Tag Archives: christianity

Brief Pastoral Considerations Before Taking Your Kids to See King of Kings.

Posted on by

I recently took my kids to see the new animated movie King of Kings distributed by Angel Studios (a Mormon Company). The story follows Charles Dickens retelling of Jesus’ life for his own children in his writing The Life of Our Lord. With Dicken’s being an Anglican turned Unitarian and Angel Studios being Mormon, the potential for heretical doctrine was high–particularly surrounding the doctrine of the Trinity and the nature of Jesus and His saving work. However, I believed the most influential doctrinal voice would come from the producer and co-writer, Woo Hyung Kim, a South Korean who claims to be Christian. As it is difficult to find out more about his denominational or doctrinal background, I realized the best way to understand his theology was to actually watch the film.

As a parent of small children, I know I must shepherd my children by guarding what and when they take in certain ideas and guiding them in understanding and evaluating what they take in. Religious films can be particularly dangerous because they can easily mingle false doctrine with strong emotions. Rather than always shielding children from harmful ideas, I believe a helpful method of shepherding them is to allow them to be exposed to various ideas at age and maturity appropriate times, and walking through the ideas with them, helping them to evaluate those ideas from a biblical perspective. In our household, its not unusual for us to pause a movie and ask the kids evaluative questions like: How does this make you think of Jesus? What was wrong with that action or that idea? What does God’s Word say about that? And following those questions with some discussion and guidance.

Overall, I can recommend parents take their children to see King of Kings. However, parents will want to discuss the movie with their children afterward to make explicit some things that were lacking and to take the opportunity to talk about salvation and gauge their children’s readiness to be saved.

Here are some commendable elements of the movie:

  1. Jesus is clearly presented as the Son of God. This is stated over and over again and it shows that Jesus has a very close relationship to God. As the Son of God, Jesus is presented as “the True King” by Dickens’ wife. He is shown to have miraculous power to heal, to forgive sins, to cast out demons, to command nature.
  2. The depictions of the Passover and the Creation and Fall of mankind are very well done. The change in animation is beautiful and gives a good contrast from the retelling of Jesus’ time to the time of the past. However, the strength of the retelling of these two events is in how the movie does Biblical theology. The Passover is used to set the stage for Jesus being presented as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Later, when Dickens’ son is very upset that Jesus has to die and asks why, Dickens rightly retells the creation and fall of mankind into sin from Genesis 1-3 to answer that Jesus had to die because of the sin of mankind–because sin has separated us from God and from life.
  3. Salvation is presented as being in relationship with Jesus. Just as Jesus said that eternal life is knowing God and knowing Jesus, the movie presents this in a unique way. My wife Sarah pointed this out to me as we watched and it is masterfully done. As Dickens tells his son about Jesus, his son is transported into the story–watching the events take place. The further into the story they get, you see Jesus starting to interact with the boy (e.g. protecting him from harm, finding the boy’s missing cat which he cares about dearly, etc.) and the boy starting to interact with Jesus. By the end of the story, the boy is presented as having a heartfelt saving relationship with Jesus.
  4. Jesus is presented as offering substitutionary atonement. As I mentioned above, Jesus is presented as having come because of the sin of mankind–to take it away. The characters state that Jesus came “to die for all our sins” and as the paschal lamb who would die in our place. The movie shows Jesus being crucified to offer salvation. Dickens tells his son “this is why God gave His only beloved Son.” At the end of the story, Dickens’ son is presented as drowning. In this scene, the movie calls back to previous scenes of Jesus’ baptism and Peter sinking in the water when he began to focus on the storm. But as the boy sinks deeper into the water to drown, Jesus goes down, grabs him, trades places with him, and pushes him to the surface of the water to save him. Warning: this scene is a real tear-jerker.
  5. Salvation is presented as being obtained by faith in Jesus. There are many times throughout the movie that faith is highlighted as the way to receive salvation very explicitly. Jesus says to Peter and to the boy, “Have faith in me and you will be saved.” Jesus forgives the sins of those who have faith. I didn’t catch any hint of salvation being obtained through works or through sacrament because the statements about salvation coming through faith in Jesus were so strong and so clear.
  6. The depiction of Dickens’ family presents a spiritually healthy model of marriage and family. At the beginning of the movie, we see a rift between Dickens and his son because the son is misbehaving and Dickens overreacts. I think all parents have been there. However, when they arrive home after the rift, Dickens’ wife is presented in a godly way–encouraging her husband to initiate reconciliation with his son through telling him about “the True King.” My wife Sarah and I agree that this is a helpful picture of godly womanhood. While Dickens tells his son about Jesus, his wife is involved and offers encouragement but allows her husband to lead as the parents teach their son about Jesus. There is a scene that I thought was particularly sweet when Dickens was recounting Jesus washing the disciples feet and he pretends to be washing his sons’ feet and the boy laughs because it tickles. This is a precious picture of fathers spiritually shepherding their children as Deuteronomy 6 teaches us. Another beautiful picture here happens when the story is finished and the boy is so excited about Jesus that he runs to the bedroom of his siblings, jumps on their beds, waking them up, and begins to excitedly tell them about Jesus. There is a picture of evangelism in this.

