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Further evidence that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were not married is the fact that in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul cites reasons why men should marry.  Darrell L. Bock, P.H.D. writes about this evidence against Jesus’ marriage in the following excerpt:

Further evidence that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were not married is the fact that in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul cites reasons why men should marry.  Darrell L. Bock, P.H.D. writes about this evidence against Jesus’ marriage in the following excerpt:

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"First Corinthians 9:4–6 may be the most important text for this topic. It reads, “Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?” Paul noted in this aside that the apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas (Peter) had the right to a wife. In other words, they had every right to be married. It would have been simple for Paul to add that Jesus was married—had He been. Such a point would have sealed his argument, but he did not make that point…This 1 Corinthians 9 passage shows that the church was not embarrassed to reveal that its leaders were married—or to suggest that they had the right to be. The same would have been true of Jesus if He had been married. In fact, had Jesus been married, there would have been no better place for Paul to say it than here. It would have clinched Paul’s case that he also had the right to be married. Paul did not mention it because Jesus had not been married.

''First Corinthians 9:4–6 may be the most important text for this topic. It reads, “Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?” Paul noted in this aside that the apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas (Peter) had the right to a wife. In other words, they had every right to be married. It would have been simple for Paul to add that Jesus was married—had He been. Such a point would have sealed his argument, but he did not make that point…This 1 Corinthians 9 passage shows that the church was not embarrassed to reveal that its leaders were married—or to suggest that they had the right to be. The same would have been true of Jesus if He had been married. In fact, had Jesus been married, there would have been no better place for Paul to say it than here. It would have clinched Paul’s case that he also had the right to be married. Paul did not mention it because Jesus had not been married.''</blockquote>

If it were true, Jesus’ marriage would have been a significant addition to Paul’s argument –but it is not mentioned.  Perhaps this is because Jesus was not married."(Bock 42)

If it were true, Jesus’ marriage would have been a significant addition to Paul’s argument –but it is not mentioned.  Perhaps this is because Jesus was not married."(Bock 42)

The Da Vinci Code assumes Jesus must be married “because Jesus was a Jew and the social decorum during that time virtually forbade a Jewish man to be unmarried. According to Jewish custom, celibacy was condemned.”  Actually, celibacy was not condemned, nor was it even looked down upon.  (Bock 53)  Several Jewish sects—most notably the Essenes—lived celibate lives dedicating their time wholly to their religion. Additionally, many Jewish prophets and teachers were unmarried and chose to remain celibate: Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and many scholars believe, Paul.  It was a way of expressing total devotion to God, but those who did choose to marry were not viewed as any less. (Welborn 60)  In an article, Archbishop George H. Niederauer points out that when Brown talks about Jesus’ marriage, he “stresses the importance of the social decorum at that time. If “social decorum” had been a high priority for Jesus he wouldn’t have healed people on the Sabbath, talked to the Samaritan woman at the well, knocked over the moneychangers’ tables in the Temple, or socialized often with public sinners.” (Niederauer 2)

The Da Vinci Code assumes Jesus must be married “because Jesus was a Jew and the social decorum during that time virtually forbade a Jewish man to be unmarried. According to Jewish custom, celibacy was condemned.”  Actually, celibacy was not condemned, nor was it even looked down upon.  (Bock 53)  Several Jewish sects—most notably the Essenes—lived celibate lives dedicating their time wholly to their religion. Additionally, many Jewish prophets and teachers were unmarried and chose to remain celibate: Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and many scholars believe, Paul.  It was a way of expressing total devotion to God, but those who did choose to marry were not viewed as any less. (Welborn 60)  In an article, Archbishop George H. Niederauer points out that when Brown talks about Jesus’ marriage, he “stresses the importance of the social decorum at that time. If “social decorum” had been a high priority for Jesus he wouldn’t have healed people on the Sabbath, talked to the Samaritan woman at the well, knocked over the moneychangers’ tables in the Temple, or socialized often with public sinners.” (Niederauer 2)

Dan Brown is responsible for feeding millions of readers a pack of lies cleverly wrapped up as a historically accurate novel.  Critics have sung its praises since its publication in 2001, extolling its artistic virtues as well as its historical ones.

Dan Brown is responsible for feeding millions of readers a pack of lies cleverly wrapped up as a historically accurate novel.  Critics have sung its praises since its publication in 2001, extolling its artistic virtues as well as its historical ones.

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“Calling Dan Brown's latest novel, The Da Vinci Code, simply a "smart suspense novel" is like referring to Harvard as simply a pretty good university. Incorporating massive amounts of historical and academic information is no easy task, but Brown does it in such a seamless fashion that it is almost invisible within the story's natural narrative.</blockquote> (The Mystery Reader)

''Calling Dan Brown's latest novel, The Da Vinci Code, simply a "smart suspense novel" is like referring to Harvard as simply a pretty good university. Incorporating massive amounts of historical and academic information is no easy task, but Brown does it in such a seamless fashion that it is almost invisible within the story's natural narrative.''</blockquote> (The Mystery Reader)

In addition to the critics, audiences are also profoundly impacted by the book’s “historical” content, as Archbishop George H. Niederauer, D.D., Ph.D describes in an article:

In addition to the critics, audiences are also profoundly impacted by the book’s “historical” content, as Archbishop George H. Niederauer, D.D., Ph.D describes in an article:

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"A young friend of mine met a classmate from Catholic high school who told him that she was seriously thinking of giving up her faith after reading “The Da Vinci Code”. My friend said, “You’d give up your faith because of a novel?” She answered, “Oh, but it’s all true!” (How Dark the Con of Man)</blockquote>

''A young friend of mine met a classmate from Catholic high school who told him that she was seriously thinking of giving up her faith after reading “The Da Vinci Code”. My friend said, “You’d give up your faith because of a novel?” She answered, “Oh, but it’s all true!''(How Dark the Con of Man)</blockquote> Oh, but it’s not true!  And therein lays the tragedy: millions have been presented with a tangled, inaccurate and dishonest representation of history, of Christianity and of Jesus Christ.  Dan Brown is fond of Leonardo Da Vinci’s quote, “how dark the con of man.”  I must agree with Brown on this one point.  How dark the con of man indeed.  Every component of the “Da Vinci myth” has crumbled and fallen to pieces upon close scrutiny and examination.  But the damage caused by the book is not undone…in fact, far from it.  As Mark Twain said,  

Oh, but it’s not true!  And therein lays the tragedy: millions have been presented with a tangled, inaccurate and dishonest representation of history, of Christianity and of Jesus Christ.  Dan Brown is fond of Leonardo Da Vinci’s quote, “how dark the con of man.”  I must agree with Brown on this one point.  How dark the con of man indeed.   

<blockquote>''A lie is half way round the world while the truth is still putting its boots on.'' </blockquote> If nothing else, The Da Vinci Code teaches a lesson on how susceptible people are to believing an attractively-packaged lie, and how vitally important it is that the truth is broadcasted earnestly by those who know it.   

 

Every component of the “Da Vinci myth” has crumbled and fallen to pieces upon close scrutiny and examination.  But the damage caused by the book is not undone…in fact, far from it.  As Mark Twain said,  

<blockquote>“A lie is half way round the world while the truth is still putting its boots on.” </blockquote> If nothing else, The Da Vinci Code teaches a lesson on how susceptible people are to believing an attractively-packaged lie, and how vitally important it is that the truth is broadcasted earnestly by those who know it.