By Phil
Karayan
The Book the Da Vinci Code is a publishing phenomenon, selling more then
40
million copies, a New York Times bestseller for more then 50 weeks. The Da Vinci Code has caused many to
rethink their whole concept of Christianity. Just why is this
book so popular? Why is there such a fuss being made about a
novel?
What is the
Da Vinci Code?
The book is a murder
mystery suspense novel, taking place in Paris and London.
The story is built around “Facts” that reveal the hidden
identity of Jesus.
These
“Facts” reveal:
• That Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene who had a child who
escaped to France.
• Mary Magdalene was to head the church, but Peter and the other
disciples took over.
• Jesus was turned into “God” in order to protect the
patriarchal
system, the Catholic Church along with the rest of Christianity has
worked together to maintain this 2000-year cover up.
•
The secret of Jesus’ “True Identity” is maintained by a group
known as the “Priory of Sion” that has existed since 1099.
• Documents found in Paris in 1975 confirm its existence.
• Sir Isaac Newton and Leonardo Da Vinci were Grand Masters in
this organization.
Another
Trojan Horse?
To
understand the impact of this book, we can use the example of
the Trojan Horse, a gift to the city of Troy
by the Greeks.
In the Trojan War, the armies of Greece were unable to conquer
the city of Troy after ten years of battle. Using a stratagem,
Epeius, master carpenter and warrior, built a huge wooden horse
as an offering to the goddess Athena. The horse was left behind while the
armies of Greece pretended to sail back to Greece, instead they
sailed away to a nearby island, Tenedos and waited. The Greeks
left behind Sinon, who persuaded the city of Troy to accept the
gift of the horse, which would make the city of Troy
impregnable, rejecting the warnings of Lacoon and Cassandra,Troy
brought the wooden Horse into the city. During the night,
warriors inside the horse emerged and opened the gates to the
returning Greek army, which then conquered the city. The Da
Vinci Code is a modern day, “Trojan Horse” attack on
Christianity.
What's the Big
Deal?
While most murder, mystery novels would not cause much of a
stir, the difference here is about the claims in the very first
pages of this book. Prior to the prologue, the book makes a
claim of fact. Dan Brown, author of the Da Vinci Code claims
these facts.
- The
Priory of Sion
was a secret organization founded in 1099 whose members
included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo and
Leonardo da Vinci. This is based on discovered parchments
known as Les Dossiers Secrets[1]found in 1975 at Paris’s
Bibliotheque National.
- The Opus
Dei is a devout Catholic sect who recently completed
construction of their $47 million dollar headquarters on 243
Lexington Avenue. New York City.
- All
descriptions of secret rituals, artwork, architecture and
documents are real.
Does Dan
Brown believe the facts?
Dan Brown
was interviewed by Matt Lauer on NBC’s Today Show, who asked,
“How much of this is based on reality in terms of things that
actually occurred?”
Brown
responded, “Absolutely all of it. Obviously Robert Langdon is
fictional, but all of the art, architecture, secret rituals,
secret societies—all of that is historical fact.[2]. "
- The Book
is presented as a novel; therefore, Brown has no footnotes
to question his claims.
- The
“Fact” statement allows the reader to assume the “Facts” in
the book are true except for the fictional story line.
- The
reader then gives consent to these “Facts” allowing false
claims about history, Jesus and Christianity to be weaved
into the story
The Da Vinci
Code Plot
The Da Vinci
Code begins with the death of Jacques Sauniere, curator of the Louvre in Paris, by an assassin who later turns out to be huge
albino monk named Silas, who is part of Opus Dei. While dying, Sauniere manages to leave a cryptic message on the museum floor.
He writes the name Robert Langdon. Robert Langdon is a Harvard
professor in Paris giving a talk at the American University.
Landon’s name on the floor makes him suspect number one for
French police.
Paris
police captain Bezu Fache, suspects Langdon is the Jacques
Sauniere’s murderer, and he brings Langdon to the crime scene.
Later, at
the crime scene, agent Sophie Neveu a cryptographer and the
secret estranged granddaughter of Jacques Sauniere, arrives,
knowing they suspect Robert Langdon, she helps him escape from
the Paris police.
After
escaping from police, they begin a journey searching for meaning
behind her grandfather’s final message, racing to find “Secret
documents” before the Catholic Church destroys them.
