Controversy About The Marriage Of Jesus In Dan Brown’s Novel The Da Vinci Code
2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Novel
A novel is a long narrative, normally in prose, which describes fictional characters and events, usually in the form of a sequential story.
WhileThe Rise of the Novel (1957) suggests that the novel came into being in the early 18th century, the continuous and comprehensive history of about two thousand years", with historical roots in of the
present generic English term in the 18th century.
Don Quixote was published in 1605.
While a more precise definition of the genre is difficult, the main elements that critics discuss are: how the narrative, and especially the plot, is constructed; the themes, settings, and character, and setting relate to
Popular fiction has dealt with almost any topic the modern public sphere has provided. Class and gender divisions are omnipresent in love stories: the majority of them harp on tragic confrontations that arise wherever a heroine of lower social status falls in love with a doctor, the wealthy heir of an estate or company, or just the Alpine farmer whose maid she happens to be. It is not said that these aspirations lead to
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happy endings. They can be read as escapist dreams of how to change social status by marriage; they are at the same time constant indicators of existing or imaginary social barriers. All major political confrontations of the past one hundred years have become the scenery of popular exploits, whether they focused on soldiers, spies, or on civilians fighting between the lines.
The authors of popular fiction–and that is the essential difference between them and their counterparts in the sphere of so-called elitist literature–tend to proclaim that they have simply exploited the controversial topics. Dan Brown does this on his website answering the question whether his Da Vinci Code could be called an "anti-Christian" novel:
“No. This book is not anti-anything. It's a novel. I wrote this story in an effort to explore certain aspects of Christian history that interest me. The vast of majority devout Christians understand this fact and consider The Da Vinci Code an entertaining story that promotes spiritual discussion and debate. Even so, a small but vocal group of individuals has proclaimed the story dangerous, heretical, and anti-Christian. While I regret having offended those individuals, I should mention that priests, nuns, and clergy contact me all the time to thank me for writing the novel. Many church officials are celebrating The Da Vinci Code because it has sparked renewed interest in important topics of faith and Christian history. It is important to remember that a reader does not have to agree with every word in the novel to use the book as a positive catalyst for introspection and exploration of our faith.”
The author of popular fiction has a fan community to serve and satisfy. He or she can risk rebuffing both the critical public and its literary experts in their search for interesting readings (as Dan Brown effectively does with his statement on possible readings of his novel). The popular author's position towards his text is generally supposed to be relaxed. Authors of other types of literature are by contrast supposed
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to be compelled to write. They follow (says the popular mythology) their inner voices, a feeling for injustice, an urge to face a personal trauma, an artistic vision. The authors of popular fiction have their own calling: they must not fail the expectations of their audiences. A covenant of loyalty and mutual respect is the basis on which the author of popular fiction continues his or her work. The typical branches of the production have no contact to mythologies of authorship.
2.2 Jesus in the Bible as Literature
Jesus, the proper, as Christ is the official, name of our Lord. To distinguish him from others so called, he is spoken of as "Jesus of Nazareth" ( "Jesus the son of Joseph"
This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was originally Hoshe Jeshua, whence the Greek form Jesus. It was given to our Lord to denote the object of his mission, to save (Matthew 1:21).
The life of Jesus on earth may be divided into two great periods, that of his private life, till he was about thirty years of age, that of his public life, which lasted about three years.
In the "fullness of time" he was born at Bethlehem, in the reign of the emperor Augustus, of Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter
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Wise men from the east came to Bethlehem to see him who was born "King of the Jews," bringing gifts with them Joseph's flight into Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus, where they tarried till the death of this ki Lower Galil years he went up to Jerusalem to the Passover with his parents. There, in the temple, "in the midst of the doctors," all that heard him were "astonished at his understanding and answers" (
Eighteen years pass, of which we have no record beyond this, that he returned to Nazareth and "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (
He entered on his public ministry when he was about thirty years of age. It is generally reckoned to have extended to about three years. “Each of these years had peculiar features of its own.
1) The first year may be called the year of obscurity, both because the records of it which we possess are very scanty, and because he seems during it to have been only slowly emerging into public notice. It was spent for the most part in Judea. 2) The second year was the year of public favor, during which the country had
become thoroughly aware of him; his activity was incessant, and his frame rang through the length and breadth of the land. It was almost wholly passed in Galilee. 3) The third was the year of opposition, when the public favor ebbed away. His
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felt a victim to their hatred. The first six months of this final year were passed in Galilee, and the last six in other parts of the land." (Stalker's Life of Jesus Christ, p. 45.).
