Scholars who have read Mithras literature refute Brown's claims. They say Mithras was never called “the Son of God and Light of the World,” as Brown claims. Mithras was also never said to be “buried in a rock tomb, and then resurrected in three days,” as Brown claims. His comparison is simply false and easily discredited.

Did Jesus marry Mary Magdalene and appoint her to lead the church
There exists no evidence for either claim and much evidence against them. In a literary sleight of hand, Brown even inserts words in his main “source,” the discredited Gospel of Philip (which Brown mistakenly says was written in Aramaic - in reality, it was Greek), to make it appear to say something (that Jesus kissed Mary on the mouth) that isn't even in that text.

The earliest, most widespread, most historically credible documents - the four New Testament Gospels - mention Mary as a devoted disciple who received an exorcism from Jesus and witnessed His death and resurrection appearance. That is all we know.

In summary, The Da Vinci Code is like a gleaming used car whose odometer has been altered and its documents falsified-a nice-looking lemon. Buyer beware.

Sources for this article, or to do further research:

Not InDavincible by James Patrick Holding, Tekton Apologetics, www.tektonics.org.

Was Jesus Married to Mary Magdalene? by Dr. Darrell Bock, abcnews.com/sections/World/Primetime/da_vinci_code_031112.html

Deciphering ‘The Da Vinci Code' by Dr. Albert Mohler, crosswalk.com/news/weblogs/mohler/1212006.html.

The Da Vinci Code: Is Christianity a Big Lie? by Dr. Mike Ladra www.fpcsalinas.org

General Introduction to the Bible by Norman Geisler and William Nix. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by F.F. Bruce New Testament Evidences by Wallace Warwick The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell Why I Believe (series and booklet) by Chip Ingram

Excerpted from EdgeNotes, the bi-monthly newsletter of Living on the Edge. Used with permission. Copyright 2004 by Chip Ingram. All rights reserved. About the author: Chip Ingram is President of Walk Thru the Bible in Atlanta, GA, and Teaching Pastor of Living on the Edge, a national radio ministry.

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