HERE IT IS SO PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY: I am the senior pastor of our church but my wife and I also minister to the youth of our church on Tuesday nights. I’ve been teaching them how they need to know the real Jesus for themselves and the only way to do that is by reading the bible and having a close relationship with the Holy Spirit. We’ve been warning them of the dangers of being deceived and that they really need to know Jesus. Several of them told us they were going to go to see the movie “Son of God”. I was not ecstatic when they told us because of my concerns with that movie and the people that are behind making it. They wanted us to go with them and I wasn’t exactly thrilled about that idea. So I told them that I would go but that we were going to talk about this movie in youth group as to whether or not it was true to the bible. With pen and notebook in hand I went with them ready to critique the movie. Having been to law school I have been trained to look at both sides of a case in order to be adequately prepared for a presentation of a case and a trial.
So here goes: The Son of God has been done in a visually appealing way. The visuals are eye catching and very awesome too watch. The movie is slick and not done in a shoddy way. It is very professional. The acting is quite good and generally speaking keeps your attention. There are gaps in the storyline which could have been woven together to make the movie flow a little smoother. The music is interesting and adds and highlights the scenes in a typical movie like fashion. The music adds and does not distract. To the average movie goer I suppose The Son of God would overall be viewed as a fairly decent and respectable and emotionally moving movie. The ladies cried when Jesus was being scourged with the Roman whip and there were those who applauded at the movies ending. Many Christians will probably like this movie as well as non-Christians.
NOW TO THE POINT OF WHY I WENT IN THE FIRST PLACE. All of the above is true. But is the story about THE Son of God found in our Holy Bible? The answer is absolutely NOT! There are many changes to the story which I suppose they would call artistic license. If these type of changes are to help the movie flow smoother and do not change what is in the bible and its message then I suppose I can accept that. That is not the case in this movie and one needs to ask the question WHY? For instance: Why was Satan really taken out of this movie? Why do we never see Jesus casting any demons out as one of His miracles? Why is there NEVER any mention of hell? Could it be to push the current teaching that there is no hell, no devil, no demons? In the story of Mary Magdalene….. Oh wait. The movie never tells her story at all. Her character is in the movie because she is called Mary and we can figure out that that is who she is. Those who know the biblical story that is. But we are never told her story. Never told what a sinner she was and how Jesus made such a difference in her life as to completely change her life. Which brings us to another issue. The word repent is never ever used in this movie. Jesus does tell the woman caught in adultery to go and sin no more. However, the whole idea of repenting and departing from this world system is absent from this movie. As is any mention that we as followers of Jesus are to take up our own crosses and follow Him. Why is that? Why no mention of repenting and coming out of the world and bearing our own cross? I guess we have no responsibility for this. It’s all on Jesus. Hmmm… Isn’t this universalism? Jesus did it all and w e can sit back and relax and enjoy the benefits that His suffering and death and resurrection have brought us free from any personal responsibility. In the Last Supper scene we hear Jesus mention that the cup and bread are His blood and body. But we never hear Him say what they represent. Again I ask why? Peter asks Jesus what are we going to do? Jesus responds we are going to change the world! Really? Jesus never said that in the bible. Nor did He try to do that Himself through His ministry. He knew the world was corrupt and dying. The worlds systems and institutions were not His concern. People’s hearts and lives were His concern. He came to save people and transform their lives. However, kingdom now people believe we can bring the kingdom about ourselves. Again hmmmm…. Only Jesus can establish the kingdom on earth at His second coming. For now it is within us. At least that’s how my bible reads. Oh yeah, and Mary Magdalene. Why is she the ONLY woman to be seen traveling with Jesus ALL the time and a bunch of His male disciples? What is that implication all about? There are other issues as to why do we see Jesus going into the tomb where Lazarus is lying dead and Jesus places His hands upon Lazarus’ head and kisses him on the head? Really? Why? There are other smaller things but I think I have made my point.
