The Da Vinci Code; The Spiritual Truth
Denial of the Holy Spirit of God
                a biblical perspective by Penny Olive

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5

I feel called at times to provide clear direction and understanding concerning things that come to us from the culture, and from outside of biblical context. When I was recently led by the Lord to read The Da Vinci Code, I knew that this would be one of those times.

There has been much written and much said about the various issues that The Da Vinci Code raises: issues of fact versus fiction; historical error; slander. An Endnote of several references that deal with these various issues can be found at the end of this commentary.

The issue that I would like to address, however, and where I feel lies the real concern, is in The Da Vinci Code's inherent denial, and at times blasphemy, of the Holy Spirit of God.

Concerning denial of the Holy Spirit:
If the Holy Spirit does not exist, then we have not been born again of the Spirit, we have not received the Gifts of the Spirit - indeed they do not exist - and finally, we do not have the gift of Eternal Life. To deny the Holy Scriptures - which is the inherent premise of The Da Vinci Code - is to deny the Person of the Holy Trinity Who inspired them, the Holy Spirit Himself:
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2Peter 1:20-21

Concerning blasphemy of the Holy Spirit:
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit occurs when we identify a work of the Holy Spirit as a work of the demonic realm. Jesus was very clear, and did not mince words, when it came to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit:
"I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Jesus said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Mark 3:28-30

Note the words never be forgiven and eternal sin.

Serious and somber warning for any Christian who would entertain even lightly any concept put forward in The Da Vinci Code that would identify a work of God accomplished through the Holy Spirit, as originating from a pagan, occulted, or demonic image or personae.

I will address these issues of denial and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit from a biblical perspective. The format I will use will be to first present The Da Vinci Code concept, including page number(s), followed by a brief comment as well as the Bible passages that speak to the issue at hand.

Quick Look Menu
The Bible was rewritten by Constantine
Christianity finds its origin in paganism
Jesus solely human
No such thing as Original Sin
Woman as sacred creator god
Mary Magdalene assigned by Jesus as founder of the Church
Jesus married, has child with Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene portrayed as Divine Mother
Intercourse moment vehicle to union with God
Faith based on fabrication

The Da Vinci Code Concept: The Bible was rewritten by Constantine
One of Brown's characters makes a statement that the Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven, and that in 325 A.D. Constantine rewrote the Bible in a political move to unify Rome under a single religion.
Pages 231, 234

Scripture Truth: The Bible is the inspired Word of God
This erroneous Da Vinci Code concept, denial of the Bible as the inspired Word of God, is inherent throughout the entire book, and is clearly a denial of the work of the Holy Spirit.

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2Timothy 3:16-17

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2Peter 1:20-21



The Da Vinci Code Concept: Christianity finds its origin in paganism
This erroneous concept tells us that Constantine fused pagan symbols, dates, and rituals into Christianity, and that Christianity finds its origin in pagan images, linking the following to pagan myths and symbols.
Page 232

Scripture Truth: Church Tradition & Scripture finds its origin in the mind of God
The very serious error and the very serious spiritual danger to Christians who entertain this idea that Christianity finds its origin in paganism, is that to pervert a work of the Holy Spirit (included here are Church Tradition and Biblical sources), in other words to name its origin as that of an occulted and pagan practice or personae, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the eternal sin spoken of by Jesus, the sin that will not be forgiven.

Addressing the pagan images mentioned in this particular Da Vinci Code excerpt:

Labeling the work of the Holy Spirit as pagan, occult:
"I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Jesus said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Mark 3:28-30

Cost of falling away:
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Hebrews 6:4-6

There is a sin that leads to death.
1John 5:16b

Church Tradition & Scripture passed on - the sanctifying work of the Lord:
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
2Thessalonians 2:13-15

I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding the teachings (traditions), just as I passed them on to you.
1Corinthians 11:2

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
1Corinthians 15:1-5

Glory of God visibly manifest in Jesus:
 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son whom I love. Listen to him!" As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
Mark 9:2-4, 7, 15

Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Son of God:
 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."
Luke 1:35

God-breathed Scripture testifies to Jesus as light of the world:
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 8:12

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
John 1:3-5

Institution of the Holy Eucharist:
"For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
1Corinthians 11:23-30

