First off: Happy Easter to all those who celebrate the Western Christian feast of Easter. I hope you were able to spend it in worship and prayer to God with all your dearest friends and family. When I was growing up, Easter was always an important time for my family. My sisters would come in from different places and there would be a huge feast, laughter, games, and singing.
Because it is Easter, The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston is on TV, and a newcomer to the arena – A.D., The Bible Continues. This series picks up from Christ’s passion on the cross and interment in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.
The lives of the high priest, the disciples, and Pilot are still in turmoil even though Jesus has been killed and buried. In the show the Sanhedrin and the Roman governor sent guards to the tomb to make sure the it remained sealed so the disciples couldn’t begin telling the people Jesus had risen from the dead after three days in the tomb.
The disciples are worried. They are wanted men and their leader is dead. Even though they said they believed He was the Son of God, with His death they aren’t certain any more. The only person who continues to have unshaken faith is Jesus’ mother, Mary. In a very tense scene, the disciples are wondering if they should leave Jerusalem immediately, before the Roman soldiers begin searching for them. Mother Mary, coming downstairs, heard their talk and says, in anguish and some anger, “Have you forgotten already? Have you forgotten? Three days. You can’t wait three days?”
The actors and actresses are well cast in their roles. There are dark faces amid the white ones, too, which is more accurate to the ethnicity of the disciples. The anguish portrayed by the men and women who would begin The Church was real, and not over-acted. I am sure there were some doubts about what was going to happen or even if anything was going to come about after Jesus Christ had been in the tomb for three days.
The character of Caiaphas and his wife are ones you like to dislike. They are arrogant, somewhat well-meaning in their protection of the Jewish tradition and people. Christ’s message was a threat to them and when they are asked directly how it was such a threat they can’t explain other than to declare it was a message endangering the Jewish people against their Roman over-seers.
A.D. is an excellent show and a wonderful change from the normal Sunday fare. My household is looking forward to the next episode, especially ow the first one ended. (I don’t want to tell too much in case you haven’t seen it yet.) I give the opening of the series a solid 5 out of 5 stars.