So. Do we see Jesus upon the cross as some have said? Yes we do. But we have no clear idea as to why or what we are to do. Some have said this is great for witnessing. Really? As flawed as it is? What about us? I thought WE were to be His witnesses. We were given the Holy Spirit for just that purpose. If we can’t do a better job of being witnesses than this movie then maybe we would be better off selling real estate. Or maybe we just don’t want the personal responsibility that God Himself gave to us. Either way something is definitely wrong. Let me make this clear–I am not in any way promoting or endorsing this movie. Yes, I paid the money to see it but ONLY so I can now go and teach our youth how they really need to know the Jesus of the bible. Also, so when others say “Well, how do you know?” I can tell them how I know. I wouldn’t recommend any unbeliever to go and see this film. It will NOT give them any sense at all of what the truth of the bible is. You might say that God can use this movie. Yeah well God can use anything He wants to. What He really wants is to use you and me and not some Hollywood bozos who don’t know truth from fantasy. After all it is OUR God given responsibility. And we have been letting Him down and continue to let Him down every time we take people to this sort of mess. Again these youth were going regardless. I told them how I felt and they saw my Facebook posts. They knew I was going to point out the flaws so they can be better equipped. I wouldn’t recommend Christians to go either. Don’t waste your time and money supporting ANOTHER Jesus. Pastors and other leaders may want to go ONLY so you can authoritatively and with knowledge speak as to this movies fatal errors. But that I will leave up to you. It’s between you and the Lord now as it ought to be.
Hopefully I haven’t offended any of my friends who have taken a stand against this movie. I still stand in opposition to it alongside you. Nor am I trying to be hypocritical or talk out of both sides of my mouth. I hope you see and understand my reasons for going. If I have offended others who are in favor of this movie — GOOD. You really should not favor it nor recommend it to anyone for any purpose. I highly doubt the apostle Paul would have used any such badly flawed tool. We would say we ought to stone a prophet who gives a false message. Well this movie is as false as they come. You do the work of an evangelist and fulfill the responsibility the Lord gave to you.
I truly submit this to you in love and my prayer is you will see God’s truth. Ask Him and I’m sure He will show you much better than I can. After all He is God!
I felt this was a fair critique of this movie. I had a friend who saw it and stated she felt the bible was misquoted.
On tv I watched the making of Son of God (the mission) and when the actor who played Jesus said “they would change the world”. That was enough for me. I can only imagine how much more is misquoted. I agree with you, and God bless you for your word on this.
Thanks Pastor I was wondering about this with all the news I will not be going to see this I am a Christian I read the Bible I’ve tryed to tell my Grandchildren the truth They will not be going to see this the devil try’s to confuse the young ! Tks again for being brave enough to tell Us Love&Prayers Helen
A number of people that have disagreed with my articles and the critique focus on the film and not the content. Also they fail to respond to the issue of the demonic producers of the film that declared their goal was global ecumenism. The Jesus they present is a false Jesus. However, if they were so blind as not to recognize the blatantly diabolical individuals with their Antichrist agenda, I did not expect them to recognize the heresy in the film. The fact is that most professing Christians are simply attending church meetings and living for the benefits of the world system. They seldom if ever pray, study God’s word, and believe that emotionalism is a move of the Holy Spirit. Few of them can defend their belief system scripturally and fewer can even explain what they believe. The pastor does it all for them and they just follow like blind sheep. We are truly in the endtime great deception and apostasy and it is just as the Apostle Paul wrote: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
I disagree. I believe God can use whatever he wants to minister to people. If they had to make it shorter for time or focus on Jesus love it truly makes sense. U have to talk to a 5yr old in a way they can understand, well what about people who only see God as angry? hell n brimstone fear does not save people. Gods love and grace is what draws people to want to know him. When I was 18 at a bible study these christians judged and condemed me. I left and served satan for 5 years! I had to learn Gods love on my own. Dont condemn something God is using as a tool cause it might be the only way some people ever know the story. If the story doesnt show Jesus dying and rising from the dead well then thats the spirit of the antichrist and thats how we can look at it. Im for it and ill stand alone against every religious spirit to watch God get the glory! Btw I havent even seen the movie yet! Lol
