University“…to understand how corrupt

Christianity is.”

High School“…to see how religion lies.”

How we got the bible we have today…

A quick overview

CLAIM… CLAIM…

“Constantine commissioned and

financed a new Bible…” (The Da Vinci Code, p234)

“Constantine commissioned and

financed a new Bible…” (The Da Vinci Code, p234)

“The Bible as we know it today, was

collated by the pagan emperor

Constantine the Great.”

(The Da Vinci Code, p231)

“The Bible as we know it today, was

collated by the pagan emperor

Constantine the Great.”

(The Da Vinci Code, p231)

CLAIM… CLAIM…

History proves that the bible was set at least 100-150 years

before Constantine and the Council of Nicea…in fact

history proves that they didn’t even discuss the formation of

the Bible at the Council

History proves that the bible was set at least 100-150 years

before Constantine and the Council of Nicea…in fact

history proves that they didn’t even discuss the formation of

the Bible at the Council

TRUTH… TRUTH…

CLAIM: “More than eighty gospels

were considered for the New

Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

among them.”

(The Da Vinci Code, p231)

TRUTH: There are only 21 (34), and

the 4 that are in the Bible are the only ones written at the time of Jesus, by people that knew Jesus, saw Jesus and

interacted with Jesus.

• In addition to the four canonical gospels

• we have four complete noncanonicals

• seven fragmentary• four known from quotations• two hypothetically recovered• Ex. The Gospel of Judas (AD 170)

Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyons – France)

Beware of fictitious history like the writer of the

Gospel of Judas

(adv. Haer A.D. 180)

Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyons – France)

“It is not possible that the Gospels [Matthew, Mark,

Luke, John] can be either more or fewer in number

than they are…” (circa A.D. 181)

Tertullian (A.D. 206 – North Africa)

Accepted only the four Gospels.

[Matthew, Mark, Luke and John]…“are the only

indisputable ones in the church of God…we have approved

solely what the church has recognized, which is that only the

four Gospels should be accepted.”

Origen (A.D. 244-254 – Egypt)

Aside from the four Gospels we have in the Bible today, no other Gospel was written closer than

150 years after the time of Jesus…they were written by

authors that did not know Jesus and cannot be believed as reliable witness to the life and teachings

of Jesus

Aside from the four Gospels we have in the Bible today, no other Gospel was written closer than

150 years after the time of Jesus…they were written by

authors that did not know Jesus and cannot be believed as reliable witness to the life and teachings

of Jesus

CLAIM… “…some of the gospels

Constantine attempted to eradicate…survived [in] the Dead Sea Scrolls….” (The Da Vinci Code, p234)

CLAIM… “The scrolls highlight

glaring historical discrepancies and fabrications…” (The Da Vinci

Code, p234)

Not one New Testament document

was found

Not one New Testament document

was found

HISTORICAL TRUTH…

HISTORICAL TRUTH…

10

200

How many manuscriptsdo you have?

How many manuscriptsdo you have?

The Bibliographical TestThe Bibliographical Test

•The New Testament:

manuscripts

24,63324,633

The Bibliographical TestThe Bibliographical Test

What is the #2 manuscript

authority after the New Testament?

The Bibliographical TestThe Bibliographical Test

“The Iliad” by Homer

643 manuscripts

The Bibliographical TestThe Bibliographical Test

Iliad: 643

New Testament – 24,633

The Bibliographical TestThe Bibliographical Test

•No historical document is more reliable

•Historians use and trust the geography of the Bible

•There are no errors in the Bible

•It is not a product of a man or men

•The Bible is God’s Word to God’s people

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

•The Bible is God’s Word to God’s people

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Comment from the Da Vinci Code Question Cards

If the book of Phillip is missing parts and had to be filled-in, how many texts were guessed at?

Comment from the Da Vinci Code Question Cards

If the book of Phillip is missing parts and had to be filled-in, how many texts were guessed at?