While hiding
in the Louvre, before their escape, Robert Langdon explains to
Sophie about Leonardo Da Vinci, painter of the Mona Lisa, how he
was secretly part of an organization called
The
Priory of Sion, a secret organization responsible for
preserving the truth about the “Real Jesus”. (Page 113)
The Church
wanted to eliminate the “Sacred Feminine” the goddess aspect of
early Christianity,
and maintain a patriarchal system (Page 46,116) Professor
Langdon informs Sophie,
"But Leonardo
Da Vinci in his artwork preserved the “Sacred Feminine” or
Goddess worship--- (Page 113)"
Sir Isaac
Newton, Victor Hugo, Boticelli were all Grand Masters in the
Priory of Sion they were responsible for preserving the
“True” identity of Jesus to be released in the future. (Page
113)
During
their escapes from the museum, Professor Langdon explains to
Sophie about the so-called “Holy Grail” documents, the Sangreal,[3]
found under the Temple-Mount[4]
by Godefroi de Bouillon in 1099 when the Crusaders conquered
Jerusalem.
These
documents Brown claims reveal the “Holy Grail” is not a chalice
cup used at the last supper but Mary Magdalene[5]
herself, who preserved Jesus’ royal family line before he died
on the cross. The organization founded by succeeding knights
known as the “Knights Templar”, they were given unlimited powers by
the Popes. The Templars lived in Solomon’s Stables under the Temple
mount site.
Brown
claims they found thousands of documents proving Jesus’ real
identity and his relationship with Mary Magdalene, these
documents made them very powerful, to the point where the Pope
Clement V and France’s
King Philippe IV destroyed them and confiscated their property
on Friday 13th, October 1307[6].
These documents, known as the Sangreal escaped destruction and
are in hiding, with only the Priory of Sion having
knowledge of their location.
Robert and
Sophie find refuge in the estate of Royal British historian, Sir
Leigh Teabing, he confirms the words of Langdon, and adds the
following to the innocent Sophie.
Teabing,
continues…
“The Bible
is a product of man my dear. Not God” (Page 231)
“More then
80 gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a
few were chosen” (Page 231)
Constantine…held a gathering known as the council of Nicea….(325
A.D.) Until that moment in history Jesus was viewed by his
followers as a mortal prophet…not the Son of God. (Page 233)
“Fortunately for historians…Some of the gospels that Constantine
attempted to eradicate managed to survive. The Dead Sea Scrolls
were found in the 1950’s hidden in a cave near Qumran…and of
course the Coptic scrolls in 1945 at Nag Hamadi”…(Page 234)
“I shan’t
bore you with the countless references to Jesus and Magdalene’s
union….Magdalene was recast as a whore in order to erase
evidence of her powerful family ties” (Pages 247,249)
They leave
Teabing’s estate and head toward England on Teabing's personal
jet, evading French Police…On the Jet Sophie explains why she
was estranged from her grandfather…
Sophie
explains to Robert Langdon how she came one day to surprise her
grandfather at his country estate, and found him in the center
of the room, surrounded by people, having sexual intercourse….
Langdon
calms her and explains….
“Hieros
Gamos…it means sacred marriage. Physical union with the female
remained the sole means...man...can achieve gnosis..”
(Pages 308-309)
Teabing,
Sophie and Professor Langdon arrive in England and fail to find
the thousand’s of pages of evidence…proving Jesus’ true
identity….But Langdon explains to Sophie about faith and
religion…
“The New
Testament is based on fabrications…every faith is…based on
fabrications…Jesus was not born of a literal virgin birth….Those
who truly understand their faiths understand the stories are
metaphorical” (Pages 341-342)
The Story
behind the Story
Brown’s
assault on Christianity in the novel, the Da Vinci Code raises
several questions that need to be answered.
- Is the
book accurate?
- Are the
“Priory of Sion” and their documents discovered in Paris in
1975 real?
- Who are
the Gnostics and What are the “Gnostic Gospels”
- Who was
Mary Magdalene?
- Did
Constantine and the Church turn Jesus into God?
- Is the
Bible from God?
1. Is the
book accurate?
The Book is
filled with historical and factual errors. Here are just a few
to make the point. If this book is wrong on such minor points
why would anybody trust it for eternal issues?