While there is much to commend about King of Kings, there are also some areas where it is lacking clarification:

  1. The deity of Jesus is not clear. While the movie states emphatically that Jesus is the Son of God, it does not state that He is God the Son. There are many cults today that affirm Jesus’ sonship but not his deity. Anyone who cannot affirm that Jesus is God is not a Christian in any true, historical, or saving sense. Now, I have to clarify that while the movie does not state that Jesus is God, it presents Him doing things that, according to the Old Testament, only God can do, such as commanding nature. However, there are times when Jesus’ nature could be easily confused. One could walk away thinking that Jesus, as God’s Son, was not God but a man of great faith. At one point, after Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytic, Dickens explains to his son that the Pharisees were mad because, “They thought only God could forgive sins.” This statement could easily be construed to imply that Jesus is not God. The biblical reasoning for the healing of the paralytic was not stated but should have been–that since only God can forgive sins and Jesus was forgiving sins, then Jesus is God. This was the gospel writers’ point in recording Jesus healing the paralytic but the movie swung and missed on this one. The lack of clarity on the deity of Jesus is the most dangerous aspect of this film.
  2. The movie changes Mark 10:45 in a theologically significant and harmful way. Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” But the movie changes the word “ransom” to the word “benefit.” The word “ransom” in the Greek New Testament is  λύτρον (Lutron). It speaks of paying the price to buy a slave’s freedom. I understand that this is a hard concept for a child to understand but the word “benefit” does not do justice to the theological nature of the term used by Mark, nor is it faithful or warranted. The biblical term reveals that the sinner is enslaved to his sin and cannot free himself but that another must pay the price for his freedom. The redemption price is the very life of Jesus. Thankfully, the movie displays the substitutionary atonement fairly well which is connected to the idea of ransom although they are not the same. Discussing this verse and the unfaithful change is a good teaching moment.
  3. There are some inaccuracies in the events displayed. Since the movie is not claiming to be the Bible or the inspired Word of God, they are able to (and in some cases, out of the necessity of showing rather than telling must) take artistic license. However, there are some strange errors. The ones that stick out the most are those surrounding the portrayal of Jesus’ birth: the wise men coming the night of Jesus’ birth (it was more likely two years after his birth) and only three wise men (it was likely closer to 40 wise men), etc.
  4. The temptation of breaking the first two commandments is ever present in any visual portrayal of Jesus. We must always guard our hearts (and our children’s hearts) from worshipping a creative image or portrayal of Jesus rather than the true, biblical Jesus. As hard as the creators of this movie try to portray Jesus accurately, they will fail in some ways. The only accurate picture of Jesus we can have and are allowed to worship, is the Jesus of the Bible. While we can watch the movie and have our faith encouraged and enriched by it, we should never allow this animated Jesus (or any actor who portrays Jesus such as Jonathan Roumie in The Chosen or Jim Caviezel in The Passion, or any other) to become the object of our adoration. And we must be careful because the human heart is deceptive. It is easy for our conception of Jesus to slide from the true, biblical Jesus, to a Jesus we see on a screen, in a painting, or engraved in stone. We must be ever careful not to worship the false god of an imaginary Jesus or create a mentally-graven image of him to worship.

Considering the commendable and the lacking aspects of King of Kings, I would encourage families to see the movie. Use it as an opportunity to practice Deuteronomy 6 and Ephesians 6:4 teaching your children about right doctrine and good theology–affirming what you can in the movie while clarifying and correcting what you need to. Have discussions about Jesus, the Bible, and salvation. Use it as an opportunity to ask your child open-ended questions to check their understanding and readiness to receive the gospel.

