15. Mary Magdalene Was Not From The Tribe of Benjamin
One of the most important claims of The Da Vinci Code is that Mary Magdalene descended from the tribe of Benjamin. The first king of Israel, King Saul, came from the tribe of Benjamin, so someone who came from his line would potentially have claim to a royal, or at least ecclesial, throne today. As such, the holy grail actually refers to the royal blood, that of Jesus and Mary Magdalene’s child and her descendants, who are effectively in hiding until the truth can be revealed.
The problem with this claim is that Mary Magdalene was probably not from the tribe of Benjamin. The tribe of Benjamin was situated in the southern part of the ancient kingdom, whereas Magdala – the name “Magdalene” means “from Magdala” – was in the north. Additionally, there are no sources from the period that attest to Mary Magdalene being from the tribe of Benjamin. The claim comes largely from the 1982 book Holy Blood, Holy Grail, which is more speculation than history.
Additionally, there would not have been anything particularly special about the tribe of Benjamin during the time of Jesus. The descendants of King Saul were not seen as possessing any legitimacy to the throne of Israel.