The Young Messiah: Review

WARNING! Spoilers

Having recently seen "Risen" starring Joseph Fiennes, I was convinced that "The Young Messiah" could not raise the bar beyond what I had already seen with my vision at Risen. I find myself corrected after having just seen The Young Messiah. From the trailers I was tempted to believe this film would raise more heretical views since it tales a portion of Christ's life that is not well documented, the years when he was child. Taking license with Biblical epics is a given, but when the focus is on the Lord Incarnate, greater scrunity and care must be taken. Risen did a realitvely good job of giving us the gospel accounts and when it ventured outside of Scripture, it was through a soldier of Rome who is not Longinus, Cornelius, or any other Biblically converted Roman. Thus is there is qualm with Risen, you can raise the defense that license is taken with the Roman character of Clavius and not Christ. The Young Messiah is the opposite in everyway, any license or interpretations are directed towards Christ the Child, and thus any errors reflect directly on Emmanuel.

The Young Messiah is a masterpiece. It is based on Ann Rice's Novel, "The Young Messiah" (Ann Rice does vampiric gothic novels, so avoid her books they are full of morbid, morose, and romance/erotica according to Wikipedia; Rice did three Christian books, but one wondere if it wad to lure people into her darkness?) and the Gospel of  Luke, Chapter Two, and The Gospel of Matthew Chapter One and Two. Mrs.. Rice was once a writer of vampires and morbid tales, her most famous "Interview With A Vampire," which was adapted and starred Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Rice rose from the pit of her dark work to become a born again Christian. She wrote several fictions about Christ, trying to tell what it must have been like for God to become a man, what a body was like to Maker of all bodies, and how living like human was different than sitting on the Throne in the high heavens. The Young Messiah gives us a glimpse with relative Biblica accuracy at what Jesus Christ's childhood was like. The cinematopgraphy is as incredible as Sir Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven and Gladiator, the attention to detail of customns, Scripture, behaviors, crime, politics, and more is Tolkienesque, and the acting surpasses that of Risen and even is equal to "The Passion of the Christ" and the best epics! What has been achieved through this film is a duo impact, it allows children to connect with Christ through a commonality, childhood and it is raises the contention that Christ came not only to die and rise from dead and save us, but to experience life like we do, to understand what it feels like, the pain, the power sin has over lives people, and more.

The Young Messiah is a medium that can reach children for Christ in a way that has not been available to us evangelists. Chidlren will get ot see Christ struggling with questions, being subjected to bullies in the beginning of the film, thrust into truamas like seeing Romans fight Zealots, Crucifixion, and a woman raped. Like most children today, Christ who has lived a sheltered life and protected in loving community of his cousins and family, finds himself experiencing a world torn by chaos, cruelty, and confusion. In the film, the devil is present often trying to turn people against Christ the Child, this Satan is blond with curly hair and beard, and in one scene he attacks Jesus who is with fever. The devil is clothed in this scene in black robes, with a tunic laid with golden metal and jewels, making him look like a prince, which is the description in Ezekiel 28. The devil is perpelexed by Jesus, and says, "Cherub child, why are you here? who are you?" Jesus says to the devil in a thrilling sentence, "you don't know the answers do you, you are full of questions, but no answers." To this the devil screams, "This world is chaos and I am its prince!" Lucifer shows the Lord Jesus the Last Passover, Jerusalem burning under Titus, but then the evil one reveals, "I cannot see the future." At last a film has given us a accurate Satan, one who is handsome, it says he was splendorous, "You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty," (Ezekiel 28:11), and was clade in precious gems,
"You were in Eden,
    the garden of God.
Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone—
    red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone,
    blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper,
    blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—
all beautifully crafted for you
    and set in the finest gold.
They were given to you
    on the day you were created.
¹⁴ I ordained and anointed you
    as the mighty angelic guardian.
You had access to the holy mountain of God
    and walked among the stones of fires."
(Ezekiel 28:13-15).
The devil was beautiful and clade in gold, gems, and more! There are some translators and translations of the Bible (NIV and more) saying this is the King of Tyre, a man and not Satan. But what man lived in Eden, the Garden of the Lord (Ezekiel 28:13) and what man and king was called an angelic guardian also known as the cherub that covereth (Ezekiel 28:14, KJV)? What I enjoyed most was how the devil is shown in The Young Messiah to be is clueless of God's plan, and yet tries to turn people against Christ by telling people "he does this through devil, or its the devil's power," which is exactly what Pharisees said to Jesus, "And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons. So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man's house." (Mark 3:22-27). The entire spiritual battle between the Prince of This World and Prince of Peace in The Young Messiah scene alludes to Christ's very words, "I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold (power and place in me) over me." (John 14:30).