Church History: A Summary of the New Testament Era (5 BC – AD 95)

Posted on by

Key Figures

  1. Jesus of Nazareth: Jesus is the founder and foundation of the Church. He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament’s Messianic Prophecies. He is God the Son and as such is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He took on human flesh to rescue and consecrate the church for the Father. He is the head of the church and the object of the church’s worship. Individuals gain access to the Father, receive the Holy Spirit, and are granted membership into the church only through faith in Jesus. Jesus called Apostles to be uniquely authoritative teachers on His behalf.
  2. The Apostle Peter: His personal name is Simon Barjona (Son of Jona), but his name given by Jesus is Peter meaning rock (Matthew 16:17). Peter was a fisherman by trade but was called to follow Jesus and serve as the leader of the twelve Apostles—that small group of leaders whom Jesus appointed to teach with His authority. Peter functioned as the Apostle to the Jews and was integral in guiding the early Jewish Christians in accepting Gentile believers. He died a martyr under Nero’s persecution. He authored two New Testament books and oversaw the writing of Mark’s Gospel.
  3. The Apostle Paul: Paul’s Jewish name was Saul but he went by his Greek name most often because he served as the Apostle of the Gentiles (Acts 14). Paul was well-educated in both Greek and Jewish Philosophies. He was a Jew of the sect of the Pharisees from Tarsus who was born as a Roman Citizen. Before his conversion, He vehemently persecuted the church until Jesus appeared to him, called him to salvation, taught him, and appointed him to Apostleship. Paul traveled the Roman world preaching the gospel, planting churches, and building up churches. He died a martyr under Nero’s persecution. He authored at least thirteen New Testament books.
  4. The Apostle John, the Son of Zebedee: John was the brother of James and the son of Zebedee and Salome. He was possibly the first cousin of Jesus and among Jesus’ first followers. He was a fisherman by trade. John was among Jesus’ inner circle of disciples along with Peter and James. John was a key leader among the Jerusalem church (Galatians 2:9). John was exiled to the island of Patmos under Domitian’s persecution. He wrote five New Testament books and discipled some of the early church fathers of the Patristic Era such as Polycarp.
  5. James, the Lord’s Brother: James was the half-brother of Jesus and the biological son of Mary and Joseph. He did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah during at least a portion of Jesus’ earthly ministry. However, the Lord appeared to his half brother after the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:7). It appears that James, the Lord’s brother, became an Apostle when a position among the Twelve was vacated by the martyr of James the son of Zebedee (Acts 12:2). The Lord’s brother became the lead elder in the church of Jerusalem and a key figure in the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). He authored the New Testament book of James.
  6. Luke: Luke was an unmarried Gentile physician who accompanied Paul during parts of his missionary journeys. Luke was originally from Antioch but settled in Philippi where he oversaw the young church there after it was planted (Acts 16:40). He tended to Paul during his imprisonment (2 Timothy 4:11). Luke wrote two New Testament books under the guidance of the Apostle Paul. Luke, by his two books, wrote more in the New Testament than any other author.

