Breaking The
Da Vinci Code
Perhaps you've heard of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. This fictional thriller has captured the
coveted number one sales ranking at Amazon.com, camped out for 32 weeks on the New
York Times Best-Seller List, and inspired a one-hour ABC News special.
Along the way, it has sparked debates about the legitimacy of Western and
Christian history.
While the ABC News feature
focused on Brown's fascination with an alleged marriage between Jesus and Mary
Magdalene, The Da Vinci Code
contains many more (equally dubious) claims about Christianity's historic
origins and theological development. The central claim Brown's novel makes
about Christianity is that "almost everything our fathers taught us about
Christ is false." Why? Because of a single
meeting of bishops in 325, at the city of
Watershed at
Nicea
Brown is right about one thing
(and not much more). In the course of Christian history, few events loom larger
than the Council of Nicea in 325. When the newly
converted Roman Emperor Constantine called bishops from around the world to
present-day
Led by an Alexandrian
theologian named Arius, one school of thought argued
that Jesus had undoubtedly been a remarkable leader, but he was not God in
flesh. Arius proved an expert logician and master of
extracting biblical proof texts that seemingly illustrated differences between
Jesus and God, such as John 14:28: "the Father is greater than I." In
essence, Arius argued that Jesus of Nazareth could
not possibly share God the Father's unique divinity.
In The Da Vinci Code, Brown apparently adopts Arius as his representative for all pre-Nicene
Christianity. Referring to the Council of Nicea, Brown
claims that "until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His
followers as a mortal prophet … a great and powerful man, but a man
nonetheless."
In reality, early Christians
overwhelmingly worshipped Jesus Christ as their risen Savior and Lord. Before
the church adopted comprehensive doctrinal creeds, early Christian leaders
developed a set of instructional summaries of belief, termed the
"Rule" or "Canon" of Faith, which affirmed this truth. To
take one example, the canon of prominent second-century bishop Irenaeus took its cue from 1 Corinthians 8:6: "Yet for
us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we
live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ."
The term used here—Lord, Kyrios—deserves a bit more attention. Kyrios was used by the Greeks to denote divinity
(though sometimes also, it is true, as a simple honorific). In the Greek
translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint, pre-dating Christ),
this term became the preferred substitution for "Jahweh,"
the holy name of God. The Romans also used it to denote the divinity of their
emperor, and the first-century Jewish writer Josephus tells us that the Jews
refused to use it of the emperor for precisely this reason: only God himself
was kyrios.
The Christians took over this
usage of kyrios and applied it to Jesus, from
the earliest days of the church. They did so not only in Scripture itself
(which Brown argues was doctored after Nicea), but in
the earliest extra-canonical Christian book, the Didache, which scholars agree was written no later
than the late 100s. In this book, the earliest Aramaic-speaking Christians
refer to Jesus as Lord.
In addition, pre-Nicene
Christians acknowledged Jesus's divinity by
petitioning God the Father in Christ's name. Church leaders, including Justin
Martyr, a second-century luminary and the first great church apologist,
baptized in the name of the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—thereby
acknowledging the equality of the one Lord's three distinct persons.
The Council of Nicea did not entirely end the controversy over Arius's teachings, nor did the gathering impose a foreign
doctrine of Christ's divinity on the church. The participating bishops merely
affirmed the historic and standard Christian beliefs, erecting a united front against
future efforts to dilute Christ's gift of salvation.
"Fax
from Heaven"?
With the Bible playing a
central role in Christianity, the question of Scripture's historic validity
bears tremendous implications. Brown claims that
Yet for a number of reasons,
Brown's speculations fall flat. Brown correctly points out that "the Bible
did not arrive by fax from heaven." Indeed, the Bible's composition and
consolidation may appear a bit too human for the comfort of some Christians.
But Brown overlooks the fact that the human process of canonization had
progressed for centuries before Nicea, resulting in a
nearly complete canon of Scripture before Nicea or
even
Ironically, the process of
collecting and consolidating Scripture was launched when a rival sect produced
its own quasi-biblical canon. Around 140 a Gnostic leader named Marcion began spreading a theory that the New and Old
Testaments didn't share the same God. Marcion argued
that the Old Testament's God represented law and wrath while
the New Testament's God, represented by Christ, exemplified love. As a result Marcion rejected the Old Testament and the most overtly
Jewish New Testament writings, including Matthew, Mark, Acts, and Hebrews. He
manipulated other books to downplay their Jewish tendencies. Though in 144 the
church in
Another rival theology nudged
the church toward consolidating the New Testament. During the mid- to
late-second century, a man from
By the time of Nicea, church leaders debated the legitimacy of only a few
books that we accept today, chief among them Hebrews and Revelation, because
their authorship remained in doubt. In fact, authorship was the most important
consideration for those who worked to solidify the canon. Early church leaders
considered letters and eyewitness accounts authoritative and binding only if
they were written by an apostle or close disciple of an apostle. This way they
could be assured of the documents' reliability. As pastors and preachers, they
also observed which books did in fact build up the church—a good sign, they
felt, that such books were inspired Scripture. The results speak for
themselves: the books of today's Bible have allowed Christianity to spread,
flourish, and endure worldwide.
