Episode 5 of NBC's AD struck me as a transition-episode. It tied up some older story-lines and introduced new ones. On the whole, this episode assumed much of the interpretive freedom that has come to mark the mini-series. We continue to see Pilate and the deteriorating relationship between his wife and his very loyal (yet increasingly troubled) officer Cornelius. Caiaphas' wife continues to display her dominant personality, which was punctuated by a verbal chastisement of Pilate's wife. And we are introduced to Philip. But let's not forget Boaz, the Jewish assassin.
In this episode we see that Boaz finally surrenders himself, first to Caiaphas. He is then brought to the Roman authorities, and he finally gets his audience with Pilate. However (and you could see this from a mile away), he was stabbed with the intention that he be publicly tortured. However, one of his assassin friends shoots and kills him instantly by an arrow from a roof top, saving him from a week of agony.
This entire story line has been manufactured for the sake of entertainment, not out of fidelity to the biblical account. Yet what we have to understand about it is that it has been functioning in this miniseries as a parallel to experiences of the early Church. Just as the early Church sought to confront the political status quo and incite a revolution, so too did zealots. However, the Church's intention were markedly different. For the zealots, it was all political, physical, and immediate. In both cases though, the potential outcomes were the same--death. As this story line is closed, it concludes with a bang.
The possibility of death for the Apostles was brought to the forefront in a very emotional scene between Peter and his daughter Maya. After Peter and his companions have been beaten to bloody pulps, Maya confesses to her father that she will go home. She confesses that she cannot take it anymore, and she wants to try and return to normalcy. Essentially, she cannot bear the thought of suffering the same fate as her father, which now includes very intense beatings and the very real possibility of death. This decisions stands in contrast to her father's, who painfully realizes what he must do. Peter must say goodbye as he cannot return to Galilee with her. He is convinced by his mission. It has been set before him and he cannot throw in his towel, period.
What was so powerful about this scene is that it reconstructed a moment in Peter's life where, while not documented in the Bible, undoubtedly existed. His lot was cast, and it was not to be with his family or with his old way of life. No. It was to be something different, something more, something eternal. Peter's past life was gone, and his new life was going to be boldly serving the Kingdom of God no matter where it took him. In this scene, we see Peter consciously and finally leave behind the comforts of his past life, his family, etc. for the sake of the Gospel. Yes, a similar choice was made earlier in the mini-series, but at that point Peter had not been beaten numerous times. This time was more difficult, more personal, more definitive.
The Gospel is hard stuff...it demands our allegiance and our loyalty...the totality of who we are. We have been bought with a price and are therefore, servants of Christ Jesus.
Nevertheless, the most powerful scene, and the scene that brought the Boaz parallel to the forefront most vividly, was the final scene. It was also the hardest scene to watch--the stoning of Stephen. We have read about it is Acts, but to actually see a reenactment of someone being drug out to the fringes of the town, strapped to a tree, and then pelted with stones was awful. The sound of rock hitting flesh was cringe-worthy. Think about the iron stomach, intense anger, and violent impulses you must have. Furthermore, the scene portrayed the masses, the ones who actually threw the stones at Stephen, to be robotic pawns of the Temple leadership, which is incidentally faithful to the implications of Acts 8:1.
In this scene, we are also finally introduced to Saul, and what an introduction!
He says nothing....NOTHING. Rather, he intensely watches Stephen as he is knocked unconscious. Then he reaches down to pick one last stone. He hands it to one of his stooges, who them throws it and hits Stephen in the temple. As he slumps, we realize that this was the death blow. Saul just looks for a moment, and then callously (and victoriously) turns to leave Stephen tied to the tree. I thought this introduction was simple but very effective.
Yes, Stephen's speech was horribly truncated in this episode (vs. what it is in Acts). And sure the context of Stephen's arrest was different (In Acts, it was due to false testimony versus a personal response that stemmed from his anger over the beatings of his friends). But the point of this scene was more than absolute fidelity to Acts 7. It was to bring what had been boiling to a head. Sufferings and the potential of death has just become very real for all the Apostles and the Church. What makes it worse is that there is a mysterious new sociopath that now seems to at the center of this violent response.