Ø Brown’s
Error: The book claims there are 666 panes of glass on the
pyramid outside the Louvre. The Museum says there are 673.
(Page 21)
Ø Brown’s
Error:
The book claims the Olympics were held for Venus in 8-year
cycles but they were actually held for Zeus in 4-year
cycles. (Page 36)
Ø Brown’s
Error:
Mona Lisa is an androgynous portrait representing the fusing of
male and Female (Page 120)
However, Mona Lisa is a young Florentine woman who in 1495
married the well-known figure, Francesco del Giocondo, and thus
came to be known as ``La Gioconda'‘. This is confirmed by the
discovery of documentation in Florence,Italy
archives. She had five children and two became nuns.
Ø Brown’s
Error:
Sir Isaac Newton was a secret “Goddess Worshipper”. Yet it is
well known that he was a devout Christian …who wrote a
commentary on the book of Daniel and Revelation and calculated
the physical return of Christ between the years 2000 and 2050
Ø Brown’s
Error:
The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the 1950’s and included the
Gospels. History clearly show that these scrolls were found in
1948 and there were no Gospels found there.
Ø Brown’s
Error:
The Gnostic Gospel, The Gospel of Philip was not written in
Aramaic as the Da Vinci Code implies but in Coptic, translated
from Greek. (Page 246)
2. “The
Priority of Sion” and the “Les Dossier Secret “
The Priory
of Sion”—a
European secret society founded in 1099? (Fact Page)
n First one
was founded in Jerusalem
about 1100 ceased to exit in 1617, absorbed by the Jesuits.
n 2nd and 3rd
by Frenchman, Pierre Plantard (1920-2000)
n Founded by
Pierre Plantard 1954, 1962
n An
anti-Semitic, pro-Nazi sympathizer, Frenchman jailed for fraud
in 1953
n Named after
a nearby mountain in Geneva, with
the purpose of defending low cost housing
n Dissolved in
1957 but Plantard held on the name and started the 2nd “Priory
of Sion” in early 1960’s, he became obsessed with idea of being
an occult master and a descendant of kings.
n 1960’s and
1970’s Plantard created forged documents proving the bloodline
from Mary Magdalene, making himself a descendent of Mary
Magdalene…and the Kings of France.
Priory of
Sion
The first
point we need to address, is the very foundation of this book,
the claim of fact on “Fact” page. The book claims too very
important facts. These two facts are the basis behind the whole
book. They are the very foundation this book is built upon.
First the existence of this secret organization known as the
Priory of Sion, an organization dating back to the year 1099
entrusted with keeping the documents about Jesus’ preserved to
be released at a later date.
Secondly, the discovery of Les Dossier Secret parchments
in 1975 at the Bibliotheque Nationale. These documents detail
the membership in the Priory of Sion identifying Leonardo da
Vinci, Isaac Newton and others. They are the Grandmasters
involved in preserving these secret documents.
Dan Brown relies on a 1982 publication, Holy Blood, Holy Grail
as the source of information on the Priory of Sion. The authors
of Holy Blood, Holy Grail depended on documents provided to them
by Pierre Plantard, an anti-Semitic Frenchman who was jailed for
fraud in 1953. Plantard and three other men started a small
social club in 1954 called the Priory of Sion, taking the name
from a nearby mountain. Their club dissolved in 1957, but
Plantard held on to the name. He started a second Priory of Sion
in the early 1960’s and tried to establish himself as the King
of France.
Throughout the 1960’s and the 1970’s Plantard created a series
of documents “proving” the existence of a bloodline descending
from Mary Magdalene, through the kings of France, down to the
present day to include ---(surprise!) Pierre Plantard. He began
using the name Plantard de Saint-Clair, saying the Saint-Clairs
were direct descendents of the line of Jesus and Mary.
In 1993, Plantard’s name came up in light of a political scandal
involving a close friend of then French president Francois
Mitternad. Plantard had, in one of his lists of the Priory of
Sion, listed Roger-Patrice Pelat as a Grand master. When called
before the court to testify, Plantard, under oath, admitted he
had made up the whole Priory scheme. The court ordered a
search of Plantard’s house, which revealed further documents
that proclaimed Plantard to be the true king of France. The
judge gave Plantard a stern warning and dismissed him as a
harmless crank.
