The Bible Finale This Sunday

How many of you have been watching the History Channel’s miniseries on The Bible? If you have, you certainly aren’t alone. According to CNN, 13.1 million viewers watched the two-hour premier, and since then, weekly viewings have also been in the millions.

The finale is this Sunday, timely since we as believers are celebrating Easter and Jesus' resurrection.

I haven’t watched this program religiously, but some of the episodes have done a decent job depicting believable characters. So far, my favorites include Peter and Nicodemus. I will also admit to enjoying their portrayal (accurate or not) of the villainous, conniving chief priest.

There are several – rather, dozens and dozens – of discrepancies. In last week’s episode, the most glaring for me was the depiction of how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. John 11:43 makes plain that Jesus simply went to the tomb and commanded, “Lazarus, come forth.” The History Channel’s rendition shows Jesus going into the tomb (where Lazarus is conveniently not wrapped up in burial cloths), and, from what I could tell, kissing the back of his head. The moment Jesus opened his eyes, Lazarus opened his. Dramatic? Yes, but not accurate.

However, I do agree with what a reviewer from Answers in Genesis said about the adaption. Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell in The Bible on the History Channel: A Review, says, “This film offers an excellent opportunity to share the gospel and the truth of God’s Word with friends who may be skeptical or simply consider the Bible irrelevant.”

Frankly, I would have been shocked if the History Channel managed to get the details right but regardless, appreciate the efforts made to capture the Biblical narrative on screen. I am reminded of what Paul said in Philippians 1:18, "What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice."

What is your reaction to The Bible?