Maccabees possible new topic for Mel Gibson film

I don't view the Maccabean accounts as having any scriptural authority but I wish 1 and 2 Maccabees was taught in Baptist Churches in conjunction with Daniel. Even the Gospel of John shows Jesus celebrating Hannukkah (John 10:22-23) Most Christians have a historical void of the events between Malachi and the Gospels. In our Training Union in December I taught a series of lessons entitled "Hannukkah and Christmas" and we did a survey of 1 and 2 Maccabees along with Daniel's prophecy.

1 & 2 Maccabees is a military account of the Macabean wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and would make a great movie. There is nothing Roman Catholic about these books. They were written by Jews well before the birth of Christianity. Though not Scripture, they are worthy of historical study for they tell us much of Jewish life in the years leading up to the Gospels. More power to Gibson if he wants to make a historical epic from 1 & 2 Maccabees!

 

Greg, what's the problem with making a story from Macabees into a movie? Cecil B Demille used the writings of Josephus when he made "The Ten Commandments", and nobody considered it a problem.

I find it rather sad that we'll pick up any Baptist preacher's bible commentary du jour and quote it as though it were scripture, yet we're so fearful of being "catholicized" that the very thought of even opening books of the Apocrypha is practically heresy.

 

I wouldn't mind a Maccabees movie. I don't think one has ever been made. The books are definitely not Scripture, but they do tell an interesting story of faith and courage. Sort of a Jewish Braveheart, I guess.

 

"Enamored" in the first post is probably too strong. I listened to the interview with Sean Hannity from which the quote came. It was just a general discussion in which Gibson said there were many interesting stories. Maccabees was given as an example.

Karen

 

I don't know about anyone else, but my church teaches the bible, not world history, or stuff added to scripture by the RCC.

 

First of all

1. 1 and 2 Maccabees is not written by the RCC. It was written by Jews about 160 years before Christ.

2. Do you mean that your Church does not teach the historical background of Bible stories? such as the background of the Assyrian and Babylonian kings? It does not even use Maps to show the Nations of Biblical times? or who Augustus Caesar was? or who Nero Caesar was? No Study of the Protestant Reformation? No Baptist History?

There is a necessity to understand the Scriptures in the way the Bible writers wrote it and the original writers read it. A background of the Historical background of Bible times is a necessity.

One of the greatest weaknesses of Protestants and Baptists in particular is a failure to teach or know Church History. That is why the RCC has been able to get converts from Baptist ranks because the Catholics do teach their version. The Apostolic Fathers, The origin of the Apostles Creed as well as a Study of the Councils of Nicea and Chalcedon should be taught. Instead we give Rome the high ground in their false assumptions that the early Church was Roman Catholic.

It does appear the Jews were coming to a false belief that sacrifices can be offered for the dead. One of the amazing things about 1 and 2 Maccabbees is it shows not only the heroics of the Jewish Freedom fighters but we also get a glimpse of the Legalism and false doctrine that was taking root within Judaism 160 years before Christ.

 

I don't think anybody on this site views the books as scriptural; but, old, historical documents, they are. Many movies have been made on history. Why would you have a problem with this?

Just because we are not historians, does not mean that it is WRONG for Mel to make a film based on history.

If us Christians will get busy witnessing to the people in America who saw this film, then the new Christians can be taught in our churches that this is only history and not scriptural.

Remember the movie called "The Bible" and it was about the story of those particular books only? I would consider that much worse, because it deceived people into believing that it was about "The Bible."

 

Another stone to the tower...

Bro. Dallas

 

I for one, hope that he does make this movie about God's miracle of lights, and am excited about seeing it.

Joseph Botwinick

 

I think that it is rather interesting that Mel, who has prayed the anti-semitic prayers of st bridget for 15 years, now wants to do a movie about Jewish history. Maybe there are some former SS officers still alive that would like to distribute it.

[ March 19, 2004, 05:27 PM: Message edited by: Spirit and Truth ]

 

Hello, again. I am wondering what you mean by the prayers of st. bridget and why do you call them anti-semitic?

Thanks

 

For a good look at the content of the 15 prayers of St. Bridget, go to:

http://www.seekgod.ca/gibsonbridget.htm

It will knock your socks off - this mystic nun was major into making the Jews "Christ killers".

 

Yikes!. Thank you! will check it out.

Not to be rude but is your name said like milky ..way???

 

ROFL - hahahahahahaha - how about MalkyWay? actually I was thinking of changing it to a nice latin name in honor of the movie per S&T's suggestion to get creative [another thread] from now on you can call me sanctusnobispachemDeusRex

 

Umm....is it alright if I just call you Rex, Malky, milky way?

Languages are NOT my specialty. Just new to the forum. Pleased to meet you....Rex.

 

Oh my goodness, my socks are still on because I got tired after the first 50 paragraphs.

Okay, let's assume all of that is true and has a true background.

What are you going to do about the millions of people who see the movie? Witness to them or tell them they saw an evil movie?

Are you going to tell them that they didn't beat Christ to a pulp?

Are you going to tell them He didn't die on a cross?

Are you going to tell them He didn't rise again?

That's what I saw when I watched it. What did you see?

By the way, I haven't had time to translate the Aramaic to make sure it remains true to the sub-titles. I might change my mind about the movie if they truly did leave a statement in the movie in Aramaic that came from Mathew...but was cut from the sub-titles, so the movie would be politically-correct.

 

sharpSword: Your doing good, glad to have you here (in all seriousness). You will be sliced, diced and stomped on here, after all we're all good Christians.

Once you get to know a few of us, you will enjoy the debates. I for one am not a King James Only person. I believe that my ESV is also the Word of God, but I do NOT have a problem with a KJV EITHER. So, whether you are KJVO or a heathen like me, you are welcome to debate in the Bible translation section too where we also slice, dice and pickle. Have a great day and nice to meet you!