At the conclusion of Episode 4 of AD: The Bible Continues, I heard the voice of Russell Crowe's character in Gladiator, "Are you not entertained?!" Yes...yes...I was entertained. As a guy who gravitates toward anything intense, I was very entertained by Episode 4. There was suspense, excitement, and brutality--all the ingredients for a good action movie. Sure, there were more interpretive liberties taken with this episode than all the other episodes previous. But how could you not be intrigued when Boaz (the Jewish assassin) ended up in the camp of the Christians or when Pilate stuffed dead people down the throat of Caiaphas (Those were the ashes of some ancestor, correct? The kids were late in going to be bed, so I missed the scene when they were explained.).
The biblical timeline that was reflected in this episode was essentially chapters 4-5. We saw Peter and John's trial before the Jewish Council, the idea that the believers would share their possessions (I knew they were all communists! ;) ) and the increase in healings and other miracles. We were also introduced to Stephen, who was portrayed as an eager and young idealist, as well as Ananias and Sapphira. Yet let's not forget about the Holy Spirit. We were introduced to him as well. What a powerful and thought provoking characterization.
Ultimately, the rise of Peter's leadership was juxtaposed to the failings of Caiaphas and Pilate. In a span of 50 minutes or so, Peter was transformed from an uncertain leader to an empowered one who demonstrates the necessary wisdom and charisma to lead a fledgling group. We have the Holy Spirit to thank for that. Conversely, Pilate is portrayed as flirting with the edges of sanity, and Caiaphas is portrayed as one who is hindered by his adherence to his rituals and traditions. This juxtaposition was driving the episode as a whole, and it is indicative of the larger purpose of the miniseries up to this point--to display how one movement defied all odds, even an Empire, to become the greatest religion on earth.
There were two scenes that resonated with me. The first was linked to John's premonition, which eventually brought him to the Temple precinct. There he encountered a rich man who declared that while he had money, his soul was void. He posed an interesting question to John. Essentially, "Why do you limit yourselves to the poor and ill?" This was very telling. The Church is not just about social activism and ministering to the poor and downtrodden of society. Rather, it is fundamentally about healing the dead souls of people, and dead souls transcend socio-political boundaries.
Yet the most powerful scene, in my opinion, was the Ananias and Sapphira confrontation. In Acts, it is portrayed as one scene, but in the show it was broken up.It was powerful nonetheless. Particularly powerful was Peter's final confrontation with Sapphira. Having just witnessed the death of her husband, Peter intensely questions Sapphira, who, just like her husband, denies that they withheld any of the money from the sale of their property. Realizing that she has been fond out, Sapphira tries to rationalize things. She essentially states, "There was no malicious intent...We were simply being prudent!" This of course does not work, and Peter stands on and watches her suffer the same gruesome death as her husband and the hands of the Holy Spirit.
The reason why this scene was so powerful is because the rationale for withholding the money is understandable. When I tithe on a regular basis, I always consider what my family will need to pay the bills etc. Indeed, we tithe at least up to a certain level, but anything over that is always considered in light of my responsibilities as a father and husband. In other words, in my tithing I try to be prudent. However, here is where Ananias and Sapphira got it wrong. They lied. Importantly, this is the same lesson communicated by the Bible as well. It was not that they withheld any money as a safeguard. Rather, it was because they were deceitful and proclaimed that the amount given was the amount of the sale (cf. Acts 5:1-11). Be honest about your giving...
According to Acts, this tragic episode also served to emphasize the growing significance of the early community. The sudden deaths of Ananias and Sapphira gave the early Church and its leadership a level of credibility that could not be questioned. It verified the power of the Holy Spirit, and it was sanctioning it all. I think that this was well portrayed in the episode.
Nevertheless, a storm is brewing, and Peter's interaction with Mary at the beginning of the episode alluded to all of this. Those familiar with the bible know that Saul is on the horizon, and I expect him to be introduced very shortly. Boaz will be tracked down, and this manufactured story-line will almost certainly compromise the relative peace of the community. And all of this is faithful, in the general sense, to Acts, which also details how the momentum of the early Church was hindered by the death of Stephen and persecutions of Paul. However, Acts also maintains that this imminent struggle was the catalyst for taking the Gospel beyond Jerusalem and Judea.
