Why is this important enough for an FAQ?  The DaVinci Code raises the supremely important question of who Jesus is.  Regrettably, the DaVinci Code is full of historical blunders and directly contradicts the best and closest historical evidence available in the New Testament.

 

Isn’t The Da Vinci Code just fiction?   Yes, it is!  But author Dan Brown doesn’t think so.  On the first page he says, “All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.” Various surveys show that 27-33% percent of people believe the historical background of the story is true.  Therefore, the errors in this popular work should be pointed out.

 

What  is the story about?  A murder at the Louvre leaves clues that point to an ancient society entrusted with guarding a secret—a secret that if revealed would demolish the very foundations of the Christian faith.  This secret surrounds the location and identity of the Holy Grail.  In the process of uncovering clues and breaking the secret code, we learn that Mary Magdalene and Jesus were sexual partners and had a child together.  Hints of this secret, according to the story, can be found hidden in paintings and drawings throughout history.

 

What is wrong with a married Jesus?  Jesus himself affirmed the goodness and beauty of marriage by his teaching and his attendance at a wedding.  However, Jesus taught that his own purpose was not to start a physical family but to be the head of a spiritual family with his true bride being the church (Matthew 12:48-49; Ephesians 5:22-23).  There is no mention of a wife in any scripture about Jesus either before, during, or after his ministry.  The reference to Jesus’ attraction to Mary Magdalene is merely an inference from a cryptic reference from the Gospel of Philip, a document that dates from the late 3rd century, far from the time of Jesus and no part of the New Testament.  The Gospel of Philip was never considered by Christians to have been a trustworthy account of the life of Christ.  Furthermore, this gospel is a Gnostic writing; Gnostics had no direct eyewitness access to the life of Christ, having developed after the time of Christ.

 

What is the difference between the Gospels of the New Testament and the “Lost Books of the Bible”?  The so-called Lost Books date from the second century and later and never appear in any early list as authoritative Scripture.  They were written far too late to have been written by the named authors; this in itself makes them untrustworthy and false.  They often contradict the beliefs taught in the earlier gospels of the New Testament.  They were secret documents; in contrast, the Gospels of the New Testament were public and verifiable at the time of their writing.  All four of the New Testament gospels are found in compiled lists of Scripture as early as AD 115.

 

How does this all relate to the Gospel of Judas?  The Gospel of Judas is yet another of the Gnostic gospels, reflecting a line of thinking that did not arise until late in the 2nd century, far too late to have been written by Judas.  It was known to the early church fathers and was criticized by them for its errors.  It is of interesting historical significance but has no value in discovering the history of Jesus’ life and ministry.

 

Does the Holy Grail have any religious significance?  The Holy Grail is said to be the cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper.  The Gospels, however, say very little about the cup and place no significance on it at all.  The first legends concerning the grail appear in the 12th century and are later merged with the Arthurian legends.

 

Could Mary Magdalene be the Holy Grail?  The grail (cup) has no significance in reliable accounts of Christ’s life, and Mary Magdalene is portrayed in these accounts as merely a faithful friend and disciple of Christ.  Therefore, the answer has no religious significance.  However, there is no historical evidence to connect Mary Magdalene or “the sacred feminine” to the concept of the grail.

 

Do the New Testament Gospels present a low view of women?  Not at all.  Christianity brought a radical transformation to the status of women in society.  Even ancient Roman scholars agree that Christianity ushered in a new era for the freedom and dignity of women.

 

What sorts of historical inaccuracies appear in The Da Vinci Code?  It significantly misrepresents the Council of Nicea called by Constantine in AD 325.  The council did not create a new belief system.  Rather, it clarified what the church already believed.  The primary teaching being clarified was not that Christ was God, as The Da Vinci Code claims; that had been clarified previously.  Instead, it clarified that Christ was eternal along with the Father.  The book claims that Constantine changed early Christianity into the religion that now goes by that name.  Neither the Council of Nicea nor Constantine had any role in determining which books were included in the New Testament.  Prior to Constantine Christian churches and leaders embraced all of the New Testament books but rejected the Gnostic Gospels.  They were certainly in a better position to know what their religion taught than Dan Brown is now!

 

Are there any historical documents that can cut through this confusion and provide some real documentation of Christ’s life?  The New Testament, while understood by Christians as a religious book, contains documents that should be viewed as definitively historical as any other ancient manuscript.  It is the most reliable collection of books from antiquity.  It has by far more manuscript evidence and variations of less significance in the existing manuscripts than any other ancient document.  The historical books can be dated to within a generation of Jesus himself.  The authors were eyewitnesses who staked their lives on the truthfulness of what they reported.  Eleven of the twelve apostles were put to death for their testimony, and not one recanted his account of the events of Christ’s life. 

 

How can I learn more about who Christ really was?  The best source of information is the four gospels of the New Testament.  Any of the gospels can be read at one sitting in little more than an hour.  They contain the earliest and most reliable testimony to the life of Christ and his mission.  You may find a fresh reading of these source documents to be a refreshing exercise.

 

How can I learn more about The Da Vinci Code or about Christianity?  We recommend the following references:

·         Visit www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com

·         Listen to “The Da Vinci Code: Fact or Fiction” at www.graceheritage.org

·         Visit Basic Questions About Christianity Answered:  www.waytogod.org/quest.html

·         Call or email Pastor Paul Stith or visit Grace Heritage Church