The DaVinci Set: Truth & Fiction in The DaVinci Code/Leonardo

by Bart D. Ehrman, Martin Kemp

This superb two-volume set combines a revealing look at the many historical inaccuracies to be found in The Da Vinci Code with a brilliant, brief account of the life and work of Leonardo, written by a leading authority on the great artist.

544 pages, Hardcover

Published November 15, 2005

About the author

Bart Denton Ehrman is an American New Testament scholar focusing on textual criticism of the New Testament, the historical Jesus, and the origins and development of early Christianity. He has written and edited 30 books, including three college textbooks. He has also authored six New York Times bestsellers. He is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Reviews

[Dawn Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much into dry non-fic about the bible but I was a little curious.

I know the DaVinci code was about Mary Magdalene being married to Jesus and I wasn't interested. To me whether she was or wasn't doesn't change the core of Christianity, that Jesus was born, died and was resurrected so that we could accept Him as our Saviour and go to Heaven. We're separated from God by sin. Jesus is the bridge between us and God. I didn't pay much attention to anything biblically critical or controversial unless it's about the core of Christianity. This stuff about Mary M. is unimportant to me but I was still curious as I like the idea of Jesus having a companion, a wife.

The book does a good job explaining what is considered reliable and likely and what is not. Mary Magdalene was never mentioned in the accepted gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Not once. That may not seem like a big deal but it's explained why the 4 gospels were the only ones accepted and why Mary Magdalene not being mentioned is not a problem. Those on the for Mary Magdalene side say that it was a big deal for a normal Jewish man to not be married and it would have been out of place and therefore worthy of mention if he had been single and since it wasn't mentioned, then he must have been married. Except the author explains that it was not unusual or a negative thing for a Jewish man not to marry.

I'll end this review by just stating that the idea of Jesus and Mary Magdalene being married is a nice thought, but that's all it is. And I'm satisfied by the this book's conclusions.

An excellent reference book, a great book to give to people who love The DaVinci Code book or movie. After all, they might not think the move has not rubbed off on them, shaped their beliefs but it could be really subtle and more on the unconscious side of things. The DaVinci Code could be just one layer of many of their religious beliefs.

[Lucy Busker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but effective, this book takes down the nonsense in The DaVinci Code. Ehrman has a gift for writing in accessible language without compromising the scholarly research.