Regarding the Priory of Sion, the following points demonstrate
it's fabrication, so why would anybody give credit to a forgery,
let alone put their soul on the line?
n
Documents forged by Pierre Plantard deposited in the
Bibliotheque Nationale (National Library) in Paris.
n
Les Dossier Secrets d’Henri Lobineau (The Secret Records of
Henri Lobineau)
n
False report created in 1967 by Plantard and his associates,
n
The full title includes the name of
“Henri
Lobineau”, Brown is not honest on his “Fact Page”
Les
Dossier Secret
In his
preface, Dan Brown states: 'The secret society of the Priory of
Sion was founded in 1099, after the First Crusade. In 1975,
parchments referred to as 'Dossiers Secrets' were discovered at
the Bibliothèque Nationale, which
mention the names of certain members of the Priory, including
Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo Da
Vinci'. These events, which Dan Brown presents as the truth, are
simply untrue. The Priory of Sion was founded in June 1956 by
Pierre Plantard, who at that time was working as a draughtsman
at the Chanovin works in Annemasse. As for the 'Dossiers
Secrets', they were forged and filed with the Bibliothèque
Nationale in Paris by Pierre Plantard in the 1960s. The French
journalist Jean-Luc Chaumeil unmasked Plantard's imposture in
the 1980s and published several books on the subject. He also
collaborated with BBC2 on a TV program which was broadcast in
1996, and which presented evidence demolishing the whole story.
But it would seem that Dan Brown has not taken any account of
this. The novelist has also not hesitated to make his heroine
Sophie Neveu the descendant of the families Plantard and
Saint-Clair (a name that Pierre Plantard adopted in 1975), who
themselves were descended from the Merovingians, and who are
presented in the novel as the descendants of the marriage of
Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene...
The
basis of the Da Vinci Code is a hoax created by Pierre Plantard.
Knowing that the Priory of Sion, and the Les Dossier
Secret are both fabrications of Pierre Plantard, why
would anybody put their soul online with such forgeries.
If we put
aside the these facts, let's continue to answer the other
charges made by Brown’s characters. Professor Langdon and
British Royal Historian Leah Teabing.
3. Were
the Gnostic Gospels Part of Christianity?
n
Gnosis means “To Know” Gnostics believed that salvation was
attained through attaining knowledge.
n
Pagan mythology and philosophies began to fall with the spread
of Christianity
n
Temple-prostitutes would facilitate worship with
Aphrodite/Venus, Ishtar, Astoria.
n
The Churches at Pergamum and
Thyatira were warned about proto-Gnostic and sexual immorality
On the
acknowledgments page, Dan Brown thanks those who helped him
complete this book, one of those mentioned is the Gnostic
Society Library. The Da Vinci Code champions the
Gnostic Gospels, their view of Christianity, their sexual orgies
and claims “Orthodox” Christianity stole Jesus from the original
Gnostic followers.
Who are the
Gnostics and what are the Gnostic Gospels?
The word
Gnostic is derived from the Greek word Gnosis meaning “To
Know”. Gnostics believed that salvation was attained through
the attaining knowledge. After Christianity started to spread
throughout the Greek and Roman worlds, Pagan ideas and theology
began to fall out of favor.
Acts 19 is a great example of when people began to burn the
sorcery scrolls in public and stopped buying statues of the
temple goddess Artemis in about 54 A.D. where Paul was
preaching.
18 And many
who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.
19 Also, many
of those who had practiced magic brought their books together
and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the
value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Acts 19:18-20
This scene
was repeated throughout the Greek and Roman worlds, one way
pagans tried to combat the growing Christian faith was to
incorporate Greek pagan mystery rites into Judea-Christian
package.
We see
these warnings to the churches in Revelation, especially
Pergamum and Thyatira. In Thyatira, we have a so called
prophetess, who is teaching sexual immorality and idol
practices. This would be one of the many proto-Gnostic movements
that would eventually spread throughout the Christian world.
20
"Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow
that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to
teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality
and eat things sacrificed to idols.
21 "And I
gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did
not repent.
22 "Indeed I
will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery
with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their
deeds.
