NBC’s “AD” Episode 10 Review

A.D. 10 – Brothers in Arms

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, ¹⁹ and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. ²⁰ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— ²¹ “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” ²² (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? ²³ These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. (Colossians 2:16–23 ESV)

If you skimmed those verses, please go back and read them carefully. They are key to this week’s review of A.D. – the Bible Continues. Episode 10 – Brothers in Arms.

One of the main plotlines in this week’s episode dealt with the significance of the temple along with its sacrifices, services and rituals. In my opinion, A.D. is doing a nice job of depicting the confusion and subsequent tension about these things.

If Jesus is the Passover Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, do we need to keep sacrificing the wooly kind?

If we are made clean in Jesus, can a ham sandwich undo what He’s done while turkey would preserve and maintain His work?

Remember, the disciples were all Jewish men, born and raised in the traditions and rules of the chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, and even zealots. They struggled to fully comprehend the fulfillment and freedom they had in Christ.

In fact, of Peter and Saul, it appears that Peter struggled much more. Jesus had already told them that what goes into the mouth and is expelled does not—and cannot make a person unclean (Matthew 15:17-20). In Acts 10 Peter is given a vision in which he is told to eat all manner of meat which Jews would consider “unclean”. He had to be told three times. And in Galatians 2 Saul tells of having to oppose Peter to his face because it seems Peter had started to show preferential treatment to Christians who had been circumcised.

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A.D. is also doing a nice job in playing these roles alongside Simon the Zealot (shorter, bald guy, who’s gotten himself in over his head). The zealots are using “temple purity” to excuse their planning for a massacre. The Pharisees used “blasphemy” to excuse their murder of Christ and subsequent beatings of His apostles. But when you cut through the “self-justified” excuses, it’s still plain old sin.

This episode also saw the beating of Johanna & Tabitha. While we have no record of these two women suffering this sort of persecution, the scene is not contrived. Countless men and women suffered in this way and more simply because they believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.

By now, we should be used to all the strange little variations and additions. Why is the Ethiopian Eunuch meeting with the zealots? Would Caiaphas really try to bring Saul back into the fold? Etc. etc.

Two last things to comment on before I quit for this week: Saul’s “expulsion” and his comfort to Tabitha…

Saul’s “expulsion”. This is just way too politicized. The disciples were not trying to renegotiate their places back into Judaism, James is known as “James the Just” not “James the Waffler.” Note how in the end it is Peter’s decision. So Saul gets this nice little escort out of the region with everyone saying, “No, you’ll love it in Samaria. We’d go ourselves, it’s just that we’re so busy with Jerusalem stuff.” YUCK!

But to end on a good note: Saul’s comfort to Tabitha. The words are actually from Romans 8. He didn’t tell her to “cheer up” and he didn’t tell her “it’ll be alright.” He told her about Jesus who suffered too, suffered for her, and because He is risen now nothing can separate her from Him.

All of us need to hear more of Jesus’ words because all of us continue to suffer for His sake. We’re not in Heaven yet and we all still have that wage of sin that demands our life. Sorrow and danger and trouble and fears of every sort are all too common.

Yes! Give us more of Jesus’ words. He is the resurrection and the life.