SOME THOUGHTS ON THE DA VINCI CODE

Concerning the novel, The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown, Ben Witherington III, professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky wrote:

It is not surprising, however, that a powerful and well-written thriller, as good a page-turner as any John Grisham novel, could have such an impact in an age of widespread Biblical illiteracy and of ignorance of early Christian history. Come up with a conspiracy theory, implicate a major world organization like the Catholic Church, focus on long-held secrets, but withhold much of the evidence: Here you have the makings of a potent mix, especially in a culture that is already suspicious of powerful, large-scale institutions, be they governments, churches or something else.

Biblical Archaeology , May/June, p.58

.The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has been on The New York Times Best-Seller List for over forty weeks. Books, articles and news programs have reviewed it. Last night (August 4, 2004), ABC News ran again a special called Jesus, Mary, and Da Vinci which was first carried November 3, 2003. Breaking the Da Vinci Code by Darrell L. Bock gives a good analysis of it. It is not my intent to cover all of the errors noted in The Da Vinci Code, but to hit some of the glaring ones.

Teabing, one of the main characters in The Da Vinci Code, said, “More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relatively few were chosen for inclusion–Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John among them.” (p. 231.) Further, the fictitious scholar said, “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.” (p. 234.)

These statements, along with others not quoted, attack the inspiration of the Bible as well as the humanity and deity of Christ. In this brief article, I want to consider why we have the four gospel accounts and no more of the supposed eighty records.

The question of what books, do or do not, belong in the Sacred Writings is a question that relates to the canon. The word “canon” once meant a rod, staff, ruler, or reed. In Ezekiel 40:3 and 42:16 the reed was used for measuring. Later, the word canon stood for a standard. The basis for discovering what books belonged in the Bible is called the Canon. Geisler and Nix state, “First, a book is not the Word of God because it is accepted by the people of God. Rather, it was accepted by the people of God because it is the Word of God. That is, God gives the book its divine authority, not the people of God. They merely recognize the divine authority which God gives to it….” (A General Introduction to the Bible, p. 210.)

The Scriptures were long recognized as a body of truth before the Nicean Council in A.D. 325.

At the latest, the Bible made up of 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament, was recognized by the end of the first century. Paul wrote, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (II Tim. 3:14-17.) Timothy as a child did not have the New Testament in written form, but he did have access to the Old Testament, probably the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures. “Holy Scriptures” refers to the Old Testament in this passage, but “all scripture” would refer to both the Old and New Testaments.

In pointing out that elders who rule well are worthy of financial support, Paul wrote, “For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.” (1 Tim. 5:18.) What Scripture said that? Two statements are quoted–one from Deuteronomy 25:4 and the other from Luke 10:7. Paul gave credence to both of these books as being Scripture.

Peter also recognized a body of truth called Scripture when he wrote, “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (II Peter 3:15-16). The Lord’s approval, or apostolic approval, determined if a book belonged in the list of inspired books. Again, Giesler and Nix wrote, “It should be remembered, however, that the canon was actually completed when the last New Testament book was written.” (p. 295.)

Any writings which contradicted the books which had received apostolic approval were rejected as spurious. Paul wrote, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” ( 1 Cor. 14:37.) The same method that would determine the genuineness and authenticity of a messenger, would by the same token, apply to the written message. Also Paul was thankful that the Thessalonians saints had not received the word of God as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13).

Teabing said that there were more than “eighty gospels” considered for the New Testament, but only four were chosen. Bock says, “This may be the most misleading statement of ‘fact’ in the entire novel.” He goes on to say that The Nag Hammadi Library, published in English in 1977, consisted of forty-five separate titles and not all were gospel records. It names only five separate works as supposedly gospel records: Truth, Thomas, Philip, Egyptians, and Mary. (Breaking the Da Vinci Code, pp. 61-62,) These books and others were not considered a part of the Canon because they were written too late after the first century and did not have the support of Christ or the apostles.

Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matt. 24:35.)

More to follow.

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BITS OF WISDOM

When looking for faults, use a mirror, not a telescope.

There are a great many more trapdoors to failure than there there shortcuts to success.

A fanatic is one who can’t change his opinions and won’t change the subject