The holy family is hewn together by the preformances of Vincent Wash as Joseph, Sara Lazzo as Mother Mary, uncle Cleopos Christian McKay, and his wife Mary Clopas, and James. The family does not carry that earthreal supernatural vibe, they act like pious Jews who know who Christ the Child is, but they are down to earth, they have real needs, concerns, and questions. Joseph (Vincent Wash) plays the dream lead protector, Mary (Sara Lazzo) the Maddona who for once is the Scriptural Mother of Jesus directing Christ to seek His Father in Heaven for the answers. In one touching scene, Mary and Christ sit underneath an olive tree in an olive grove (orchard). Jesus asks her to tell him of his brith, and she relates how the angel told her she would give birth to the Son of God, and conceive him by Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). Then she says holding Chirst the Child close, "I won't be able to do this much longer, you are growing up. You are God's Son." To this Jesus responds as Jews still do, "we are all children of God." And Mary responds, "yes, that is true. But you are begotten of God your Father, His true Son." This is important, because it helps people understand there is difference between Son of God who is Jesus, and sons of god which are the saints (), and the sons of god that were angels (Genesis 6, something Satan in film alludes to in his confusion).

The Roman element is Servius, played by Sean Bean. Let me say so others may not be dismayed, Sean Bean does not die in this film. Sean as Servius serves a similar role to Clavius in Risen. While Clavius played by Joseph Fiennes is looking for the body of the Crucified Christ, Servius is looking for the Christ Child whom Herod The Great had ordered him to kill in Bethlehem eight years earlier, and who now Herod Agrippa orders him to kill. Servius searches for the Savior, and in the tail end of his hunt at the Temple, Servius encounters Emmanuel and is forced to decide if he should slay the Christ or let him sneak away freely. Believers know the answer, but I will leave this spoiler free for unbelievers. The rest of the Romans are depicted in a very balaneced light, they are seen as brutal and bereft of morality, but also caste in a light of beaten down by the harsh jobs they have like crucifixion, one elderly Lady of Nazerath not only bribes the Romans, she also acknowledges the hard job they have, and even blesses them as they ride away, "May Lord bless you and keep you, may he make his face shine upon, may he lift up his countenance upon you, and with pause, give you peace." (Numbers 6:24).

The Young Messiah is must see for everyone, parents and children, believer and unbeliever, saint and skeptic. It is the best biblical epic I have seen this year, surpassing to my surprise, Risen (which I do really recommend). What the Young Messiah accomplishes that no other film ever made on the Bible has done is show us Jesus through eyes of a child which alludes to Christ's own words, "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14) and "And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven," (Matthew 18:3), "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it," (Mark 10:15), and "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (Luke 18:17). What is meant is little children trust (faith) easily (Mark 11:22), are pure (Matthew 5:8), and love without conditions (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

We are given a glorious glimpse of God's grace in The Young Messiah. The film ends with a line that leaves you weeping, "My Father who is in heaven has sent me to live life, to experience it, even in all its pain, and death, so that I may know it. I do not doubt he will reveal to me the other reasons I am here, until then I will live and play, and experience life." While not a scriptural quote, it doesn't conflict with Scripture, because it says, "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation." (Hebrews 5:8-9). The director wants audiences to take away something often missed in the missal, and messages at church; God became man, yes to save us from sin through His death and resurrection, but also to know what this life is like, so that He can be the perfect Judge, King, and intercessor and mediator; he knows our weaknesses because he bore them, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin," (Hebrews 4:15), "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted," (Hebrews 2:18), "Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"(Like 24:26), "Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding (praying and serving like a Lawyer in our defense) for us," (Romans 8:34), and "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5).