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."
John 6:53-63

The Da Vinci Code Concept: Jesus solely human
The Da Vinci Code presents Jesus as solely human, not divine, not born of a virgin, and not resurrected from the dead. The book tells us that the divinity of Jesus was written into his history at the Council of Nicaea, as a convenient political ploy for the propagation of Christianity. We are told that the stories written about Jesus in the Bible were stolen from pagan religions.
Pages 231-233

Scripture Truth: Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit
Denial of the divinity of Christ is not a new heresy but an old one, and one that has surfaced many times. Presenting Jesus as solely human is blatant denial of the Holy Spirit, as it is the Holy Spirit of God Himself Who came upon the Virgin Mary, to conceive in her womb Jesus, the Son of God.

When it was said about Jesus that he had an evil spirit, and that he was casting out demons by the prince of demons, Jesus warned them about blaspemy against the Holy Spirit, through Whom Jesus was casting out demons. To identify a work of God accomplished in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, as originating in paganism, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the eternal sin that will not be forgiven.

Identifying the source of the life of Christ with paganism:
"I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Jesus said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Mark 3:28-30

Conceived by the Holy Spirit:
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:18

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."
Luke 1:34-35

Son affirmed by the Father through the Holy Spirit:
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:16-17

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
Luke 3:21-22

The Da Vinci Code Concept: No such thing as Original Sin
The concept is presented that the power of the female and her ability to produce life was once very sacred, but because it posed a threat to the rising patriarchal church, the sacred feminine was demonized and called unclean. We are told that it was man, and not God, who created the concept of Original Sin; woman, once the sacred giver of life, was now the enemy.
Page 238

Scripture Truth: All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God
The very serious problem with this Da Vinci Code concept is that, if there is no Original Sin, if man indeed has created the concept of Original sin, then we don't need a Redeemer, we don't need a Cross, we don't need a Resurrection, we don't need a Saviour.

As Scripture describes in the Book of Genesis the fall of man - how man and woman desired to be like God and the consequences thereof - this is again denial of the work of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Bible itself.

Furthermore, concerning the consequences of Original sin, if we take a closer look at the genealogy of Adam, we can see that this particular genealogy is not just about whom begets whom; the main purpose of this genealogy is to show that death has now entered the world. In the beginning, man was created in the likeness of God; later we read that Adam has a son in his own likeness, in his own image. And then, we are continually told in the genealogy: "and then he died", "and then he died", "and then he died", "and then he died". Death has now entered upon the human world stage. Oh yes, we do need a Saviour.

Denial of Scripture = Denial of the Holy Spirit:
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2Peter 1:20-21

Fall of humankind:
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"
"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Genesis 3:1-7

Death through Original Sin:
This is the written account of Adam's line.
When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man".
When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image, and he named him Seth. After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died. Genesis 5:1-5
Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and then he died. Genesis 5:8
Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died. Genesis 5:11
Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years,and then he died. Genesis 5:14
Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years,and then he died. Genesis 5:17
Altogether, Jared lived 962 years,and then he died. Genesis 5:20

...and now in the midst of death, comes a promise of life:
Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. Genesis 5:23-24

When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed."
After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died.
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. Genesis 5:28-32

Jesus tells Peter in Matthew 18:21-22, that we need to forgive our brother when he sins against us, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. After Lamech, who lives interestingly enough 777 years and then dies, God will do a new thing through Noah and his sons.

Life through the Spirit:
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Romans 7:24-8:4

The Da Vinci Code Concept: Woman as sacred creator god
The Da Vinci Code presents woman as the one who was there in the beginning, bringing forth life, the creator. Woman's biological ability to have children is elevated to the miraculous: having the power to create life; woman is therefore a sacred god.
Page 309

Scripture Truth: God is our Creator
This idea of woman as goddess is both a pagan and occult concept.

As Scripture tells us, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth; God is Creator of both man and woman. Interestingly, Scripture also tells us that woman herself was taken from man. God created humankind and blessed them, by His Word, to be fruitful and to increase in number. Our fruitfulness is a gift from Him.

