The Da Vinci Code
Faith, Fact or Fiction
Series Part 2
Text: Luke 1:1-4
This morning we are going to play the Match Game. We’re going to look at several of the subjects presented in Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Code and find out which are Faith, Fact or Fiction.
I can’t possibly cover all of the questionable text or discrepancies of Brown’s book – I don’t possibly have that much time nor am I qualified to comment on some without further research, So I’ve condensed the list down to those few that I think are paramount to faith and to some that I think will be most discussed by your neighbors, friends, family and colleagues.
Before we begin, turn with me again to the scripture…
Colossians 2:6-10
How many of you have read the book? How many plan too?
Someone said the other day, “I haven’t read the book yet so please don’t spoil it for me”. Well, there is a plot I’m probably going to spoil but it’s not written in Brown’s book, and the information I’m going to give, I truly believe you need when reading this novel.
So let’s get started! “Are you ready to play!!” We might as well start from the beginning.
The Da Vinci Code pg 1
Brown sets the stage even before the prologue with these words…
“Fact:
The Priory of Sion--- a European secret society founded in 1099 --- is a real organization. In 1975 Paris’s Biblotheque Nationale discovered parchments known as Les Dossiers Secrets, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo da Vinci.
The Vatican prelature known as Opus Dei is a deeply devout Catholic sect that has been the topic of recent controversy due to reports of brainwashing, coercion and a dangerous practice known as “corporal mortification”. Opus Dei has just completed constructions of a $47 million National Headquarters at 243 Lexington Ave in New York City.
All descriptions of Artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.”
So what does that tell us right from the start?
1. All of the historical accounts and references to artwork and documentation presented in the book are true and factual?
Fiction!
In fact, there is only about 5% of the referenced “proofs” that are in deed actually true.
2. The Priory of Sion really exists?
Fact
b. But that it is a millennium old secret society?
Fiction!
Some of this might get a little “heady” but stick with me.
Priory of Sion or Priory of Zion, has, since the 1970s, been an elusive protagonist in many conspiratorial works of pseudohistory. It has been characterized as anything from the most influential secret society in modern Western history to a brilliant hoax created by Pierre Plantard. Further, the Priory was established on July 20, 1956 rather than 1099. Most of the evidence presented in support of claims pertaining to its historical existence, let alone significance, has not been considered authentic or persuasive by established historians, academics and universities. The Association was dissolved sometime after October 1956 but Plantard continued to revive it between 1962 and 1993 for various purposes. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that Plantard began producing (in more ways than one) parchments and documentation linking the Priory (and he personally) to the 10th century Kingdom of Jerusalem and to the bloodline of the Kings of France.
As a side note, it would be rather difficult for men such as Sir Isaac Newton and Leonardo da Vinci to be part of a secret society founded some 200 years after Newton and 400 years for Leonardo’s death
3. Opis Dei is an order of Catholic Priests and Monks headquartered in New York City.
Fiction and Fact!
It is reported that a mere 2% of the membership of Opis Dei are priests and no monks are reported in the membership. According to Brown’s book the Vatican was pulling it’s support of Opis Dei yet in 2005 (a year after the book was published) Pope Benedict 16th declared that the teaching of Opis Dei have lead "to overcoming the great temptation of our time: the pretence that after the ’big bang’ God retired from history." Renewing Papal support of the organizations mission to “spreading the Catholic teaching that everyone is called to become a saint and an apostle of Jesus Christ”, and that “the one and only mission of Opus Dei is the spreading of this message which comes from the Gospel. And to those who grasp this ideal of holiness, the Work offers the spiritual assistance and doctrinal and apostolic training which they need to put it into practice."
And that my friends is, as I mentioned earlier, discrepancies found BEFORE the prologue.
There are just so many, let’s hit just a few more highlights. We will be covering more in the weeks to come.
4. God met with a lover in the Holy of Holies.
Fact
But her name wasn’t Shekinah, it was Israel. Brown bases his theory on a little bit of fact. When Israel went into the Promise Land they were confronted with all sorts of abominable idolatry.
Baal – God of fertility (a male, not female) to appease him and show him what they wanted him to do for their crops, men would conjoin with priestess’ (better known as temple prostitutes) inside the temple. But the people of God never practiced such abomination.
God is still in love today and Praise the Lord He’s moved out of the seclusion of the Holy of Holies…
Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
5. Jesus was married.
Fiction
But He is betrothed! According to the “Code”, Jesus was, by common knowledge, married to Mary Magdalene. In the book, the British Historian Leagh Teabing sited that Jewish culture itself would have forbade Jesus from remaining single. He stated that according to Jewish custom “celibacy was condemned... If Jesus were not married”, Teabing continues, “at least on of the Bible’s gospels would have mentioned it”. Teabing uses the Nag Hammadi and Dead Sea Scrolls as his proof stating that they are “the earliest Christian records”.
The fact is that the Gnostic Gospels he is referring to were written some 200 to 300 years after Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. Of the Gnostic Gospels only a few manuscripts exist, some having only a single copy while the Four Gospels were meticulously reproduced in the first century leaving us some 15,000 copies of nearly identical text.
The question is posed, “wouldn’t at least one of the four Gospels indicate that He was not married?” To address that question we must understand a little more deeply why it was so important to marry as a Jew.
• Marriage was the only means to sexual intimacy (legally)
• Sexual intimacy promised children
• A male child could be the promised Messiah
• Jesus WAS the Messiah … and as I mentioned earlier
• Jesus was already betrothed.
Ephesians 5:25-27
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her (His bride) to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Revelations 19:7
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
Revelation 21:2, 9
2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife."
The Final Round!
Now we come to the final question of the game of Faith, Fact or Fiction.
If Brown has it so wrong yet so many are being confused or downright deceived, what are you and I going to do about it?
And that my friends is where Faith comes into the game.
You and I must
Have faith that God can use you to expose the real truth
Share your faith with those who are seeking truth, and
Exercise your faith in praying that God will bring many into His Kingdom because of your faith!
