Sermon Central
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Biblical Answer To The Da Vinci Code
Contributed by Ray Ellis on Jun 6, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: This message endeavors to give Biblical answers to people who have questions about the fact or fiction of the Da Vinci Code.
“What Jesus Would Jesus Say to Dan Brown”
-Biblical Answer to the Da Vinci Code-
There’s a lot of talk these days about the “Da Vinci Code”, a best selling book by Dan Brown. The film came out a couple weeks ago and has been seen by hundreds of thousands.
Dan Brown states that his book is fiction but he also said on a talk show that if he were writing a non-fiction book on the same subject he wouldn’t change one thing in the book.
He voices his personal belief when he has one of the book’s characters say: “Almost everything our fathers taught us about Christ is false.” The book claims you can’t trust the four Gospels in the Bible and that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and Mary became an Apostle and one of the key leaders in the early church.
Why is there so much interest in “The Da Vinci Code?” People like a mystery. People are all ears to a possible cover up.
The climate in American society causes some people to harbor suspicion toward the church. Rather than searching history and the Word of God they buy into the doubts and writing of skeptics like Dan Brown.
Many Americans don’t know the Bible so when they read Dan Brown’s novel they have no basis to compare truth with fiction. Many who read the book say the book makes sense to them.
I’m afraid many seekers after the truth are like W.C. Fields who was reported thumbing through the Bible when he was on his deathbed. Someone asked what he was doing and he said, “Looking for loopholes, m’boy – looking for loopholes.”
If the early church did a cover up of the truth about Jesus and Mary Magdalene and the theory of Dan Brown is true then Christianity is based upon flagrant lies. Jesus was not and is not God. Jesus did not provide a way for sin to be forgiven and God’s plan of salvation is not true..
It is important for you to have an answer for people who are seeking answers to the teachings of the “Da Vinci Code” or more correctly, “The Dan Brown Code.”
If Jesus met one-on-one with Dan Brown, Jesus might say to him?”
I. “You Can Trust the Bible.”
I Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do it with gentleness and respect.”
If someone asks you what you think of the “Da Vinci Code” or what the character Sir Leigh Teabling says: “The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God.” “The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. 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.” What would you say to that person?
What about all the other gospels the Da Vinci Code refers to? There’s the Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Philip, The Gospel of Mary, and the Gospel of Truth. The Gnostic Bible is based upon many other gospels. The Gnostic Bible is drawn heavily upon by Dan Brown in the Da Vinci Code. The Gnostic Bible gives you permission to make God into whomever you want him or her to be.
The Gnostic gospels were written in the third century compared to the four Gospels all written in the first century. The big difference is that not one of the Gnostic gospel writers was an eye witness of Jesus. All of the New Testament Gospel writers were eye witnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus.
The Gnostics believed that matter was evil and spirit was good. To the Gnostic, Jesus was not material. Jesus was only spiritual. If you looked closely, according to their teaching,Jesus never cast a shadow. The Gnostic gospels were written based upon the Gnostic teachings. To Gnostic thought everything physical is evil. Gnostics saw women as inferior and unworthy.
According to the last verse of the Gospel of Thomas, Simon Peter says to Jesus, “Let Mary leave us; women aren’t worthy of life.” Jesus replied, “I will lead her to become male, so she can become a living spirit like you males. For every woman who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.”
The Apostle Peter declares the historical accuracy of what he wrote. 2 Peter 1:16 “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”
In I and II Peter, the Apostle Peter is telling his story as an eye witness. The Gospel of Mark was written by Mark but under the mentoring and coaching of the Apostle Peter. Through Mark, Peter tells and records the life and ministry of Jesus.
