DECODING DAVINCI

Part 2

(2 Tim 4:3-4 NKJV) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Today we’ll look at:

1. The Gnostics

2. The Divine Feminine

3. The Deity of Christ

Section 1

The Gnostics

Nag Hammadi

The Gospel of Judas

Gnostic Beliefs

1. Material is evil, spiritual is good.

2. Salvation comes from secret knowledge.

Which is older?

• New Testament – all written before 90 AD

• The Gospel of Thomas – around 150 AD

• Remaining Gnostic writings – between third and ninth centuries AD.

Strange sayings

From the Gospel of Philip:

‘…God is a man-eater. For this reason men are [sacrificed] to him. Before men were sacrificed animals were being sacrificed, since those to whom they were sacrificed were not gods.’

Strange sayings

From the Gospel of Thomas :

114. Simon Peter said to them, "Make Mary leave us, for females don't deserve life." Jesus said, "Look, I will 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 the kingdom of Heaven."

Strange sayings

• From the Gospel of Mary Magdalene:• Chapter 5: 1) But they were grieved. They wept

greatly, saying, How shall we go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of the Son of Man? If they did not spare Him, how will they spare us? 2) Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her brethren, Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for His grace will be entirely with you and will protect you. 3) But rather, let us praise His greatness, for He has prepared us and made us into Men.

Why were they rejected?

1. They weren’t old enough

2. They got their theology wrong.

3. Bogus history.

4. Fake authors.

Section 2

The Divine Feminine

Why Women are smarter …

Why Women are smarter …

Why Women are smarter …

Why men can’t even babysit …

Why men can’t even babysit …

Why men can’t even babysit …

Why men can’t even babysit …

The claim:

Mary was supposed to be in charge.

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 16:9 NKJV)

“Langdon’s Jewish students always looked flabbergasted when he first told them that the early Jewish tradition involved ritualistic sex. In the Temple, no less. Early Jews believed that the Holy of Holies in Solomon’s Temple housed not only God but also His powerful female equal, Shekinah. Men seeking spiritual wholeness came to the Temple to visit priestesses - or hierodules – with whom they made love and experienced the divine through physical union.” (pg. 309)

Huh?

Brown claims that Leonardo’s worship of the goddess and the feminine can be seen in his Mona Lisa painting. That name comes from two Egyptian deities: the god Amon and the goddess Isis, whose “ancient pictogram was once called L’ISA. The title Mona Lisa, then, is really “an anagram of the divine union of male and female. (p. 120-121).

The Truth?None of Leonardo’s paintings were

named by him.The Mona Lisa was catalogued by

author Giorgio Vasari in his book Lives of the Artists (1550) , thirty years after Leonardo’s death. It was he who first called it the Monna Lisa, which in English was shortened to Mona Lisa. It simply means Madame Lisa, and refers to the likely subject: Lisa Gherardini del Giocondo, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

Who is this?

The Last Supper

Mary?Jo

hn?

Claim:

The church has made sex to be something shameful.

Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

(Heb 13:4 NKJV)

Could Jesus have been married?

Problems: 1. There is no mention in Scripture of Jesus ever being married.

2. He was already engaged.

To us.

“The Jewish Tetragrammaton YHWH—the sacred name for God—in fact derived from Jehovah, an androgynous physical union between the masculine Jah and the pre-Hebraic name for Eve, Havah” (p. 309).

The TruthAncient Hebrew – consonants only

H drv th cr t th str

He drove the car to the store

YHWH

adonai

YaHoWaH = Jehovah

= LORD

The Truth

The Claim:

The church has suppressed women

The Truth

Judaism: “Woman was not taken from man's head to rule over him, or from his foot to be trodden on by him, but from his side to be his companion.”

The Truth

Where would you rather live?

In a Muslim Country?

In a Hindu Country?

There 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.

(Gal 3:28 NKJV)

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

(Rom 1:22-25 NKJV)

Section 3

The Deity of Christ

Was Jesus truly God in the flesh?

The Council of Nicaea …

“At this gathering,” Teabing said, “many aspects of Christianity were debated and voted upon – the date of Easter, the role of the bishops, the administration of sacraments, and, of course, the divinity of Jesus.” “I don’t follow. His divinity?” “My dear,” Teabing declared, “until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet … a great and powerful man, but a man nonetheless. A mortal.” “Not the Son of God?” “Right,” Teabing said.

“Jesus’ establishment as ‘the Son of God’ was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea.” “Hold on. You’re saying Jesus’ divinity was the result of a vote?” “A relatively close vote at that,” Teabing added. “Nonetheless, establishing Christ’s divinity was critical to the further unification of the Roman empire and to the new Vatican power base. By officially endorsing Jesus as the Son of God, Constantine turned Jesus into a deity who existed beyond the scope of the human world, an entity whose power was unchallengeable. This not only precluded further pagan challenges to Christianity, but now the followers of Christ were able to redeem themselves only via the established sacred channel – the Roman Catholic Church.”

The Truth• The Roman Catholic church didn’t come into

existence until around 600 AD, 275 years after the Council of Nicaea.

• The purpose of the Council was to deal with the heresy of Arius, who taught that Jesus was not God, but just a human

• 318 Bishops gathered to vote.

• 316 voted against Arius.

a Close vote?

1. The Old Testament speaks of His deity

How do I know that Jesus is God?

(Isa 9:6 NKJV) 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.

2. He called Himself God.

How do I know that Jesus is God?

(John 10:30 NKJV) "I and My Father are one."

3. The Jews understood that Jesus was calling Himself God.

How do I know that Jesus is God?

(John 10:33 NKJV) The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."

4. The apostles called Him God to His face.

How do I know that Jesus is God?

(John 20:28 NKJV) And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

5. He received and approved worship from humans.

How do I know that Jesus is God?

(Mat 14:33 NKJV) Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

6. The apostles called Him God in their writings.

How do I know that Jesus is God?

(Titus 2:13 NKJV) looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

7. Even God calls Him God.

How do I know that Jesus is God?

(Heb 1:8 NKJV) But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.

Why is this important?

1. There are other Jesus-es.

(2 Cor 11:2-4 NKJV) For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. {3} But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. {4} For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted; you may well put up with it!

Why is this important?

1. There are other Jesus-es.

Why is this important?

2. The payment for our sins depends upon it.

(Rom 3:23 NKJV) for all have sinned…

(Rom 6:23 NKJV) For the wages of sin is death…

(Heb 10:14 NKJV) For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.