Revelation
2:20-21
n The
Gnostic
took Christian names and terms and rebuilt Greek paganism.
n
The God of the Old Testament was a God of the Jews and a low
level evil angel who trapped mankind in a physical body. They
called him, “The Blind one”, “Demiurge” the lesser power.
n
Jesus came to deliver “Gnosis” knowledge from the “All-Father”
the unknown God.
n
Christ did not die on the Cross, but only a phantom.
The Gnostics
took on familiar names and terminology but with much different
theology. They believed their was an unknown All-Father, and
Mother God. This goddess was referred to as Sophia. They
believed all souls originally lived in a spiritual realm of
light, the Pleroma, until they were imprisoned in physical
bodies on the earth. Flesh and all matter were viewed as
intrinsically evil.
Gnostic
“Salvation” equated liberation of the soul from the body—the
freeing of the inner spirit from the confines of matter. Such
liberation could only be achieved through “Gnosis” which brought
about the detachment from the evil world (similar to Buddhism).
To achieve this enlightenment, one needed to know the truth
about God, (All-Father), himself and life.
Ancient
Gnostics preached two gods, a good deity of light and an evil
deity of darkness. The good deity (The Principle, or
All-Father) was seen as the epitome of love. This God was
responsible for creating the other god. This evil god, the
demiurge, is the one who created the physical world, He is the
God of the Old Testament. This evil God of the Jews, who
favored the Jews, seeks to impede human souls from returning to
God and returning to the Divine. The good God is utterly
removed from the world, he is unknowable. But through sexual
intercourse, the bridal chamber, man can return fo the Plemoria
and become one with the Divine.
|
Christian |
Gnostic |
Salvation |
All who put their faith in Christ |
Those attain secret “Gnosis” |
The
Cross |
Died on the Cross for sins
of humanity |
Did not die on the Cross…Phantom/Subsitute died on
the Cross |
Old
Testament |
Christ was God in the Old Testament…who entered
humanity (John 1:18) |
God of the Old Testament is a demon who has trapped
spirit being in physical bodies |
Existence |
Jesus was God from eternity past, dwelling in flesh |
Came into existence from All-father and Sophia
(Goddess) |
The
All-Father, however, did send a Redeemer—Jesus. But the Gnostic
Jesus, unlike the Jesus of the Bible, was not a Savior who died
form sins. He was the bringer of “Gnosis”. According to many
Gnostics he was a completely spiritual being separate from the
flesh, because he was really projecting a phantom body.
The mission
of the Gnostic Jesus was to:
1. Reveal
the truth about our “Former
State”—a state that people have forgotten and point the way back
to God.
2. Release
the divine spark of light imprisoned in matter.
- Gnostic
Gospel’s
were named after known bible characters to justify “Gnostic”
doctrines
- Gnostic
works contradicted the Both Old and New Testament
scriptures…The God of the Old Testament was viewed as an
evil demon and the serpent as good.
- Gnostic
works were not connected to the Apostles…but battled their
teachings
- Gnostic
works quoted from the scriptures to weave in their
doctrines…but the scriptures do not quote from Gnostic
works.
The quickest
way to have the Gnostic teaching accepted by the masses was to
attach the names of Apostles to their writings. Hence the names
Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Thomas and Gospel of Mary were used
to gain acceptance for the Gnostic teachings. The earliest dates
for these Gnostic works date from the earl 2nd and 3rd
century.
In
December 1945 near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi,
a peasant came across scrolls and texts, dating back to the
fourth century. They included poems, myths, mysticism and what
some call the “Secret Gospels”
- The
Gospel of Thomas
- The
Gospel of Philip
- The
Gospel of Truth
- The
Gospel of the Egyptians
- The
Apocalypse of Peter
- The
Apocalypse of Paul
- The
Letter of Peter to Philip
- The
Thunder, Perfect Mind
-
Testimony of Truth
The texts
reject the Genesis account of creation, the Creator God is
mocked as a blind fool. He is called the Demiurge, the lesser
God.
The Gospel
of Egyptians was used by the Gnostic sect, called Nasenes,
meaning Serpent.
The
Valentinians…boast they possess more Gospels than there really
are. Indeed, they have arrived at such a pitch of audacity as to
entitle their comparatively recent writing “The Gospel of
Truth”, though it agrees in nothing with the Gospels of the
apostles, so that they have really no Gospel which is not full
of blasphemy.
Irenaeus
(Against Heresy 3.11.9)
4. Who
was Mary Magdalene?