Key Events

  1. The Incarnation & Birth of Jesus: Jesus existed in eternity past. However, in the incarnation, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary in around 5 BC. Jesus taking on humanity was necessary for our salvation so He could represent us in the judgement. This is one of the most significant events and greatest miracles of all history. Jesus’ nature is fully God and fully man—a truth the early church would call the hypostatic union of Christ.
  2. The Public Ministry of Jesus: Jesus’ public ministry began at His baptism by John in AD 29 and lasted about three and a half years. Jesus called people to repent of sin and believe on Him for salvation. He claimed to be the Messiah. He healed diseases, cast out demons, raised the dead, and taught the right understanding of God’s Word. He called and trained Apostles to teach with His authority after His ascension.
  3. The Death of Jesus: Jesus was crucified by the Romans at the insistence of Jewish leadership on a Friday. In His death, Jesus served as both, the final High Priest and final sacrifice to make atonement for sins and bring about the salvation of all who would surrender to Him in faith.
  4. The Resurrection of Jesus: Jesus’ physical resurrection happened on the Sunday morning after His crucifixion. The resurrection is necessary for salvation because it, through union with Christ, effects the future resurrection of every born-again Christian. Since Jesus rose on a Sunday, the early church called Sunday The Lord’s Day and began to gather for corporate worship on Sunday rather than on the Sabbath (Saturday) as the Jews who rejected Jesus continued to do.
  5. The Ascension of Jesus: Jesus’ ascension has long been overlooked but is extremely significant. Forty days after His resurrection and after appearing to over 500 witnesses, Jesus ascended into Heaven, being seated at the right hand of the Father, where He remains physically to this day. Every Christian is spiritually seated with Him, giving us victory in the Spiritual realm (Ephesians 2:6). Jesus’ ascension served as an illustration for how He would return in the clouds (Acts 1:9-11).
  6. Pentecost: Pentecost was an annual Jewish holy day held in Jerusalem and set aside to celebrate the grain harvest. At the Pentecost celebration after the Ascension of Jesus, the Holy Spirit came down on Jesus’ disciples so they could speak languages they had never learned to share the gospel with Hellenistic Jews who had come to Jerusalem for the festival. Around 3,000 people trusted Christ for salvation that day and formed the church. This was the event in which the church was founded so that those who surrender to Jesus in faith now receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith and are eternally connected with God and with fellow Christians.  
  7. The Acts 8 Persecution of the Church: As Saul led an intense persecution against the church, the Jewish Christians of Jerusalem were forced to scatter into Judea and Samaria. As they scattered, they shared the gospel with other Jews and even with Gentiles. This event marks the beginning of the expansion of the church beyond Jerusalem.
  8. The Conversion of Saul: While seeking to persecute the church, Jesus appeared to Saul and called Him to salvation and in turn, Apostleship. The foremost persecutor of the church became the foremost missionary of the church, expanding Christianity all over the known Roman world.
  9. The Jerusalem Council: When some Jews began to teach that faith in Jesus was not sufficient to receive salvation but that circumcision was also necessary, the church of Antioch sent messengers to the other Apostles and the Jerusalem church. The Apostles and the leaders of the churches of Jerusalem and Antioch addressed the concern by the guidance of the Holy Spirit and confirmed that circumcision was not necessary but directed the churches to abstain from certain acts in order to foster unity and purity between Jewish and Gentile Christians.

Key Heresies

  1. Judaizers: This heresy had Jewish roots and claimed that faith in Christ was insufficient for receiving salvation. Instead, faith must be combined by observing certain portions of the Law such as circumcision. This was the heresy addressed by the Jerusalem council and by the Apostle Paul in the book of Galatians.
  2. Pre-Gnosticism: This heresy had roots in Greek philosophy and taught that the physical world and the spiritual world were opposites with the physical world being evil while the spiritual world is good. It resulted in a denial of the physical resurrection of Christ and of the believer and was addressed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 as well as some of the gospel writers in their accounts of the post-resurrection appearances of Christ. It would later grow to result in a denial of the humanity of Christ.
  3. The Nicolaitan Heresy: While we have little information about this heresy, it seemed to develop in the latter half of the first century and was present in Asia Minor (Revelation 2:6, 15). The early church fathers Hippolytus and Irenaeus tell us that the deacon Nicolas from Acts six went astray and led others with him. The Nicolaitans were known for encouraging and committing sexual immorality and for eating food sacrificed to idols against the direction of the Jerusalem council. Licentiousness seems to be the result of this false teaching. It is possible that the Thyatiran false prophetess Jezebel of Revelation 2:22 was a leader among the Nicolaitans.

Key Persecutions

  1. Jewish Persecution: We see this persecution throughout the book of Acts. Jews who rejected Jesus often persecuted the early Christians because they welcomed Gentiles on the same footing before God as the Jews—all are sinners and all must repent, trusting in Jesus.
  2. Nero’s Persecution: During the first half of the New Testament Era, the Christians were seen as a sect of Jews and as such were allowed to worship freely under an exception made for Jews. However, when the separation between Judaism and Christianity became clear, the Romans began to persecute the church. The Roman Emperor Nero reigned from AD 54-68. During his reign, a very damaging fire broke out in AD 64 lasting six days and seven nights with three days of flare ups afterwards. Many Romans suspected that Nero set the fire in order to rebuild Rome as he desired. In response he blamed the Christians for the fire and then began persecuting the church brutally.  Peter and Paul died under this persecution.
  3. Domitian’s Persecution: Roman Emperor Domitian ruled from AD 81-96. Domitian continued to persecute the Christians and John was exiled to Patmos under his persecution. It is likely that he persecuted the church due to an attempt to restore Roman tradition. Since the Christians did not worship the pagan gods, they stood in the way of his ambition.