The Vatican Secrets That Could Rewrite 2,000 Years of History

[00:00:00] Now, interestingly enough, the archives [00:00:01] of the Vatican do open up every once in [00:00:03] a while. Do they really? I know at least [00:00:05] two people who have been in the private [00:00:07] library in the Vatican. There's a very [00:00:09] important manuscript called Codex [00:00:10] Vaticanis, named after the Vatican. Why [00:00:12] would they archive this stuff into some [00:00:14] secret chamber? I mean, do you think [00:00:16] that's what Christ would want? If the [00:00:18] Vatican has artifacts that help to prove [00:00:21] the existence of Jesus Christ, that [00:00:23] proof would also help people come to [00:00:26] faith a lot easier. Wes Huff, welcome to [00:00:29] the show. It's a pleasure to be here. [00:00:31] >> We got this thing that we do before the [00:00:32] big interview. We're trying it out for [00:00:34] 2026 called the hot question. [00:00:36] >> Okay. You ready? [00:00:37] >> Hit me. [00:00:38] >> All right. What is the Vatican still [00:00:40] hiding that could change the story of [00:00:42] Jesus? And how do we know it's not just [00:00:45] internet lore? H, that is an interesting [00:00:48] question. You know what? There are these [00:00:50] kind of catchalls that I find people [00:00:53] like the boogeyman. Like if you have a [00:00:56] conspiracy theorist, dump it on the [00:00:58] Vatican. Dump it on Constantine. Dump it [00:01:01] on the Council of Nika because they're [00:01:03] easy. And as far as anybody's aware, [00:01:06] they're unfalsifiable, [00:01:08] >> right? Like what what are you going to [00:01:09] You're going to scour the halls of the [00:01:11] Vatican. Now, interestingly enough, the [00:01:13] archives of the Vatican do open up every [00:01:16] once in a while. Do they really? I know [00:01:17] at least two people who have been in the [00:01:19] private library in the Vatican because [00:01:21] they have documents. Up until recently [00:01:24] there's a very important manuscript [00:01:25] called Codex Vaticanis named after the [00:01:27] Vatican and it's one of these uh they [00:01:31] call them the great cotices. There are a [00:01:32] few copies of what we would consider a [00:01:35] Bible like a Genesis to revelation all [00:01:38] in one volume uh from the time period [00:01:41] when those would first have been started [00:01:43] to being made cuz prior to that they [00:01:47] were just individual books floating [00:01:48] around. So, you would have had a copy of [00:01:50] the Gospel of John or a copy of the [00:01:52] Psalms or a copy the Torah was typically [00:01:55] put all in one like the first five [00:01:56] books, but uh it's exorbitantly [00:02:00] expensive to put that many books all in [00:02:04] one volume. And so, after Constantine [00:02:07] decriminalizes Christianity in 312 at [00:02:09] the piece of the church at the the edict [00:02:12] of Milan, you have this opportunity. [00:02:14] Christians are coming out of the [00:02:15] woodwork. they're allowed to be part of [00:02:17] society and as almost a peace offering [00:02:20] to some of the really advanced level [00:02:24] persecution that was experienced in the [00:02:26] emperors prior under guys like the [00:02:28] emperor Diolesian who had these mandates [00:02:32] of like total empirewide persecution. So [00:02:35] persecution against Christians was it [00:02:37] was pocketed. It wasn't like um [00:02:40] empirewide all the time. But under guys [00:02:43] like Daclesian it was pretty bad. Um and [00:02:46] so Constantine sees this and as a peace [00:02:49] offering some of the the these ancient [00:02:52] writings describe him commissioning [00:02:54] these Bibles being put together and the [00:02:57] early Christians would have seen these [00:02:59] largely as kind of like mini libraries. [00:03:01] So they include books we consider [00:03:03] scripture but they also include other [00:03:05] books that nobody consider scripture. Um [00:03:08] but they're all in one volume. And so [00:03:10] that's the first time. So, Codex [00:03:11] Vaticanis is one of these and uh up [00:03:15] until not that long ago, [00:03:19] some academics would have had some like [00:03:23] the the ability to look at them, but [00:03:25] largely you were you were dealing with [00:03:28] like photocopies [00:03:29] >> um and prints and uh you know a decade [00:03:33] or so ago they digitized the whole thing [00:03:36] and I know at least two people who have [00:03:37] been able to go and see the real McCoy. [00:03:39] So, [00:03:41] every once in a while they do open up, [00:03:43] but in terms of like the real secret [00:03:45] secrets buried in the basement of the [00:03:47] Vatican, I mean, your guess is as good [00:03:49] as mine. Do you think they're in there? [00:03:52] I mean, I'm sure there there's something [00:03:54] in there. I don't know. We always want [00:03:56] there to be a story that's more [00:04:00] sensational, don't we? Very true. Yeah. [00:04:03] I think I think most of the time these [00:04:07] these [00:04:08] uh entities are probably more inept than [00:04:12] they are malevolent. And so um not to to [00:04:17] discount that there are, you know, [00:04:20] things happening going on behind the [00:04:21] scenes, but um is that true in the [00:04:26] Vatican? It could be. [00:04:27] >> Why would the Vatican I mean why would [00:04:29] they archive this stuff into some secret [00:04:31] chamber? I mean, do you think that's [00:04:33] what Christ would want or what God would [00:04:36] want? [00:04:37] >> Yeah. I mean, [00:04:37] >> to to hide all the evidence [00:04:40] >> and make it make it harder to achieve [00:04:43] faith cuz that's essentially what it [00:04:45] does. If there's am I wrong or am maybe [00:04:48] I'm wrong but I mean if there's if the [00:04:51] Vatican has artifacts that help to prove [00:04:54] the existence of Jesus Christ [00:04:56] >> then [00:04:58] >> that proof would also help people come [00:05:01] to faith a lot [00:05:03] >> easier and I don't think God would have [00:05:05] left it behind [00:05:06] >> to not strengthen faith. [00:05:09] >> Yeah. I think in hiding it [00:05:11] >> everything in those types of categories [00:05:13] are probably publicly available. Okay. [00:05:15] >> I mean the I'm not a Roman Catholic, [00:05:17] right? So I'm not I I have no qualms [00:05:20] with defending the or not defending the [00:05:22] Vatican. Um and and you know I actually [00:05:26] so uh we were filming in Italy the last [00:05:29] spring and we did a tour of the Vatican [00:05:32] and I you know there is something about [00:05:35] there's an awe and a transcendence to [00:05:37] the amount of stuff that they have [00:05:38] gathered from the ancient world. Um, I [00:05:41] think there's also something to say [00:05:43] about opulence and maybe even godliness. [00:05:47] Um, that that's part of the [00:05:48] conversation. Uh, do I think that that's [00:05:52] what Christ would want? I mean, I'm not [00:05:56] necessarily here to to say that. Uh, but [00:06:01] I'm not a Roman Catholic, right? So as a [00:06:02] as a product of the historical [00:06:04] Protestant Reformation, I do think that [00:06:06] there are excesses that have gone on [00:06:07] within the Roman Catholic Church that [00:06:09] needed correction and still do. Yeah, [00:06:12] there's a follow on here too. [00:06:15] If we strip the conspiracy away, what's [00:06:17] the most realistic thing the Vatican [00:06:19] could be sitting on? Letters, records, a [00:06:22] manuscript category that would actually [00:06:24] move the needle, who actually gets [00:06:26] access to these archives? H yeah, I mean [00:06:30] there there are all sorts of things that [00:06:31] are possible and probable. Like I don't [00:06:35] doubt that there are some artifacts that [00:06:37] the Vatican maybe hasn't made public in [00:06:40] terms of uh historical documentation. I [00:06:43] I can't say one way or the other cuz I [00:06:45] don't have any evidence for it. It would [00:06:46] be complete speculation. But there are [00:06:49] so many things that are publicly [00:06:51] available especially in terms of the [00:06:54] evidence pointing for something like the [00:06:58] historicity of Jesus or the historical [00:07:00] case for the Bible. One more thing added [00:07:04] to that. I don't think there is any [00:07:07] thing that would necessarily make or [00:07:09] break a case at this point in my [00:07:12] personal perspective. the case for [00:07:14] something like the historical [00:07:15] reliability of the Bible and the [00:07:17] historical case