Though unoriginal in its
allegations, The Da Vinci Code
proves that some misguided theories never entirely fade away. They just
reappear periodically in a different disguise. Brown's claims resemble those of
Arius and his numerous heirs throughout history, who
have contradicted the united testimony of the apostles and the early church
they built. Those witnesses have always attested that Jesus Christ was and
remains God himself. It didn't take an ancient council to make this true. And
the pseudo historical claims of a modern novel can't make it false.
The Da Vinci Code has taken the world by storm. This fictional book
challenges our views of Jesus and the historical church. Because Brown uses so
many genuine historical facts, it makes his outlandish claims sound more
plausible. Many Christians have become confused because of his assertions.
This Bible study, based on a CHRISTIANITY TODAY article by Ben Witherington III, examines the claims Brown makes in his
book, refuting them according to historical fact and Scripture.
Nicene Creed
A comment on the
"Nicene" Creed—what is commonly known as the Nicene Creed is actually
the Creed of Constantinople (381 AD), written about sixty years after the
Nicene Council and the "original" Nicene Creed (325 AD). The primary difference between the two creeds
is that the original form does not include any description of the person and
work of the Holy Spirit, and it includes a
pronouncement of anathema on anyone who does not believe in the full deity of
Jesus as described in the creed.
THE CREED OF
We believe in one God the
Father All-sovereign, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus
Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father before all the
ages, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not made, of one substance
with the Father, through whom all things were made; who for us men and for our
salvation came down from the heavens, and was made flesh of the Holy Spirit and
the Virgin Mary, and became man, and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and
rose again on the third day according to the
Scriptures, and ascended into
the heavens, and sits on the right hand of the Father, and comes again with glory to judge the
living and the dead, of whose kingdom there shall be no end:
And in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and Life-giver, that proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and
Son is worshipped together and glorified together, who spoke through the
prophets:
In one holy catholic and
apostolic church:
We acknowledge one baptism unto remission of
sins.
We look for a resurrection of the dead, and
the life of the age to come.
Facts vs. Fiction in The Da Vinci Code
By Carl E. Olson
and Sandra Miesel
A frequent question asked by readers of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code
is “How much of the novel’s depiction of historical events, people, artwork,
and institutions is correct.” The short answer is “Not much.” In fact, the only
thing more amazing than Brown’s consistent misrepresentation of facts is a
widespread acceptance of his claims, with both reviewers and readers praising
the “research” and “knowledge” supposedly evident in his novel. The Da Vinci Hoax: Exposing
the Errors in The Da Vinci
Code examines, in much detail, the lengthy list of claims made in
the Code. Here is a brief look at just a few of the claims made in Brown’s
novel and on his web site.
The Divinity of Jesus
Much attention has been given to The Da Vinci Code’s claim that
Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene. But an even more audacious claim of the
novel is that the divinity of Jesus was first raised and established at the
Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325, and that prior to that
time, no one—not even Jesus’ followers—believed Jesus was anything more than a
“mortal prophet” and great man. The fact that this has caused hardly a ripple
among fans of the novel indicates a revealing (and hardly surprising) lack of
knowledge about early Church history and belief.
There is plenty of evidence that the early Christians, dating back to Jesus’
time on earth, believed that Jesus of Nazareth was divine. In his seminal
study, Early Christian Doctrines, noted scholar J.N.D. Kelly writes that “the
all but universal Christian conviction in the [centuries prior to the Council
of Nicaea] had been that Jesus Christ was divine as
well as human. The most primitive confession had been ‘Jesus is Lord’ [Rom 10:9;
Phil 2:11], and its import had been elaborated and deepened in the apostolic
age.”
The Council of Nicaea did not define that Jesus, the
Son of God, was divine (since that was accepted by all Christians) but
addressed the issue of the exact relationship between the Son and the Father:
Are they equal? One in substance? Two
Persons? The Council specifically addressed and condemned the popular
heresy of that time, called Arianism, which insisted
that the Son was a lesser god, created by the Father at some point in time and
not eternally existent.
The Real Jesus vs. the Gnostic Jesus
One of the more laughable
claims of Brown’s novel is that the early Christians “literally” stole Jesus
and shrouded his “human message . . . in an impenetrable cloak of divinity, and
using it to expand their own power”. The novel claims that the gnostic Jesus is far more human than the divinized Jesus of
the four canonical Gospels contained in the Christian Bible.
That sounds fine—unless you actually read the so-called “gnostic
gospels” and compare them to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The
Jesus of the gnostic writings is rarely recognizable
as a Jewish carpenter, teacher, and prophet dwelling in first century
Palestine; instead, he is often described as a phantom-like creature who
lectures at length about the “deficiency of aeons”,
“the mother”, “the Arrogant One”, and “the archons”—all terms that only the gnostic elite would comprehend, hence their secretive, gnostic character.
