A Lawyer Rebuts The Da Vinci Code Part iii By Randall K Broberg, Esq.
Da Vinci Code Attacks On & Divinity of Jesus
Jesus preached the kingdom of God, not himself. The historical Jesus and the Jesus of the early church bear little resemblance to one another. Even more tenuous is the connection between the historical Jesus and later Christianity.
Da Vinci Code on Nicaea The church later created a picture of Christ that would portray him as the divine Son of God and divinity became official at the Council of Nicea in the 4 th Century AD
DV Code on Jesus until that moment in history [AD 325, the Council of Nicaea], Jesus was viewed by his followers as a mortal prophet a great and powerful man, but a man nevertheless. Not the Son of God? Right Jesus establishment as the Son of God was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea a relatively close vote at that (233)
Da Vinci Code Attacks Divinity of Christ The notion that Jesus was divine was first proposed by Emperor Constantine in 325 AD at the Council of Nicene until that moment in history, Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet (Teabing, p. 233). Thousands of documents depicting Jesus life as a mortal man were in existence (p. 234)
Paula Fredriksen, Prof., Boston Univ. No one during Jesus' lifetime (including the man himself) considered Jesus to be the Messiah.
THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST IN THE EARLY CHURCH Apostolic Period AD 30-100 Persecuted Church AD 100-300 Imperial Church AD 300-500 Source: Apostles Source: Fathers Source: Councils Teaching: Christ is Divine Teaching: Christ is Divine Teaching: Christ is Divine
THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST IN THE APOSTOLIC PERIOD
Jesus Divinity in Mark, c. 50 AD 1:1,9-11 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.
Jesus Divinity in Matthew, c 60 AD 1:22-23 -- All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means, God with us.
Jesus Divinity in Luke, c 65 AD 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, Friend, your sins are forgiven. 22:70 -- They all asked, Are you then the Son of God? He replied, You are right in saying I am.
John 1 :1-15, c. 70 AD 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 18 No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only,who is at the Father's side, has made him known.
Jesus Divinity in Paul s Epistles Titus, c 60 AD Titus 2:13 --while we wait for the blessed hope the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Jesus Divinity in Paul s Epistles Colossians, c. 60 AD Colossians 1:15-17, 19 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together... For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST IN THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
Justin Martyr (100-165 AD): "...the Father of the universe has a Son; who being the logos and First-begotten is also God (First Apology 63:15).
Irenaeus (130-200 AD): (referencing Jesus) "...in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Savior, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father,..." (Against Heresies I, x, 1)
Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD): "Both as God and as man, the Lord renders us every kind of help and service. As God He forgives sin, as man He educates us to avoid sin completely" (Christ the Educator, chapter 3.1). In addition, "Our educator, O children, resembles His Father, God, whose son He is. He is without sin, without blame, without passion of soul, God immaculate in form of man accomplishing His Father's will" (Christ the Educator Chapter 2:4).
Tertullian (150-225 AD): "...the only God has also a Son, his Word who has proceeded from himself, by whom all things were made and without whom nothing has been made: that this was sent by the Father into the virgin and was born of her both man and God. Son of Man, Son of God,..." (Against Praxeas, 2).
Hippolytus (170-236 AD): "And the blessed John in the testimony of his gospel, gives us an account of this economy and acknowledges this word as God, when he says, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.' If then the Word was with God and was also God, what follows? Would one say that he speaks of two Gods? I shall not indeed speak of two Gods, but of one; of two persons however, and of a third economy, the grace of the Holy Ghost" (Against the Heresy of One Noetus. 14).
THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST IN THE IMPERIAL CHURCH
Arius (250-336 AD) Arius was a presbyter in Alexandria under bishop Alexander. Arius believed that the uniqueness of God was compromised by the doctrine of the Trinity, because as God his nature could not be divided. Arius teachings grew popular and the bishop of Alexandria, Alexander, removed him from office. He composed jingles and set his doctrines to music. "there was [a time] when he was not."
Council of Nicaea 325 AD Called and Chaired by Emperor Constantine 318 bishops + presbyters and deacons = over 2,000; 18 Arian Bishops 41 days DATE NAME CALLED BY 325 Nicaea Constantine I ISSUES 1. Hetero-ousions different 2. Homo-ousios same 3. Homoi-ousius - similar Chosen by council: Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.
Divinity of Christ Circular Attack Christ Can t Be Divine Eyewitnesses Would Have Known Christ Wasn t Divine Christ Made Divine By Church Much Later
Fight the good fight of the faith. 1 Tim 6:12
1 Thess. 2:13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.