for the contents of what [00:07:20] it's communicating is is so solid that [00:07:25] anything that's added to that is just [00:07:27] bolstering the case. And so we have so [00:07:32] much publicly available evidence for [00:07:35] these things that has been known for the [00:07:38] last almost 2,000 years. So, if the [00:07:42] Vatican does have something that kind of [00:07:45] adds to that, I think it would largely [00:07:48] be icing on a cake. [00:07:49] >> Gotcha. Gotcha. I I actually have [00:07:51] another question. This is totally [00:07:53] unrelated and um since this isn't going [00:07:55] to be in the interview, I'm just going [00:07:56] to ask it now. [00:07:58] You know, something that I've been [00:08:00] working on since uh actually I worked on [00:08:03] it quite a bit last year is uh idolizing [00:08:07] >> [ __ ] [00:08:08] >> materialistic things, human beings, [00:08:11] whatever it may be. And um and so uh it [00:08:16] actually I started working on this cuz I [00:08:18] had a car, same car we rode in this [00:08:20] morning. Was really proud of it. [00:08:22] >> Now I I'm I'm actually embarrassed of [00:08:24] it. But, uh, hail stom hit and I threw a [00:08:27] [ __ ] vit in front of my three-year-old [00:08:29] son. It It destroyed the car the car. [00:08:33] >> And then I f I was like, [00:08:35] >> "This is ridiculous. I just lost my [ __ ] [00:08:38] because of a [ __ ] car in front of my [00:08:39] three-year-old son. I look like a [00:08:41] complete idiot. That will never happen [00:08:43] again." And and from that point forward, [00:08:46] I just made um I made the decision to [00:08:48] No, I'm I'm That was idolizing something [00:08:50] that is a [ __ ] vehicle. I'm never [00:08:53] going to do that again. And so I I I I [00:08:56] just really I did some self-reflection [00:08:58] and I I I thought about things and [00:09:00] realized I'm there's a lot of [00:09:02] materialistic things that I am idolizing [00:09:04] and this is embarrassing and not who I [00:09:07] am. And so I got rid of a lot of those [00:09:09] things [00:09:09] >> or I am getting rid of a lot of those [00:09:11] things [00:09:12] >> because they're not important. Car is [00:09:14] going to be one of them. But um anyway, [00:09:16] so what am I getting at? I'm getting at [00:09:19] we're talking about the Catholic Church [00:09:20] and and and and keeping [00:09:24] um relics [00:09:26] >> from the ancient world hidden from from [00:09:28] from [00:09:30] humanity. Even if they do open it up, [00:09:32] it's hidden. They're idolizing those. Am [00:09:34] I wrong? [00:09:35] >> Should we be even if even if it is from [00:09:37] Christ or God or a relic from that time, [00:09:40] should we be idolizing those? Would [00:09:42] Jesus have idolized that? [00:09:44] >> Yeah. I think we actually have test [00:09:46] cases of this in scripture. In not [00:09:49] necessarily the New Testament, but in [00:09:50] the Old Testament, you have instances [00:09:51] where the Israelites are getting sick. [00:09:54] They're being bitten by snakes. And God [00:09:56] tells Moses to [00:09:58] basic to to make this bronze serpent on [00:10:01] a pole and you put the bronze serpent up [00:10:03] and everybody who looks on the serpent [00:10:05] is healed from the snake bites. And [00:10:07] realistically, what I think this is is [00:10:09] it's pointing to Christ, right? you [00:10:10] know, the the thing that's raised up and [00:10:12] that the looking upon this thing uh is [00:10:15] what what heals you. But at a certain [00:10:18] point in time, people start to idolize [00:10:21] the serpent and they got to they got to [00:10:24] get rid of it. Same thing with the the [00:10:26] ephogs, the dress that the priests wear [00:10:29] there were stones on them and that this [00:10:31] was one of the ways that God [00:10:32] communicated with the priests in the [00:10:34] temple. And we have instances within the [00:10:37] Old Testament where the Israelites start [00:10:40] to worship the ephods and they have to [00:10:42] get rid of the ephods. I think our [00:10:44] hearts, you know, it's not a matter of [00:10:47] whether we're worshiping, it's what [00:10:48] we're worshiping. [00:10:50] >> Our hearts are inclined to worship [00:10:52] something. I think it was GK Chesterton [00:10:54] who