'One
particularly troubling theme kept recurring in the [Gnostic]
gospels. Mary Magdalene….More specifically, her marriage to
Jesus Christ” (Davinci Code..Pg. 244)
'The Gospel
of Philip says that “‘the companion of the Savior is Mary
Magdalene. Christ loved her more than all the disciples and used
to kiss her often on her mouth. The rest of the disciples were
offended by it and expressed disapproval. They said to him, “Why
do you love her more than all of us?” ’…As any Aramaic scholar
will tell you, the word companion in those days, literally meant
spouse.' (Da Vinici Code page 246)
The basis
Brown uses for this claim is the Gnostic Gospels, specificallyThe Gospel of Mary and the Gospel of Phillip,
neither contain any mention of Jesus’ marriage to Mary, nor do
any of the Gnostic Gospels. Brown’s argument for Jesus’
marriage to Mary Magdalene tries to infer that Jesus married
marry from a line in the Gospel of Philip.
n Using the
Gnostic “Gospel of Philip” and “Mary Magdalene as the Da Vinci
Code argues that Mary was Jesus’ wife (Page 244,246)
n Both were
Gnostic works which tried to subvert Christianity back to Greek
paganism.
n The main
sacrament in the “Gospel of Philip” was the bridal chamber,
which was the way to redemption.
n The “Bridal
Chamber” was sexual mystery rite, in which the new member would
have the right to watch only after he became a “Bridegroom” or
“Bride” or “Heiros Gamos”
n “Let the
others yearn just to listen to her voice and enjoy her
ointment…..Bridegrooms and brides belong to the bridal chamber.
No one shall be able to see the bridegroom with the bride unless
one becomes one.” Gospel of Philip
The Da Vinci
Code would have us believe, Jesus and Mary Magdalene were
participants in these sex-rites of the Gnostics. The Jesus of
the Da Vinci Code is the Gnostic Jesus.
Mary
Magdalene was part of a group of women who were followers of
Christ along with the disciples. She was a witness to his
resurrection and healing but nowhere in the Gospels is any
marriage even hinted at in the slightest. Jesus healed Mary
Magdalene of demonic possession, the idea that Mary was the
harlot of Luke 7:36-50 is only made because Mary Magdalene is
mentioned in Luke chapter 8, following the story of the
adulterous women in Luke 7:36-50.
But
the adulterous women of Luke 7 is not noted for demonic possession,
but for adultery, she is told, “Go and sin no more”, there is no
mention of demonic possession, therefore Mary Magdalene is not
the same women.
Mary
was just part of a group that followed Jesus and witnessed his
works, death and resurrection.
Now
it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every
city and village, preaching and bringing the glad
tidings of the
kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, |
and
certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and
infirmities-Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had
come seven demons, |
and
Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna,
and many others who provided for Him from their
substance
Luke 8:1-3
|
• Healed from
demonic possession
• Accompanied
other women, including the married Joanna, and Jesus’ Mother
• Witnessed
and heard Christ speak
• Provided
supplies to His ministry, along with others
Mary
witnessed both the death and resurrection of Christ, and was one
of many witnesses. Mary stood along side Jesus’ mother at the
cross. She was the first person to see Christ resurrected from
the tomb. Mary is seen as part of a group of women that
includes Mary the mother of Jesus.
Now
there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary
Magdalene John 19:25 |
Now
when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the
mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they
might come and anoint Him. |
Now
when He rose early on the first day of the week, He
appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had
cast seven demons. Mark 16:1,9 |
Christ
ministry was not limited to just men but all people, including
women. Mary is a perfect example of the grace of Christ. She
was a women possessed by seven demons, who was forgiven and made
an integral part of Church. Her name is included in all the
Gospels. She is witnesses of the crucifixion and resurrection,
as well as the power of spiritual healing. Regarding Mary
Magdalene and her relationship with Jesus, the following points
can sum this up.
n Mary
Magdalene represented 50% of humankind.
n She was
given an important role as a witnesses to who Jesus was. She
witnessed his teaching, death and resurrection
n She is a
picture of God’s grace, having been at one time possessed by
seven demons.
n Contrary to
Brown’s claim, she was given an exalted place in the Church as
the first person to see the resurrected Christ.
n The Mary
Magdalene of the Da Vinci Code would have us accept would be a
“Bridal Chamber” Bride…someone having a public act of sex. (Hieros
Gamos) “Sacred Marriage”
5. Did
Constantine and the Church turn Jesus into a God?
