blazingthru
Well-Known Member
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable …” (2 Timothy 3:16). There is, of course, more to this Bible passage, but this part seems especially significant when considering the new NBC miniseries opening of A.D.—The Bible Continues. The richly produced and attractively filmed follow-up to the History Channel’s The Bible captured the eyes of nearly 10 million viewers on Easter weekend.From one emotional scene to the next, watchers were carried through the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of the Messiah. The dramatic portrayals of Peter and Judas, Pilate and Caiaphas, along with zealots and Roman soldiers are mysterious and frenetic. Dialogue is passionate, and emotion is strong.
The first of 12 episodes is titled, “The Tomb Is Open.” It begins with Peter frantically rushing into Christ’s trial. Flashing between scenes you see iron spikes being forged with a hammer and hear the words, “Truth ... what is truth?” It’s actually the perfect question to ask, isn't it? What should we make of another Bible-as-entertainment movie?
First, we should consider how accurately it tells the Bible story. While it can be challenging to push aside the eye-popping graphics and emotive appeal, we need to stop and think about what is actually being presented. Do you notice the extra dialogue between characters not found in Scripture? There are extended conversations between Caiaphas and Joseph, a zealot inviting Peter to join him, and several statements made by Mary, the mother of Jesus. Did Peter really say, “I can wait around three days”? We need to ask ourselves—"Why did the creators add this scene or that dialog?"
But more than picking at mere details, let's consider what overall message is communicated in this miniseries. The compelling pull has less to do with Jesus' mission and more to do with the emotional responses of different characters. By providing extra-biblical scenes and new dialog as backdrop, the interpretation of actual events recorded in the Bible are naturally altered in the viewer's mind. The words of Christ are minimalized, and entertainment is maximized. Artistic design and imagined scenes capture our thoughts more than the full story of salvation.
The Bible uplifts Jesus as our Savior. The gospels present Him as the hope of our world, the perfect Son of God, and the Desire of the nations. By emphasizing only the physical sufferings of Christ, we overlook the great controversy taking place between Satan and Jesus. Scripture tells us our own sins nailed Christ to the cross, not just the actions of proud rulers and calloused soldiers.
Let's always remember the Bible isn’t given for financial profit or amusement. There is a deeper reason that is lost when we let film producers give us their own camera angles on the Bible story. Paul explains, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17
