologist)
• Sophi Nevue (French cryptologist)
• Prof. Teabing (the scholar of the book)

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• A secret society (Priory of Sion) established
  900 years ago
• Leonardo da Vinci (1500s)
• A leader of Priory of Sion
• Passed the secret in various art works
• e.g., The Last Supper

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• The Secret
• Jesus was not divine
• Mary Magdalene
• Was wife of Jesus Christ
• Was chosen by Jesus to lead His church
• Fled to France and had Jesus child
• Descendants of Christ Mary lived secretly
  protected by Priory of Sion

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• Catholic Church
• Is destroyed if this secret is revealed
• Thus tried to cover-up for 2000 years
• Destroyed the Gnostic writings that contained
  the truth.
• Constantine (4th cent.) manipulated Christianity
  to secure remain in power

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• Brown asserts
• The Church (Council of Nicea, 4th cent.)
• Voted to make Jesus divine (p. 233)
• Decided which of 1000s of books would become the
  bible (p. 234)

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• In the end, Christianity is discovered to have
  usurped the lost golden age of pagan
  goddess-worship along with sexual innocence and
  freedom destroyed by an anti-feminist
  Christianity.

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• Fictitious Teabing
  The Bible is
  a product of man not of God Man created it as
  a historical record of tumultuous times, and it
  has evolved through countless translations,
  additions, and revisions. History has never had a
  definitive version of the book
  p. 231

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• Ficticious Langon speaks of
  thousands of ancient
  documents as scientific evidence that the New
  Testament is false testimony p. 341
• Understandably, Jesus life was recorded by
  thousands of followers across the land More
  than eighty gospels were considered for the New
  Testament p. 231

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• Presented as fact-based
• All descriptions of artwork, architecture,
  documents, and secret rituals in this novel are
  accurate. Dan Brown (Intro)
• Media supports this notion
• The most amazing thing about his novel is that
  its based on fact
• One of the many qualities that makes The Da
  Vinci Code unique is the factual nature of the
  story.

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The Da Vinci Code for Dummies

• From Gospel of Philip
• And the companion of the Savior is Mary
  Magdalene. Christ loved her more than all the
  disciples and used to kiss her often on her
  mouth. p. 246
• As any Aramaic scholar will tell you, the word
  companion, in those days, literally meant
  spouse. p. 246
• From Gospel of Mary Magdalene
• Jesus chose Mary Magdalene to lead His church
  pp. 247-248

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Why is The Book So Popular?

• Brown is an excellent story teller.
• Written like an historical novel.

• It plays the x card
• Politics card
• Feminist card
• Intellectual elite card
• Conspiracy card
• Suspicion card

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Foundation for life?

• Dan Browns facts must be examined because

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the
righteous do? Psalm 113 (ESV)
15
Foundation for life?

• Some reactions
• It really makes you wonder if the Bible was all
  made up?
• Reading that kind of book bothers me, shakes my
  faith.
• The book came up in conversation with my
  hair-dresser and I didnt know what to say.

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A Response

• Therefore, since I myself have carefully
  investigated everything from the beginning, it
  seemed good also to me to write an orderly
  account for you, Luke 13

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A Response
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and
does them will be like a wise man who built his
house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the
floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that
house, but it did not fall, because it had been
founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these
words of mine and does not do them will be like a
foolish man who built his house on the sand. And
the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds
blew and beat against that house, and it fell,
and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 724-27 (ESV)
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A Response

• See to it that no one takes you captive by
  philosophy and empty deceit, according to human
  tradition, according to the elemental spirits of
  the world, and not according to Christ.
  Colossians 28-9
• Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the
  midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and
  innocent as doves. Matthew 1016

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Conspiracy?
22
Definitive version of the Bible?

• Fictitious Teabing The
  Bible is a product of man not of God Man
  created it as a historical record of tumultuous
  times, and it has evolved through countless
  translations, additions, and revisions. History
  has never had a definitive version of the book
  p. 231

23
Definitive version of the Bible?

• Two professors are figments of Browns
  imagination.
• Brown is not theologian or historian.
• He cites over 30 people who had an influence on
  this book, not one is an historian, theologian or
  expert in he development of NT documents.

24
Definitive version of the Bible?
At the beginning of the 2nd century the four
Gospels were already considered authoritative to
the exclusion of others and were regarded as a
closed collection and accepted throughout the
whole Church. Dr. Darrel Bock, Research
Professor of NT Studies at Dallas Theo. Seminary

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Definitive version of the Bible?
It is not possible that the Gospels can be
either more or fewer in number than they are.
For, since there are four zones of the world in
which we live, and four principal winds . . . it
is fitting that the Church should have four
pillars, breathing out immortality on every side,
and vivifying men afresh . . . He who was
manifested to men, has given us the Gospel under
four aspects, but bound together by one Spirit.
Iranaeus (A.D. 178)

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Definitive version of the Bible?
Wherefore it behooves us also to live according
to the will of God in Christ, and to imitate Him
as Paul did. For, says he, Be ye followers of
me, even as I also am of Christ. Ignatius in
quoting 1 Corinthians 111. (A.D. 100-107)

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Definitive version of the Bible?

