The Errors and the Art

Introduction:
1. We’re beginning a new ABF series today, a 3-part series entitled: The DaVinci Delusion
- this is a response the book, The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown AND the new movie released this weekend
2. Our goal in this series fits into the category of Eph. 4:11-16 – “equipping the saint”
- with a book that has sold over 40 millions copies and translated into several languages, it deserves a biblical response
- in addition, we need to be in a position to fulfill 1 Peter 3:15-17:
 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers [and Christianity is being referred to as ‘liars’ and ‘deceivers’], those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
3. Another reason it’s important for us to conduct this study is the word: IMPACT!
#1: One survey reported 32% believed The DaVinci Code is true!
#2: The content of the book is playing with eternity – i.e. people’s lives
Illustration: A waitress said, “I’ll never go to church again” after reading The DaVinci Code
> God can change that, but the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart!
Point: The book claims to be based on ‘FACTS’ – and it attacks the heart of Christianity!
4. I want to begin our time with this analogy: Imagine if I came up to you and called your mother a whore!
- I’m assuming you’d be a little upset about that – for a couple of reasons:
1) It’s not true
2) And even if it were true, you’d still be upset because of who I was talking about – your mother!
- Well, that’s what The DaVinci Code is doing to our Lord and Savior
1) Making accusations that are NOT true – totally discounting the biblical record
2) Dan Brown is attacking the most important person in my life – my Lord and my God, Jesus Christ!
5. Let me remind you that attacks on biblical truth and attacking Christ is NOT new!
Point: I like what James Kennedy said, “Hidden truth, or best-selling lies?”
- with that in mind,
5. The DaVinci Delusion, hosted by Dr. James Kennedy, is an excellent review of the details of The DaVinci Code
-we’ll be dividing the DVD into 3 parts:
Part 1: The Errors and the Art
Part 2 The Four Gospels and the Canon of the NT
Part 3 The Deity of Christ and Mary Magdalene
- your study guide will help you to follow along as we go – we will STOP the DVD at certain time to further discuss specific points
[start the DVD]
Part 1: The Errors
INPUT: Why are people running to hear this fabricated version of Jesus Christ instead of running to the Bible and the revealed truth about the real Jesus?
A: [various answers] + If the Jesus of the Bible is true, then we have to change!
• Even in fiction, the reader expects the background to be credible and accurate!
Example – WW II – Germany lost
[STOP after the various examples of how people are responding, right after Dr. Jim Garlow’s comment – @ 8 min 20 sec]
INPUT: Is this any different than how people have responded to Jesus in the past? [No!]
Historical Example: Reformation – getting the Word of God into the hands of the common person, and the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, etc.
NT Example: John 8 records the example of the Jews picking up stones to stone Him, and of course, later the crucifixion demonstrated the ultimate attack on His character
- the nation of Israel rejected Him – Judas betrayed Him – ALL the disciples forsook Him and fled (Peter cursing and swearing) – then God the Father turning His back on His own Son
- Remember, this isn’t the first time Jesus has faced rejection, and it won’t be the last!
- but in the END . . . Phil. 2:9-11 will be fulfilled … ‘every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father!”
OT Example: Genesis 3
1) Satan asked Eve: “has God said” [questioning God’s word]
2) Satan said, “you will not surely die” [calling God a liar] – tie that back into John 8:44
 John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 "But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 "Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."
3) Satan said, “For God know that the day you eat of it . . . “ [He’s really is bad, He doesn’t want you to be like Him]
Point: The DaVinci Code has roots that go all the way back to Gen. 3!
A. Major Errors: [next two weeks]
1. The New Testament is false testimony.
2. There were 80 Gospels to choose from, but only 4, not necessarily the most accurate ones, made it into the Bible.
3. Jesus was not thought to be divine until the 4th century church council of Nicea.
4. Jesus was secretly married to Mary Magdalene and they had a child together.
Point: The Source of The DaVinci Code ‘facts’ are not backed by any reputable historians.
B. Less Important Errors that undermine the books claim to be ‘factual’:
 Error: The Chief Murderer in the novel is an albino monk from the Catholic group Opus Dei
Fact: Opus Dei (Latin = the work of God) a real lay organization founded in 1928 has no monks and emphasizes piety and good works.
 Error: The Priory of Sion kept secret the marriage of Jesus
Fact: The Priory of Sion was created by a French con man, Plantard, who in 1993 admitted under oath to a French judge that he had fabricated all the documents relating to the Priory of Sion.
 Error: Constantine was a pagan
Fact: Constantine claimed to be a Christian.
 Error: Gnostic Gospels are more favorable to women
[Note: Gnostic = derives from Greek word "gnosis," which means "knowledge". The Gnostics believed that they were privy to a secret knowledge about the divine]
Fact: The Gnostic Gospels, unlike the Biblical Gospels, can be degrading to women
[STOP the DVD: 15 min. 31 sec. – immediately AFTER Amy Welborn’s comments]
INPUT: What is the real biblical view of women in the Bible?
 Eph. 5:25 – husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church
 1 Pet. 3:7 – husbands dwell with them in an understanding way – ‘fellow heirs of the grace of life’
 Gal. 3:28 – here is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
 Error: 5 million witches were murdered by the Church
Fact: Recently, historians established the number more to 30,000 – 50,000
[STOP the DVD right after the comments and before the next error presented’
[Note: What the Church does or does not do is NOT the standard of truth, the Word of God is the standard, and while there may be many interpretations of the Bible, there is only one ACCURATE interpretation – and the Church has failed many time to accurately interpret God’s Word, therefore they acted in a way that was NOT pleasing God – how about some modern day examples!!!]
 Error: The Dead Sea scrolls contain messages about Jesus that the Church tried to suppress.
Fact: The Dead Sea scrolls are Jewish writings that pre-date Christianity.
[Depending on the time: STOP DVD @ 18 min. 30 sec – AFTER Dr. Kennedy’s summary]
INPUT: What is your response so far?
Summary: Truth is exclusive, and two opposing views cannot both be right. Given the evidence that we studied in God Wrote a Book, who will you believe: Dan Brown or Moses, Samuel, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, and James?