2.3 Marriage in the Bible as Literature
Marriage is an intimate and complementing union between a man and a woman in which the two become one physically, in the whole of life. The purpose of marriage is to reflect the relationship of the Godhead and to serve him. Although the fall has marred the divine purpose and function of marriage, this definition reflects the God-ordained ideal for marriage from the beginning.
Genesis 1:26-27 declares that mankind was created in God's image with a plural composition of male and female, each separately in God's image (cf. defined in Scripture, contexts in which God's image are discussed must define the concept (cf. creativity (procreation), reasoning power, decision-making, and relationship.
The relational aspect of God's image is reflected in the bringing together of male and female in "one fl differences portrays various aspects of God's image: same nature and essence, equal members, intimate relationship, common purpose, and distinct personalities with different roles, including authority and submission. In the Trinity the Father leads, the Son submits to the Father, and the Holy Spirit submits to both the Father and the Son.
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However, all three are fully and equally deity. Likewise, male and female in the marriage relationship are of the same nature and essence, equal as persons (cf. different roles: the husband leads and the wife submits to his leadership (cf. the Godhead. Marriage, the most intimate human relationship, was appropriately chosen to reflect this relational aspect of the divine image. Each sex alone incompletely exhibits this part of the divine image. This open intimate relational aspect of God's image, reflected in marriage, was marred by the fall (cf. from God.
Marriage is the most basic and significant social relationship to humankind. This relationship must be nurtured and maintained for the welfare of all. Without marriage, society will fail.
God's design for marital relationship is heterosexual, not homosexual, and monogamous, not polygamous. This relational aspect of God's image in marriage has analogues portrayed in Yahweh's relation with Israel disobedience to Yahweh are frequently depicted as spiritual "adultery"
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which she was punished by captivity. Yahweh "divorced" his "unfaithful wife" restore her to faithfulness and holine
New Testament marriage imagery describes the relationship between Christ and his church (cf. is sacrificially loved by Christ, just as a husband should love his wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his b submissively to her husband's sacrificial love like the church submits to Christ's becoming holy and blameless before God, even as Christ presents the church without blemish to the Fathe the functional model for a marriage relationship.
God commanded the male and female to perform two specific functions: procreation ("fruitful and multiply") and ruling over the earth ("subdue" and "rule") female) receive God-ordained authority to rule over the rest of creation, but not over each other.
Human reproduction comes through intimate sexual union designed only for the marriage relationship. Cohabitation abuses the procreative nature of the marriage relationship. While reproduction is a divine purpose of marriage, some couples are
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unable to have children for various physical reasons. This does not make their marriage second-rate or inferior. However, a married couple should desire to obey the divine injunction of procreation if possible. Children are one manifestation of the "one flesh" of marriage.
2.4 Christian in the Bible as Literature
A dictionary definition of a Christian would be something similar to “a person professing belief in Jesus as the Christ or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus.” While this is a good starting point, like many dictionary definitions, it falls somewhat short of really communicating the biblical truth of what it means to be a Christian. The word “Christian” is used three times in the New Testam Antioc The word “Christian” literally means, “Belonging to the party of Christ” or a “follower of Christ.”
The Bible teaches that the good works we do cannot make us acceptable to God. Titus says, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” So, a Christian is someone who has been born again by G us that it is “…by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
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A true Christian is a person who has put faith and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ, including His death on the cross as payment for sins and His resurrection on the third day. John tells us, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” The mark of a true Christian is love for others and obedience to God’s Wor true Christian is indeed a child of God, a part of God’s true family, and one who has been given new life in Jesus Christ.
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Wise men from the east came to Bethlehem to see him who was born "King of the Jews," bringing gifts with them Joseph's flight into Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus, where they tarried till the death of this ki Lower Galil years he went up to Jerusalem to the Passover with his parents. There, in the temple, "in the midst of the doctors," all that heard him were "astonished at his understanding and answers" (
Eighteen years pass, of which we have no record beyond this, that he returned to Nazareth and "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (
He entered on his public ministry when he was about thirty years of age. It is generally reckoned to have extended to about three years. “Each of these years had peculiar features of its own.