Hi I have never seen so much flack on this film now on to what the evil would love to shut it down I think God will use it for good. I don’t think its totally ur responsibility to be discouragin anyone to see it imo only cuz I think it would allow the person to go home or to church maybe in ur pew what if a person came to ur service cuz he/she saw the movie will u then judge them for that? Just asking
I am a born again spirit filled Christian. I went to see the movie and loved it. It did not misquote the bible so why the fuss….it lifted up Jesus so why the fuss…..you said that it didnt use the exact words if the bible….no but you still got the message. Just like when Mary and Peter went into the tomb….Mary said he is gone…and Peter said no he is back…..I loved it…..It is the same meaning. Just like the different version s of the bible….different then the king James….I would recommend seeing
I will definitely not be seeing this picture. I did not watch their other movie The Bible. They are told from a Catholic point of view as was The Passion of the Christ. It is not Biblically correct! Christians do not read their Bibles therefore they don’t know the truth. Thank you for telling the truth. I’m sure there will be many who say we’re legalistic and narrow minded. But I choose to follow what the Bible says and JESUS CHRIST.
God Bless You Pastor this is so encouraging to read your critique. I was disturbed when I found out that Roma Downey is not a born again believer but a “new ager” I was in the new age before I became born again. I used to watch John Edwards on tv on his Crossing Over program where he said he contacted people’s dead relatives.I was an unsaved pagan and I did not call myself a Christian or pretend to be. Roma Downey, calls herself a Christian yet she participated with John Edwards on a special celebrity edition of Crossing over to conjur up her dead mother. Where is the discernment of the churches and pastors that not only are going to see this movie but are promoting it and building sermons around it.
Her behavior should be a real red flag to Bible believing Christians to question what kind of spirit is behind this movie but instead pastors are promoting this movie and building sermons around it.
John Edwards does on tv what Saul tried to do conjur up the dead. Why are the churches blindly following these people ? There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Deu 18:10
Deu 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Deu 18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
When Saul conjured up a dead Samuel through the witch of Endor he was judged.
Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? 1 Sam 28:20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night. 1 Sam 28:19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. Saul died the next day.
Roma Downey is trying to conjur up her dead mother and then she is going to be used by God to lead people to Yeshua?? What fellowship does light have with darkness 2nd Cor 6:14 What god does she serve ? Certainly not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who I serve. The Holy God who says Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
Certainly we should pray for her salvation but not promote and endorse and encourage what she is doing instead tell her what the real Son Of God says in his word.
Here’s the link to the article http://thelasthiker.wordpress.com/2014/02/23/the-son-of-god-movie-is-not-what-we-think-do-you-know-the-voice-of-your-master/
I am so pleased to see a real biblical critique of this movie. I would urge people not so go because Hollywood is driven by one thing – profit. The Body of Christ funds the very war against the Church and Christianity. Those people in Tinseltown got rich off the dollars each of us give to the product they produce while we make excuses that its not big deal. I am talking about the horror movies, vampire movies, violent movies that believers make excuses for going to see. Then that profit funds the homosexual and transsexual agenda, the battle to take away 2nd amendment rights, candidates who are radically anti-Chrisitan, progressive socialist, communist agenda, I could go on…
But specific now to the “bible” movies in the pipeline, Hollywood took note of Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” and wanted some of that action. Hence “Son of God” and “Noah” and whatever other frightful, unbiblical mishmash they are churning out. IF the Body of Christ had used discernment on this, and avoided it given the people producing it are full-on ‘NewAgers” who don’t believe in evil or demons (rather are fond of saying that EVIL is just LIVE backwards – I know I used to be one before I got born again), if the Body of Christ had not settled for biblical “junk food” at best or “spiritual arsenic” at worst. It might have encouraged Hollywood to look more closely at WHAT made “Passion of the Christ” such a success. But Hollywood sees that all you have to do is “base” something losely on a “bible” story or character and the Church will run to it like pigs to slop. Sad.