• Muratorian Canon (late 2nd cent.)
• 22 NT books were accepted as authoritative by
  almost all churches.

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Definitive version of the Bible?

Although the fringes of the emerging canon
remained unsettled for generations, a high degree
of unanimity concerning the greater part of the
New Testament was attained among the very diverse
and scattered congre-gations of believers not
only throughout the Mediter-ranean world but also
over an area extending from Britain to
Mesopotamia. By the end of the third century and
the beginning of the fourth century, the great
majority of the twenty-seven books that still
later came to be widely regarded as the canonical
New Testament were almost universally
acknowledged to be authoritative.
Dr. Bruce
Metzger, Princeton Theological Seminary
29
Are there 1000s of ancient documents disproving
the NT?

• No historical evidence
• Early church held to only 4 gospels (fixed by end
  of the 1st century)
• Other so-called gospels have been dated from 2nd
  4th centuries.
• So-called Gnostic books were discovered in
  1945. Dated to AD 400.
• Odd to use the word scientific for what cannot
  be observed or repeated!!

30
Constantine and the Council at Nicaea (A.D. 325)
Fictitious Teabing Constantine
commissioned and financed a new Bible, which
omitted those gospels that spoke of Christs
human traits and embellished those gospels that
made Him godlike. The earlier gospels were
outlawed, gathered up, and burned.
p. 234
31
Constantine and the Council at Nicaea (A.D. 325)
Constantine was the chief instrument for
raising the church from the low estate of
oppression and persecution to well deserved honor
and power. Philip Schaff History of the
Christian Church
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Constantine and the Council at Nicaea (A.D. 325)

• Constantine was the chief instrument for
  raising the church from the low estate of
  oppression and persecution to well deserved honor
  and power. Philip Schaff, History of
  the Christian Church
• Convened 100s of Church leaders from broad
  geographic areas to settle the Arian controversy.
  
• Commissioned Euebius to compile 50 copies of the
  collection of authoritative books.

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Early Church and Jesus
Fictitious Teabing
Council of Nicaea 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 mortalJesus
establishment as the Son of God was officially
proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea
p. 233 What I mean is that
almost everything out fathers taught us about
Christ is false. p. 235
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Early Church and Jesus
Therefore God has highly exalted him and
bestowed on him the name that is above every
name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 29-11
35
Early Church and Jesus
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God And the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen
his glory, glory as of the only Son from the
Father, full of grace and truth. John 11, 14
36
Early Church and Jesus
For in him Jesus all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell. Colossians 119
For in him Jesus the whole fullness of deity
dwells bodily. Colossians 29
37
Early Church and Jesus
The Apostles Having therefore received
their orders, and being fully assured by the
resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
established in the word of God, with full
assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth
proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand.
Clement of Rome (A.D. 100)
38
Early Church and Jesus
Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sins
suffered even unto death, but whom God raised
from the dead, having loosed the bands of the
grave. Polycarp, mid-2nd cent.)
39
Clearing up Misconceptions About the Historic
Church

• And when the Apostle Paul and associates had
  appointed elders for them in every church, with
  prayer and fasting they committed them to the
  Lord in whom they had believed.
  Acts 1423
• This letter is from Paul and Timothy to all of
  Gods people in Philippi, who believe in Christ
  Jesus, and to the elders and deacons.
  Philippians 11 (NLT)

40
Clearing up Misconceptions About the Historic
Church

• Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the
  Son of the living God. And Jesus answered him,
  Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and
  blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father
  who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter,
  and on this rock I will build my church, and the
  gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
  Matthew 1616-18

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Clearing up Misconceptions About the Historic
Church
Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God. And Jesus answered him,
Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and
blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father
who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter
petros, and on this rock petra I will build
my church, and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it. Matthew 1616-18
42
Clearing up Misconceptions About the Historic
Church

• For no one can lay a foundation other than that
  which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1
  Corinthians 311

But when Cephas Peter came to Antioch, I
opposed him to his face, because he stood
condemned. Galatians 211
43
Clearing up Misconceptions About the Historic
Church

• Paul, an apostlenot from men nor through man,
  but through Jesus Christ and God the Father.
  Galatians 11

44
Clearing up Misconceptions About the Historic
Church
But Jesus called them to him and said, You know
that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over
them, and their great ones exercise authority
over them. Matthew 2025
45
Brief History of Church

• Geographic centers developed with bishops over
  each area.
• Regions began to compete for influence
• A.D. 313-590, bishop of Rome came to be
  acknowledged as first among equals.
• A.D. 490, Gregory of Rome, claims supremacy
• Belief arose that this primacy was a direct
  succession from the Apostle Peter.

