Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Have You Ever Wondered About "The Young Messiah" : A Review

The Young Messiah : A Movie Review


Many Christians know their Bible and the stories that are told!   From Old Testament stories of Adam and Eve in the Garden to Moses and the Red Sea, Christians everywhere will have no trouble recounting the stories. 

Songs  and movies have been written about these stories so that we can teach our children through visual means.  Heroes of the Bible is made for parents to share with their children.  It is a wonderful way to connect with the Christian heritage we wish to impart to our children and a great way to spend a Sunday evening too!

There is a movie out in 2016 that just might make a great fodder for some debates!  The Young Messiah screenplay is adapted from the original novel titled: Christ the Lord:  Out of Egypt, by Anne Rice.  

the young messiah dvd cover
If you are wanting to read the book just use the link in blue above, I have not read the book yet, but I am really interested in making the comparisons.
the young messiah


The Young Messiah is a work of fiction, but it does make a Christian think about the ramifications of the whole Nativity Story and the unknown life of the young child named "Jesus".   I'm sure many of you have asked yourself these questions about Jesus:
1.  What happened during Jesus's young life?  Why do we know nothing until his Baptism in the Jordan?
2.  How did his earthly parents explain Jesus or their understanding of the Messiah, to their young son?
3.  When did Jesus become aware of who He was?
4.  How do Mary and Joseph protect the child, that should have been killed in Bethlehem?
5.  How many atrocities has the young Jesus seen and been subject to during their time in exile and their return to their homeland?
6.  What happened during those years that we know nothing about?7.  Is there anywhere to find out about those years between his birth and His public life? And is it important for us to know?

There are a few things that we know from History and that is that Jerusalem and the Surrounding areas of Nazareth, Bethlehem and Galilee, at the time of Jesus' birth were all under the rule of Herod the Great.  When they returned from Egypt, Herod Antipas (the Great Herod's son) was the ruler in Galilee.  He was as vile and dangerous as his father before him.  So Israel, the promised land was not a safe nor an easy place to live.  Romans still held power to do as they pleased.  It was a brutal time in history especially for the Jewish people.



Let me be clear, in this adaptation of the Early Life of Jesus, there are many parts that are imagination and drama.  There are no written words that give us the truth of His early life.  In this adaptation, the screenplay uses the devil Satan to tempt others into playing a part in the attempts to kill Jesus.  Herod's son is aware that Jesus lives, but has no idea who this Jesus is.  They always seem to get close to getting their hands on the child, but something always thwarts their efforts.  Mary and Joseph as his earthly parents show their undivided love and loyalty to the promises made to both of them in the Old Testament.  Mary his mother and Joseph his step-father, are keenly aware that Jesus is different from the other children.  That he is "special" and neither of them knows just how to explain or accept that their lives are even more difficult because of Jesus and His relationship with God.  Yet they also know and accept with totality that God will in every case look after His Son.  But what happens when the Boy Jesus starts to ask questions that every child asks?

the young messiahThis is a great movie to start some dialogue with your family or your faith group.  It leaves you asking a lot of questions and faith grows with asking those questions and seeking the answers too!

I hope this season leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas, you will find time to watch this movie or read the book, either way I'm sure that you will be asking lots of questions when you are finished.  The last line in the movie says it all....Father I am Your Child.  And we can say the same thing too! If you believe.










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12 comments:

  1. I think we all have wondered what Jesus childhood was like. We know the story of his birth and then we know him as an adult. This is the perfect season for watching this movie or reading the book.

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  2. Oh so agree with you Miss Elf. This movie is an interesting look at what might have been his early life. Alas, it is a work of fiction but a very thought provoking look at what might have been. I may go back and put in a warning that there are some really "disturbing" parts and that young children may be frightened. It certainly is not a "cartoon" version of what life might have been like.

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  3. Oddly enough, I have never questioned what happened in Jesus' life prior to His teaching in the temple at the age of 12. Personally, I believe He always knew He was/is the Son of God and was preparing to fulfill his purpose. I worry that fiction accounts will cause confusion and I have always avoided speculation. But, I can see how it might be interesting to watch as long as you are already a strong Christian with an in-depth understanding of the Bible and understand that it is pure fiction.

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    1. You know Cynthia, I never questioned his previous years either, until we (hubby and I) had this discussion. It is the door to open if you have questions and may make your faith stronger. Blind faith is a good thing, but questioning and looking for answers is even better. Where it gets tricky is when people start to believe the fiction is fact! Questioning your faith can certainly make it much stronger than being a cradle Christian all your life and never growing at all.

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  4. Wonderful post! I think this would be a great thing to watch with my Kiddos this Holiday Season! :)

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the review. Yes please watch it with your family if they are old enough to handle the violent scenes. It's not a movie for everyone, but it certainly doesn't sugar coat what life was like back under Roman occupation either.

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  5. My husband and I have watched this movie and we really enjoyed it, we knew it was fiction but like you said it made you think about what life would have been like for the boy and his earthly parents in times that were so difficult. Wonderful review!

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    1. Thank you Beverly for your comments. I'm glad you enjoyed it as well. It is a movie I have watched more than once and everytime I do, I find something new in it again. Asking questions is a great way to grow in your Faith.....

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  6. Very interesting, now you got me wondering. Gotta read the book or see the movie! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Martha, it really is an interesting movie! I have watched it more than once and can get something new from it with each viewing. It first came out at Easter time, but I personally think Christmas is a much better time to watch it. Thanks for your comments.

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  7. Thanks for the introduction to this, I have a friend who would really enjoy this

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