1) The first year may be called the year of obscurity, both because the records of it which we possess are very scanty, and because he seems during it to have been only slowly emerging into public notice. It was spent for the most part in Judea. 2) The second year was the year of public favor, during which the country had
become thoroughly aware of him; his activity was incessant, and his frame rang through the length and breadth of the land. It was almost wholly passed in Galilee. 3) The third was the year of opposition, when the public favor ebbed away. His
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felt a victim to their hatred. The first six months of this final year were passed in Galilee, and the last six in other parts of the land." (Stalker's Life of Jesus Christ, p. 45.).
2.3 Marriage in the Bible as Literature
Marriage is an intimate and complementing union between a man and a woman in which the two become one physically, in the whole of life. The purpose of marriage is to reflect the relationship of the Godhead and to serve him. Although the fall has marred the divine purpose and function of marriage, this definition reflects the God-ordained ideal for marriage from the beginning.
Genesis 1:26-27 declares that mankind was created in God's image with a plural composition of male and female, each separately in God's image (cf. defined in Scripture, contexts in which God's image are discussed must define the concept (cf. creativity (procreation), reasoning power, decision-making, and relationship.
The relational aspect of God's image is reflected in the bringing together of male and female in "one fl differences portrays various aspects of God's image: same nature and essence, equal members, intimate relationship, common purpose, and distinct personalities with different roles, including authority and submission. In the Trinity the Father leads, the Son submits to the Father, and the Holy Spirit submits to both the Father and the Son.
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However, all three are fully and equally deity. Likewise, male and female in the marriage relationship are of the same nature and essence, equal as persons (cf. different roles: the husband leads and the wife submits to his leadership (cf. the Godhead. Marriage, the most intimate human relationship, was appropriately chosen to reflect this relational aspect of the divine image. Each sex alone incompletely exhibits this part of the divine image. This open intimate relational aspect of God's image, reflected in marriage, was marred by the fall (cf. from God.
Marriage is the most basic and significant social relationship to humankind. This relationship must be nurtured and maintained for the welfare of all. Without marriage, society will fail.
God's design for marital relationship is heterosexual, not homosexual, and monogamous, not polygamous. This relational aspect of God's image in marriage has analogues portrayed in Yahweh's relation with Israel disobedience to Yahweh are frequently depicted as spiritual "adultery"
(4)
which she was punished by captivity. Yahweh "divorced" his "unfaithful wife" restore her to faithfulness and holine
New Testament marriage imagery describes the relationship between Christ and his church (cf. is sacrificially loved by Christ, just as a husband should love his wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his b submissively to her husband's sacrificial love like the church submits to Christ's becoming holy and blameless before God, even as Christ presents the church without blemish to the Fathe the functional model for a marriage relationship.
God commanded the male and female to perform two specific functions: procreation ("fruitful and multiply") and ruling over the earth ("subdue" and "rule") female) receive God-ordained authority to rule over the rest of creation, but not over each other.
Human reproduction comes through intimate sexual union designed only for the marriage relationship. Cohabitation abuses the procreative nature of the marriage
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unable to have children for various physical reasons. This does not make their marriage second-rate or inferior. However, a married couple should desire to obey the divine injunction of procreation if possible. Children are one manifestation of the "one flesh" of marriage.
2.4 Christian in the Bible as Literature
A dictionary definition of a Christian would be something similar to “a person professing belief in Jesus as the Christ or in the religion based on the teachings of Jesus.” While this is a good starting point, like many dictionary definitions, it falls somewhat short of really communicating the biblical truth of what it means to be a Christian. The word “Christian” is used three times in the New Testam Antioc The word “Christian” literally means, “Belonging to the party of Christ” or a “follower of Christ.”
The Bible teaches that the good works we do cannot make us acceptable to God. Titus says, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” So, a Christian is someone who has been born again by G us that it is “…by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
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A true Christian is a person who has put faith and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ, including His death on the cross as payment for sins and His resurrection on the third day. John tells us, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” The mark of a true Christian is love for others and obedience to God’s Wor true Christian is indeed a child of God, a part of God’s true family, and one who has been given new life in Jesus Christ.