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Brief History of Church

• Peter never claimed supremacy as pope
• No historical proof that Peter founded the church
  in Rome.
• No evidence in 2nd generation Christian writings
  that Peter had authority over all the churches or
  passed on his apostleship.
• No bishop claimed papal authority until AD 590

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Brief History of Church

• Brown claims the Vatican foisted this conspiracy
  at Nicea in A.D. 325.
• But, that was 265 years before the 1st Roman
  Bishop asserted control over the churches in A.D.
  590!
• The Roman Catholic church did not exist then as
  we know it today.

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Mary Magdalene and Jesus

• Fictitious Teabing 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 Its
  a matter of historical record. p.
  244

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Mary Magdalene and Jesus

• Gnostic Gospel of Philip (2nd Cent.)
  And the companion of the ...
  Mary Magdalene. ... loved her more than all the
  disciples, and used to kiss her often on her
  mouth. The rest of the disciples .... They said
  to him "Why do you love her more than all of us?"
  The Savior answered and said to them, "Why do I
  not love you like her?

50
Mary Magdalene and Jesus

• Gospel of Philip actually written in Coptic
  (ancient Egyptian), which is a translation from
  Greek
• companion koinonos friendship/fellowship
• Original manuscript damaged (Gospel of Philip
  6333-36)
• and the companion of the ?? Mary Magdalene
  ?loved? her more than ?all? the disciples
  ?and used to? kiss her ?often? on her ??
  .

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Mary Magdalene and Jesus

• Fictitious Teabing
• The threat Mary Magdalene posed to the men of
  the early Church was potentially ruinous. Not
  only was she the woman to whom Jesus had assigned
  the task of founding the Church, but she also had
  physical proof that the Churchs newly proclaimed
  deity had spawned a mortal bloodline. The Church,
  in order to defend itself against the Magdalenes
  power, perpetuated her image as a whore and
  buried evidence of Christs marriage to her,
  thereby defusing any potential claims that Christ
  had a surviving bloodline and was a mortal
  prophet The evidence is substantial.
  p. 254

52
Mary Magdalene and Jesus

• Fictitious Teabing The royal
  bloodline of Jesus Christ has been chronicled in
  exhaustive detail by scores of historians.
  p. 253

53
Mary Magdalene and Jesus

• And when Jesus entered Peters house, he saw his
  mother-in-law lying sick with a fever.
  (Matthew 814)

• Do we not have the right to take along a
  believing wife, as do the other apostles and the
  brothers of the Lord and Cephas Peter?
  (1 Corinthians 95)

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Was Mary to Be the Chief Apostle?
Fictitious Teabing The threat
Mary Magdalene posed to the men of the early
Church was potentially ruinous. Not only was she
the woman to whom Jesus had assigned the task of
founding the Church, but she also had physical
proof that the Churchs newly proclaimed deity
had spawned a mortal bloodline. The Church, in
order to defend itself against the Magdalenes
power, perpetuated her image as a whore and
buried evidence of Christs marriage to her,
thereby defusing any potential claims that Christ
had a surviving bloodline and was a mortal
prophetThe evidence is substantial.
p. 254
55
Was Mary to Be the Chief Apostle?
Gospel of Thomas 114 Simon Peter said to him,
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 may
become a living spirit resembling you males. For
every woman who will make herself male will enter
the kingdom of heaven.
56
Was Mary to Be the Chief Apostle?

• None of the 27 NT books (written within 20-60
  years of the time of Christ) gives even a hint of
  this.
• No evidence in the 2nd generation church writers
• Mary M. not included in any list of apostles.
• Mary M is never mentioned again the NT after
  resurrection

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Was Mary to Be the Chief Apostle?
The Apostles were not anti-women

• Male writers who recorded Jesus respect and
  honor for women.
• Mary M. was 1st at empty tomb.
• Paul highly commended Priscilla and Aquilla.
• Recorded prophetess daughters of Philip.
• Paul spoke of Euodia/Synyche as fellow-workers.
• Male who wrote Gal 328.

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Gnosticism
Holy
Pure
Emanations
Demiurge (God of Bible)
Sinful
Creation
Material
Unpure
Physical
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Gnostic Texts?
Biblical Response
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to
dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself
all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making
peace by the blood of his cross.
(Colossians 119-20)
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Gnostic Texts?
Biblical Response
Paul refers to the . . . understanding and the
knowledge of Gods mystery, which is Christ, in
whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge. I say this in order that no one may
delude you with plausible arguments.
(Colossians 22-4)
61
Gnostic Texts?
Biblical Response
See to it that no one takes you captive by
philosophy and empty deceit, according to human
tradition, according to the elemental spirits of
the world, and not according to Christ. For in
him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.
(Colossians 28-9)
62
Did the Church suppress Goddess Worship?
63
Did Christianity Suppress Sex?

• People may suppress it
• Fundamentalist preachers may condemn it
• But, God designed it (within marriage)
• Song of Solomon celebrates it.

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Conclusion

• Therefore, since we have Jesus the Son of God,
  let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
  Hebrews 414

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Everyone who hears these words of mine and does
them will be like a wise man who built his
house on the rock. Jesus Christ in Matthew 724