Controversy and Issues

Director Cyrus Nowrasteth has given us a glimpse at God as a child. This is groundbreaking because so many fear sacrilege and that is why no film until now has attempted this endeavor. I want to say, that the only disputable part of the film lies on a deep theological debate on wither Christ knew from infancy He was Son of God, or did He receive at a certain age the understanding that He is God (Col 2:9), Son of God (Psalm 2:7), Savior (Matthew 1:21), Emmanuel/God with Us (Matthew 1:23), Son of Yahweh (Romans 10:9), Son of Adam (Luke 3:38), Son of David (Luke 19:38), Son of Man (Matthew 16:13) , and Salvation to Jews and Gentiles (Romans 10:12, Galatians 3:28-29, 1 Timothy 2:4, Matthew 28:18) . Those who believe Jesus received the full revelation of who He is later in life take the Baptism of Jesus as their example, "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17). This argument seems strong until you compare it with The Transfiguration, which is way further in Christ's ministry, and when He already has been sharing the salvation plan with His disciples, "And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Luke 9:22, which is before Transfiguration in Luke 9:30-36). The Transfiguration reads, "While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.  A voice came from the cloud, saying, “And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (Crucifixion and Resurrection). Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles (temples): one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not realizing what he was saying, While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen." (Luke 9:30-36). I fall into camp that believes Jesus Christ instinctively knew He was Immanuel from birth, but that he so learned obedience (Hebrews 5:8-9) that He allowed himself to be limited and could not talk as babe (infant), had to learn to speak, learn to walk, and everything else like we did. Thus the only objection I raise is that this film depicts Christ as Child not aware He is Son of the Father, which violates a plethora of Scriptures, especially theses, "And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart." (Luke 2 :49) and, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:1-5). The apostle John, closest disciple of Jesus (John 13:23) opens His gospel account with the words which reveal Jesus Christ who is The Word of God was not only in the beginning before the forming of Earth and the creation of man, but that through Christ all things were created, and so it makes not sense that Christ becoming a child would forget this! In addition, Jesus Christ reveals in many places that He does everything the Father taught Him, is doing, and is One with the Father, "I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father," (John 8:38), "Jesus gave them this answer: "Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does," (John 5:19), "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me," (John 5:30), "Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you," (John 20:21), "For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me," (John 6:38), "So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me," (John 8:28), "For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken, I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."(John 12:49-50), "I and the Father are one," (John 10:30), "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me," (John 17:21), "Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (John 14:9) and
"Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work," (John 14:10). How can than in Cyrus Nowrasteth's The Young Messiah, would Christ not know He's the Father's Son when as this last verse alone says, "It is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work." That would include all apocryphal miracles seen in The Young Messiah. Thus I have concern that while this movie will make children excited to know about Jesus and even follow Him, it will precipitate a belief that Christ did not know His Father, when Scripture says the Son Knows the Father and the Father lives in the Son who is Jesus Christ.

The Young Messiah is meaningful in helping us touch certain parables and parts of Scripture, but at same time is messes with the doctrine and theology of the Trinity which breeds heresy (heterodoxy) and apostasy. Thus I find a paradox that is hard to manage. On one hand the film serves as an important bridge between Christ and children, and will make them curious, and even connect with our Savior Jesus Christ, but on the other hand it has an piece of heterodoxy that can harm in the long run by creating another Christ, "For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily," (2 Corinthians 11:4), "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!" (Galatians 1:8), "For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many," (Matthew 24:5), and "For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect." ((Matthew 24:24 ESV, cross ref Mark 13:22). Parents, you need to correct the error in this film with your children. Show them the Bible passages in the Red letters I have contained in previous paragraph, and encourage the good in film, but explain the errors and how they cannot be accepted. Test the film, "but test them all; hold on to what is good," (1 Thessalonians 5:21),  "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." (Romans 12:9), "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," (2 Timothy 3:16), and "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1).

Major Concern:

Much of the Young Messiah is based on Gnostic Gospels, The false gospel of Thomas, and the erroneous accounts of Essenes. It thus is a concern that people will become interested in reading these heretical works, and lead to believe another gospel, "For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily," (2 Corinthians 11:4), "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!" (Galatians 1:8), and Christ himself said, "There will be many false christs and prophets who will perform miracles, signs, and wonders to deceive if even possible the Elect." (Matthew 24:24). It thus is a concern if the Young Messiah is scene that it will confuse people and lead them into gnostic and Essene heresies. We thus a rebuke for us who recommend the Young Messiah, because it means we "put up with" a false gospel to easily and it could be a false Christ.