In this episode we see that Boaz finally surrenders himself, first to Caiaphas. He is then brought to the Roman authorities, and he finally gets his audience with Pilate. However (and you could see this from a mile away), he was stabbed with the intention that he be publicly tortured. However, one of his assassin friends shoots and kills him instantly by an arrow from a roof top, saving him from a week of agony.
This entire story line has been manufactured for the sake of entertainment, not out of fidelity to the biblical account. Yet what we have to understand about it is that it has been functioning in this miniseries as a parallel to experiences of the early Church. Just as the early Church sought to confront the political status quo and incite a revolution, so too did zealots. However, the Church's intention were markedly different. For the zealots, it was all political, physical, and immediate. In both cases though, the potential outcomes were the same--death. As this story line is closed, it concludes with a bang.
The possibility of death for the Apostles was brought to the forefront in a very emotional scene between Peter and his daughter Maya. After Peter and his companions have been beaten to bloody pulps, Maya confesses to her father that she will go home. She confesses that she cannot take it anymore, and she wants to try and return to normalcy. Essentially, she cannot bear the thought of suffering the same fate as her father, which now includes very intense beatings and the very real possibility of death. This decisions stands in contrast to her father's, who painfully realizes what he must do. Peter must say goodbye as he cannot return to Galilee with her. He is convinced by his mission. It has been set before him and he cannot throw in his towel, period.What was so powerful about this scene is that it reconstructed a moment in Peter's life where, while not documented in the Bible, undoubtedly existed. His lot was cast, and it was not to be with his family or with his old way of life. No. It was to be something different, something more, something eternal. Peter's past life was gone, and his new life was going to be boldly serving the Kingdom of God no matter where it took him. In this scene, we see Peter consciously and finally leave behind the comforts of his past life, his family, etc. for the sake of the Gospel. Yes, a similar choice was made earlier in the mini-series, but at that point Peter had not been beaten numerous times. This time was more difficult, more personal, more definitive.
The Gospel is hard stuff...it demands our allegiance and our loyalty...the totality of who we are. We have been bought with a price and are therefore, servants of Christ Jesus.
Nevertheless, the most powerful scene, and the scene that brought the Boaz parallel to the forefront most vividly, was the final scene. It was also the hardest scene to watch--the stoning of Stephen. We have read about it is Acts, but to actually see a reenactment of someone being drug out to the fringes of the town, strapped to a tree, and then pelted with stones was awful. The sound of rock hitting flesh was cringe-worthy. Think about the iron stomach, intense anger, and violent impulses you must have. Furthermore, the scene portrayed the masses, the ones who actually threw the stones at Stephen, to be robotic pawns of the Temple leadership, which is incidentally faithful to the implications of Acts 8:1.In this scene, we are also finally introduced to Saul, and what an introduction!
He says nothing....NOTHING. Rather, he intensely watches Stephen as he is knocked unconscious. Then he reaches down to pick one last stone. He hands it to one of his stooges, who them throws it and hits Stephen in the temple. As he slumps, we realize that this was the death blow. Saul just looks for a moment, and then callously (and victoriously) turns to leave Stephen tied to the tree. I thought this introduction was simple but very effective.
Yes, Stephen's speech was horribly truncated in this episode (vs. what it is in Acts). And sure the context of Stephen's arrest was different (In Acts, it was due to false testimony versus a personal response that stemmed from his anger over the beatings of his friends). But the point of this scene was more than absolute fidelity to Acts 7. It was to bring what had been boiling to a head. Sufferings and the potential of death has just become very real for all the Apostles and the Church. What makes it worse is that there is a mysterious new sociopath that now seems to at the center of this violent response.
I love your musings. Have not seen the episodes but got a decent view from your comments. Thanks. :) And pointing out the inaccuracies in the show was much appreciated.
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