"Constantine…held a gathering known as the council of Nicea…(325
A.D.)…Until that moment in history Jesus was viewed by his
followers as a mortal prophet…not the Son of God…Jesus’
establishment as the ‘Son of God’ was…a relatively close vote
" (Page 233) The DaVinci Code
The nature
of the Messiah was not based on what Peter or the Disciples
wanted, but what was foretold in the Old Testament, which
predated both Peter and the Church.
The Council
of Nicea 325 A.D. was not a close vote, and was not about the
Gnostic Gospels. Our friend Sir Leigh Teabing, the British
historian really missed his history classes.
Fact: The Council of Nicea (325 A.D.) was not a close vote, 300 bishops
from throughout the Empire arrived to discuss Arius,
teaching that the Son was created, and therefore not God
incarnate, the vote was 300 to 2…not close at all. Arius did not
believe the Son was mortal but the first of creation.
Regarding Christ (Messiah), the
New Testament confirms what the Old Testament revealed about His
Nature. The Messiah being God incarnate is not a New Testament
doctrine, but an Old Testament Doctrine, fulfilled in Jesus
Christ.
n The nature
of Messiah foretold in the Old Testament was two-fold.
n Suffering
Servant
who would die for the sins of the world.
n Conquering
King
who rule the earth for eternity and would one day judge the
world.
For unto us a
Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will
be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful,
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince
of Peace.
Isaiah
9:6
700 B.C.
13. "I was
watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son
of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the
Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
14Then to Him
was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples,
nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is
an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His
kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel
7:13-14
562 B.C.
9 "It shall
be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the
nations that come against Jerusalem.
10"And I
will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of
Jerusalem
the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on
Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one
mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a
firstborn.
Zechariah
12:9-10
520 B.C.
In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
2He was in
the beginning with God.
3All
things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was
made that was made.
John
1:1-3,
n
John 10:31-33,
n
Hebrews 1:8-9
6. Is the
Bible from God?
This is
charge often made about the Bible, by those who are not familiar
with its words, the Bible unlike any other book has the
fingerprints of God. We can all proclaim what happened today
and what happened yesterday, but we can’t foretell what is
coming tomorrow or even a thousand years from now. We are
limited by our nature.
This is what separates the Bible from any other book written by
man, which claims divine authorship. The Bible reveals events
thousands of years before they happen as proof of its divine
origin.
4 Because I
knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew,
And your brow bronze,
5 Even
from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it
came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say,
'My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image
Have commanded them.'
Isaiah 48:4-5
Ø 550 Years
Before His Birth Daniel foretold the death of Messiah.
"And after
the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for
Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be
with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are
determined.
Daniel 9:26
Ø Jesus would
be rejected by His people and die for the sins of mankind, but
would be exalted. 700-Years Before His Birth
"Behold, My
Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and
extolled and be very high.
14Just as
many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more
than any man, And His form more than the sons of men;
Isaiah
52:13-14
But He was
wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And
by His stripes we are healed.
And they made
His grave with the wicked-But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His
mouth.
Isaiah
53:5,9
Description of Evidence |
Importance |
Super-natural nature |
Greatness
of Abraham
Genesis 12:2-3
Abraham
Was
promised to:
* Be
source for a great nation
*
Have a great name
*
All peoples on the earth to
Be
blessed through Him. |
Genesis was written about 1450 BC by Abraham, was just one
of
Many people who lived on the Earth. Today over ½ the
Earth’s 6 billion
People claim a connection to
Abraham including Muslims, Jews
and Christians. Both Jews and
Arab’s Claim Abraham as the
source their national identity. |
Both
Muslims, Christians and Jews
Claim descent and connection to
Abraham. This prophecy was written
Well
before the growth of Christianity
And
Islam. Abraham name became
great after Christianity spread 100
AD
and Islam after 632 AD.
If
15 billion people lived since the
beginning of the Human race, the odds
Of
one man have a name of world wide
Distinction is 1 out of 15 billion. If the
Promise was recorded 3400 years
Before the event it is super-natural.
|
Israel Scattered
Deuteronomy 28:64
3450
years ago in
the
Bible Israel as a nation
is
told they will be dispersed
throughout the world and
suffer as a people for being
Disobedient. |
Two times in
Israel’s history they
Were scattered as a nation, first
During the Babylonian captivity
(605, 598 and 587 BC) Jer 51.