The Da Vinci Code puts in the place of the Holy Spirit, Who was hovering over the waters in the beginning, this pagan & occult concept of the sacred goddess. The book implies that the work of God, the Holy Spirit Who hovered over the waters in the beginning, has actually been accomplished by a sacred goddess, a pagan & occult being - the work of the demonic in other words. This is blasphemy against the Person of the Holy Spirit of God, which as the Scripture tells us, is an eternal sin, with no forgiveness in sight.

God created the heavens and the earth:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
Genesis 1:1-2

God created humankind:
So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said,
"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called 'woman', for she was taken out of man."
Genesis 2:21-23

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
Male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number."
Genesis 1:26-28a

The Da Vinci Code Concept: Mary Magdalene assigned by Jesus as founder of the Church
A Da Vinci Code character explains that in the unaltered Gospels, those written before Constantine supposedly rewrote the Christian Gospels that we have today, Jesus gave directions to Mary Magdalene, not Peter, to establish the Church; Jesus intended that the future of the Church be in the hands of Mary Magdalene.
Pages 247-248

Scripture Truth: Church established by Jesus under Peter
Once again, denial of Scripture verse is denial of the work of the Holy Spirit. It is also written that Jesus said that he did nothing on his own, but speaks just what the Father has taught him. And he accomplished this through the power of the Holy Spirit. Denial of the words of Jesus to Peter, is denial of the Holy Spirit.

The Son speaks just what the Father has taught him:
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."
John 8:28-29

Revelation through the Father & Peter established as head of the Church:
Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
Matthew 16:16-18

The Church, a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit:
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22

Denial of words of Christ & Scripture = Denial of the Holy Spirit in Christ:
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2Peter 1:20-21

The Da Vinci Code Concept: Jesus married & has child with Mary Magdalene
According to The Da Vinci Code, earthly aspects of Jesus' life were omitted from the Bible to reinforce the idea that Jesus was divine, specifically his marriage to Mary Magdalene. We are told that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a child, Sarah.
Pages 244, 249, 255

Scripture Truth: The Son of Man has no place to lay his head
Scripture verse indicates that Jesus had no human marital family ties. Jesus provided for his mother from the Cross; he would have done the same for his wife, and how much more so for his only child! In addition, the conversation between Mary Magdalene and Jesus at the tomb immediately following his Resurrection was clearly that of disciple and teacher, and not husband and wife.

This perversion of Scripture verse finds its origin in the pagan & the occult, and is both denial of, and blasphemy of, the Holy Spirit. This book is looking at Jesus Christ, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and adding to that Spirit-filled life, aspects of the pagan and occult world. And according to Scripture Word, there are dire consequences to anyone who would add, or take away, words from God's Holy Word. And Jesus is the Word made flesh.

No place to lay his head, meaning no earthly home:
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Matthew 8:20

Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Luke 9:58

Provision for his Mother, provision for us:
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
John 19:26-27

Encounter with Mary Magdalene the disciple:
Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, "Woman why are you crying?"
"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
John 20:11-18

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: "He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him." Now I have told you.
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
Matthew 28:1-2, 3-10

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When whey heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
Mark 16:9-11

Changing the Word of God to suit our fancy, a warning:
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22:18-20
Read Revelation 15:6 to 16:21

Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.
Proverbs 30:5-6

Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.
Deuteronomy 4:1-2

Warning against blasphemy:
"I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Jesus said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Mark 3:28-30

Our God, the Servant King:
"In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."
Daniel 7:13-14


The Da Vinci Code Concept: Mary Magdalene portrayed as Divine Mother
Mary Magdalene is presented as the bearer of Christ's child, of royal lineage, being of the family of David through Jesus, and the family of Benjamin through Mary Magdalene. On the last page of the book, the main character of the book, having figured out the last clue, "She rests at last beneath the starry skies", falls to his knees to pray before the bones of Mary Magdalene, who is worshiped as "Divine Mother".
Pages 248, 249, 255, 454

Scripture Truth: Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is the Mother of God
There is also in The Da Vinci Code a perverse attempt to usurp the place of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary; Mary is the Mother of God. Mary Magdalene was simply a disciple of Jesus Christ, nothing more - as the Scriptures indicate. Mary, the Mother of Jesus - and not Mary Magdalene - is the Heavenly Mother Scripture speaks of in Revelation 12, and those who "obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus", are her "offspring". To claim otherwise is a rejection of Holy Scripture, and thereby a rejection, a denial, of the Holy Spirit, Who inspired Scripture.

