So begins author Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code , which is now a major motion picture. The storyline is a clever mixture of facts and lies leaving people doubtful of the Bible and suspicious of the Church. Its not the first time. From the creation of the world, an enemy has sought to distort and cast doubt on the words of God. The first time happened to Eve, the first woman God created,
The snake was sneakier than any of the other wild animals that the LORD God had made. One day it came to the woman and asked, “Did God tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?” The woman answered, “God said we could eat fruit from any tree in the garden, except the one in the middle. He told us not to eat fruit from that tree or even to touch it. If we do, we will die.” “No, you won’t!” the snake replied. Genesis 3:1-4
This snake has other names: the devil, the dragon and Satan,
A war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels were fighting against the dragon and its angels. But the dragon lost the battle. It and its angels were forced out of their places in heaven and were thrown down to the earth. Yes, that old snake and his angels were thrown out of heaven! That snake, who fools everyone on earth, is known as the devil and Satan. Revelation 12:7-9
He deceives everyone on earth. Once Jesus looked at his enemies and saw the liar behind their words,
Jesus answered: If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and only from him. He sent me. I did not come on my own. Why can’t you understand what I am talking about? Can’t you stand to hear what I am saying? Your father is the devil, and you do exactly what he wants. He has always been a murderer and a liar. There is nothing truthful about him. He speaks on his own, and everything he says is a lie. Not only is he a liar himself, but he is also the father of all lies. John 8:42-44
Satan is the father of all lies, including the lies about the Bible in The DaVinci Code , such as...
Lie#1: The Bible was rewritten by the emperor Constantine the Great in the 4th Century.
The 66 books in the Bible were written over a period of 1500 years, yet tell one story. They are divided into two parts: The Old Testament (leading up to the life of Jesus) and the New Testament (the life of Jesus and the early Christian Church). The list of Old Testament books was established before the time of Jesus, who quoted from them to prove his identity. He told those opposed to him,
You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, but you refuse to come to me for eternal life. John 5:39-40
After his death and resurrection, he appeared to two followers and told them,
“Why can’t you understand? How can you be so slow to believe all that the prophets said? Didn’t you know that the Messiah would have to suffer before he was given his glory?” Jesus then explained everything written about himself in the Scriptures, beginning with the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets. Luke 24:25-27
The followers of Jesus used prophecies in the Old Testament to prove Jesus was the promised savior of the world,
Now listen, you descendants of Abraham! Pay attention, all of you Gentiles who are here to worship God! Listen to this message about how to be saved, because it is for everyone. The people of Jerusalem and their leaders didn’t realize who Jesus was. And they didn’t understand the words of the prophets that they read each Sabbath. So they condemned Jesus just as the prophets had said. They did exactly what the Scriptures said they would. Even though they couldn’t find any reason to put Jesus to death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. After Jesus had been put to death, he was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb. But God raised him from death! Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about him. God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here to tell you the good news... Acts 13:26-32
The first listing of the New Testament books is known as the Muratorian Canon, which was compiled in 170AD. Constantine had nothing to do with it.
Lie #2: Jesus was “upgraded” to divine at the Council of Nicaea in 325AD.
The divinity of Jesus is affirmed repeatedly in the New Testament. Even those opposed to Christianity recognized this. Long before the Council of Nicaea, the Roman governor Pliny wrote to the emperor Trajan in 112AD that Christians would “recite in alternate verse a hymn to Christ as to a god.” Consider what the New Testament says about Jesus:
Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us. Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross. Then God gave Christ the highest place and honored his name above all others. So at the name of Jesus everyone will bow down, those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree, “Jesus Christ is Lord!” Philippians 2:6-11
But the Bible also describes Jesus’ humanity.
From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus. God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me to preach the good news that he promised long ago by what his prophets said in the holy Scriptures. This good news is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! As a human, he was from the family of David. But the Holy Spirit proved that Jesus is the powerful Son of God, because he was raised from death. Romans 1:1-4
In fact, the Bible has strong words to say to those who deny Jesus was fully human.
Many liars have gone out into the world. These deceitful liars are saying that Jesus Christ did not have a truly human body. But they are liars and the enemies of Christ. So be sure not to lose what we have worked for. If you do, you won’t be given your full reward. Don’t keep changing what you were taught about Christ, or else God will no longer be with you. But if you hold firmly to what you were taught, both the Father and the Son will be with you. 2 John 7-9
Lie #3: Early Jews believed that the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple housed not only God but also his female equal, Shekinah.
The word shekinah is a Hebrew verb for God’s glorious presence. It has nothing to do with a female equal, for God has no equal, as the Bible strongly affirms.
One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, “What is the most important commandment?” Jesus answered, “The most important one says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.” The man replied, “Teacher, you are certainly right to say there is only one God. It is also true that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and that we must love others as much as we love ourselves. These commandments are more important than all the sacrifices and offerings that we could possibly make.” Mark 12:28-33
Lie #4: Some of the Gospels Constantine attempted to destroy were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls
The Dead Sea Scrolls came from a monastic community living from 150 B.C. to 70 A.D. There were no Gospels found among them and not a single mention of Jesus. Rather, they contain multiple copies or fragments from every book of the Old Testament except Esther, including this prophecy about Jesus from the Book of Isaiah:
Like a young plant or a root that sprouts in dry ground, the servant grew up obeying the LORD. He wasn’t some handsome king. Nothing about the way he looked made him attractive to us. He was hated and rejected; his life was filled with sorrow and terrible suffering. No one wanted to look at him. We despised him and said, “He is a nobody!” He suffered and endured great pain for us, but we thought his suffering was punishment from God. He was wounded and crushed because of our sins; by taking our punishment, he made us completely well. All of us were like sheep that had wandered off. We had each gone our own way, but the LORD gave him the punishment we deserved. Isaiah 53:2-6
A Somber Warning
Jesus once gave a very somber warning to those who cause others to sin: Jesus said to his disciples:
" There will always be something that causes people to sin. But anyone who causes them to sin is in for trouble. A person who causes even one of my little followers to sin would be better off thrown into the ocean with a heavy stone tied around their neck. So be careful what you do. Correct any followers of mine who sin, and forgive the ones who say they are sorry. Luke 17:1-3 The Bible also foretells the day when “the father of all lies” will be destroyed forever: Then the devil who fooled them will be thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur. He will be there with the beast and the false prophet, and they will be in pain day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:10
The DaVinci Code claims to be true, but it is not. Why settle for cheap thrills, when you can know what is real? Read the Bible. It will take you through life today and on into eternity.
When we told you about the power and the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not telling clever stories that someone had made up. But with our own eyes we saw his true greatness. God, our great and wonderful Father, truly honored him by saying, “This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him.” We were there with Jesus on the holy mountain and heard this voice speak from heaven. All of this makes us even more certain that what the prophets said is true. So you should pay close attention to their message, as you would to a lamp shining in some dark place. You must keep on paying attention until daylight comes and the morning star rises in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:16-19
The DaVinci Code is published by Bantam Press Scripture quotati ons are from temporary English Version
©1995 The American Bible Society
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