Part 1 – The Art

“Leonardo was one of the keepers of the secret of the Holy Grail. And he hid clues in his art.” p. 230
‘Holy Grail’ = Mary Magdalene, the secret wife of Jesus and bore him a daughter
The DaVinci Code: Leonardo DaVinci hid clues in his art!
1. Reference to the name of Leonardo DaVinci – should be ‘Leonardo’ not simply “DaVinci”
2. Art historians advise not to look at The DaVinci Code for learning about art
 Claim: Mono Lisa is a self-portrait of Leonardo in ‘drag’
 Claim: In the Last Supper (one of Leonardo’s masterpieces), the person next to Jesus is NOT the beloved apostle John (author of the Gospel of John, and The Revelatian), but Mary Magdalene.
Note: No evidence any where that Leonardo communicated this!
Summary by Dr. Kennedy
Summary: Where is the beloved disciple John? So what if he did include Mary in his art?
[STOP the DVD immediately following the summary @ 24 min. 32 sec.]
INPUT: What does Matt. 26:20 say about who was present at the Last Supper?
 Matthew 26:20 When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve
– this would have included John, the Beloved Apostle, referred to as disciple whom Jesus loved (John 20:2; 21:7; 21:20)
- John even records his presence there with the Lord, very specifically:
 John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Summary: Is this really a book upon which we want to base our eternal destiny?
 Review Psalm 19:7-11
 Review Hebrews 4:12-13
 Review 2 Timothy 3:16-17
 Close with John 17:17 & Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
NEXT WEEK: Part 2
 What about the 4 biblical Gospels?
 What about the canon of the New Testament?
Homework: Read chps. 3 & 4 of DaVinci Code – A Quest for Answers