Things in this miniseries will transpire quickly over the next few episodes. Hang on...
The biblical timeline that was reflected in this episode was essentially chapters 4-5. We saw Peter and John's trial before the Jewish Council, the idea that the believers would share their possessions (I knew they were all communists! ;) ) and the increase in healings and other miracles. We were also introduced to Stephen, who was portrayed as an eager and young idealist, as well as Ananias and Sapphira. Yet let's not forget about the Holy Spirit. We were introduced to him as well. What a powerful and thought provoking characterization.Ultimately, the rise of Peter's leadership was juxtaposed to the failings of Caiaphas and Pilate. In a span of 50 minutes or so, Peter was transformed from an uncertain leader to an empowered one who demonstrates the necessary wisdom and charisma to lead a fledgling group. We have the Holy Spirit to thank for that. Conversely, Pilate is portrayed as flirting with the edges of sanity, and Caiaphas is portrayed as one who is hindered by his adherence to his rituals and traditions. This juxtaposition was driving the episode as a whole, and it is indicative of the larger purpose of the miniseries up to this point--to display how one movement defied all odds, even an Empire, to become the greatest religion on earth.
There were two scenes that resonated with me. The first was linked to John's premonition, which eventually brought him to the Temple precinct. There he encountered a rich man who declared that while he had money, his soul was void. He posed an interesting question to John. Essentially, "Why do you limit yourselves to the poor and ill?" This was very telling. The Church is not just about social activism and ministering to the poor and downtrodden of society. Rather, it is fundamentally about healing the dead souls of people, and dead souls transcend socio-political boundaries.Yet the most powerful scene, in my opinion, was the Ananias and Sapphira confrontation. In Acts, it is portrayed as one scene, but in the show it was broken up.It was powerful nonetheless. Particularly powerful was Peter's final confrontation with Sapphira. Having just witnessed the death of her husband, Peter intensely questions Sapphira, who, just like her husband, denies that they withheld any of the money from the sale of their property. Realizing that she has been fond out, Sapphira tries to rationalize things. She essentially states, "There was no malicious intent...We were simply being prudent!" This of course does not work, and Peter stands on and watches her suffer the same gruesome death as her husband and the hands of the Holy Spirit.
The reason why this scene was so powerful is because the rationale for withholding the money is understandable. When I tithe on a regular basis, I always consider what my family will need to pay the bills etc. Indeed, we tithe at least up to a certain level, but anything over that is always considered in light of my responsibilities as a father and husband. In other words, in my tithing I try to be prudent. However, here is where Ananias and Sapphira got it wrong. They lied. Importantly, this is the same lesson communicated by the Bible as well. It was not that they withheld any money as a safeguard. Rather, it was because they were deceitful and proclaimed that the amount given was the amount of the sale (cf. Acts 5:1-11). Be honest about your giving...
According to Acts, this tragic episode also served to emphasize the growing significance of the early community. The sudden deaths of Ananias and Sapphira gave the early Church and its leadership a level of credibility that could not be questioned. It verified the power of the Holy Spirit, and it was sanctioning it all. I think that this was well portrayed in the episode.Nevertheless, a storm is brewing, and Peter's interaction with Mary at the beginning of the episode alluded to all of this. Those familiar with the bible know that Saul is on the horizon, and I expect him to be introduced very shortly. Boaz will be tracked down, and this manufactured story-line will almost certainly compromise the relative peace of the community. And all of this is faithful, in the general sense, to Acts, which also details how the momentum of the early Church was hindered by the death of Stephen and persecutions of Paul. However, Acts also maintains that this imminent struggle was the catalyst for taking the Gospel beyond Jerusalem and Judea.
Things in this miniseries will transpire quickly over the next few episodes. Hang on...
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