1. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 1 “Dan Brown's best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code delivers it all: A riveting tale of international intrigue set against a backdrop of religious history. The book has 25 million copies in print and has spent more than two years on the New York Times Bestseller List for Hardcover Fiction.”

2. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 2 * Was Jesus Married to Mary Magdalene and was she an “apostle”??? * Would Jesus Being Single be Un-Jewish? * Do the So-Called Secret, Gnostic Gospels Help Us Understand Jesus? * How Were the New Testament Gospels Assembled?

3. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 3 …sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 1 Peter 3:15

4. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 4 Gnosticism, broadly construed, recognizes two deities: the Demiurge-(flawed and wicked creator of a flawed and wicked material world) -who is often equated with the God of the Old Testament; and the "good God," the Father of Jesus, who sent his Son to show humans the way of salvation from the corrupt material world. Salvation, under Gnosticism consists primarily of acquiring secret knowledge, or gnosis. According to the Gnostics, an agent or one employed by the Supreme Being to create the material universe and man. [1913 Webster]

5. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 5 Writings – “Gospel of Phillip”; “Gospel of Thomas”; “Gospel of Truth”; “Gospel of Judas“ & others beginning in mid-second century The Gospel of Thomas: “Simon Peter said to them, "Mary should leave us, for females are not worthy of life." Jesus said, "Look, I shall guide her to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter heaven's kingdom."

6. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 6 Valentinus – Combined Greek mysticism with Christianity to produce Gnostic system; died 160 AD Marcion – God of OT different than God of NT;140 AD Arius – late 300’s - early 400’s AD. – “the Son of God was not eternal,” addressed in the Council of Nicea

7. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 7 “The Gospel of Truth” & The Gospel of Judas” “For if what they have published is the Gospel of truth, and yet is totally unlike those which have been handed down to us from the apostles, any who please may learn, as is shown from the Scriptures themselves, that that which has been handed down from the apostles can no longer be reckoned the Gospel of truth.” - Irenaeus 180 AD

8. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 8 The Da Vinci Code draws on Gnostic writings and modern re-interpretations of those works as well as a pseudohistory of Christian faiths along the lines of that presented in “Holy Blood, Holy Grail.” A controversial non- fiction book by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln, - based on Pierre Plantard's Priory of Sion hoax. The book was first published in 1982

9. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 9 Argues that there is evidence that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, had one or more children, and that those children or their descendents emigrated to what is now southern France. Once there, they intermarried with the noble families that would eventually become the Merovingian dynasty, which is championed today by a secret society called the Priory of Sion.

10. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 10 The Jesus Papers: Exposing the Greatest Cover-Up in History is a controversial 2006 book by author Michael Baigent. He explores the detailed history of Jesus' life and crucifixion, claiming that a set of papers backs his claims

11. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 11 Sara James, Dateline correspondent: You believe that much of what we think we know about Jesus is a lie? Michael Baigent, author: It’s a lie. It’s an obvious lie. James: So basically, you’re asking anybody who is a Christian to question their fundamental beliefs? Baigent: Absolutely. Dateline NBC News - aired Sunday, April 2 2006

12. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 12 James: Some might call your position heresy. Baigent: I should hope they would. James: So you’re saying that there’s a cover up? Baigent: There is a cover up. Of course there’s a cover up.... I don’t think Jesus died at the crucifixion. I think he survived. Dateline NBC News - aired Sunday, April 2 2006

13. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 13 “The Last Temptation of Christ” – Nikos Kazantzakis “The Sacred Mushroom” – John M. Allegro “The Secret Gospel” - Christ, The Master Magician – Morton Smith “The Jesus Scroll” – Jesus survived the cross and died at 80 “Jesus Christ Superstar” –1973

14. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 14 “All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.” Dan Brown, Author

15. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 15 the Today Show October 10, 2005. Matt Lauer: “How much of this is based on reality in terms of things that actually happened.” Brown: “Absolutely all of it... is historical fact.”

16. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 16 Good Morning America Nov 3, 2003, Charlie Gibson: “How would the book have been different if he had been writing it as a work of non-fiction. Brown: “I don’t think it would have [been different].”

17. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 17 Supposedly, a secret European society founded in 1099 to protect a secret – Jesus’ marriage to Marry Magdalene, and had a daughter, Sarah... FACT: The Priory of Sion a European secret society founded in 1099 – is a real organization. Page 1

18. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 18...The very existence of this society “as presented by Brown and others” is based on documents forged by Pierre Plantard which were exposed in a series of French Books and a BBC documentary in 1996 as a HOAX FACT: The Priory of Sion a European secret society founded in 1099 – is a real organization. Page 1

19. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 19 – “Da Vinci’s Code” – National Geographic – “Da Vinci’s Code” – 5/20/2006 – Confirmed that the entire “Prior of Sion” claim is false! FACT: The Priory of Sion a European secret society founded in 1099 – is a real organization. Page 1

20. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 20 Da Vinci - Grand master of the Priory of Sion 1510- 1519 – Fascinated with “goddess iconology, paganism, feminine deities, and contempt for the church.” – pg. 113

21. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 21 The Sacred Feminine’ Was Covered Up By Church Authorities.” “The ancients envisioned their world in two halves – masculine and feminine. Their Gods and Goddesses worked to keep a balance of power. Yin and yang.” (p36)

22. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 22 *Church leaders (some mysterious Catholic order (“The Opus Dei” ) hid this secret. *Long-suppressed Gospels—such as the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Thomas, and the Gospel of Philip—now are finally telling us the truth.

23. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 23 “Mary Magdalene… her marriage to Jesus Christ… a matter of historical record.” p. 244 Actual transcript from the Gnostic ‘gospel’ of Philip 3rd Century! “And the companion of - (HOLE) -Mary Magdalene - (Absent) - her more than the disciples… kiss her…” 'The (Second) Apocalypse of James', - "'And he (Jesus) kissed my mouth. He took hold of me, saying, "My beloved! Behold I shall reveal to you those (things) that (neither) [the] heavens nor their archons have known....

24. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 24 *“The Holy Grail” is not the cup but Mary Magdalene *Mary Magdalene carried the royal bloodline of Jesus *“Behold, Teabing proclaimed, the greatest cover-up in history, Not only was Jesus Christ married, but he was a father...” pg. 249 –

25. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 25 According to the Da Vinci Code this is not John, but Mary Magdalene. Mary is the “Holy Grail” and the “V” symbolizes Jesus and Mary’s relationship… she would carry His bloodline through a daughter named Sarah. What’s the significance of the “V” Formed by Jesus and “John?” Not a PICTURE but a painting, painted by a PAGAN!!

26. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 26 Scripture references present Mary as a devoted disciple, but there is not a hint of any kind of romantic relationship between Jesus and Mary or that they married and had children together.

27. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 27 *“Up until 325 AD disciples of Jesus held Him to be a great teacher, but not Lord and not deity” *Constantine and the Council of Nicea introduced the teachings about the Lordship and deity of Christ in 325 AD

28. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 28 “Constantine turned Jesus into deity who existed beyond the scope of the human world, an entity whose power was unchangeable.” p. 233

29. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 29 “Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ’s human traits and embellished those gospels that made Him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned.” (p234)

30. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 30 “Jesus’ establishment as the ‘Son of God’ was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea…A relatively close vote at that.” (p233)

31. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 31 John 1:1-3 (NKJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

32. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 32  Clement of Rome (95);  Hermas of Rome (95);  Ignatius of Antioch (110);  Polycarp of Smyrna (117,118).  “The Teachings of the Apostles” (The Didache) (100).

33. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 33 The Council of Nicea did discuss the controversy between the followers of Arius and of Athanasius. Athanasius and most of the church leaders believed that Jesus was purely and simply God in the flesh come to earth. Arius thought Jesus was some kind of specially-created being, not mere humanity but not fully God either. Neither side in this controversy would have agreed with Dan Brown.

34. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 34 The close vote on the deity of Jesus. Some historians say that it was 218-2. Pretty lop-sided.... Some historians who disagree that the vote was 218-2, say it was 300- 2. We’re dealing with an author in The DaVinci Code who just isn’t honest with the facts.

35. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 35 “The Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven… The Bible is a product of man, my dear. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book.” (p231)

36. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 36 “There’s an enormous difference between hypothetically discussing an alternate history of Christ, and…” He paused.... “And presenting to the world thousands of ancient documents as scientific evidence that the New Testament is false.” (p. 341)

37. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 37 2 Peter 1:21 (NKJV) for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

38. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 38 1.66 books... 1,500+ years... about 40 different writers 2.Written in three languages... Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic 3.Written by writers from very different backgrounds – shepherds, fishermen, doctors, lawyers, kings, tax collectors 4.From Genesis to Revelation,. a harmonious unfolding story of sin and redemption. Jesus Christ is the focus!!

39. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 39 Dr. Norman Geisler stated it this way, “A book is not the Word of God because it is accepted by the people of God. Rather, it was accepted by the people of God because it is the Word of God. That is, God gives the book its divine authority, not the people of God. They merely recognize the divine authority which God gives to it.” [General Introduction to the Bible, 210].

40. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 40 The very Evidence Disallowed By Unbelievers, (i.e. the scriptures, over 5,000 manuscripts), Would Become Scientific Proof If They Were NOT SCRIPTURE!!!!

41. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 41 “every faith in the world is based on fabrication. That is the definition of faith - acceptance of what we imagine to be true, that which we cannot prove.” (p. 341)

42. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 42 A FAITH based upon fabrication and lies is a wrong, UNSUBTANTIATED FAITH!! FAITH based upon credible and sufficient evidence is different – it can be proved beyond a reasonable doubt!!

43. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 43 Hebrews 11:1,13 (NKJV) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.... [13] These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.... [13] These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

44. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 44 Romans 10:17 (NKJV) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

45. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 45 1 Peter 1:23-25 (NKJV) having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,... [25]... the word of the Lord endures forever."

46. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 46 Matthew 24:35 (NKJV) Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

47. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 47 Jesus IS The Son of God - John 20:30-31; Col 1:13-22; John 3:34- 36 God Has Warned that Some Would Deny Christ - Acts 20:28-30; 2 Pet 2:1; 3:1-2 God has said that there would be Doctrines Denying the Nature and Role of Jesus - 1 John 1:1-5; 2:18-19; 22; 4:1-3; 5:20-21

48. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 48 GOD? John 17:17 (NKJV) Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

49. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 49 1 Peter 3:15 …sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

50. Don McClain W 65th St church of Christ - 5/21/2006 50