"Mary and Jesus"
Thanks for taking a look at Expository Files 6.11. We hope you
have found it thought provoking, beneficial and, most of all, Scriptural.
As of this writing, NBC is advertising a soon to be broadcast "made for TV"
movie entitled "Mary and Jesus." This kind of news always draws out mixed
emotions in me. While I am happy that someone somewhere thinks that there is
still enough interest in Jesus that a movie about some aspect of His life might
turn a profit in today's society, I am also mindful of the fact that nothing
about the Bible comes through Hollywood unscathed. One can find inaccuracies in
the movie classic "The Ten Commandments" as well as in the newer miniseries
"Jesus of Nazareth." Then, last season someone got the bright idea that the
story of the flood would work well as a "comedy" (Oh... it wasn't supposed to be
a comedy?) At any rate, it was a bungled attempt in about every way imaginable.
I have yet to hear from anyone who was actually pleased with the result.
But this upcoming movie in which it seems the main focus will be on Mary is now
being advertised and may already have been shown by the time you read this. I'll
refrain from saying anything pro or con about the contents, but I can say
something about the advertisement that struck me as a little revealing. The
commercial ends with this question: "What if they are right?"
I wonder who the "they" are? Probably that has reference to "those" people who
actually believe that Mary gave birth to the Son of God. "They" would be in
contrast to the "we" who are airing the movie here at NBC who wish it remain
distinct from the "they" who believe Jesus is who He claimed to be.
I don't mind this, and I am not complaining at all about it. In fact, I like it.
Its an up front admission that those who are airing this NBC advertisement are
not believers. I think it should be admitted if true. But it also suggests that
the slants and biases of these people will generally be in the direction on
unbelief and that their moral conclusions are also based on something other than
Scripture. I think that believers have known that this is so for a long time. It
is most certainly the reason that objectivity is many times lost when NBC and
other networks deal with Scriptural and moral topics.
I hope they do a better job than they did with Noah and the flood last season.
By Jon W. Quinn
The Final Page
From Expository Files 6.11; November 1999
