The Da Vinci Code: The Bible: Fact Or Fiction? Series

The Bible: Fact or Fiction?

Matthew 7: 24-27

The movie, The Da Vinci Code, opened in theaters around the country on Friday. Anne and I went to see it.

Unlike many in the Catholic Church who have called for a ban or boycott of the movie, I believe every thinking person should read the book and see the movie and then set about thoroughly examining the Biblical and historical evidence.

While I am angered by the purely humanistic view of Christ and the Bible that is portrayed in this film, I am almost equally angry over the flagrant abuse and distortion of history that Dan Brown warps and twists and misrepresents in order to justify his own ends.

In a recent Today Show interview with Producer, Ron Howard and the cast of The Da Vinci Code, Matt Lauer asked the group how they would have felt had the movie borne a prominent disclaimer that it is a work of fiction. Actor Ian McKellen stated, "I’ve often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying ’This is fiction.’ I mean, walking on water? It takes an act of faith. And I have faith in this movie."

This Bible certainly is a most unique and unusual book. No other compilation of religious literature even comes close in religious and historical significance.

What we have within the covers of this book is in fact a library of 66 books, written on three different continents, in 16 different countries, in three different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) over a period of 1,600 years. No other book in history took that long to write. And those 66 books were written by more than 40 individuals from almost every walk and station of life – shepherds and fishermen, philosophers and poets, doctors and military leaders, kings and servants, and even a First Century IRS agent!

While the issues addressed by each author were written within specific historical, political and cultural settings, they speak with one voice to all people everywhere in every time and place and status.

The book was never intended to be a book of history, though it is full of verified historical data. It was never intended to be a scientific textbook, though while some things may still be hard to understand and replicate from a scientific perspective, there is much within it that parallels what science has thus far discovered.

The primary purpose of this book was to serve as a written record of God as the source and origin of all that is.

• Of God’s purpose in creating us humans for fellowship and relationship with Himself.

• Of what we did to disrupt that relationship and

• Of how God has worked all throughout history to heal the breach, restore that relationship, and fulfill His perfect plan for all creation.

The Gospel writer John, sums up what could be said for all of Scripture, for from Genesis to Revelation it all points to Jesus Christ: “These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” [John 20:31]

Woven throughout the pages of the entire Old Testament is a single message of a Holy One who is to come who will conquer sin and restore righteousness. The Gospels of the New Testament announce that this Holy One, Jesus of Nazareth, has come and through His death and resurrection has overcome Satan and sin and opened the door to God’s Kingdom for all who believe. The New Testament Letters instruct us that this Holy One, the Son of the Living God who came once is preparing to come again to eradicate all evil and bring to earth the eternal, just and righteous rule of God.

Talk about The Da Vinci Code? There is within the pages of Holy Scripture "The Divinity Code" that is evidence for those with eyes to see and ears to hear that the true origin of this book is much more than merely human.

Can you imagine 40 or more composers, over a span of 1600 years and from vastly different cultures and ethnicities, without knowledge of, or collusion with, any of the other composers, each writing their own unique part to one grand symphony that would only get to be played as an entire piece generations after their death?

I believe that is what we have here within the pages of the Bible and for me the best and most rational explanation that fits the evidence of such a unified message, is that behind it all there has been a Master Conductor who has inspired and directed the various participants in such a way as to bring this Book into existence as a faithful record of His dealings with and His perfect will for all humanity – past, present, and future.