I would venture to say that Mary Magdalene herself, and many other souls in the heavenlies, are saddened at the perverse insinuations being made in The Da Vinci Code. May the Lord have mercy on us.

Jesus conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary's womb:
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."
Luke 1:35

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:18

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."
Luke 1:34-35

Divine Sonship affirmed by Father:
As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:16-17

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
Luke 3:21-22

Mary, Mother of God, Heavenly Queen, Heavenly Mother:
A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.
She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to his throne.
And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
But the earth helped the woman by opened its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring - those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.
Revelation 12:1-2, 5, 7, 13, 16-17

Scripture inspired by the Holy Spirit:
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2Peter 1:20-21

The Da Vinci Code Concept: Intercourse moment vehicle to union with God
The Da Vinci Code tells us that the climatic moment of intercourse will bring spiritual wholeness and communion with God. Physical union, intercourse with woman, is presented as the revered union of the two halves of the human spirit - male and female - through which the male could find spiritual wholeness and achieve knowledge of the divine and communion with God.
Pages 308-309

Scripture Truth: The Holy Spirit will teach all things
This is blatant denial of the Person and work of the Holy Spirit.

In John 14 through John 16, Jesus speaks to us at length about the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus teaches us that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the Counselor, will teach us all things and will be with us forever. Scripture tells us that it is the Counselor, the Holy Spirit of God, who will lead us into all Truth.

The work of the Holy Spirit:
When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
John 16:13-16

Read John 14 through 16

The Da Vinci Code Concept: Faith based on fabrication
One of the characters in the Da Vinci Code says that every faith in the world is based on fabrication, insinuating of course that the Bible is based on fabrication. Faith is defined as the acceptance of that which we imagine to be true, that which we cannot prove. We are told that every religion describes God through metaphor, allegory, and exaggeration. "Metaphors are a way to help our minds process the unprocessible. The problems arise when we begin to believe literally in our own metaphors.
Pages 341-342

Scripture Truth: Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit
Faith is not about how much, or how hard, we believe, but whom we put our faith in; faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit:
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of the one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
1Corinthians 12:7-11

Faith in the Son of God:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

God is Faithful:
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age - and Sarah herself was barren - was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.
Hebrews 11:11


In closing, I would like to point out that this book, The Da Vinci Code, presents itself to the Reader in quite a beguiling and insidious way: both doubt and perversion of Scripture text and Tradition insinuate simultaneously into the mind and thinking of the Reader.

For those of you who have read the book, when you hear the name of Mary Magdalene, does a strand of doubt cast its shadow across your mind? If so, I would suggest to you the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where, with the help of your Confessor-Priest, you can firmly renounce and close this door behind you.

For the abomination that causes desolation can be set up where it does not belong, in your very mind.

Let the Reader understand. Mark 13:14b

Dear friends in Christ, we truly are in the times Paul is speaking of in 2Timothy 4:1-5: People are not putting up with sound doctrine and are indeed turning away from the Truth and turning aside to myths.

It is my hope and prayer that through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, ancient and established Scripture Truth and Tradition will prevail in our hearts & minds, against this modern-day myth that is The Da Vinci Code. It is my hope and prayer that this commentary will help us all to be prepared in and out of season.

But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,
discharge all the duties of your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:5




Additional Sources:

Jesus Decoded
U.S. Conference of Bishops' website
Website Address: http://www.jesusdecoded.com/
Visit Jesus Decoded

The Da Vinci Hoax, Exposing the Errors in The Da Vinci Code
by Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel, IGNATIUS
also available online through EWTN Global Catholic Network
Website Address: http://www.ewtn.com/index.asp
Visit EWTN Global Catholic Network

The Truth About The Da Vinci Code
52 minute talk by Fr. TerrY Donahue CC, February 4, 2006
Companions of the Cross
Website Address: http://www.companionscross.ca/davincicode/
Visit Companions of the Cross
available in Mp3 (18Mb) or PDF format
Resources: Da Vinci Code Rebuttals, Historical Reliability of the Bible

Counterfeit Code: Answering The Da Vinci Code Heresies
by James A. Beverley
ISBN 1-897213-01-8

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All rights reserved   ©   Penelope Olive 2001