Second, during the time of Roman
Occupation. 54 BC-638 AD |
For
a people to be scattered is a
A
common event throughout history
As
one people group takes land and
Settles in territory belonging to another.
Israel
as a nation is scattered and
Gathered and then scattered again.
The
condition of the people in their
Scattered condition is described in
Detail, yet they remain a distinct people
In
the land of their captivity |
Israel
Gathered
Deuteronomy 30:3
3450
years ago Israel
is
promised to be gathered
back
into the land promised
to
Abraham
after being scattered.
The
gathering of Israel
as a
Nation from the nations is repeated
throughout the scriptures Isaiah 11,
Isaiah 14:1-2, Isaiah 56:8, Jeremiah 30-31,
Ezekiel 36-37, Zechariah 10:6-12
... |
Two times
Israel has been gathered,
Once following the Babylonian
Captivity after the Persian defeat
Of Babylon
in 539 BC by Cyrus
The second in our day with the
Creation of the state of
Israel as
Jews from Europe, Africa, Asia,
North and South America founded
the state of
Israel |
The
creation of the state of Israel was
Result of two world wars. First the
Muslim powers were defeated and
Only
after ½ the world’s Jewish
Population was killed in the Holocaust
Would the nations agree to allowing
A
Jewish state to exist, in May 1948
Israel
came into existence the first time
A
Jewish state existed in 2000 years.
For
a people to maintain national
Identity after 1900 years and to be
Gathered back into their land is
Amazing enough…But for the event
To
be written about even before they
Were
a nation is super-natural. |
Jerusalem
Focus
Of
World attention
Zechariah 12:3 foretells
Jerusalem
as the
Center of worldwide
Attention |
We are told that
Jerusalem will
Be a burden for the world and the
Object of conflict. The nations of the
World will be at war with the
Descendents of
Israel. |
Over
½ the Earth population view
Jerusalem
as spiritually significant.
2500
years ago when Jerusalem was
just
a small regional city Zechariah told
about the coming day when all then
nations will burden themselves with
the
possession of the city. |
Temple
destroyed
The
destruction of the
Jewish temple following
The
death of Jesus was
Foretold in Daniel 9:26
And
Matthew 24:2 |
In 70 AD the Roman empire
destroys
The Jewish
Temple. Every stone
Was throne down as Roman soldiers
Looked for melted gold.
The destruction of the
Temple along each stone being
Taken down was recorded 600 years
Before this event, Messiah was to
Be cut off. |
600
years before the event we are told
about the destruction following the
cutting off of the Messiah. Jesus
claimed to be Messiah
and
as a result 2 billion
people,1/3 of the earth’s population are
connected to the city of Jerusalem.
How
Daniel could know the details of the
Temple’s
destruction as well as it being
Connected with the Messiah being “Cut
Off”
is super-natural. |
Jews
from Ethiopia
Gathered. In
the
Second gathering
Jews
living in Ethiopia
are
Foretold to be gathered
to
Israel ,2700 years ago in Isaiah 11:11
this
gathering was written about. |
Operation Solomon in 1980
and Exodus in 1991 rescued Jews
living in
Ethiopia from extermination
and persecution. The Jews there
have been traced back over 2000
years ago. |
Isaiah 11:11 specifically mentions Jews
From
Cush (Ethiopia) as part of the
Gathering from the nations. 2700 years
Before the event |
Exact
month & year
Messiah is killed.
70
Weeks of Daniel
is a very
specific prophecy foretelling
the
rejection and cutting off
of
Messiah 570 years before the event.
Daniel 9:24-27 |
The 70 weeks of Daniel foretells the
Exact time Messiah would be cut-off.
Following a 483 year period (69
Weeks) after a command to rebuild
The walls and streets of
Jerusalem
Was given to Nehemiah. |
The
Christian faith is the largest faith in
The
World and centers on the Messiah
Being killed for the sins of the world.
570
before the death of Jesus, Daniel
foretold the exact time of Messiah being
cut-off with the Temple’s destruction
following his death. |
|