In the popular novel The Da Vinci Clode, it is claimed that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, and had a child. But this claim cannot be substantiated. Here‘s a quote from The Da Vinci Code, “Since the days of Constantine, the Church has successfully hidden the truth about Mary Magdalene and Jesus.” (p534)

ie. For 1700 years, ‘The Church’ has supposedly kept everyone in the dark about this secret relationship. Dan Brown says (through the character Leigh Teabing) that Jesus’ marriage to Mary Magdalene is “a matter of historical record” (p329). This is simply false.

The BIBLE is the best and the most widely accepted historical record we have of life of Jesus, and yet whenever Jesus’ family is mentioned, his brothers and sisters are referred to but never a wife. Also, when Jesus was crucified, he showed no concern for Mary Magdalene (who was there) but did for his Mother.
(For more information on this, see www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com)

Darryl Bock, a research professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary said: “Most scholars have long believed that Jesus was single….No early Christian text we possess, either biblical or extra biblical, indicates the presence of a wife during [Jesus’] ministry, His crucifixion, or after His resurrection. Whenever texts mention Jesus’ family, they refer to His mother, brothers, and sisters but never to a wife.” Breaking the Da Vinci Code, p41

What’s the problem with suggesting Jesus married? In the New Testament, the true Christian Church is portrayed as the Bride of Christ who will one day be united with Jesus. Would this picture have made sense to Christians if Jesus already had a wife?

‘Evidence’ for the claim that Jesus was married is based on the Gnostic works which were written years after the four gospels we have today, whereas the eye-witness accounts of Jesus make no mention of a wife.

Another ‘evidence’ put forward in The Da Vinci Code for Jesus’ marriage is “The Last Supper” portrait by Leonardo Da Vinci. It is claimed that the artist included Mary Magdalene – seated next to Jesus – in the portrait. But is this accurate?

[1] Shelley Esaak..a portrait artist..writer and educator says -
“..in all of the hubbub over The Da Vinci Code, and the ensuing John vs. Mary Magdalene flap, one thing is often overlooked. Leonardo was from the Republic of Florence and received his artistic training in a workshop of the Florentine School. The Florentine School had a long tradition of often depicting young males as sweet, pretty, rather effeminate persons. Why? Well, it was simply how it was done. It was tradition… So, by the time Leonardo was working on The Last Supper, he was simply the latest in a long line of artists to portray a young man (in this case, St. John the Evangelist) as feminine looking.” www.arthistory.about.com/od/renaissanceart/a/altheyoungdudes.htm

[2] “Did Da Vinci not paint Magdalene to Jesus’ right in The Last Supper? Professor Judith Veronica Field of the University of London, president of the Leonardo da Vinci Society, scoffs at it as “absurd.””

http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=75690

[3] “The concept that the Last Supper shows Mary Magdalene is rejected by art historians. Leonardo’s portrayal of men in a soft, almost effeminate way is well known and is considered a typical representation of young men for that time period.”
www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com

Also, Jack Wasserman…a professor of the history of art, said that
“Virtually everything that Dan Brown says about Leonardo is false.”

The theory isn’t credible; and why would Leonardo Da Vinci paint a picture of the last supper and leave the Apostle John out? That would make him lose credibility!

For all we know, Mary Magdalene could have been 65 years old in the time of Jesus. It is sheer assumption that she was a 20-30 year old brunette.

No, there’s no solid evidence that Jesus was married, even from the Gnostic Gospels which Dan Brown quotes. Jesus’ mission was to preach, teach, make disciples, and save people from their sins, and He had a very short period of three years in which to do this work. The Christian Church is His bride, not Mary Magdalene.

David Hunt

“Prayer is God’s mightiest instrument in the salvation of souls, and it is to be doubted if any soul is saved apart from the believing prayers of some saint.”
J. Oswald Sanders

“Great soul-winners have always been those who longed for and prayed for souls.”
Wesley Duewel

“Conversion is the operation of the Holy Spirit, and prayer is the power that secures that operation.”
Oswald J. Smith

“The birth of a natural child is predated by months of burden and days of travail; so is the birth of a spiritual child.”
Leonard Ravenhill

“Real prayer summons God’s convicting Spirit, putting in man’s heart a want for a cure.”
Dick Eastman

There are countless stories of how God has protected people from harm and danger – often in remarkable ways! It goes back to Bible times, with God protecting Jacob from a revenge-hungry brother, Daniel from lions, and Peter from Herod (who had just killed James). God continues to protect people in amazing ways, and you may have your own stories to tell.

This is not to say that God always protects His people. He allowed James and Stephen to be martyred, and Jesus foretold that Peter would die a martyr’s death. Many Christians in the 21st century have been imprisoned or killed for their faith. But the fact remains that God can protect His children any time He wants to – and often does!

Several years ago I was preaching on this topic at a church in Sydney, and said to the audience, ‘Maybe some of you have been divinely protected.’ After the sermon a man came up to talk with me and shared his story…

Before he became a Christian, he was once riding his motorbike at 143 miles per hour. (Not kilometres, miles!). He crashed, and was caught between his bike and a telegraph pole. The next thing he knew, he was lying in a hospital bed. The first thing he saw was a Bible. He began to read it, and was subsequently saved. God protected him because He had a good plan for his life.

God is able to rescue people from danger because He’s on the throne and is the Almighty, Sovereign God.

David Hunt