said, you know, even the man walking [00:10:56] into the brothel is searching for God. [00:10:58] And we're always because we're created [00:11:00] in the image of God and we're created [00:11:01] for community and we're created for [00:11:04] relationship. [00:11:06] We're always going to be looking for [00:11:07] something to fulfill our identity in [00:11:09] that. [00:11:10] >> And sometimes that's things. Sometimes [00:11:12] it's people. Sometimes it's acts. It's [00:11:17] we put our identity in a thing that is [00:11:20] going to in the moment make us feel [00:11:22] fulfilled or in what the world tells us [00:11:26] is going to give us that agency and and [00:11:30] that thing that's going to really put [00:11:33] our value. But ultimately those are all [00:11:36] going to fall short. you know, whether [00:11:37] it's a car or whether it's a a [00:11:40] pilgrimage to go see a relic or whether [00:11:43] it's my education or my family or and I [00:11:47] think what we see in scripture is that [00:11:49] it's not that any of these things are [00:11:51] wrong, right? The solution to idolatry [00:11:54] is not to become a hermit and sign off [00:11:58] all physical items. [00:12:01] >> Mhm. I think it's to calibrate and [00:12:03] understand that these things are [00:12:04] temporary and these things can be gifts [00:12:07] and and some of these things can be [00:12:09] opportunities for worship. You know, [00:12:11] pouring into fixing your car or making [00:12:14] it look good or that can be an act of [00:12:18] worship. Whatever your hands do, do it [00:12:19] with all their might, right? it says in [00:12:21] scripture, but it's when it's that [00:12:23] calibration of when does this start to [00:12:25] become the thing that [00:12:27] >> an obsession [00:12:28] >> an obsession uh what I'm putting my [00:12:31] identity in how I'm finding validation [00:12:34] the only thing that's actually going to [00:12:35] satisfy that is living up to the [00:12:39] standard by [00:12:41] living up to what we are created in in [00:12:43] God's image and in that way there have [00:12:45] been some theologians who have written [00:12:46] on something like the ten commandments [00:12:49] and the ten commandments being a a but [00:12:51] really being a promise in that they're [00:12:55] reflections of God's character. God is [00:12:58] not a murderer. Sean, you're created in [00:13:00] his image. Don't murder. Live up to that [00:13:03] standard by which you were actually [00:13:04] created to be. God is not a liar. Sean, [00:13:07] you're created in his image. Don't don't [00:13:09] lie. God is not an adulterer. Wes, [00:13:12] you're created in his image. Don't [00:13:13] commit adultery. These things are [00:13:14] sacred. These things are good. You can [00:13:17] actually find your identity by living [00:13:19] out who you were created to be by [00:13:22] obeying that. And in that sense, some [00:13:24] theologians have pointed out that the [00:13:26] commandments become promises. You won't [00:13:29] murder. You won't steal. You won't [00:13:31] commit adultery. But it's the framework [00:13:33] of understanding that it's because [00:13:37] you're created in the image of God. And [00:13:40] so doing those things is actually an [00:13:42] affront. It's it's cosmic rebellion [00:13:44] against who you were actually created to [00:13:46] be. And your your life is sacred. So [00:13:52] don't kill. Other people's life is [00:13:54] sacred. Don't kill. Your the things you [00:13:56] own are sacred. Don't don't steal them [00:13:59] from other people. Your body is sacred. [00:14:01] You know, sexuality is created for [00:14:03] something beautiful within the union of [00:14:05] a covenant. Don't don't bastardize that. [00:14:09] Um, and so when we're talking about [00:14:12] idolatry, it's less about actually, you [00:14:15] know, bowing down to a little statue or [00:14:17] something like that. It could be, [00:14:19] >> but I think far more often it's this act [00:14:23] of putting something [00:14:25] >> in the place of God where we find our [00:14:28] identity when we're really created to [00:14:30] solely find our identity in our maker. I [00:14:33] think if you realize that that item is [00:14:36] running you and you're not running it, [00:14:38] then you [00:14:39] >> Yeah, totally. [00:14:40] >> That's that's that's where you know it's [00:14:42] got you. [00:14:42] >> Yeah. [00:14:43] >> If it's running your life and you're not [00:14:45] running it, then it's then uh things [00:14:48] need it needs to change. That's at least [00:14:51] that's [00:14:52] >> as simple as I could put it for myself. [00:14:55] But um [00:14:56] >> yeah. Do you still struggle with that? [00:14:58] >> Oh, every day. [00:14:59] >> Every day. I mean, I think it's this [00:15:01] side of eternity. I constantly need to [00:15:04] remind my own heart who actually owns [00:15:07] it, right? Where where the the goodness [00:15:11] in my life actually comes from. Cuz [00:15:13] we're so fickle as human beings even, [00:15:16] you know, you experience something [00:15:18] that's such a blessing and such a [00:15:19] goodness and it's so easy to let Paul [00:15:22] says the lust of the eyes, the lust of [00:15:23] the flesh, and the pride of life like [00:15:25] consume you, right? Even when we remind [00:15:28] ourselves of how good things are. Let me [00:15:31] use a practical example. When I was 11, [00:15:33] I was a parapillegic [00:15:35] and I had experienced what it was like [00:15:37] to not be able to walk. I had a [00:15:39] condition that cut off the communication [00:15:42] between my brain and my legs and left me [00:15:43] paralyzed from the waist down. [00:15:46] How long did it take for me to basically [00:15:49] completely forget that? To wake up in [00:15:52] the morning and not go, "Man, it's [00:15:53] amazing that I can walk out of this [00:15:55] room." is a pretty short period of time. [00:15:57] >> Was it? [00:15:57] >> Yeah. Well, cuz you just it's life keeps [00:16:00] on going and it's so easy and it's so [00:16:03] easy to make it about us. So, even in [00:16:06] the midst of that, there was a period of [00:16:08] my time of my life where [00:16:12] I was very involved in athletics. I I [00:16:14] ran track and field in my undergrad for [00:16:16] university. And I'd convinced myself [00:16:18] that God had allowed me to experience [00:16:22] the paralysis and what I truly believe [00:16:24] is a miraculous healing because he was [00:16:26] going to make me the next Olympic [00:16:28] athlete who was going to do things for [00:16:31] God. You know, I don't know if you know [00:16:32] the story of Eric Little, very famous [00:16:35] track athlete um in the the 20th century [00:16:39] who ran in the Olympics and his whole [00:16:40] thing was, you know, God uh God made me [00:16:44] for a purpose, but he also made me fast [00:16:45] and when I run, I feel his pleasure. [00:16:47] Chariots of fire is about him. The the [00:16:49] famous movie and I was convinced that [00:16:51] was going to be me, but I was making it [00:16:53] all about me, right? like I'd taken this [00:16:56] thing that God I think genuinely had [00:17:00] allowed me to experience and I'd [00:17:02] redirected it not to be honoring to God [00:17:06] but actually to be honoring to me and [00:17:09] was humbled by injuries or teammates who [00:17:14] were just far more athletically gifted [00:17:16] than I was or all sorts of things. And [00:17:19] so I think we're so easily our attention [00:17:25] can so easily be redirected [00:17:28] by the world and by the busyiness and by [00:17:31] our selfishness that it's we forget. [00:17:36] We cross the Red Sea and we've seen God [00:17:38] do this amazing thing and then the [00:17:39] Israelites what what do they do? They [00:17:41] build a golden calf to worship. And you [00:17:43] think, are you guys idiots? But if I [00:17:46] look at my own life, [00:17:47] >> I do that all the time. [00:17:48] >> Mhm. I see God do miracles and then the [00:17:52] next day I'm I'm stressed about this [00:17:55] thing or that thing. That's actually how [00:17:58] I'm getting ready to kick the uh the [00:17:59] interview off. So, this will be good. [00:18:02] Well, thank you. No matter where you're [00:18:04] watching the Shawn Ryan Show from, if [00:18:06] you get anything out of this at all, [00:18:09] anything, please like, comment, and [00:18:12] subscribe. And most importantly, share [00:18:16] this everywhere you possibly can. And if [00:18:21] you're feeling extra generous, head to [00:18:23] Apple Podcast and Spotify and leave us a