Emerging Conservative

Well, I got to watch the third episode of “The Bible” mini-series so here’s comes the babbling….

Instead of listing the errors first (which I’m not real big on running around pointing out the errors but it is important to know what is fact and fiction… plus several have said they appreciate knowing), I am going to start with the general statement.

For those who don’t know much about the Bible, I’m glad your watching but please know….

– They are missing a TON of great stuff from the stories you are watching
– What you are seeing on your TV is also showing a lot of errors (which is why the second half of the blog will go through that)
– I’m praying it gets your interest to get into these testimonies for yourself or with a church to get the full picture and why the full picture is important and passonite (You’re always invited to The Shepherd’s Fellowship by the way =)

If you use the series as a somewhat careless cliff note version of the Bible and then it drives you to the deeper readings, that’s awesome. On their own, they are a little lacking.

Many of the most wonderful parts being left out explore the weakness of the heroes of the faith which makes them more relatable to us and glorifies how God can work through us in mighty ways! The missing parts also show us how active God is trying to redeem people back to Him and how much He loves you. I really pray you go deeper.

OK, that said… let me say three other things before the “listing of errors”…

– There is violence in the Bible but it seems the TV series is going a little over board – personal observation

– I understand why some Christians have given up on watching the series because of the errors. However, I have not because this series is leading to multiple conversations and as an ambassador of Christ, I want to be a voice in that conversation. I respect if others feel God leading them to boycott, but as Christians we need to make sure we don’t think ill of other Christians led a different way. We need to make sure we are making a difference and not just making points.

OK, so the list…. I’m sure I missed some so add as you wish….. (Warning: It’s a little long on this one… Some of these could have happened but only because the Bible does not say they did or did not… they are creative liberties so just throwing them out so you know they are. If you find I’m wrong on any of these, let me know where you found it in the Bible and I’ll correct them)

– I find nothing where the king of Babylon caught the king in the wilderness and killed his sons

– Daniel was not in the court when the king was upset no one could tell him about his dream. The king sentenced the wise men to death which Daniel found out about later and came to the king (this left out a great story of faith and community as they covered him in prayer)

– This one was hard to tell but to me it looked like Daniel was bowing to the gold idol but that is not in the Bible

– When the three men were thrown in the fire, it was much more intense. It was 7 times hotter than normal and consumed the men who threw them in

– There is no mention of the king’s hand being burnt

– Nebeknezzer was not locked away and nuts forever. He did go into the wilderness and regained his sanity

– It was not King Cyrus but King Darius that should have been represented in the second part of Daniel’s story

– When the king was tricked into the “no praying to anyone else” scheme and put it in law, it does not appear Daniel struggled with it. the Bible says when he heard, he went straight home, opened the window towards Jerusalem, and prayed three times a day. A more bold move than him stressing out

– When the jerks went to the king to have him killed, the king was distraught

– With Mary and Joseph, there are different views on the age difference between the two. The movies always make it more a love situation when the traditions tended to go a little more arrange marriage tradition

– There is nothing that makes it seem that the angel came to Mary during some big fight scene

– There is nothing in the Bible about Joseph seeing a child who became an angel but he did have an angel appear to him

– A long standing error: The wise men were not there the night of the baby’s birth. Most believe it was about three years later (Also, no idea how many wise men and if you go back to Daniel, the wise men story is AWESOME!)

-The shepherd’s saw the angels by night in the sky that announced the baby’s birth, not the star

– The conversations between Herod and the wise men were deeper than the show gives

– I’m still waiting for a non-white Jesus

– The crucifixion of 2000 and 5 year old Jesus seeing it are not in the Bible (the 2,000 might have come from outside sources though – historical records)

– There’s much more to the story of John the Baptist and Jesus. They were second cousins and the Bible has great information on their births and prophecies on their births.

– When Jesus showed up to John, John did not know Jesus was the Messiah yet. He did say Jesus should baptize him but I believe this is because he knew Jesus to be a pure man. It is revealed in the gospel of John that John the Baptist did not know Jesus was the Son of God until after the baptism and the dove came and rested on Jesus

– The show did not have the dove come rest on Jesus nor God speaking from heaven “This is my Son. With Him I am well pleased (which was quoting Scripture showing prophecy revealed). Some moving clouds didn’t quite cut it for me =)

– Jesus was not tested for 40 days in the wilderness. He fasted for 40 days and then Satan came and tempted Him

– Satan does not look like Obama =)

– On the second test of Jesus, it was not on a cliff but on the highest point of the temple which has greater meaning into the temptation

– Jesus said “It is written…” in his responses to Satan showing the dependency and protection of the Word

– In the second temptation, Satan also used “It is written…” showing how He twists the Word (even today) to get his desired responses.

– The third temptation shows all the nations of the world to Jesus, not competing scenes of his earthly reign verses the plan His Father had for Him though I understand what they trying to show

– Peter meeting Jesus happened a little different than that

– There was a miraculous catch but it was not because Jesus moved His hand in the water. It was God driven and Jesus led though

– John the Baptist was not beheaded because of His testimony. It was a trick of the king’s step daughter that forced the king’s hand. The king was much more conflicted with John for multiple reasons and it’s worth the read to get more

Well, that’s it on this addition. No idea when I will do the last one as next week is going to be very full but I will do my best.

Last thought, get into the Bible! It’s life changing and so worth it!