I would ask you, if you have not seen AGENDA: GRINDING AMERICA down by Christian Conservative Curtis Bowers please take the time to look at it, it explains so well what has happened in America and why the church looks for the most part indistinguishable from the world. It is a stunning piece of work that the Body of Christ would be much better served watching. And my prayer is ever pastor will show it to their flock.
Thank you Pastor!! I’m not surprised to see the world chasing after a different Jesus, but I am shocked to see the lack of leadership in the church! Where is the discernment? I think this failure accounts for the moral decline of our country. Indeed, the world has infiltrated the church to such a degree, that when standards are upheld (the way the early church did), true Christians are smacked down. Thus, I heartily cheer you Pastor, and say that you are one of the few leaders in America that still cares about standing up for what is right. There is going to be a day of reckoning, and the Lord will tell many that they never knew Him (Mt 7:21-23). Hopefully, that won’t be the case for your church members because you tell them the truth. Don’t be surprised if people criticize you for it. Continue to stand firm; the Lord is pleased. We are in the “days of Noah” where good is bad, and bad is good (Mt 24:37).
There was a scene at the end, while the credits were rolling where Jesus lays his hands on a man and says “come out of him.” There was not a scene in the actual movie of him sending out demons but there was that one little scene in the credits. If you were not aware of the bible you would probably not know what he was doing. I did enjoy the movie but was dismayed at how they strayed from the word of God.
I saw the mini series “the bible” with my bible wide open looking up the stories just to check whether or not my outrage at such a video stream of detritus was justified or not. I was justified. Since the same producers created this thing, I won’t be watching it because I would be engaged in a running commentary about the inaccuracies in the script while watching the movie. And I am a classically trained actress. The church where I was going for a couple of years is going as a group to see this. The pastor is AG. I pray for him daily. He had made some recent alliances with some apostates and has adopted some practices, the latest being Circle Makers. God help me know what to say, when to say it, and how to say any word of correction to this church.
Jesus according to Hollywood. It’s darkness.
My husbands a minister and when I hesrd about the movie i can say I was excited just because a movie about Christ was going to be in a big time movie theater… I didnt realize that the movie itself was just a Hollywood production of what Roma and her husband did for the Bible series in regular TV. Basically edited more …When my husband and I watched the bible series at home we said things were quoted wrong or completely wrong… And really I got confused a couple of times because things jumped from one thing to the next.. Ty for your input on this ..I’m hoping that the next movie due out in March is better (God’s notbdead). . God Bless <
All I have seen is praise for the critique of this movie “Son of God” and frankly it makes my blood boil. When I read this critique I had to go see it for myself. The writer of this post went out of their way to state that he was a pastor and minister for the Assemblies of God. I would hope that this is not the belief of the Assemblies of God, because I also carry papers with them.
The writer obviously, from the quote below, came with a closed mind with no intentions of receiving the true message of this movie….the love of God.
“With pen and notebook in hand I went with them ready to critique the movie. Having been to law school I have been trained to look at both sides of a case in order to be adequately prepared for a presentation of a case and a trial.”
Let the trial begin. Instead of innocence until proven guilty, it was quite the other way around. The writers mind was already made up.
There is one point that I can agree with the writer of this post on. The dialogue was not word for word from “The King James Version” of the bible; however the message WAS the same.
The whole point of the movie was the love of God. The writer states below there should have been other elements added.
“For instance: Why was Satan really taken out of this movie? Why do we never see Jesus casting any demons out as one of His miracles? Why is there NEVER any mention of hell?”