In reality, the “gnostic gospels” aren’t gospels at
all in the sense of the four canonical gospels, which are filled with
narrative, concrete details, historical figures, political activity, and
details about social and religious life. On this point, as on others, Brown has
it completely wrong and backwards.
ATTRIBUTES OF CHRIST
WHICH ATTEST TO HIS DEITY
1. Holiness
Hebrews 7:26 For such an high
priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and
made higher than the heavens;
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2. Eternal
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government
shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace.
John 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by
him all things consist.
3. Omnipotent-
all powerful
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake
unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which
was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Ephesians 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he
raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly
places,
Ephesians 1:21
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come:
Ephesians 1:22 And hath put all things under his
feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
4. Omniscient- all knowing
John 16:30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest
not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
Matthew 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said,
Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
John 6:64 But there are some of you that believe
not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who
should betray him.
5.
Omnipresent- all present
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
6. Immutable- unchanging
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and
to day, and for ever.
Hebrews 1:11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
Hebrews 1:12 And as a vesture shalt
thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy
years shall not fail.
7. His
Creative Activity
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and
without him was not any thing made that was made.
Colossians 1:16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and by
him all things consist.
Hebrews 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast
laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
8. His
Ability to Forgive Sins
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said
unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Mark 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak
blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
Mark 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the
sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy
bed, and walk?
Mark 2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of
man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to
the sick of the palsy,)
Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness,
that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of
sins.
9. Right to
be Worshipped
Matthew 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and
worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth;
10. His Sinlessness
a. Testimony of Jesus
Jn 8:46
b. Testimony of others- not friends
-Pontius Pilate
Jn 18:38
-The wife of Pilate
Mt 27:19
-The thief on the cross
Lk 23:11
-Judas
Mt 27:4
c. Testimony of the Epistles
2Co 5:21
Christ is God
He is called God
in the NT.
John 1:1 ¶ In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 20:28 And Thomas
answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Romans 9:5 Whose are the
fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God
blessed for ever. Amen.
Titus 2:13 Looking for that
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
2 Peter 1:1
¶ Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle
of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through
the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ:
Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son
he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre
of thy kingdom.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and
hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are
in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and
eternal life.
1 Timothy
3:16 And without controversy great is
the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the
Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory.
The name Yahweh
(Lord) is applied to Christ.
Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the
prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in
the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Isaiah 40:3 ¶ The voice of him
that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of
the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
John 12:41 These things
said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Isaiah 6:1 ¶ In the year that
king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the
Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man
that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear:
Isaiah 8:13 Sanctify the
LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
Matthew
28:19–20; Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 14:29; 2 Timothy 3:14–17; 1 Timothy 1:3–5; 2
Timothy 4:2–4; Titus 1:10–13, 2:1; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Colossians 1:15–20;
Ephesians 2:8
• Identify the Current Issue
• Discover the Eternal Principles
—Teaching
point one: The health and future of the church, and therefore the gospel,
depends upon correct teaching in the church.
—Teaching
point two: The Scripture as we have it, both Old and New Testaments, is the
revealed Word of God and is authoritative for Christian faith and life.
—Teaching
point three: Jesus is the revealed Son of God, the mediator between God and
humanity.
—Teaching
point four: Salvation lies outside ourselves; we have no power within us to
save ourselves.
John
1:3a, 9–11, 3:17–20, 16:8–11, 3:16–18, and 12:47; 1 John 2:15–17 and John
17:15–16; 2 Corinthians 7:1 and Philippians 4:8; Matthew 5:13–16 and 28:18–20
• Identify the Current Issue
• Discover the Eternal Principles
—Teaching
point one: God made the world, and everything God made is good.
—Teaching
point two: Due to human sin, the world is willfully rebellious against God.
As such, it stands under God's judgment.
—Teaching
point three: In spite of the world's sin, God still loves the world. In
fact, he sent his Son into the world, not to condemn it but to redeem it.
—Teaching
point four: Jesus' disciples are to live in the world, yet not love the
world's sinful and rebellious ways.
—Teaching
point five: Jesus' disciples are to be salt and light in the world, preaching
the gospel, making disciples, and teaching them to observe the teachings of
Jesus.
Colossians
1:15–23; Colossians 1:24–2:4; 1 John 1:1–10; 1 John 2:20–27
• Identify the Current Issue
• Discover the Eternal Principles
—Teaching
point one: Heresies often suggest that matter is bad and the spirit (or the
mind) is good. Orthodox Christianity teaches that matter, having been created
by God, is good and that sin is not merely a matter of confounded thinking, but
of behavior that offends God.
—Teaching
point two: In the Old Testament there was a spiritual mystery: how would
God accomplish all he had promised? But Jesus Christ has made that mystery
clear.
—Teaching
point three: The real evidence that we know God’s mystery—that we are
spiritual insiders—is in how we behave.
—Teaching
point four: Christians must be on guard against heresies and have God’s
Spirit to help them.