“and Mary Magdalene. Why is she the ONLY woman to be seen traveling with Jesus ALL the time and a bunch of His male disciples?”
Come on get real it wasn’t their story…..the movie was about the LOVE OF GOD. None of the things mentioned above ever crossed my mind. You can’t put everything is one movie. Not everything Jesus did is in the bible.
John 21:25 (KJV)
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
The writers and producers of this movie chose the stories from the bible that depicted the love of God to them and portrayed them on screen. We have no right to tear something apart just because it doesn’t have all the elements that we think should. You write the next movie and you can put as many elements in there as you would like.
Another statement that the writer of this post commented on is below.
“Peter asks Jesus what are we going to do? Jesus responds we are going to change the world! Really? Jesus never said that in the bible.”
The bible is not a word for word depiction of historical events. True the bible did not say that Jesus spoke these words, however is the statement TRUE? I personally thought it was an awesome statement, because here we are over two thousand years later CHANGED! Are we really going to fall out with this because Jesus said “We are going to change the world”?
An element the writer also chose to point out was about Lazarus.
“There are other issues as to why do we see Jesus going into the tomb where Lazarus is lying dead and Jesus places His hands upon Lazarus’ head and kisses him on the head?”
The bible states that Jesus stood outside the tomb and called to Lazarus to “Come Forth”.
John 11:43 (KJV)
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Again I say the movie is about the love of God. By the way, Jesus didn’t make a whip out of rope to cast out the moneychangers in the movie; do we discount the message for that too?
You see that’s where you and I come in, the Christian, to take the seed that was planted and build on it, because someone saw the love of God in a movie. The items above can be addressed as the seed is growing.
“Do we see Jesus upon the cross as some have said? Yes we do. But we have no clear idea as to why or what we are to do. Some have said this is great for witnessing. Really?”
Yes Really! Again our responsibility is to take the message of this movie and build on it. We are to explain why Jesus went to the cross. We were all sinners and needed a Savior. We can take each of the miracles and each encounter and show the lost what they mean to us.
The final statement that I wish to address is written below.
“I wouldn’t recommend any unbeliever to go and see this film. It will NOT give them any sense at all of what the truth of the bible is. You might say that God can use this movie.”
I am in total opposition to this statement. This movie has a message that comes through loud and clear (and I repeat myself) “THE LOVE OF GOD.” Yes God can use anything. We all know that He used a talking donkey once (look it up).
I would HIGHLY recommend this movie. Take someone that doesn’t know Christ as their personal Savior. Be there for them to explain the love of God, not to pick the movie apart.
In closing, I am very ashamed that we allow ourselves to become so high minded at times that the Holy Spirit cannot guide us. We make up our minds and do not give place to the leadership of the Spirit. I can only imagine the lives that may not be impacted by this movie (or at all for that matter) because one person decided not to receive the true message and become judge, jury, and executioner. We each have an awesome responsibility to show and tell that lost individual about the love of God.
Does saying a movie is about the “Love of God” give anybody a right to change the God breathed stories of the bible? The only ones that I know who do change the stories are false teachers and liberal theologians.
If you’re going to do a movie about the love of God why do you think you can improve upon the stories about Jesus’ that an all wise loving God put in the Bible?
Response to Denny Wells: Obviously I disagree with your critique of my critique. I have but one thing to respond. This movie is NOT about the love of God as you stated. What this movie IS about is presenting a New Age FALSE Jesus to enter into the minds and hearts of people so that when false Christs and messiahs arrive on the scene they will be embraced and not discerned to be false. I did not go to the movie with my mind made up. The movie itself did that for me all on its own.
AMMMMMEN, Pastor Rauff! {thumbs up}
@Danny Wells: the ass speaking was because Balaam was such an ass himself (Latin asinus = donkey), stubborn and foolish. God made that ass speak to GET THRU to Balaam. Balaam should’ve listened to God before that.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of TRUTH: He does not use lies to accomplish His mission.